Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation

Edward W Goy

Joseph Wetch

Weishun William Ni

Zachary Allen Ray Le Duc

Ryan Shook

Benjamin T Harder

Mark W Shoemaker

Michael R Blewett

Adrian L Stoicescu

Yiwei Jiang

Timothy J Franckowiak

John M Kassel

Ernest W Samotshozo

Ryszard Czeslaw Wlaznik

Ryan Prescott Susca

Charles E Reuter

Myles R Kelly

James Vandung Nguyen

Jeffrey A Stadler

Erin E Berry

Weishun Willaim Ni

Zachary Allen Ray LeDuc

James Harder

Dennis A Erickson

Mason Rosenberg

Jonathon Rothmeyer

David Lauriat

Mark W Showmaker

Dennis L Kaderabek

A shouldered shaft assembly of a variable displacement, bent axis piston pump is provided. The shouldered shaft assembly includes a bearing retainer housing including radially inwardly facing tilt pad bearings and axially facing tilt pad thrust bearings and a shouldered shaft. The shouldered shaft is disposed in the bearing retainer housing and includes a first shaft section, a second shaft section and an axial surface. The second shaft section has a larger diameter than the first shaft section and includes an outer diameter (OD) surface. The OD surface faces and fluid-dynamically interacts with the radially inwardly facing tilt pad bearings. The OD surface is formed to define microscopic surface texturing for increased fluid-dynamic interaction. The axial surface extends between the first shaft section and the second shaft section. The axial surface faces and fluid-dynamically interacts with the axially facing tilt pad thrust bearings.

Microscopic surface texturing for shouldered shaft and bearing pads

A fuel system for an aircraft includes a main fuel pump, a metering valve fluidly connected to the main fuel pump, a selector valve fluidly connected to the metering valve, a check valve fluidly connected to the metering valve, and an electric motor driven start pump fluidly connected to the check valve and the selector valve. During a start-up condition, the fuel system is configured to permit a fuel to flow through the electric motor driven start pump and through the selector valve to an engine. During a cruise condition, the fuel system is configured to permit the fuel to flow from a high-pressure fuel source and through the electric motor driven start pump start pump to drive the electric motor driven start pump to generate electrical energy.

Start pump and generator

In accordance with at least one aspect of this disclosure, a pump comprises a pump rotor having a plurality of vanes therein configured to pump a fluid from a pump inlet to a pump outlet through rotation of the rotor about a rotational axis, an input shaft operatively connected to drive rotation of the rotor, and a bearing operatively connected to the input shaft configured to facilitate rotation of the input shaft. A shaft extender is operatively connected radially between the input shaft and the bearing. The input shaft includes a conical portion and the shaft extender includes a conical portion complementary to the conical portion of the input shaft. The shaft extender interfaces with at least the conical portion of the input shaft, when on the input shaft.

Bearing arrangement for pumps

A piston retainer plate includes a first end, a second end opposite the first end, a piston pocket extending from the first end to the second end, a straight annular surface extending from the first end, an angled annular surface extending at an angle from the second end, a curved annular surface connected to the straight annular surface and the angled annular surface, the curved annular surface being between the straight annular surface and the angled annular surface, and a curved vent within the curved annular surface. The straight annular surface, the angled annular surface, and the curved annular surface define the piston pocket.

Piston retainer plate

In accordance with at least one aspect of this disclosure, a system includes a rotor configured to rotate about a rotor axis within a pump housing. In embodiments, the rotor includes, a first end face configured to interface with a stationary port plate, a plurality of vane slots defined in the rotor arranged circumferentially about the rotor axis configured to accept a respective vane therein, and a plurality of lands between each vane slot, wherein each land includes a portion of the first end face. The rotor also includes, a lubrication pad defined in the first end face of at least one land between neighboring vane slots such that the lubrication pad is fed by the neighboring vane slots to induce buildup of a lubrication film between the first end face and the stationary port plate in the lubrication pad.

Vane pump rotors

A variable displacement pump system can include a piston sleeve having at least a first inner diameter portion and a second in inner diameter portion and an actuator piston configured to be disposed within the piston sleeve. The actuator piston can have a first piston portion having a first outer diameter, and a second piston portion having a second outer diameter. The first outer diameter can be different than the second outer diameter. The first piston portion can be configured to seal to the first inner diameter portion of the piston sleeve. The second piston portion of the actuator piston can be configured to seal to the second inner diameter portion of the piston sleeve.

Variable displacement pumps

A flow system includes a pump, a motor connected to the pump that drives the pump and draws electrical energy and a sensor that measures the electrical energy drawn by the motor. The system also includes a control module for the flow system. The control module configured to perform a control module method that includes: receiving electrical data from the sensor; receiving operating characteristic data of the pump from one or more pump sensors; comparing the changes in the electrical data over time to the operating characteristic data; and determining a health of the pump on the comparison of changes in the electrical data over time to operating characteristic data.

Motor driven pump with prognostic health monitoring based on motor characteristics

A bearing assembly includes a first gear shaft aligned with a first axis and a second gear shaft aligned with a second axis. The second axis is oriented parallel to the first axis. A first bearing is supported on the first gear shaft and a second bearing is supported on the second gear shaft. A coupling mechanism extends between and radially clamps the first bearing to the second bearing. The coupling mechanism is operable to restrict relative radial movement between the first bearing and the second bearing.

Bearing mechanical joining methods

A variable displacement piston pump, having: a housing, a pivot assembly to pivot between minimal and maximum pivot angles; a pump cover defining an actuator bore with an actuator piston, an actuator arm extending from the actuator piston to the pivot assembly; and an electronic control unit (ECU) coupled to the pump, the ECU having: a pump controller, a linear variable differential transducer (LVDT) coupled to the pump controller and the actuator piston, and an electrohydraulic solenoid valve (EHSV) coupled to the pump controller, the ECU is configured to: determine a pivot differential for the pivot assembly between a target pivot angle and a current pivot angle; determine a position differential for the actuator piston, corresponding to the pivot differential of the pivot assembly; control the EHSV to move the actuator piston by the position differential; and determine, from the LVDT, that the actuator piston moved by the position differential.

Variable displacement piston pump with electronic control unit to provide direct metering control

A gear pump includes a pair of gears having meshed teeth. One of the gears is configured for connection to a source of drive. The gears are received within a housing. The housing has an inlet port configured for connection to a source of fluid and an outlet port. Each of the gears have a shaft rotating within the housing on a bearing on each axial side of each gear. At least one of the bearings associated with each of the pair of gears has a plurality of springs received in recesses to bias the said at least one bearing against an end face of a respective one of the pair of gears. A retention plate holds each of the plurality springs. A method of assembly is also disclosed.

Spring retainer for gear pump bearing plate

A fuel system is disclosed for a gas turbine engine, which includes an augmentor pump having an inlet communicating with a fuel supply source and a discharge communicating with an augmentation stage of the engine, wherein the augmentor pump is connected to an accessory drive gearbox mounted to the engine, and a high speed clutch for selectively engaging and disengaging the augmentor pump and the accessory drive gearbox.

Aircraft fuel system with clutched augmentor pump

A fuel system includes a main pump assembly. The main pump assembly has a main fuel pump connected to an input line, a recirculation pump connected to the input line, and a fuel recirculation system. A recirculation control includes a first selector valve in fluid communication with an outlet line of the recirculation pump, with a recirculation return line connected to return fuel to the input line, and with an inter-valve line. The recirculation control includes a second selector valve in fluid communication with the inter-valve line, with a back-up line connecting the second selector valve to a main fuel control, and with a cooler recirculation line connected to supply the one or more coolers.

Fuel systems having thermal recirculation

A fuel supply system includes a pump to be connected to a fuel tank. A metering valve is downstream of the pump. A control is programmed to control at least one of the pump and metering valve. The control is operable to take in a flow demand signal and a fuel pressure signal from a controller associated with a gas turbine engine. The flow demand signal is indicative of a desired flow volume and the fuel pressure signal is indicative of a desired fuel pressure. Operation conditions are identified for the at least one of said pump and the metering valve. A gas turbine engine and fuel supply system is also disclosed.

Smart fuel supply system

A fuel pump system can include a motor and a pump connected to the motor. The pump can be configured to receive an inlet flow from an inlet line, to pressurize the inlet flow, and to output a pressurized flow to an output line for an engine. The system can include a bypass line disposed between the outlet line and the inlet line, and a bypass valve disposed on the bypass line and configured to allow pressurized flow to flow to the inlet line in an open state, and to prevent pressurized flow from flowing to the inlet line in a closed state. The bypass valve can be configured to allow pressurized flow to flow to the inlet line to circulate flow and to maintain a constant pressure on the output line.

Fuel pump systems

A stacked gerotor pump is provided. The stacked gerotor pump includes a first gerotor pump defining a first inlet section and a first outlet section, a second gerotor pump defining a second inlet section and a second outlet section and a plate. The plate is interposed between the first and second gerotor pumps and defines upstream cavities respectively communicative with the first and second inlet sections, downstream cavities respectively communicative with the first and second outlet sections and a pre-pressurization hole by which the second outlet section is communicative with the first inlet section.

Growing community of inventors

Crystal Lake, IL, United States of America

Edward W Goy