IP Library Patent Application 15856441
Patent Application
App. No. 15/856,441

GEARED ARCHITECTURE FOR HIGH SPEED AND SMALL VOLUME FAN DRIVE TURBINE

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US None
App. No.
15/856,441
Filed
Dec 28, 2017
Art Unit
3741
USPC
60/226.1
Abstract

A gas turbine engine according to an example of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a fan shaft drivingly connected to a fan with the fan having fan blades. A fan shaft support that supports the fan shaft and a gear system connected to the fan shaft. The gear system includes a gear mesh defining a gear mesh lateral stiffness and a gear mesh transverse stiffness, and a reduction ratio greater than 2.3. A gear system input connected to the gear system defines a gear system input lateral stiffness and a gear system input transverse stiffness At least one of the gear system input lateral stiffness and said gear system input transverse stiffness is less than 5% of a respective one of the gear mesh lateral stiffness and the gear mesh transverse stiffness.

Claims (35)

1 . A gas turbine engine, comprising:

a fan shaft drivingly connected to a fan, said fan having fan blades;

a fan shaft support that supports said fan shaft;

a gear system connected to said fan shaft, said gear system includes a gear mesh defining gear mesh lateral stiffness and a gear mesh transverse stiffness, and a reduction ratio greater than 2.3;

a gear system input to said gear system defining a gear system input lateral stiffness and a gear system input transverse stiffness; and

wherein at least one of said gear system input lateral stiffness and said gear system input transverse stiffness is less than 5% of a respective one of said gear mesh lateral stiffness and said gear mesh transverse stiffness.

2 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , further comprising a low fan pressure ratio of less than 1.45 and said low fan pressure ratio is measured across the fan blades alone.

3 . The gas turbine engine of claim 2 , further comprising a fan tip speed less than about 1150 ft/second.

4 . The gas turbine engine of claim 3 , further comprising a mid-turbine frame including at least one airfoil extending into a flow path.

5 . The gas turbine engine of claim 3 , further comprising a ring gear in said gear system defining a ring gear lateral stiffness and a ring gear transverse stiffness, wherein at least one of said ring gear lateral stiffness and said ring gear transverse stiffness is less than 12% of a respective one of said gear mesh lateral stiffness and said gear mesh transverse stiffness.

6 . The gas turbine engine of claim 2 , wherein said gear system input transverse stiffness is less than 5% of said gear mesh transverse stiffness.

7 . The gas turbine engine of claim 6 , further comprising a low pressure turbine with an inlet, an outlet, and a low pressure turbine pressure ratio greater than 5:1, wherein said low pressure turbine pressure ratio is a ratio of a pressure measured prior to said inlet as related to a pressure at said outlet prior to any exhaust nozzle.

8 . The gas turbine engine of claim 7 , wherein said gear system input lateral stiffness is less than 5% of said gear mesh lateral stiffness.

9 . The gas turbine engine of claim 8 , further comprising a fan tip speed less than about 1150 ft/second.

10 . The gas turbine engine of claim 9 , further comprising a bypass ratio greater than ten (10).

11 . The gas turbine engine of claim 8 , further comprising a ring gear in said gear system defining a ring gear lateral stiffness and a ring gear transverse stiffness, wherein at least one of said ring gear lateral stiffness and said ring gear transverse stiffness is less than 12% of a respective one of said gear mesh lateral stiffness and said gear mesh transverse stiffness.

12 . The gas turbine engine of claim 11 , wherein said ring gear transverse stiffness is less than 12% of said gear mesh transverse stiffness.

13 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , where said gear system input lateral stiffness is less than 5% of said gear mesh lateral stiffness.

14 . The gas turbine engine of claim 13 , further comprising a low pressure turbine with an inlet, an outlet, and a low pressure turbine pressure ratio greater than 5:1, wherein said low pressure turbine pressure ratio is a ratio of a pressure measured prior to said inlet as related to a pressure at said outlet prior to any exhaust nozzle.

15 . The gas turbine engine of claim 14 , further comprising a bypass ratio greater than ten (10).

16 . The gas turbine engine of claim 15 , further comprising a low fan pressure ratio of less than 1.45 and said low fan pressure ratio is measured across said fan blades alone.

17 . The gas turbine engine of claim 14 , further comprising a fan tip speed less than about 1150 ft/second.

18 . The gas turbine engine of claim 17 , further comprising a low fan pressure ratio of less than 1.45 and said low fan pressure ratio is measured across the fan blades alone.

19 . The gas turbine engine of claim 18 , further comprising a mid-turbine frame including at least one airfoil extending into a flow path.

20 . The gas turbine engine of claim 13 , further comprising a ring gear in said gear system defining a ring gear lateral stiffness and a ring gear transverse stiffness, wherein at least one of said ring gear lateral stiffness and said ring gear transverse stiffness is less than 12% of a respective one of said gear mesh lateral stiffness and said gear mesh transverse stiffness.

21 . The gas turbine engine of claim 11 , wherein said ring gear transverse stiffness is less than 12% of said gear mesh transverse stiffness.

22 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein said fan shaft support defines a fan shaft support lateral stiffness and a fan shaft support transverse stiffness, at least one of said gear system input lateral stiffness and said gear system input transverse stiffness is less than 12% of a respective one of said fan shaft support lateral stiffness and said fan shaft support transverse stiffness.

23 . The gas turbine engine of claim 22 , wherein said gear system input transverse stiffness is less than 11% of said fan shaft support transverse stiffness.

24 . The gas turbine engine of claim 23 , further comprising a low fan pressure ratio of less than 1.45 and said low fan pressure ratio is measured across said fan blades alone.

25 . The gas turbine engine of claim 24 , wherein said gear system input transverse stiffness is less than 5% of said gear mesh transverse stiffness.

26 . The gas turbine engine of claim 25 , wherein said gear system input lateral stiffness is less than 5% of said gear mesh lateral stiffness.

27 . The gas turbine engine of claim 26 , further comprising a fan tip speed less than about 1150 ft/second.

28 . The gas turbine engine of claim 26 , further comprising a ring gear in said gear system defining a ring gear lateral stiffness and a ring gear transverse stiffness, wherein at least one of said ring gear lateral stiffness and said ring gear transverse stiffness is less than 12% of a respective one of said gear mesh lateral stiffness and said gear mesh transverse stiffness.

29 . The gas turbine engine of claim 28 , wherein said ring gear transverse stiffness is less than 12% of said gear mesh transverse stiffness.

30 . The gas turbine engine of claim 22 , wherein said gear system input lateral stiffness is less than 5% of said gear mesh lateral stiffness.

Assignments (2)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE AND REMOVE PATENT APPLICATION NUMBER 11886281 AND ADD PATENT APPLICATION NUMBER 14846874. TO CORRECT THE RECEIVING PARTY ADDRESS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 054062 FRAME: 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE CHANGE OF ADDRESS. Recorded Mar 4, 2021
From: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
To: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 055659/0001 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Sep 4, 2020
From: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
To: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 054062/0001 →