LUBRICATION SYSTEM WITH PROLONGED LOSS OF LUBRICANT OPERATION

• US 20100025159A1
• Filed: 01/19/2007
• Published: 02/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Gelfand, Mikhail, Gmirya, Yuriy
• Granted Patent: US 8,459,413 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 184/6.400
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/12 Rotor drives
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 11/10 Indicating devices; Other safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 13/0011 Breather valves
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 2011/0045 for controlling the oil temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 5/00 Heating, cooling, or controlling temperature of lubricant arrangement of lubricant coolers in engine cooling system F01P11/08; Lubrication means facilitating engine starting
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 5/002 Cooling
• CPC Class Codes: F16N 17/00 Lubrication of machines or apparatus working under extreme conditions additives to lubricating oil or lubricating grease C10M
• CPC Class Codes: F16N 2210/08 Aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: F16N 39/02 by cooling heat-exchangers in general F28

Abstract

A lubrication system includes an external pump system which pumps air out of the housing and develop negative pressure therein in response to a loss of lubrication condition. The negative pressure operates as an air lock to minimize or prevent lubricating oil loss from the housing while an internal lubrication system continues to distribute lubricating oil—which although now increasing in temperature—still operates to lubricate the gearbox components. For further ballistic tolerance, the housing is a compound housing that reduces or closes the penetration and further minimizes lubricating oil and negative pressure loss. The housing may be still further hardened by an armor layer.

Claims

1. A lubrication system to lubricate moving components comprising:

a housing defining a hot oil sump and a cold oil sump;

a heat exchanger system;

an external lubrication communication system to communicate a lubricating oil from said hot oil sump to said cold oil sump though said heat exchanger system;

an internal lubrication system to communicate the lubricating oil from said cold oil sump to the moving components;

a breather system in communication with said housing; and

a controller to selective close said breather system and seal said housing from atmospheric pressure in response to a loss of lubricant condition such that said external lubrication communication system develops a negative pressure within said housing.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the lubricating oil within said cold oil sump oil sump is received and interchanged from said hot oil sump during a normal operational condition.

3. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said external lubrication communication system includes an external pump system within said hot oil sump.

4. The system as recited in claim 3, wherein said external pump system includes an intake line within said hot oil sump.

5. The system as recited in claim 4, wherein said external pump system communicates lubricating oil from said hot oil sump to said heat exchanger system, through a hot communication line to extract thermal energy from said lubricating oil, then communicates said lower temperature lubricating oil into said cold oil sump through a cold communication line.

6. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said internal pump system includes an internal pump system within said cold oil sump.

7. The system as recited in claim 6, wherein said internal pump system communicates the lubricating oil to a multiple of oil jets within the housing.

8. The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a controller in communication with a heat exchanger valve system within a hot communication line in communication with said housing and said heat exchanger system.

9. The system as recited in claim 8, wherein said controller is in communication with a breather valve in communication with said breather system.

10. The system as recited in claim 8, wherein said controller is in communication with a pressure sensor within said hot communication line.

11. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said housing includes an inner housing and an outer housing which defines a gap therebetween, said gap filled with a resilient material.

12. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said housing includes an armor layer.

13. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein said armor layer is adjacent to a lower surface of said housing.

14. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said hot oil sump is located above said cold oil sump relative the moving components.

15. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said hot oil sump is separated from said cold oil sump by a barrier.

16. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein said barrier includes a separator.

17. A method to prolong operation of moving components within a housing during a loss of lubricant condition comprising the steps of:

(A) developing a negative pressure within the housing in response to the loss of lubricant condition.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, further comprising the step of:

(B) communicating a lubricating oil from a cold oil sump to the moving components within the housing.

19. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein said step (B) further comprises the steps of:

(a) communicating the lubricating oil to a multiple of oil jets.

20. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein said step (B) further comprises the steps of:

(b) collecting the lubricating oil within a hot oil sump; and

(c) communicating the lubricating oil from the hot oil sump to the cold oil sump through a separator in a barrier of the housing between the hot oil sump and the cold oil sump.

21. A method to prolong operation of moving components within a housing during a loss of lubricant condition comprising the steps of:

(A) developing a negative pressure within the housing in response to the loss of lubricant condition; and

(B) communicating a lubricating oil from a cold oil sump to the moving components within the housing.