IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,572,838
Granted Patent B2
US 11,572,838 · App. 17/037,027 · Granted Feb 7, 2023

Accessory gearbox for a turbine engine

Inventors: Brandon Wayne Miller (Liberty Township, OH); John Carl Glessner (Kings Mill, OH); Lawrence William Nurre (West Chester, OH); Ian Francis Prentice (Cincinnati, OH); Ethan Patrick O'Connor (Hamilton, OH); Arthur William Sibbach (Boxford, MA)
Assignee: General Electric Company
F02C7/32F01D25/24F02C3/06F05D2250/313F05D2250/75F05D2260/40
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,572,838
App. No.
17/037,027
Granted
Feb 7, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A turbine engine that includes an engine core, an inner cowl, an outer cowl and an accessory gearbox. The engine core includes at least a compressor section, a combustion section, and a turbine section in axial flow arrangement. The accessory gearbox is operably coupled to the engine core and includes a first portion and a second portion.

Claims (38)

1. A turbine engine, comprising:

a fan assembly defining an inlet;

an engine core;

an inner cowl radially spaced from the engine core and circumscribing the engine core;

an outer cowl radially spaced from the inner cowl and circumscribing at least a portion of the inner cowl, the outer cowl including a radially inner surface;

a bifurcated airflow path comprising a first portion extending from the inlet through the engine core and a second portion extending from the inlet through a secondary airflow path defined between the inner cowl and the outer cowl; and

an accessory gearbox comprising:

a first portion located within the inner cowl and straddling the engine core, wherein the first portion includes a first arm and a second arm; and

a second portion located between the inner cowl and the outer cowl, wherein the second portion extends from the first arm and the second arm of the first portion to define at least one fork;

wherein a primary set of interfaces is defined by a portion of the first arm, wherein a secondary set of interfaces is defined by a portion of the second arm, wherein a tertiary set of interfaces is defined by the second portion of the accessory gearbox, wherein the tertiary set of interfaces includes at least a first interface and a second interface, wherein the first interface is located within the secondary air flow path, and wherein the second interface is located radially outward of the radially inner surface of the outer cowl.

2. The turbine engine of claim 1 wherein the accessory gearbox defines an accessory gearbox axis that is parallel to a turbine engine axis of rotation.

3. The turbine engine of claim 2 wherein the second portion of the accessory gearbox is perpendicular to the accessory gearbox axis.

4. The turbine engine of claim 2 wherein the accessory gearbox includes the primary set of interfaces defined by a first plane, the secondary set of interfaces defined by a second plane, and the tertiary set of interfaces defined by a third plane.

5. The turbine engine of claim 4 wherein the first portion of the accessory gearbox comprises a V-shaped cross-section.

6. The turbine engine of claim 1 wherein the first portion of the accessory gearbox comprises a C-shaped or arc cross-section.

7. The turbine engine of claim 6 wherein the arc cross-section defines a first end point and a second end point and the second portion of the accessory gearbox is spaced non-equidistant between the first end point and the second end point.

8. The turbine engine of claim 1 wherein at least a part of the second portion of the accessory gearbox extends past the radially inner surface of the outer cowl.

9. The turbine engine of claim 1 , further comprising a strut that extends radially from the inner cowl and operably couples the inner cowl and the outer cowl.

10. The turbine engine of claim 9 wherein at least a part of the second portion of the accessory gearbox is located in the strut.

11. A turbine engine comprising:

a fan assembly defining an inlet;

an engine core;

an inner cowl radially spaced from the engine core and having an inside face circumscribing at least a portion of the engine core;

an outer cowl radially spaced from the inner cowl and circumscribing at least a portion of the inner cowl, the outer cowl including a radially inner surface;

a bifurcated airflow path comprising a first portion extending from the inlet through the engine core and a second portion extending from the inlet through a secondary airflow path defined between the inner cowl and the outer cowl; and

an accessory gearbox comprising:

a first portion located within the inner cowl, the first portion comprising:

a first arm;

a second arm;

a primary set of interfaces defined by a portion of the first arm, and

a secondary set of interfaces defined by a portion of the second arm; and

a second portion extending from the first portion and at least partially located in the secondary airflow path, wherein the second portion includes a tertiary set of interfaces, wherein the tertiary set of interfaces includes a first interface located within the secondary airflow path and a second interface located in the outer cowl.

12. The turbine engine of claim 11 , further comprising a strut that extends radially through the secondary airflow path and coupling the inner cowl and the outer cowl, wherein the second portion of the accessory gearbox is located in the strut.

13. The turbine engine of claim 11 wherein the accessory gearbox defines an accessory gearbox axis that is parallel to a turbine engine axis of rotation.

14. The turbine engine of claim 13 wherein the second portion of the accessory gearbox is perpendicular to the accessory gearbox axis.

15. The turbine engine of claim 13 wherein the first portion of the accessory gearbox comprises a C-shaped or arc cross-section.

16. The turbine engine of claim 15 wherein the arc cross-section defines a first end point and a second end point and the second portion of the accessory gearbox is spaced non-equidistant between the first end point and the second end point.

17. The turbine engine of claim 11 wherein the tertiary set of interfaces operably couple to one or more components located in the outer cowl.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 9, 2020
From: MILLER, BRANDON WAYNE; GLESSNER, JOHN CARL; NURRE, LAWRENCE WILLIAM; PRENTICE, IAN FRANCIS; O'CONNOR, ETHAN PATRICK; SIBBACH, ARTHUR WILLAIM
To: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
Reel/Frame 054307/0661 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220099031A1 · Mar 31, 2022
Cited By (6)
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