Granted Patent B1

US 12,747,704 · App. 19/323,799 · Granted Sep 29, 2026

Inventors: Aaron Cooling (Janesville, WI); Matthew Daniel Koehler (Rockford, IL); Cavit Hasan Kreci (Rockford, IL)

Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation

F02C7/36F02C6/00F16D21/02F16D23/02F05D2220/70F05D2260/4023F05D2260/4031

Abstract

Claims (84)

1 . An apparatus configured to selectively couple one of a first mechanical input and a second mechanical input to an electric machine, wherein the apparatus comprises:

a mechanical output configured to couple to a part of the electric machine;

a sliding clutch configured to drive or be driven by the mechanical output; and

a selective actuator configured to move the sliding clutch in order to selectively control which mechanical input drives or is driven by the mechanical output;

wherein the second mechanical input is a gearbox configured to drive or be driven by an external mechanism.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising at least one of:

a first remotely controllable mechanical disconnect configured to mechanically decouple the first mechanical input from the apparatus;

a second remotely controllable mechanical disconnect configured to mechanically decouple the second mechanical input from the apparatus; and

a third remotely controllable mechanical disconnect configured to mechanically decouple the electric machine from the apparatus.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the first mechanical input is a towershaft configured to drive or be driven by a first spool of a gas turbine engine; and

the external mechanism is a second spool of the gas turbine engine.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the selective actuator is configured to move the sliding clutch between:

a first position in which the sliding clutch is mechanically coupled to the first mechanical input;

a second position in which the sliding clutch is mechanically coupled to the second mechanical input; and

a third position in which the sliding clutch is de-coupled from the first mechanical input and the second mechanical input.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is a line replaceable unit (LRU) separate from the first mechanical input, the second mechanical input, and the electric machine.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the mechanical output comprises an output shaft configured to be axially aligned with the part of the electric machine;

the first mechanical input comprises a first input shaft configured to be axially aligned with the output shaft; and

the second mechanical input comprises a second input shaft configured to be arranged in parallel with the output shaft.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the mechanical output comprises an output shaft configured to be axially aligned with the part of the electric machine;

the first mechanical input comprises a first input shaft configured to be axially aligned with the output shaft; and

the second mechanical input comprises a second input shaft configured to be coaxial with the output shaft.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the mechanical output comprises an output shaft configured to be axially aligned with the part of the electric machine;

the first mechanical input comprises a first input shaft configured to be arranged in parallel with the output shaft; and

the second mechanical input comprises a second input shaft configured to be axially aligned with the first input shaft.

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the sliding clutch comprises a first clutch and a second clutch mechanically linked by the selective actuator; and

the selective actuator is configured to move the first clutch and the second clutch between:

a first position in which the first clutch is mechanically coupled to the first mechanical input and the second clutch is de-coupled from the second mechanical input;

a second position in which the first clutch is de-coupled from the first mechanical input and the second clutch is mechanically coupled to the second mechanical input; and

a third position in which the first clutch is de-coupled from the first mechanical input and the second clutch is de-coupled from the second mechanical input.

10 . A system comprising:

an electric machine configured to selectively drive or be driven by one of multiple spools of a gas turbine engine; and

a spool selection transmission configured to selectively couple the one of the multiple spools to the electric machine, the spool selection transmission comprising:

a mechanical output configured to couple to a part of the electric machine;

a sliding clutch configured to drive or be driven by the mechanical output; and

a selective actuator configured to move the sliding clutch in order to selectively control which of the spools drives or is driven by the mechanical output; and

a gearbox mechanically coupling a first of the spools to the spool selection transmission via a first input shaft;

wherein the electric machine is configured to speed match the sliding clutch to the one of the spools to facilitate engagement.

11 . The system of claim 10 , further comprising at least one of:

a first remotely controllable mechanical disconnect configured to mechanically decouple the first of the spools from the spool selection transmission;

a second remotely controllable mechanical disconnect configured to mechanically decouple a second of the spools from the spool selection transmission; and

a third remotely controllable mechanical disconnect configured to mechanically decouple the electric machine from the spool selection transmission.

12 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the selective actuator is configured to move the sliding clutch between:

a first position in which the sliding clutch is mechanically coupled to the first spool;

a second position in which the sliding clutch is mechanically coupled to a second of the spools; and

a third position in which the sliding clutch is de-coupled from the first spool and the second spool.

13 . The system of claim 10 , further comprising:

a towershaft mechanically coupling a second of the spools to the spool selection transmission via a second input shaft.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the spool selection transmission is a line replaceable unit (LRU) separate from the towershaft, the gearbox, and the electric machine.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein:

the mechanical output comprises an output shaft configured to be axially aligned with the part of the electric machine, the output shaft passing through the gearbox;

the second input shaft is axially aligned with the output shaft; and

the first input shaft is arranged in parallel with the output shaft.

16 . The system of claim 14 , wherein:

the mechanical output comprises an output shaft configured to be axially aligned with the part of the electric machine, the output shaft passing through the gearbox;

the second input shaft is axially aligned with the output shaft; and

the first input shaft is coaxial with the output shaft.

17 . The system of claim 14 , wherein:

the mechanical output comprises an output shaft configured to be axially aligned with the part of the electric machine;

the second input shaft is arranged in parallel with the output shaft; and

the first input shaft is axially aligned with the second input shaft.

18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein:

the sliding clutch comprises a first clutch and a second clutch mechanically linked by the selective actuator; and

the selective actuator is configured to move the first clutch and the second clutch between:

a first position in which the first clutch is mechanically coupled to the first of the spools and the second clutch is de-coupled from a second of the spools;

a second position in which the first clutch is de-coupled from the first spool and the second clutch is mechanically coupled to the second spool; and

a third position in which the first clutch is de-coupled from the first spool and the second clutch is de-coupled from the second spool.

19 . A method comprising:

using a transmission to selectively couple one of a first mechanical input and a second mechanical input to an electric machine, the transmission comprising:

a mechanical output configured to couple to a part of the electric machine;

a sliding clutch configured to drive or be driven by the mechanical output; and

a selective actuator configured to move the sliding clutch in order to selectively control which mechanical input drives or is driven by the mechanical output; and

driving the electric machine using one of the mechanical inputs or driving one of the mechanical inputs using the electric machine via the transmission;

wherein one of the mechanical inputs is a gearbox separate from the transmission configured to drive or be driven by an external mechanism; and

wherein the electric machine is configured to speed match the sliding clutch to one of the mechanical inputs to facilitate engagement.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the selective actuator moves the sliding clutch between:

a first position in which the sliding clutch is mechanically coupled to the first mechanical input;

a second position in which the sliding clutch is mechanically coupled to the second mechanical input; and

a third position in which the sliding clutch is de-coupled from the first mechanical input and the second mechanical input.

References Cited (11)