Method and apparatus for supporting a rotatable shaft within a gas turbine engine
Patent 6082959 Issued on July 4, 2000. Estimated Expiration Date: 
December 22, 2018. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.
December 22, 2018. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.Patent ReferencesGas turbine engines Gas turbine engines Rotor support for a turbine engine Patent #: 5791789 InventorApplicationNo. 218874 filed on 12/22/1998US Classes:415/9, INCLUDING DESTRUCTIBLE, FUSIBLE, OR DEFORMABLE NON-REUSABLE PART415/173.4, Erodable or permanently deformable415/174.4, Erodable or permanently deformable415/229BEARING, SEAL, OR LINER BETWEEN SHAFT OR SHAFT SLEEVE AND STATIC PARTExaminersPrimary: Look, Edward K.Assistant: McAleenan, James M Attorney, Agent or FirmInternational ClassF01D 025/00AbstractAn apparatus for supporting a rotatable shaft within a gas turbine engine during a high rotor imbalance condition includes a first bearing and a fixed support frame. One of the support frame or shaft includes a one-piece flange that has a first portion, a second portion and a failure region with a predetermined load capacity, which connects the first and second portion together. The bearing is radially disposed between the rotatable shaft and the fixed support frame, and is supported by the second portion of the flange. The bearing provides a load path between the fixed support frame and the rotatable shaft until a high rotor imbalance condition when the failure region fails in response to the application of loads that exceed the load capacity of the failure region. The failure of the failure region then provides for the separation of the first portion of the flange from the second portion and the elimination of the load path through the bearing.Field of SearchINCLUDING DESTRUCTIBLE, FUSIBLE, OR DEFORMABLE NON-REUSABLE PARTBEARING, SEAL, OR LINER BETWEEN RUNNER PORTION AND STATIC PART Erodable or permanently deformable Erodable or permanently deformable Specific casing or vane material BEARING, SEAL, OR LINER BETWEEN SHAFT OR SHAFT SLEEVE AND STATIC PART Seal With safety device With destruction sensing and preventing means BEARING SAFETY OR SELF-CLEANING MEANS | |
