Anti-rotation feature for air turbine starter
First Claim
1. A turbine balance assembly comprising:
- a turbine rotor connected to drive a turbine shaft;
bearings positioned radially outwardly of said turbine shaft;
a bearing sleeve positioned radially outwardly of said bearings, and supporting said bearings, said bearing sleeve extending along an axial length defined by a rotational axis of said shaft, and said bearing sleeve having a turbine rotor end adjacent to said turbine rotor, and a remote end;
a radially outwardly extending flange on said bearing sleeve extending radially outwardly of a support portion of said bearing sleeve and at said turbine rotor end, and said flange having a nominal outer radius, and including a slot for receiving an anti-rotation tab over a limited circumferential extent;
a ratio between a distance from a center line of said bearing sleeve to a tangent point for a flat surface on a radially inner end of said slot relative to said nominal radius of the flange is between 0.92 and 0.95; and
said slot extends for a distance along said flat surface between two sides, and a ratio of the distance between said two sides to said nominal radius is between 0.09 and 0.22.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A turbine balance assembly has a turbine rotor and shaft. Bearings are positioned radially outwardly of the shaft. A bearing sleeve is positioned radially outwardly of the bearings, and supports the bearings. The bearing sleeve extends along an axial length defined by a rotational axis of the shaft, and has a turbine rotor end adjacent to the turbine rotor, and a remote end. A radially outwardly extending flange on the bearing sleeve extends radially outwardly of a support portion of the bearing sleeve at the turbine rotor end. The flange has a nominal outer diameter, and includes a slot for receiving an anti-rotation tab from a gear cage over a first circumferential extent. A bearing sleeve incorporates the anti-rotation feature, and a gear cage incorporates its portion of the anti-rotation feature. An air turbine starter, and a method of installing components of a turbine balance assembly are also disclosed.
15 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A turbine balance assembly comprising:
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a turbine rotor connected to drive a turbine shaft; bearings positioned radially outwardly of said turbine shaft; a bearing sleeve positioned radially outwardly of said bearings, and supporting said bearings, said bearing sleeve extending along an axial length defined by a rotational axis of said shaft, and said bearing sleeve having a turbine rotor end adjacent to said turbine rotor, and a remote end; a radially outwardly extending flange on said bearing sleeve extending radially outwardly of a support portion of said bearing sleeve and at said turbine rotor end, and said flange having a nominal outer radius, and including a slot for receiving an anti-rotation tab over a limited circumferential extent; a ratio between a distance from a center line of said bearing sleeve to a tangent point for a flat surface on a radially inner end of said slot relative to said nominal radius of the flange is between 0.92 and 0.95; and said slot extends for a distance along said flat surface between two sides, and a ratio of the distance between said two sides to said nominal radius is between 0.09 and 0.22. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. An air turbine starter comprising:
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a turbine rotor connected to drive a turbine shaft; bearings positioned radially outwardly of said turbine shaft; a bearing sleeve positioned radially outwardly of said bearings, and supporting said bearings, said bearing sleeve extending along an axial length defined by a rotational axis of said shaft, and said bearing sleeve having a turbine rotor end adjacent to said turbine rotor, and a remote end; a radially outwardly extending flange on said bearing sleeve extending radially outwardly of a support portion of said bearing sleeve and at said turbine rotor end, and said flange having a nominal outer diameter, and including a slot for receiving an anti-rotation tab over a limited circumferential extent; a gear cage radially outwardly of said bearing sleeve, and including an anti-rotation tab extending into said slot to resist rotation of said bearing sleeve relative to said gear cage; and said gear cage is formed of an outer aluminum member having an inner bore, and a steel liner force fit into said inner bore, said tab being part of said steel liner. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 17)
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10. A gear cage comprising:
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an outer aluminum member having a cylindrical inner bore; a steel liner force fit into said inner bore, a tab being formed as part of said steel liner, and said tab and said outer aluminum member extending along an axial dimension more forwardly than a nominal face of said liner and said outer aluminum member, and over a limited circumferential extent; wherein said steel liner has the tab formed in an axially forward end that is to be spaced more toward a turbine rotor than a remote end, and there being an outer diameter of said steel liner, and a ratio of an inner diameter of said forward end to said outer diameter is between 0.92 and 0.98; and a ratio of said inner diameter of said forward end to an axial length of the entire steel liner is between 12.5 and 4.5. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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11. A bearing sleeve comprising:
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a support portion extending along a central axis, and having a flange at a turbine end extending radially outwardly; said flange having a nominal outer radius, and a slot for receiving an anti-rotation lock over a limited circumferential extent, said slot extending over an angle of between 4° and
12°
to define said limited circumferential extent; andsaid slot extends for a distance along said flat surface between two sides, and a ratio of the distance between said two sides to said nominal radius is between 0.09 and 0.22. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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13. A method of assembling an air turbine starter comprising the steps of:
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inserting a turbine rotor and shaft, and bearings supporting said shaft into a bearing sleeve to form a turbine balance assembly, and said bearing sleeve having a slot to receive an anti-rotation structure at an end of said bearing sleeve positioned toward said turbine rotor; moving said turbine balance assembly into a gear cage, said gear cage having an anti-rotation tab and said tab being moved into said slot; and said gear cage is formed of an outer member having inner bore, and a liner force fit into said inner bore, with said liner providing the tab. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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Specification