초록 ▼

A turboprop propulsion system where there is a core engine driving a power turbine that is connected through a planetary drive transmission to first and second counterrotating propellers. One of the propellers is connected to the ring gear, while the other propeller is connected to the planetary car

A turboprop propulsion system where there is a core engine driving a power turbine that is connected through a planetary drive transmission to first and second counterrotating propellers. One of the propellers is connected to the ring gear, while the other propeller is connected to the planetary carrier, the sun gear being driven from the power turbine. The apparatus is provided with a substantially continuous gaseous flow path from the inlet to the exhaust nozzle of the engine, with the planetary drive transmission being spaced radially from the flow path. In some embodiments, the planetary transmission is positioned radially inwardly of the flow path, while in other embodiments, it is positioned radially outwardly of the flow path. The propellers can be in either the pusher configuration or the tractor configuration.

대표청구항 ▼

A turboprop propulsion assembly comprising: a. a nacelle having a support structure; b. a gas generating and power section mounted in said support structure and having a longitudinally extending operating axis, said gas generating and power section comprising: 1. a compressor means to receive intake

A turboprop propulsion assembly comprising: a. a nacelle having a support structure; b. a gas generating and power section mounted in said support structure and having a longitudinally extending operating axis, said gas generating and power section comprising: 1. a compressor means to receive intake air; 2. a burner means to receive air from the compressor and burn fuel therein to create a gaseous combustion product; 3. a turbine means having a turbine blade means centered on, and rotatable about, said operating axis; c. said nacelle having a forward inlet and a rear exhaust nozzle, with said propulsion assembly defining a substantially continuous gaseous fluid flow path from said inlet through said gas generating and power section to said exhaust nozzle; d. first and second propellers mounted for counter-rotation at a mounting location radially outward of said flow path; e. a planetary drive transmission comprising: 1. an inner sun gear means of a relatively smaller diameter, mounted for rotation about said operating axis and operatively connected to said turbine means so as to be driven thereby; 2. a ring gear means of a relatively larger diameter, mounted for rotation relative to said support structure about said operating axis and drivingly connected to said first propeller for rotation in a first direction; 3. a planetary means comprising planetary gear means rotatable about axis means generally parallel to said operating axis and drivingly interconnected between the sun gear means and the ring gear means in a manner that rotation of said sun gear means relative to said planetary means in a first direction causes rotation of said ring gear means relative to said planetary gear means in a second direction opposite to the first direction, and further comprising planet carrier means operatively connected to the planetary gear means and rotatable about the operating axis, said planet carrier means being drivingly connected to the second propeller means for rotation in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the first propeller; f. said planetary transmission being positioned at a location spaced radially from said flow path in a manner that gaseous fluid flow through said flow path can be optimized, g. a gear box enclosing said planetary drive transmission; h. first torque frame means interconnected between said ring gear means and said first propeller, and second torque frame means interconnected between said planet carrier means and said second propeller, said first and second propellers being axially spaced from said first and second torque frame means, respectively; i. at least two sets of bearing means positioned at axially spaced locations within said gear box to provide bearing support for said first and second torque frame means; whereby as said turbine section rotatably drives said sun gear, said sun gear causes relative counter-rotation of said planet carrier and said ring gear to cause counter-rotation of said propellers.