DUAL ACCESSORY GEARBOX

• US 20180347471A1
• Filed: 05/31/2017
• Published: 12/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Wotzak, Mark Gregory
• Granted Patent: US 10,823,080 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/275 Mechanical drives
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/32 Arrangement, mounting, or driving, of auxiliaries
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/4031 as in toothed gearing
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 1/222 with non-parallel axes

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to a gas turbine engine including an engine shaft rotatable with at least one of a fan section, a compressor section, or a turbine section, and an accessory gearbox assembly including a towershaft, a first gearbox, a torque transfer assembly, and a second gearbox. The towershaft is rotatable with the engine shaft and extended therefrom and mechanically coupled to the first gearbox. The first gearbox transmits mechanical energy from the engine shaft via a first shaft defining a first end and a second end. The first shaft extends at the first end from the first gearbox and through the torque transfer assembly and coupled thereto. The first shaft extends from the torque transfer assembly to the second gearbox at the second end and is coupled thereto. The first gearbox and the second gearbox each are coupled to one or more gearbox accessories.

Claims

1. A gas turbine engine, the gas turbine engine comprising:

an engine shaft rotatable with at least one of a fan section, a compressor section, or a turbine section; and

an accessory gearbox assembly comprising a towershaft, a first gearbox, a torque transfer assembly, and a second gearbox, wherein the towershaft is rotatable with the engine shaft and extended therefrom and mechanically coupled to the first gearbox, and wherein the first gearbox transmits mechanical energy from the engine shaft via a first shaft defining a first end and a second end, wherein the first shaft extends at the first end from the first gearbox and through the torque transfer assembly and coupled thereto, and wherein the first shaft extends from the torque transfer assembly to the second gearbox at the second end and coupled thereto, and wherein the first gearbox and the second gearbox each are coupled to one or more gearbox accessories.

2. The gas turbine engine of claim 1, wherein the torque transfer assembly defines one or more gearbox accessories.

3. The gas turbine engine of claim 1, wherein the accessory gearbox assembly further comprises a first gearbox shaft and a second gearbox shaft, each of the first gearbox shaft and the second gearbox shaft generally co-axial with the first shaft.

4. The gas turbine engine of claim 3, wherein the first shaft defining a drive shaft and a quill shaft is configured to displace at least partially within the first gearbox shaft and the second gearbox shaft such that the torque transfer assembly is disengaged from the first gearbox and the second gearbox.

5. The gas turbine engine of claim 1, wherein the first shaft defines a drive shaft and a quill shaft, and wherein the drive shaft is disposed at least partially within the quill shaft, and further wherein the first shaft further comprises a locking mechanism to engage or disengage the drive shaft from the quill shaft.

6. The gas turbine engine of claim 5, wherein the first shaft comprises a stop collar, and wherein the stop collar sets a maximum lateral movement of the drive shaft relative to the quill shaft.

7. The gas turbine engine of claim 5, wherein the drive shaft and the quill shaft engage or disengage within the torque transfer assembly.

8. The gas turbine engine of claim 5, wherein the locking mechanism disengages the first gearbox from the torque transfer assembly.

9. The gas turbine engine of claim 5, wherein the locking mechanism disengages the second gearbox from the torque transfer assembly.

10. The gas turbine engine of claim 1, wherein the one or more gearbox accessories includes a lube pump, a starter, a fuel metering unit, a permanent magnetic alternator, or a blower, or combinations thereof.

11. The gas turbine engine of claim 1, wherein the torque transfer assembly is defined at least partially within a housing.

12. The gas turbine engine of claim 11, wherein the housing defines one or more maintenance orifices.

13. The gas turbine engine of claim 1, wherein the engine shaft and towershaft transmit mechanical energy to the first gearbox in serial arrangement, and wherein the torque transfer assembly transmits mechanical energy to the gearbox accessories of the second gearbox in serial arrangement.

14. The gas turbine engine of claim 13, wherein the one or more gearbox accessories of the first gearbox receive mechanical energy in parallel arrangement relative to one another, and wherein the one or more gearbox accessories of the second gearbox receive mechanical energy in parallel arrangement relative to one another.

15. The gas turbine engine of claim 1, wherein the one or more gearbox accessories coupled to the first gearbox or the second gearbox extends approximately perpendicular to the first shaft.

16. The gas turbine engine of claim 1, wherein the one or more gearbox accessories is disposed forward or aft of an axis of rotation of the gas turbine engine.

17. The gas turbine engine of claim 1, wherein the first shaft extends approximately tangential relative to the engine shaft.

18. A method of operating an accessory gearbox on a gas turbine engine, the method comprising:

transmitting mechanical energy through a first gearbox via a second shaft mechanically coupled to the first gearbox and an engine shaft;

transmitting mechanical energy through a torque transfer assembly via a first shaft mechanically coupled to the first gearbox;

transmitting mechanical energy through a second gearbox via the first shaft; and

driving one or more gearbox accessories of the first gearbox, the second gearbox, and the torque transfer assembly.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

transmitting mechanical energy from the engine shaft that is rotatable with at least one of a fan section, a compressor section, or a turbine section, and rotatable with the second shaft.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

transmitting mechanical energy to the first shaft from a starter that is connected to the first gearbox, the second gearbox, or torque transfer assembly.