IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,378,000
Granted Patent B2
US 12,378,000 · App. 18/233,620 · Granted Aug 5, 2025

Aircraft propulsion system geartrain

Inventors: Paul R. Hanrahan (Sedona, AZ); Benjamin T. Mylrea (Jupiter, FL); David A. Stachowiak (Manchester, CT)
Assignee: RTX Corporation
B64D35/02F02C7/36F05D2220/323F05D2260/40311F05D2260/902
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,378,000
App. No.
18/233,620
Granted
Aug 5, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An assembly is provided for an aircraft. This assembly includes a geartrain, a first propulsor rotor and a rotating structure. The geartrain includes a sun gear, a ring gear, a plurality of intermediate gears and a carrier. The ring gear circumscribes the sun gear and is rotatable about an axis. Each of the intermediate gears is between and meshed with the sun gear and the ring gear. Each of the intermediate gears is rotatably mounted to the carrier. The carrier is rotatable about the axis. The first propulsor rotor is coupled to the carrier. The rotating structure is coupled to the ring gear. The rotating structure includes a turbine rotor. The rotating structure is configured to drive rotation of the first propulsor rotor through the geartrain.

Claims (36)

1. An assembly for an aircraft, comprising:

a geartrain comprising a sun gear, a ring gear, a plurality of intermediate gears and a carrier, the ring gear circumscribing the sun gear and rotatable about an axis, each of the plurality of intermediate gears between and meshed with the sun gear and the ring gear, each of the plurality of intermediate gears rotatably mounted to the carrier, and the carrier rotatable about the axis;

a first propulsor rotor coupled to the carrier;

a second propulsor rotor coupled to the sun gear; and

a rotating structure coupled to the ring gear, the rotating structure comprising a turbine rotor, the rotating structure configured to drive rotation of the first propulsor rotor through the geartrain, and the rotating structure configured to drive rotation of the second propulsor rotor through the geartrain;

wherein the sun gear is rotatable about the axis.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a lock device configured to lock rotation of the carrier about the axis.

3. The assembly of claim 2 , wherein the lock device comprises a splined coupling.

4. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a brake configured to brake rotation of the carrier about the axis.

5. The assembly of claim 4 , wherein the brake comprises a disk brake.

6. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a lock device configured to lock rotation of the sun gear about the axis.

7. The assembly of claim 6 , wherein the lock device comprises a splined coupling.

8. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a brake configured to brake rotation of the sun gear about the axis.

9. The assembly of claim 8 , wherein the brake comprises a disk brake.

10. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein

the first propulsor rotor is rotatable about a first rotor axis; and

the second propulsor rotor is rotatable about a second rotor axis that is angularly offset from the first rotor axis.

11. The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the first rotor axis is coaxial with the axis.

12. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein

the first propulsor rotor is configured to generate propulsive force in a first direction; and

the second propulsor rotor is configured to generate propulsive force in a second direction that is different than the first direction.

13. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least one of

the first propulsor rotor comprises a ducted rotor; or

the second propulsor rotor comprises an open rotor.

14. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:

a gas turbine engine core including a compressor section, a combustor section, a turbine section and the rotating structure; and

the turbine rotor within the turbine section.

15. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second propulsor rotor comprises an open rotor.

16. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first propulsor rotor comprises a ducted rotor and the second propulsor rotor comprises an open rotor.

17. An assembly for an aircraft, comprising:

a geartrain comprising a sun gear, a ring gear, a plurality of intermediate gears and a carrier, the sun gear rotatable about an axis, the ring gear circumscribing the sun gear and rotatable about the axis, each of the plurality of intermediate gears between and meshed with the sun gear and the ring gear, each of the plurality of intermediate gears rotatably mounted to the carrier, and the carrier rotatable about the axis;

a first propulsor rotor coupled to the carrier;

a second propulsor rotor coupled to the sun gear;

a power output coupled to the carrier or the sun gear; and

a power input coupled to the ring gear, the power input configured to drive rotation of the power output through the geartrain.

18. The assembly of claim 17 , wherein the first propulsor rotor comprises a ducted rotor and the second propulsor rotor comprises an open rotor.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 8, 2025
From: HANRAHAN, PAUL R.; MYLREA, BENJAMIN T.; STACHOWIAK, DAVID A.
To: RTX CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 071624/0107 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63397632 · Aug 12, 2022
Related Publication 20250058888A1 · Feb 20, 2025
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