Method and apparatus for supporting rotor assemblies during unbalances

US6491497B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• General Electric Company · US

Inventors

• Barry Lynn Allmon · Maineville, US
• Christopher Charles Glynn · Clearwater Beach, US
• Kenneth Lee Fisher · Lockland, US
• Daniel Edward Mollmann · Cincinnati, US
• Bala Corattiyil · Montgomery, US
• Randy M. Vondrell · Cincinnati, US
• Morris Green Penn · Sharonville, US
• Michael Joseph Gambone · Mason, US
• Jan Christopher Schilling · Middletown, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 22, 2000
• Grant date: Dec 10, 2002
• Expiry date: Sep 22, 2020

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10S416/50
• WIPO field: Mechanical elements
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A rotor assembly for a gas turbine engine includes a bearing assembly that reduces dynamic loads to a support frame and static bending to the rotor assembly during periods of rotor unbalance. The rotor assembly includes a rotor shaft coupled to a fan and supported longitudinally with a plurality of bearing assemblies on a support frame. A number two bearing assembly includes a paired race, a rolling element, and a mounting race. The mounting race includes a spherical face and is secured to the bearing assembly with a retainer that plastically fails at a pre-determined moment load.