Sundstrand Corporation

Richard W Reynolds

Timothy F Glennon

Wayne A Flygare

Mark S Stroze

Alexander Cook

David J Hucker

Mohd A Aleem

Allen P Myers

Raymond N Olson

John N Rice

Daniel M Ryan

Stephen S Baits

Paul G Baits

Belinda F Roettger

Patrick D Curran

Evans W Erikson

Ogbonna C Wambu

Daniel J Foley

Adjustable popping cork

A system and method of separating the gaseous components of air to provide an oxygen-enriched gas stream and a nitrogen-enriched gas stream are disclosed. The on-board gas generation system and method generate an oxygen-enriched stream including substantially pure oxygen, such as about 99% or greater oxygen, and, if desired, having a pressure of up to about 10,000 pounds per square inch, thereby eliminating the need for a separate compressor to compress the oxygen-enriched gas stream. The on-board oxygen generation system and method are used in enclosed vehicles, like aircraft and military tanks, to supply substantially pure oxygen for breathing, especially at high altitudes and in contaminated atmospheres. The system includes an oxygen separator, such as a ceramic-type oxygen separator, to derive compressed or uncompressed, substantially pure oxygen from feed air provided to the oxygen separator, without the use of a compressor; and means coupled between the oxygen separator and an enclosed space on the enclosed vehicle, such as the cockpit or the cabin, for delivering the oxygen to the enclosed space, whereby such oxygen is used for breathing by the crew or the passengers in the enclosed space.

Method of generating oxygen from an air stream

This invention relates to an integrated drive generator of the type employed onboard aircraft for power generation and prime mover starting. Prior art integrated drive generators which provided for a prime mover starting mode drove a prime mover through a constant speed transmission in order to provide motive power to the engine. The present invention provides a power path for prime mover starting which couples the motor/generator directly to the prime mover and decouples the motor/generator from the transmission by means of properly oriented one-way clutches. The integrated drive generator includes in combination in input/output shaft, and motor/generator having a rotor shaft, a constant speed transmission having an input and an output, a start power path coupling the motor/generator rotor shaft to the input/output shaft whereby the motor/generator, functioning as a motor, drives the input/output shaft as an output shaft, bypassing the transmission, to thereby start the prime mover coupled to the input/output shaft, and a generate power path coupling the input/output shaft to the transmission input and coupling the transmission output to the motor/generator rotor shaft whereby the prime mover drives the motor/generator as a generator at constant speed through the input/output shaft, functioning as an input shaft, and the transmission to produce constant frequency electrical power from the motor/generator for aircraft electrical equipment.

Integrated drive generator system with direct motor drive prime mover

A propulsion engine (12) which combusts propellant received from the storage tank (24) in which a portion (28) of the tank contains propellant in the liquid state and in which an ullage (26) in a remaining portion of the tank contains the propellant in a gaseous state including a first propellant circuit (34) coupling liquid propellant stored in the tank to an evaporator (30); a second propellant circuit (36), coupling the gaseous propellant from the evaporator to the propulsion engine combustor and to the ullage; at least one power generating device (14 and 16) disposed in the second propellant circuit between the evaporator and the ullage, for providing a power output from energy of the gaseous propellant flowing in the second propellant circuit controlled by at least one control valve controlling a flow of gaseous propellant to the at least one device under the control of at least one valve control signal; a bypass circuit (40) coupled in parallel with the at least one power generating device containing a bypass valve (42) controlling flow of gaseous propellant through the bypass circuit from the evaporator to the ullage in response to a bypass valve control signal; and a controller (44) coupled to the bypass valve and the at least one control valve, for generating the valve control signal controlling the flow of gaseous propellant through the valves to produce a controlled mass flow of gaseous propellant into the ullage independent of variation of a mass of gas flow through the valves.

Direct drive gaseous hydrogen turbo actuator

A bent-axis hydraulic apparatus having a case in which a rotatable cylinder block is positioned and which is associated with a rotatable shaft at a drive angle therebetween. A split angle spline drive interconnects the cylinder block of the hydraulic axial piston unit with a rotatable shaft for transmission of torque therebetween without any side loading on the pistons of the axial piston unit. The split angle spline drive has two series of external teeth associated one with the cylinder block and the other with the rotatable shaft which individually mesh at two locations opposite the axis of rotation thereof with two spaced-apart sets of internal teeth on a ring gear that is rotatably-mounted in fixed location within the case of the hydraulic apparatus. The tooth mesh center lines are equally spaced from the pivot point for the cylinder block and the rotatable shaft to achieve synchronization.

Bent-axis hydraulic apparatus

A power supply system for developing electrical power from variable-speed motive power produced by a prime mover includes a differential speed summer having a first shaft coupled to the prime mover and further having second and third shafts coupled to first and second generators, respectively, a power conditioner coupled to the second generator for conditioning the power developed thereby and means for regulating the conditioned power developed by the second generator so that the first generator develops constant-frequency AC power.

Power generating system

The effects of operational loading on a permanent magnet generator of the type having first and second permanent magnet assemblies 28, 30 mounted on a shaft 26, and movable relative to each other is eliminated by rotatably mounting each of the assemblies 28, 30 for rotation relative to the shaft 26, as well as to each other, and connecting them to the shaft by equal, but oppositely pitched helical spline connections 50, 52, 58, 60. Axial movement of the shaft 26 will then cause equal, but opposite relative movement of the permanent magnet assemblies 28, 30, so that the forces resisting movement of one such assembly act to encourage movement of the other, thereby balancing out said forces.

Dual permanent magnet generator

An improved hydraulic apparatus is disclosed which may function as either a hydraulic pump or hydraulic motor. A port plate (18) is provided with a high pressure arcuate prot (82) which permits the full range of rotation of the port plate to be used in linearly adjusting the rate of fluid flow into the cylinders (22) of the cylinder block (20). The invention provides a maximum range of adjustability of the volume of fluid flow passing through the cylinders.

Variable displacement port plate

Operational efficiency in a combined engine starting and power generating system including an engine 110 connected to a dynamoelectric machine 142 useable as a motor or as a generator via a differential 114 and utilizing variable and fixed displacement hydraulic units 146, 156 is increased by sizing the variable and fixed hydraulic units 146 and 156 for power generating operation and by providing an auxiliary fixed displacement hydraulic unit 162 for use only during an engine starting mode.

Engine starting and power generating system

Prior starting/generating systems which operate a generator as a motor to start a prime mover have been inefficient since motive power was delivered to the prime mover through hydrostatic trim and differential components of a constant speed drive interposed between the prime mover and the generator. In order to overcome this problem, means are provided between the prime mover and the generator for bypassing these components of the constant speed drive when operating in a starting mode so that motive power is transferred directly to the prime mover. This, coupled with the fact that the generator is operated as a motor responsive to generator speed and/or generator power factor, increases the efficiency of the system when in the starting mode.

Starting/generating system

A differential transmission mechanism using an output differential for a constant speed drive has desirable characteristics including full utilization of the torque capabilities of the hydraulic trim device associated with the output differential; however, there is a limitation on the utilization of the speed capability of the hydraulic components of the trim device at the low end of the input speed range. The disclosed differential transmission mechanism utilizing an output differential has a hydraulic trim device with a first hydraulic displacement unit having a normally fixed, approximately maximum displacement connected to an element of the output differential and a second hydraulic displacement unit which is of variable displacement connected to a variable speed input shaft. Additional components of the output differential are connected to the input shaft and to an output shaft connectable to a load. A sensing device senses the speed of the output shaft to control the displacement of the variable displacement hydraulic displacement unit to control the displacement thereof to achieve a constant output speed by varying the speed of the normally fixed displacement unit as required. Additionally, a sensor senses the speed of the input shaft and, when the speed of the input shaft is below a predetermined value, controls the displacement of the normally fixed displacement unit to reduce the displacement thereof to effectively make the latter displacement unit a smaller unit which will therefore operate at a faster speed to extend the range of the constant speed drive at the low end of the input speed range.

Differential transmission mechanism for a constant speed drive

An improved end turn construction to improve cooling in a dynamoelectric machine and to axially reduce the size thereof. The machine includes a body (12) of magnetizable material having opposed ends (18) an opening (14) extending between the ends and the plurality of slots (50) about the opening (14). A rotor (16) is disposed within the opening (14) and journalled for rotation therein and electric conductors (52) are located in the slots (50) and extend to ends (54, 56) just past the ends (18) of the body (12). End turns (58, 60, 68) each interconnect a predetermined pair of the conductors (52) and extend substantially circumferntially and radially of the rotor axis with no appreciable extension axially of the axis.

End turn construction for dynamoelectric machines

A hydraulic differential transmission utilizing an input differential and having a hydrostatic transmission with a variable output speed to the input differential whereby the speed of the transmission drive output can be maintained constant with variable drive input speeds to the transmission. The hydraulic differential transmission has a pair of parallel drive trains between the drive shaft of the fixed displacement unit of the hydrostatic transmission and the input differential, with the two drive trains providing different drive ratios therebetween. A first drive train including an overrunning clutch provides a one to one drive ratio therebetween when operating at higher drive input speeds. The other drive train includes a second differential and a second overriding clutch providing a lesser drive ratio between the fixed displacement hydraulic unit and the first differential when operating at lower drive input speeds. The overrunning clutches enable a shift between drive trains at a shift point where the drive shaft of the fixed displacement hydaulic unit changes direction of rotation without any discontinuity in the drive at the shift point. The change in drive ratios for operation at the higher drive input speeds causes the hydraulic units of the hydrostatic transmission to operate at higher pressures and nearer their normal pressure capabilities.

Hydraulic differential transmission

An aircraft secondary power system having a selectively operable power source for drive of accessories and for starting of a jet engine. The system includes a clutch which is engaged when the power source is to start the engine. At a predetermined engine speed, the engine takes over the drive of the accessories through the clutch and, at a selected higher speed of the engine, the clutch is disengaged to cause the drive of the accessories from the engine at a lower drive ratio whereby the accessories are driven at a lower speed relative to the speed of the engine.

Combined engine-starter and accessory drive system

An electronic constant speed control for a hydrostatic transmission having a variable displacement hydraulic pump with a displacement controlling member movable to various positions at either side of a neutral position and having an input shaft connectable to a prime mover and a hydraulic motor having an output shaft, an electric controller for positioning siad displacement controlling member, a command potentiometer for establishing a set constant speed signal representing a desired constant speed between zero and maximum speed in either direction of rotation for said output shaft, a speed detecting device for establishing a pump input shaft speed signal, a circuit for generating a position control signal representing the required position of the displacement controlling member for the set speed which is responsive to the constant speed and pump input shaft speed signals, a speed detecting device for establishing an output shaft speed signal, a circuit for comparing the output shaft speed signal with said set constant speed signal and integrating any error therebetween and generating a speed error control signal, and a summing circuit for summing said position and speed error control signals to provide a control signal to said electric controller.

Growing community of inventors

Rockford, IL, United States of America

Richard W Reynolds