Passive Lubrication System for Gas Turbine Engine Gearbox During Wind Milling
First Claim
1. A gearbox assembly for a gas turbine engine used in an aircraft, the gearbox assembly comprising:
- a gearbox housing;
a gear train assembly housed within the gearbox housing;
a lubricant in the gearbox housing for lubricating the gear train assembly; and
,a first scavenge port formed in the gearbox housing, the first scavenge port changeable between an open position and a closed position, the first scavenge port remaining in the open position during normal operation of the gas turbine engine to allow the lubricant to drain from the gearbox housing,wherein, upon occurrence of a loss of lubricant pressure, the first scavenge port is changed to the closed position to trap at least a portion of the lubricant in the gearbox housing, the trapped lubricant providing passive lubrication to the gear train assembly during the loss of lubricant pressure.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A gearbox assembly for a gas turbine engine used in an aircraft having passive lubrication capabilities during wind milling includes a gearbox housing, a gear train assembly housed within the gearbox housing, a lubricant in the gearbox housing for lubricating the gear train assembly, and a first scavenge port formed in the gearbox housing. The first scavenge port is changeable between an open position and a closed position. Further, the first scavenge port remains in the open position during normal operation of the gas turbine engine to allow the lubricant to drain from the gearbox housing. Upon occurrence of a loss of lubricant pressure in the gearbox assembly, the first scavenge port is changed to the closed position to trap at least a portion of the lubricant in the gearbox housing. Thus, the trapped lubricant provides passive lubrication to the gear train assembly during the loss of lubricant pressure.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A gearbox assembly for a gas turbine engine used in an aircraft, the gearbox assembly comprising:
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a gearbox housing; a gear train assembly housed within the gearbox housing; a lubricant in the gearbox housing for lubricating the gear train assembly; and
,a first scavenge port formed in the gearbox housing, the first scavenge port changeable between an open position and a closed position, the first scavenge port remaining in the open position during normal operation of the gas turbine engine to allow the lubricant to drain from the gearbox housing, wherein, upon occurrence of a loss of lubricant pressure, the first scavenge port is changed to the closed position to trap at least a portion of the lubricant in the gearbox housing, the trapped lubricant providing passive lubrication to the gear train assembly during the loss of lubricant pressure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for lubricating a gearbox assembly of an aircraft engine, the gearbox assembly having a gear train assembly housed within a gearbox housing, the method comprising:
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monitoring a lubricant pressure of the gearbox assembly via one or more sensors; maintaining a scavenge port of the gearbox housing in an open position if the lubricant pressure is above a predetermined threshold to allow lubricant to drain from the gearbox housing; and
,if the lubricant pressure drops below the predetermined threshold, changing the scavenge port from the open position to a closed position to trap at least a portion of the lubricant in the gearbox housing, the trapped lubricant providing passive lubrication to the gear train assembly during the loss of lubricant pressure. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for lubricating a gearbox assembly of an aircraft engine, the gearbox assembly having a gear train assembly housed within a gearbox housing, the method comprising:
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during normal operation of the aircraft engine, maintaining a scavenge port of the gearbox housing in an open position to allow lubricant to drain from the gearbox housing; and
,immediately upon occurrence of an inflight shutdown, changing the scavenge port to a closed position to trap at least a portion of the lubricant in the gearbox housing, the trapped lubricant providing passive lubrication to the gear train assembly via wind milling during the inflight shutdown.
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Specification