IP Library Granted Patent US 10,184,404
Granted Patent B2
US 10,184,404 · App. 14/427,334 · Granted Jan 22, 2019

Geared gas turbine engine accessory gearbox

Inventors: Thomas G. Cloft (Glastonbury, CT); Robert L. Gukeisen (Middletown, CT)
Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
F02C7/32B23P19/042B64D41/00F02C3/04F02C7/36B64D2041/002F05D2220/32F05D2230/60Y10T29/49231
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,184,404
App. No.
14/427,334
Granted
Jan 22, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A gas turbine engine includes a gearbox. The gearbox includes a housing at a forward part of a core compartment of a gas turbine engine. A plurality of accessory drives are each configured to rotatably couple the gas turbine engine accessory gearbox to one of a plurality of accessory components.

Claims (25)

1. A gas turbine engine comprising a gearbox, wherein the gearbox comprises:

a housing at a forward part of a core compartment of a gas turbine engine such that the housing is radially inside a bypass flowpath of the gas turbine engine;

a plurality of accessory drives that each rotatably couple the gearbox to one of a plurality of accessory components;

a generator rotatably coupled to the one of the plurality of accessory drives at the lowest elevation relative to the other of the plurality of accessory drives and any other accessory drives rotatably coupling the gearbox to an accessory component;

wherein the plurality of accessory drives and any other accessory drives rotatably coupling the gearbox to an accessory component are exclusively on an aft side of the housing relative to a direction of flow through the gas turbine engine;

wherein the gas turbine engine includes a fan that delivers a portion of air into a compressor section and a portion of air into a bypass duct, wherein a bypass ration is greater than 10, the bypass ratio being a ratio of a volume of air passing to the bypass duct compared to a volume of air passing into the compressor section;

wherein a forward side of the housing abuts to an intermediate case of the gas turbine engine, and the intermediate case is positioned axially between a high-pressure compressor and a low-pressure compressor of the compressor section; and

wherein the plurality of accessory component include a starter, a hydraulic pump and a lubricant pump each rotatably coupled to a respective accessory drive of the other of the plurality of accessory drives at a relatively higher than the generator.

2. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the housing is directly attached to a core section of the gas turbine engine.

3. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a first housing portion and a second housing portion located on an opposing lateral side of the gas turbine engine from the first housing portion.

4. The gas turbine engine of claim 3 , wherein the first portion and the second portion are at the same axial location.

5. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , further comprising:

a geared architecture driven by a shaft rotatable at a first speed such that the fan rotates at a second speed different than the first speed.

6. The gas turbine engine of claim 5 , wherein the gearbox is a first accessory gearbox portion and a second accessory gearbox portion secured to the intermediate case opposite the first accessory gearbox portion.

7. The gas turbine engine of claim 6 , wherein the gearbox attaches to a core of the gas turbine engine.

8. A method of positioning an accessory gearbox, comprising the steps of:

placing an accessory gearbox in a forward portion of a core compartment of a gas turbine engine;

securing the accessory gearbox to a core of the gas turbine engine, the gas turbine engine including a geared architecture driven by a shaft rotatable at a first speed such that a fan of the gas turbine engine rotates at a second speed different than the first speed;

wherein the gas turbine engine includes a fan that delivers a portion of air into a compressor section and a portion of air into a bypass duct, wherein a bypass ratio is greater than 10, the bypass ratio being a ratio of a volume of air passing to the bypass duct compared to a volume of air passing into the compressor section;

driving an aircraft generator accessory from a drive location of the accessory gearbox, the drive location at the lowest elevation relative to all other drive locations of the accessory gearbox;

wherein the accessory gearbox includes a plurality of accessory drives that each rotatably couple the accessory gearbox to one of a plurality of accessory components, wherein all of the plurality of accessory drives are on an aft side of the accessory gearbox relative to a direction of flow through the gas turbine engine;

securing a housing of the accessory gearbox to an intermediate case of the gas turbine engine, wherein the intermediate case is positioned axially between a high-pressure compressor and a low-pressure compressor of the compressor section, and a forward side of the housing abuts to the intermediate case; and

wherein the plurality of accessory components include a starter, a hydraulic pump and a lubricant pump each rotatably coupled to a respective accessory drive of the other of the plurality of accessory drives at a relatively higher elevation than the aircraft generator.

9. The gas turbine engine of claim 3 , wherein the first and second housing portions receive a rotatable input from a common spool.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the step of securing the housing includes directly connecting the accessory gearbox to the intermediate case.

Assignments (4)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 27, 2023
From: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
To: RTX CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 064714/0001 →
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 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 11, 2015
From: CLOFT, THOMAS G.; GUKEISEN, ROBERT L.
To: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 035135/0419 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 61703446 · Sep 20, 2012
Related Publication 20150233300A1 · Aug 20, 2015
Cited By (1)
US 12,215,629