Automatic speed changing system for two-shaft type gas turbine engine

• US 5,184,526 A
• Filed: 06/05/1991
• Issued: 02/09/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Watanabe, Atsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Wright, Dirk
• Application Number:
  US07/710,697
• Time in Patent Office: 615 Days
• Field of Search: 74/861, 74/873, 74/874
• US Class Current: 477/31
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/101 Infinitely variable gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18 Propelling the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/1819 Propulsion control with control means using analogue circuits, relays or mechanical links
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 1/04 with fuel-air mixture admission into cylinder
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 9/54 by throttling the working fluid, by adjusting vanes
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 9/56 with power transmission control
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/66 specially adapted for continuously variable gearings control of exclusively fluid gearing F16H61/38
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/66259 using electrical or electronical sensing or control means

Abstract

An automatic speed change system for a two-shaft type gas turbine engine, employed in an automotive vehicle as a prime mover thereof, is capable of varying a speed change ratio depending upon the engine driving condition. The automatic speed change system adjusts a revolution speed of a power turbine of the gas turbine engine to maintain a high efficiency at an engine idling condition while maintaining a low fuel consumption at an acceptably low level to obtain enhanced standstill acceleration characteristics without a worsening of the fuel consumption.

Claims

1. An automatic speed changing system for a two-shaft type gas turbine engine having a gas generator including a compressor and a compressor turbine arranged coaxially on a first shaft with sid copressor, a combustion chamber, a variable nozzle, and a power turbine rotatable about a turbine shaft independently of the first shaft of said compressor and said compressor turbine, said system comprising:

an automatic speed change mechanism disposed between an output shaft of said power turbine and an input shaft of a power transmission device, said automatic speed change mechanism including a reduction gear connected to said output shaft of said power tube and a continuously variable transmission connected to an output shaft of said reduction gear, a reduction ratio of said automatic speed change mechanism being variable depending upon the engine driving condition and wherein sid continuously variable transmission has an input shaft and an output shaft an input pulley provided at an input shaft side and having a variable spacing between a pair of flanges, an output pulley provided at an output shaft side and having a variable spacing between a pair of flanges, and a V-shaped belt extending over said input and output pulleys, said spacings of said pairs of flanges in said input and output pulleys being adjusted to thereby vary effective diameters of said input and output pulleys to adjust a speed change ratio when transferring a rotation from said input shaft to sid output shaft.

2. A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said reduction ratio of said automatic speed change mechanism during an idling state is made higher than that existing during another driving state.