Planetary gear carrier with hardened posts

1. A planetary gear system for a rotorcraft comprising:

a planetary gear carrier of a rotorcraft main rotor gearbox having three or more posts extending from the planetary gear carrier, each post having a hardened exterior surface, wherein the hardened exterior surface of each post is hardened in situ, and wherein the planetary gear carrier is flexible; and

a respective planet pinion gear in contact with the hardened exterior surface of each post.

2. The planetary gear system of claim 1 , wherein each planet pinion gear comprises a bearing system, the bearing system comprising a race and a plurality of bearings, wherein the bearing system is in contact with the hardened exterior surface of the post.

3. The planetary gear system of claim 1 , wherein the hardened exterior surface of each post is hardened by tempering and quenching, carbonization, nitriding, or local hardening.

4. The planetary gear system of claim 1 , wherein the hardened exterior surface of each post comprises a hardening coating disposed on the post or a hardening material implanted into the post.

5. The planetary gear system of claim 1 , wherein the planetary gear carrier comprises a single piece planetary gear carrier and the posts are integral with the single piece planetary gear carrier.

6. The planetary gear system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a planetary sun gear disposed between and engaging the planet pinion gears; and

a bull gear connected to the planetary sun gear.

7. The planetary gear system of claim 1 , wherein the planetary gear carrier is configured such that each of the three or more posts extends from a respective portion of the planetary gear carrier such that a portion of each planet pinion gear extends radially outwardly from an outermost point of the planetary gear carrier.

8. The planetary gear system of claim 1 , wherein the hardened exterior surface of each post reduces wear on the respective post caused by the planet pinion gears or any component thereof.

9. A method of providing power to a rotorcraft comprising:

providing a rotorcraft main rotor gearbox coupling one or more engines to a rotor mast of the rotorcraft, wherein the main rotor gearbox contains a planetary gear system comprising:

a planetary gear carrier of the main rotor gearbox having three or more posts extending from the planetary gear carrier, each post having a hardened exterior surface, wherein the hardened exterior surface of each post is hardened in situ, and wherein the planetary gear carrier is flexible, and

a respective planet pinion gear in contact with the hardened exterior surface of each post; and

transmitting a power from the one or more engines to the rotor mast of the rotorcraft via the main rotor gearbox.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein each planet pinion gear comprises a bearing system, the bearing system comprising a race and a plurality of bearings, wherein the bearing system is in contact with the hardened exterior surface of each post.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising hardening the hardened exterior surface of each post by tempering and quenching, carbonization, nitriding, or local hardening.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising hardening the hardened exterior surface of the post by coating the post with a hardening coating or implanting a hardening material into each post.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the planetary gear carrier comprises a single piece planetary gear carrier and the posts are integral with the single piece planetary gear carrier.

14. The method of claim 9 , further comprising reducing wear on the posts caused by the planet pinion gears or any component thereof as a result of using the hardened exterior surface of each post.

15. A rotorcraft, comprising:

a fuselage;

one or more engines disposed within the fuselage; and

a rotorcraft main rotor gearbox disposed within the fuselage and coupling the one or more engines to a rotor mast of the rotorcraft, wherein the main rotor gearbox contains a planetary gear system comprising:

a planetary gear carrier of the main rotor gearbox having three or more posts extending from the planetary gear carrier, wherein the planetary gear carrier is flexible, each post having a hardened exterior surface, wherein the hardened exterior surface of each post is hardened in situ, and a gear disposed radially inwardly of the planetary gear carrier engaging the rotor mast or other torque-carrying component,

a respective planet pinion gear in contact with the hardened exterior surface of each post,

a planetary sun gear disposed within the main rotor gearbox between and engaging the planet pinion gears, and

a bull gear disposed within the main rotor gearbox, engaging the planetary sun gear, and coupled to the one or more engines.

16. The rotorcraft of claim 15 , wherein each planet pinion gear comprises a bearing system, the bearing system comprising a race and a plurality of bearings, wherein the bearing system is in contact with the hardened exterior surface of each post.

17. The rotorcraft of claim 15 , wherein the hardened exterior surface of each post is hardened by tempering and quenching, carbonization, nitriding, or local hardening.

18. The rotorcraft of claim 15 , wherein the hardened exterior surface of each post comprises a hardening coating disposed on each post or a hardening material implanted into each post.

19. The rotorcraft of claim 15 , wherein the planetary gear carrier comprises a single piece planetary gear carrier and the posts are integral with the single piece planetary gear carrier.

20. The rotorcraft of claim 15 , wherein the planetary gear carrier is configured such that each of the three or more posts extends from a respective portion of the planetary gear carrier such that a portion of each planet pinion gear extends radially outwardly from an outermost point of the planetary gear carrier.

21. The rotorcraft of claim 15 , wherein the hardened exterior surface of each post reduces wear on the respective post caused by the planet pinion gears or any component thereof.

22. The rotorcraft of claim 15 , wherein the one or more engines are coupled to the main rotor gearbox.