Accessory gearbox with a starter/generator

• US 8,857,192 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2010
• Issued: 10/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Huang, Hao, Zywot, Jan
• Primary Examiner(s): Low, Lindsay
• Assistant Examiner(s): AMICK, JACOB M
• Application Number:
  US12/763,441
• Publication Number:
  US 20110252807A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,638 Days
• Field of Search: 607/88, 60/391.3, 607/78, 607/86
• US Class Current: 60/788
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 41/00 Power installations for auxiliary purposes
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/275 Mechanical drives
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/32 Arrangement, mounting, or driving, of auxiliaries
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/36 Power transmission arrangements between the different shafts of the gas turbine plant, or between the gas-turbine plant and the power user F02C3/107 - F02C3/13 and F02C7/32 take precedence; couplings for transmitting rotation F16D; gearing in general F16H
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/764 of the alternating current (A.C.) type
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/768 equipped with permanent magnets
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 19/38 Structural association of synchronous generators with exciting machines
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/116 with gears
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 Weight reduction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

An assembly for a gas turbine engine comprising an accessory gearbox comprising a drive gear and a starter/generator mechanically mounted to the accessory gearbox. The starter/generator comprising a rotatable shaft, a pinion gear carried by the shaft, a main machine carried by the shaft, a permanent magnet generator (PMG) carried by the shaft and an exciter carried by the shaft.

Claims

1. An assembly for a gas turbine engine comprising:

an accessory gearbox having a first housing with opposing sides and defining a first interior, and a drive gear located within the interior;

a starter/generator comprising;

a second housing defining a second interior and mechanically mounted to the accessory gearbox, the starter/generator;

a rotatable shaft having a portion located within the second interior;

a pinion gear carried by the portion of the shaft;

a main machine carried by the portion of the shaft;

a permanent magnet generator (PMG) carried by the portion of the shaft; and

an exciter carried by the portion of the shaft;

wherein the starter/generator is mounted to the accessory gearbox such that the second housing is located only on one side of the first housing and the PMG and exciter are located within the second housing on the portion of the shaft between the pinion gear and the main machine, which meshes with the drive gear when the starter/generator is mounted to the accessory gearbox; and

wherein at least one of the PMG and exciter is located within the accessory gearbox when the starter/generator is mounted to the accessory gearbox.

2. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising a first bearing rotatably supporting the shaft and the PMG and exciter are located on the portion of the shaft between the first bearing and the main machine.

3. The assembly of claim 2 wherein the first bearing is located on the shaft between the pinion gear and the PMG and the exciter.

4. The assembly of claim 3 further comprising a second bearing rotatably supporting the shaft.

5. The assembly of claim 4 wherein at least one of the PMG, exciter, and main machine is located on the shaft between the first and second bearings.

6. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the PMG is located on the portion of the shaft between the exciter and the pinion gear.

7. The assembly of claim 6 wherein the first bearing is located on the portion of the shaft between the PMG and the pinion gear.

8. An assembly for a gas turbine engine comprising:

an accessory gearbox comprising a first housing with an access opening and a drive gear located within the first housing;

a starter/generator having a second housing mechanically mounted to the first housing, comprising;

a pinion gear;

a main machine;

a permanent magnet generator (PMG);

an exciter; and

a shaft having a portion rotatably mounted within the second housing and the portion supporting the pinion gear, main machine, PMG, and exciter, with the PMG and exciter supported on the portion of the shaft between the pinion gear and the main machine;

wherein the first and second housings are configured to nest such that when the second housing is mounted to the first housing, a portion of the second housing extends through the access opening and into the first housing to position at least one of the PMG and exciter within the first housing, and the second housing projects from the first housing on only one side of the first housing, which meshes with the drive gear when the starter/generator is mounted to the accessory gearbox.

9. The assembly of claim 8 further comprising a first bearing rotatably supporting the shaft and the PMG and exciter are located on the shaft between the first bearing and the main machine.

10. The assembly of claim 9 wherein the first bearing is located on the shaft between the pinion gear and the PMG and the exciter.

11. The assembly of claim 10 further comprising a second bearing rotatably supporting the shaft.

12. The assembly of claim 11 wherein at least one of the PMG, exciter, and main machine is located on the shaft between the first and second bearings.

13. The assembly of claim 12 wherein the PMG is located on the shaft between the exciter and the pinion gear.

14. The assembly of claim 13 wherein the first bearing is located on the shaft between the PMG and the pinion gear.

15. The assembly of claim 14 wherein at least one of the PMG and exciter is located within the accessory gearbox when the starter/generator is mounted to the accessory gearbox.