Differential gear system with carrier drive

摘要

A differential gear system for a gas turbine engine includes an assembly of a ring gear, a sun gear, and a plurality of planet gears, and a planet carrier. The plurality of planet gears are enmeshed between the ring gear and the sun gear. The planet carrier acts as an input to rotatably drive the planet gears, the sun gear, and ring gear of the gas turbine engine.

主权项

1. A method for transferring torque from an intermediate speed turbine to a first and a second rotating shaft of a gas turbine engine, the method comprising the steps of:
driving the intermediate speed turbine with combustion gases of the gas turbine engine; transferring torque through an intermediate speed shaft from the intermediate speed turbine to a planet carrier of a differential gear system, the differential gear system additionally having a ring gear, a sun gear, and a plurality of planet gears enmeshed between the ring gear and sun gear, wherein the intermediate speed shaft is coupled to the intermediate speed turbine via an epicyclic gear system, and wherein the intermediate speed shaft is coupled to and drives the planet carrier, and wherein the planet carrier acts as an input to rotatably drive the planet gears, the sun gear, and the ring gear; transferring torque from the planet carrier through the ring gear to the second shaft, wherein the second shaft is coupled to and driven by the ring gear, and wherein the second shaft is coupled to and rotates a fan of the gas turbine engine, and wherein the second shaft couples to a low speed shaft and the low speed shaft is also driven by a low speed turbine of the gas turbine engine; and transferring torque from the planet carrier through the sun gear to the first shaft, wherein the first shaft is coupled to and driven by the sun gear, and wherein the first shaft is coupled to and rotates a low pressure compressor of the gas turbine engine.