United Technologies Corporation

Raytheon Technologies Corporation

John R Otto

James B Coffin

William G Sheridan

Brian P Cigal

Sunil Sharma

Stephanie M Baker

Jason Husband

Todd A Davis

A gas turbine engine includes a fan, a fan shaft coupled with the fan and arranged along an engine central axis, and a frame supporting the fan shaft. The frame defines a lateral frame stiffness (LFS). A non-rotatable flexible coupling and a rotatable flexible coupling support an epicyclic gear system. The couplings are subject to a Motion II of cantilever beam free end motion with respect to the engine central axis. The non-rotatable and the rotatable flexible couplings each have a stiffness of a common stiffness type under a common type of motion. The common stiffness type is a Stiffness B and the common type of motion is the Motion II. The Stiffness B of the rotatable flexible coupling is greater than the stiffness B of the non-rotatable flexible coupling, and a ratio of LFS/Stiffness B of the non-rotatable flexible coupling is in a range of 10-40.

Flexible coupling for geared turbine engine

A fan drive gear system for a turbofan engine includes a geared architecture and a gear controller supporting the geared architecture and controlling rotation of the geared architecture relative a static structure.

Fan drive gear system mechanical controller

A gas turbine engine includes a fan, a fan shaft coupled with the fan and arranged along an engine central axis, and a frame supporting the fan shaft. The frame defines a lateral frame stiffness (LFS). An epicyclic gear system is coupled to the fan shaft, and a non-rotatable flexible coupling and a rotatable flexible coupling support the epicyclic gear system. The non-rotatable flexible coupling and the rotatable flexible coupling each have a stiffness of a common stiffness type under a common type of motion with respect to the engine central axis. The stiffness is defined with respect to the LFS. The stiffness of the rotatable flexible coupling is greater than the stiffness of the non-rotatable flexible coupling.

A gear assembly support for a gas turbine engine includes a spline ring configured to fit into a case of the gas turbine engine and a flex support. The flex support includes splines for engaging the spline ring and an inner portion attachable to a portion the gear assembly.

Spline ring for a fan drive gear flexible support

A gas turbine engine includes a fan, a fan shaft coupled with the fan and arranged along an engine central axis, a gear system rotatably coupled to the fan shaft, and first and second flexible couplings supporting the gear system. The first flexible coupling and the second flexible coupling are subject to, with respect to the engine central axis, torsional motion and lateral motion. The first and second flexible couplings individually having a torsional stiffness under the torsional motion and a lateral stiffness under the lateral motion, and a ratio, of each of the first and second flexible couplings, of the torsional stiffness to the lateral stiffness is greater than or equal to 2.

A gas turbine engine includes a non-rotatable flexible coupling having Stiffnesses A, B, C, D and E, which are defined herein, and at least ratio of a frame lateral stiffness FLS as follows: FLS/Stiffness A in a range of about 6.0 to about 25.0, FLS/Stiffness B in a range of about 10.0 to about 40.0, FLS/Stiffness C in a range of about 1.5 to about 7.0, FLS/Stiffness D in a range of about 0.25 to about 0.50, or FLS/Stiffness E in a range of about 6.0 to about 40.0.

A turbofan engine includes a fan rotatable about an axis and a compressor section including a high pressure compressor and a low pressure compressor. A turbine section includes a high pressure turbine, an intermediate turbine and a fan drive turbine. The high pressure turbine is coupled to drive the high pressure compressor. A fan drive gear system is driven by the fan drive turbine for driving the fan and a compressor drive gear system is driven by the intermediate turbine for driving the low pressure compressor.

Three spool geared turbofan with low pressure compressor drive gear system

A gear assembly support for a gas turbine engine includes a first portion engageable to a case of the gas turbine engine and a second portion configured for supporting a gear assembly. The support includes a torque reacting portion for transferring torque from the second portion to the first portion, a forward flange disposed forward of the torque reacting portion, the forward flange defining a first interface to the case and an aft flange disposed aft of the torque reacting portion, the aft flange defining a second interface to the case.

Adjustable flange material and torque path isolation for splined fan drive gear system flexible support

A lubricant manifold for gear system of a turbofan engine includes a base plate defining an inlet, an outlet and a plurality of open channels. The open channels define a portion of a corresponding plurality of lubricant passages. A cover plate is attached to the base plate to complete the formation of the plurality of lubricant passages. An interlocking interface between the base plate and the cover plate secures the cover plate to the base plate.

Inseparable machined lubricant manifold

A lubrication system for gas turbine engine includes a main lubricant passage for providing lubricant from a lubricant supply to a lubricant manifold. The lubricant manifold includes first and second lubricant passages The lubricant manifold is configured to supply lubricant to first and second separate parts of a geared architecture at different first and second lubricant flow conditions. A first filter element is provided within a radial tube for supplying lubricant to the first passage of the lubricant manifold and a second filter element is provided within a second radial tube for supplying lubricant to the second lubricant passage of the lubricant manifold. The first filter element is different than the second filter element.

Fan drive gear system manifold radial tube filters

A gas turbine engine includes a fan shaft arranged along an engine central axis, a frame supporting the fan shaft, a gear system rotatably coupled with the fan shaft, and a flexible coupling at least partially supporting the gear system. The flexible coupling defines, with respect to the engine central axis, a torsional stiffness TS and a lateral stiffness LS such that a ratio of TS/LS is greater than or equal to about 2.0 to reduce loads on the gear system from misalignment of the gear system with respect to the engine central axis.

A turbofan engine is disclosed that includes a fan rotatable about an axis, a compressor section including a high pressure compressor, a medium pressure compressor and a low pressure compressor and a turbine section including a high pressure turbine, an intermediate turbine and a fan drive turbine. A fan drive gear system is driven by the fan drive turbine for driving the fan. A compressor drive gear system is driven by the intermediate turbine for driving the low pressure compressor. A gear controller controls rotation of at least one of the fan drive gear system and the compressor drive gear system relative to a static structure to vary an effective speed reduction ratio of one of the fan drive gear system and the compressor drive gear system.

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Middletown, CT, United States of America

John R Otto