Contrarotating propeller type propulsion system

• US 5,186,609 A
• Filed: 12/20/1990
• Issued: 02/16/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company), Westvaco Corporation (Meadwestvaco Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Kubota, Osamu, Inoue, Kazuo, Komura, Takashi, Noda, Etsuo
• Primary Examiner(s): KWON, JOHN
• Application Number:
  US07/631,669
• Time in Patent Office: 789 Days
• Field of Search: 416/128, 416/129, 416/120, 416/122, 416/124, 416/126, 416/170 R, 416/174, 60/39, 60/162, 60/268
• US Class Current: 416/129
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 11/48 Units of two or more coaxial propellers

Abstract

A contrarotating propeller type propulsion system having first and second output rotary cylinders which are carried individually on an outside support cylinder fixedly secured to a first support structure, the first output rotary cylinder being borne on the outer peripheral surface of the first support cylinder through bearings and the second output rotary cylinder borne on the inner peripheral surface of the first support cylinder through bearings. The first and second output rotary cylinders serve to support the first and second contrarotating propellers, respectively. The first and second output rotary cylinders are supported on the first support cylinder at two axially spaced points. The driving shaft is borne on a second support cylinder fixedly secured to the support structure and surrounded by the first support cylinder. The gear reduction mechanism for causing the counter rotation of the propellers is provided within a case that is cooled and lubricated by oil flowing therethrough and also is cooled by an annular air passage around the entire exterior of the case.

Claims

1. A contrarotating propeller type propulsion system wherein a planetary gear is interposed between a sun gear fixed to a driving shaft and a ring gear concentrically surrounding the sun gear for rotation of the planetary gear on its axis and revolution around the sun gear, characterized in that a first output rotary cylinder for driving a first propeller is coupled to the ring gear, and a second output rotary cylinder for driving a second propeller is coupled to a support shaft for the planetary gear, the first output rotary cylinder is borne on an outer peripheral surface of a first support cylinder fixedly secured to a support structure through bearing means, and the second output rotary cylinder is borne on the inner peripheral surface of said first support cylinder through separate bearing means.

2. A system as defined in claim 1, wherein said first and second output rotary cylinders are arranged concentrically with said first support cylinder.

3. A system as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said first and second output rotary cylinders is supported on the first support cylinder at two axially spaced points.

4. A system as defined in claim 3, wherein said two axially spaced points, which support said first and second output rotary cylinders, are in radially alignment.

5. A system as defined in claim 1, wherein said driving shaft is borne on a second support cylinder which is fixedly secured to the support structure and is surrounded by said first support cylinder.

6. A system as defined in claim 1 further comprising means for preventing overheating of the propulsion system including

(a) an inner cylinder disposed inside an outer cylinder forming an annular exhaust passage therebetween;

(b) a reduction case disposed inside the inner cylinder forming an annular cooling passage therebetween.

7. A system as defined in claim 4 wherein the means for preventing overheating of the propulsion system further includes (c) means for directing air through air inlets into the annular cooling air passage and (d) means for directing working gas driving the rotor through the annular exhaust passage.

8. A system as defined in claim 6 further comprising means for reducing influence of heat from the exhaust passage on the blades comprising means for directing an air current along an outside surface of the outer cylinder.

9. A system as defined in claim 6 further comprising an air intake cylinder disposed outside the outer cylinder, the air intake cylinder constructed and arranged to direct air, which is forced thereinto by ram pressure during flight, into the annular cooling air passage and along an outside surface of the outer cylinder.

10. A system as defined in claim 6 wherein the means for preventing overheating further includes a lubricating oil system which circulates oil through the reduction case.

11. A system as defined in claim 10 wherein the oil lubrication system includes an oil discharge outlet positioned toward one end of the reduction case, said reduction case increasing in diameter towards the oil discharge outlet.

12. A contrarotating propeller type propulsion system for driving first and second propellers, comprising

a driving shaft connectable to a rotor;

a sun gear fixed to the driving shaft;

a ring gear concentrically surrounding the sun gear;

a plurality of planetary gears interposed between the sun gear and the ring gear concentrically surrounding the sun gear;

a plurality of support shafts, each support shaft supporting a respective planetary gear, each planetary gear rotating on its respective support shaft and revolving around the sun gear;

a first output rotary cylinder for driving a first propeller coupled to the ring gear; and

a second output rotary cylinder for driving a second propeller coupled to a support shaft for the planetary gear,

wherein the first and second output rotary cylinders are carried individually on a first support cylinder fixedly secured to a support structure, the first output rotary cylinder being borne on the outer peripheral surface of the first support cylinder through bearing means and the second output rotary cylinder is borne on the inner peripheral surface of the first support cylinder through bearing means.

13. A system as defined in claim 12, wherein said first and second output rotary cylinders are arranged concentrically with said first support cylinder.

14. A system as defined in claim 12, wherein each of said first and second output rotary cylinders is supported on the first support cylinder at two axially spaced points.

15. A system as defined in claim 14, wherein said two axially spaced points, which support said first and second output rotary cylinders, are in radially alignment.

16. A system as defined in claim 12, wherein said driving shaft is borne on a second support cylinder which is fixedly secured to the support structure and is surrounded by said first support cylinder.

17. A system as defined in claim 12 further comprising means for preventing overheating of the propulsion system including

(a) an inner cylinder disposed inside an outer cylinder forming an annular exhaust passage therebetween;

(b) a reduction case disposed inside the inner cylinder forming an annular cooling passage therebetween.

18. A system as defined in claim 17 wherein the means for preventing overheating of the propulsion system further includes (c) means for directing air through air inlets into the annular cooling air passage and (d) means for directing working gas driving the rotor through the annular exhaust passage.

19. A system as defined in claim 17 further comprising means for reducing influence of heat from the exhaust passage on the blades comprising means for directing an air current along an outside surface of the outer cylinder.

20. A contrarotating propeller type propulsion system for driving first and second propellers, comprising

a gear drive system including a drive shaft operably connected to the rotor for driving first and second propellers, the gear drive system disposed within a reduction case;

means for preventing overheating of the propulsion system including

(a) an inner cylinder disposed inside an outer cylinder forming an annular exhaust passage therebetween,

(b) a reduction case disposed inside the inner cylinder forming an annular cooling passage therebetween, and

(c) inlet passage means extending radially inward through the outer cylinder, through the annular exhaust passage, and through the inner cylinder for providing passage of outside air through the annular exhaust passage into the annular cooling passage.

21. A system as defined in claim 20 wherein the means for preventing overheating of the propulsion system further includes (d) means for directing working gas driving the rotor through the annular exhaust passage.

22. A system as defined in claim 20 wherein the means for preventing overheating further includes a lubricating oil system which circulates oil through the reduction case.

24. A system as defined in claim 20 further comprising means for reducing influence of heat from the exhaust passage on the blades comprising a separate air intake cylinder positioned outside of the outer cylinder, the separate air intake cylinder directing an air current along an outside surface of the outer cylinder.

23. A contrarotating propeller type propulsion system for driving first and second propellers, comprising

a gear drive system including a drive shaft operably connected to the rotor for driving first and second propellers, the gear drive system disposed within a reduction case;

and

means for preventing overheating of the propulsion system including

(a) an inner cylinder disposed inside an outer cylinder forming an annular exhaust passage therebetween,

(b) a reduction case disposed inside the inner cylinder forming an annular cooling passage therebetween,

(c) inlet passage means extending radially inward through the annular exhaust passage for providing passage of outside air through the annular exhaust passage into the annular cooling passage, and

(d) a lubricating oil system which circulates oil through the reduction case, wherein the lubricating oil system includes an oil discharge outlet positioned toward one end of the reduction case, said reduction case increasing in diameter towards the oil discharge outlet.

25. A contrarotating propeller type propulsion system for driving first and second propellers, comprising

a gear drive system including a drive shaft operably connected to the rotor for driving first and second propellers, the gear drive system disposed within a reduction case;

and

means for preventing overheating of the propulsion system including

(a) an inner cylinder disposed inside an outer cylinder forming an annular exhaust passage therebetween,

(b) a reduction case disposed inside the inner cylinder forming an annular cooling passage therebetween, and

(c) a lubricating oil system which circulates oil through the reduction case by the rotating action of the reduction case, wherein the lubricating oil system includes an oil discharge outlet positioned toward one end of the reduction case, said reduction case increasing in diameter towards the oil discharge outlet.