Bearing system for gas turbine engine

• US 8,747,054 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2011
• Issued: 06/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rtx Corporation
• Original Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Witlicki, Russell B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wiehe, Nathaniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): BROCKMAN, ELDON T
• Application Number:
  US13/012,008
• Publication Number:
  US 20120189429A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,233 Days
• Field of Search: 415/113, 415/174.2, 415/229, 415/104, 415/107, 415/110, 415/111, 415/132, 415/14, 415/170.1, 415/174.4, 415/174.5, 415/177, 415/230, 415/231, 416/1, 384/99, 384/490
• US Class Current: 415/119
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 25/164 Flexible supports; Vibration damping means associated with the bearing
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/06 Arrangements of bearings bearings F16C; Lubricating of turbo machines F01D25/18; of machines or engines in general F01M
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/26 with a single row of rollers
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2360/23 Gas turbine engines in general F02C
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 27/045 with a fluid film, e.g. squeeze film damping
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4932 Turbomachine making

Abstract

A bearing system for a gas turbine engine includes a spring defined about an axis of rotation. The spring has a multiple of beams which extend between a flange structure and an attachment structure. A damper defined about the axis of rotation and mounted to the spring to at least partially axially overlap the multiple of beams.

Claims

1. A bearing system for a gas turbine engine comprising:

a spring defined about an axis of rotation, said spring having a multiple of beams which extend between a flange structure and an attachment structure, and a centering spring that includes a radial web extending, relative to said axis, along a slanted midline radially inwardly from said attachment structure to a cylindrical beam; and

a damper defined about said axis of rotation, said damper mounted to said attachment structure to at least partially axially overlap said multiple of beams.

2. The bearing system as recited in claim 1, wherein said damper is mounted to an outer diameter of said spring.

3. The bearing system as recited in claim 2, wherein said damper is mounted to a damper interface adjacent to said attachment structure.

4. The bearing system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a fastener assembly mountable to said attachment structure to axially retain said damper to said spring.

5. The bearing system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a bearing race mounted in said cylindrical beam.

6. The bearing system as recited in claim 5, wherein said bearing race is retained in said cylindrical beam by a retainer ring.

7. The bearing system as recited in claim 6, wherein said cylindrical beam includes an engagement feature engaged with said retainer ring and retaining said bearing race in said cylindrical beam.

8. The bearing system as recited in claim 5, wherein said bearing race abuts a step in the cylindrical beam.

9. The bearing system as recited in claim 5, wherein said damper includes first and second spaced-apart grooves that open radially outwardly, and first and second sealing rings in, respectively, said first and second spaced-apart grooves.

10. The bearing system as recited in claim 9, further comprising an outer static cylindrical beam radially outwards of said damper, said outer static cylindrical beam and said damper defining there between an annulus extending axially between said first and second grooves, said annulus configured to contain oil as a fluid damper.

11. A gas turbine engine comprising:

a static structure;

a rotor shaft defined about an axis of rotation;

a spring defined about said axis of rotation, said spring having a multiple of beams which extend between an attachment structure and a flange structure which is mounted to said static structure, a centering spring that includes a radial web extending, relative to said axis, along a slanted midline radially inwardly from said attachment structure to a cylindrical beam;

a damper defined about said axis of rotation, said damper mounted to said attachment structure to at least partially axially overlap said multiple of beams; and

a bearing mounted to said cylindrical beam and said rotor shaft to rotationally support said rotor shaft.

12. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 11, further comprising a fastener assembly mounted to said attachment structure to axially retain said damper to said spring.

13. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 11, wherein a bearing element of said bearing is axially aligned with said damper.

14. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 11, wherein said static structure is a static bearing support and a mid-turbine frame static structure.

15. A method for assembling a rotor within static structure of a gas turbine engine comprising:

mounting a damper to a spring defined about an axis of rotation, the spring having a multiple of beams which extend between an attachment structure and a flange structure, and a centering spring that includes a radial web extending, relative to said axis, along a slanted midline radially inwardly from said attachment structure to a cylindrical beam, the damper at least partially axially overlapping the multiple of beams;

mounting the flange to a static structure;

mounting the damper to the attachment structure; and

rotationally supporting a rotor shaft about the axis of rotation within a bearing supported by the spring.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, further comprising:

axially retaining the damper to the spring with a fastener assembly.