Engine bearing compartment
First Claim
1. An engine bearing compartment, comprising:
- an engine casing defining a discharge pathway for a fluid to drain from the engine bearing compartment,the discharge pathway having an elevation length extending between upper and lower edges thereof along a longitudinal axis of the engine casing;
a shaft rotatably disposed within the engine casing to define an annulus;
a housing disposed within the annulus at least partially below the elevation length of the discharge pathway;
an impeller rotatable with the shaft and including a centrifugal element, the impeller being disposed radially inwardly from the discharge pathway within the annulus such that upper and lower edges of the impeller positionally correspond to the upper and lower edges of the discharge pathway, respectively, whereby, due to impeller rotation, the centrifugal element expels the fluid through the discharge pathway from the annulus above the lower edge of the discharge pathway; and
a circuit by which fluid expelled through the discharge pathway is communicated to an interior of the housing.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An engine bearing compartment is provided and includes an engine casing defining a discharge pathway for a fluid to drain from the engine bearing compartment, a shaft rotatably disposed within the engine casing to define an annulus, a housing disposed within the annulus below an elevation of the discharge pathway, an impeller rotatable with the shaft and including a centrifugal element, the impeller being disposed within the annulus at least partially below the discharge pathway elevation whereby, due to impeller rotation, the centrifugal element expels the fluid through the discharge pathway from the annulus above the discharge pathway elevation and a circuit by which fluid expelled through the discharge pathway is communicated to an interior of the housing.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An engine bearing compartment, comprising:
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an engine casing defining a discharge pathway for a fluid to drain from the engine bearing compartment, the discharge pathway having an elevation length extending between upper and lower edges thereof along a longitudinal axis of the engine casing; a shaft rotatably disposed within the engine casing to define an annulus; a housing disposed within the annulus at least partially below the elevation length of the discharge pathway; an impeller rotatable with the shaft and including a centrifugal element, the impeller being disposed radially inwardly from the discharge pathway within the annulus such that upper and lower edges of the impeller positionally correspond to the upper and lower edges of the discharge pathway, respectively, whereby, due to impeller rotation, the centrifugal element expels the fluid through the discharge pathway from the annulus above the lower edge of the discharge pathway; and a circuit by which fluid expelled through the discharge pathway is communicated to an interior of the housing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An engine bearing compartment, comprising:
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an engine casing strut defining a discharge pathway for engine oil to drain from the engine bearing compartment, the discharge pathway having an elevation length extending between upper and lower edges thereof along a longitudinal axis of the engine casing strut; a gearbox input shaft rotatably disposed within the engine casing strut to define an annulus; a gearbox housing disposed within the annulus below the elevation length of the discharge pathway; an impeller connectedly rotatable with the gearbox input shaft and including a centrifugal element, the impeller being disposed radially inwardly from the discharge pathway within the annulus such that upper and lower edges of the impeller positionally correspond to the upper and lower edges of the discharge pathway, respectively, whereby, due to impeller rotation, the centrifugal element is configured to expel the engine oil through the discharge pathway from the annulus above the lower edge of the discharge pathway; and a circuit by which the engine oil expelled through the discharge pathway is communicated to an interior of the gearbox housing. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An engine bearing compartment, comprising:
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an engine casing strut defining a discharge pathway having an elevation length extending between upper and lower edges thereof along a longitudinal axis of the engine casing strut; a gearbox input shaft rotatably disposed within the engine casing strut to define an annulus; a gearbox housing disposed within a first region of the annulus defined below the elevation length of the discharge pathway; an impeller connectedly rotatable with the gearbox input shaft and including a centrifugal element, the impeller being disposed radially inwardly from the discharge pathway within a second region of the annulus such that upper and lower edges of the impeller positionally correspond to the upper and lower edges of the discharge pathway, respectively, whereby, due to impeller rotation, the centrifugal element is configured to cause engine oil to be expelled in a radial direction defined with respect to an axis of rotation of the gearbox input shaft through the discharge pathway from a third region of the annulus defined above the lower edge of the discharge pathway; and a circuit fluidly coupled to the discharge pathway and an interior of the gearbox housing by which the engine oil expelled through the discharge pathway is communicated to the gearbox housing interior.
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Specification