Turbine engine bearing support
First Claim
1. In an aircraft turbine engine comprising a rotor having a shaft which rotates about an axis of rotation R during balanced engine operation, a fan stage having at least two fan blades attached to the shaft, a bearing support structure for supporting the shaft for rotation, said bearing support structure comprising a front bearing and a rear bearing, and a first bearing support and a second bearing support for securely attaching the front bearing and the rear bearing to the aircraft turbine engines support structure, respectively, the improvement comprising the first bearing support includes a joint located at an axial distance “
- a”
from the front bearing, the joint includes a frangible linkage wherein the joint is designed so as to substantially eliminate shear forces on the frangible linkage so that the frangible linkage is subjected to tensile force.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A bearing support for a rotor of an aircraft turbine engine includes a frangible linkage designed to enable the engine to safely shut down despite the introduction of an excessive unbalance to the fan stage.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. In an aircraft turbine engine comprising a rotor having a shaft which rotates about an axis of rotation R during balanced engine operation, a fan stage having at least two fan blades attached to the shaft, a bearing support structure for supporting the shaft for rotation, said bearing support structure comprising a front bearing and a rear bearing, and a first bearing support and a second bearing support for securely attaching the front bearing and the rear bearing to the aircraft turbine engines support structure, respectively, the improvement comprising the first bearing support includes a joint located at an axial distance “
- a”
from the front bearing, the joint includes a frangible linkage wherein the joint is designed so as to substantially eliminate shear forces on the frangible linkage so that the frangible linkage is subjected to tensile force. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
- a”
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9. In an aircraft turbine engine comprising a rotor having a shaft which rotates about an axis of rotation R during balanced engine operation, a fan stage having at least two fan blades attached to the shaft, a bearing support structure for supporting the shaft for rotation, said bearing support structure comprising a front bearing and a rear bearing, and a first bearing support and a second bearing support for securely attaching the front bearing and the rear bearing to the aircraft turbine engines support structure, respectively, a method for sensing predetermined excessive operating unbalance of the rotor and thereafter decrease load transfer to the aircraft turbine engine'"'"'s support structure comprising the steps of:
providing a device including a frangible linkage in the first bearing support at a distance “
a”
from the front bearing;
substantially eliminating the transfer of shear force to the frangible linkage while subjecting the linkage to tensile force; and
breaking the frangible linkage at a tensile force corresponding to the predetermined excessive operating unbalance of the rotor whereby support of the rotor by the front bearing is lost and the shaft rotational axis is changed so as to decrease load transfer to the engine'"'"'s support structure.
Specification