A new high-speed starting machine

By adopting a high-speed motor and a high-speed automatic clutch, combined with a shear torque limiter and an electronic control system, the problem that existing aircraft engine starters cannot meet the starting requirements of high-speed engines has been solved, and safe and reliable starting of high-speed engines has been achieved.

CN116873210BActive Publication Date: 2025-12-26BEIJING AVIATION FEIFANG MACHINERY EQUIP FACTORY
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Patent Information

Application Number
CN202310798065.4
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Patents(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2023-06-30
Publication Date
2025-12-26
Estimated Expiration
2043-06-30

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing aircraft engine starter products are insufficient to meet the starting requirements of high-speed engines, and traditional civilian motors lack sufficient functionality, speed, and safety protection measures.

Method used

A high-speed motor is used as the power source, combined with a high-speed automatic clutch and a shear torque limiter to start the high-speed engine, and the electronic control system is used for automatic control and monitoring.

Benefits of technology

It improves the starting speed and efficiency of the starter, ensures the safety and reliability of the starter, and meets the starting requirements of high-speed engines.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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    Figure CN116873210B_ABST
Patent Text Reader

Abstract

The present application belongs to the technical field of aero-engine test bench, and discloses a novel high-speed starter for starting a main engine of an airplane, comprising a shearing torque limiter, an outer bearing pair, a high-speed automatic clutch, an inner bearing pair, a mounting seat and a high-speed motor; one end of the shearing torque limiter is connected to an airplane accessory through spline insertion, the other end of the shearing torque limiter is limited in the inner bearing pair, and the inner bearing pair is fixed on the outer ring of the high-speed automatic clutch; the outer bearing pair is fixed inside the mounting seat, the outer bearing pair supports the outer ring of the high-speed automatic clutch, the mounting seat is used for connecting the airplane accessory and the high-speed motor, the high-speed motor is connected to the outer bearing pair through spline, the high-speed motor is used as a power source, and the traditional aviation special element is replaced, meanwhile, the high-speed automatic clutch and the shearing torque limiter are used, the starting requirement of the high-speed engine is realized, the safety of the starter is ensured, and the novel high-speed starter can be widely applied to the field of aero-engine starters.
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Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The application belongs to the technical field of aero-engine test bench, and particularly relates to a novel high-speed starter. BACKGROUND

[0002] The aero-engine starter (APU) is an auxiliary power device on an aircraft, and is used to start the main engine of the aircraft.

[0003] At present, most of the APU starter products on the market adopt aviation special elements, and the highest rotating speed thereof is generally about 10000 revolutions, while the functions, revolutions, safety protection and other measures of the conventional civil motor are difficult to meet the starting demand of the high-speed engine. Therefore, a novel high-speed starter is needed to replace the aviation special elements. SUMMARY

[0004] The application provides a novel high-speed starter, which adopts a high-speed motor as a power source to replace the traditional aviation special elements, and simultaneously adopts a high-speed automatic clutch and a shearing type torque limiter to realize the starting demand of the high-speed engine and ensure the safety of the starter, and can be widely applied to the field of aero-engine starters.

[0005] The application is implemented by adopting the following technical scheme.

[0006] A novel high-speed starter is used to start the main engine of an aircraft, and the starter comprises a shearing type torque limiter 2, an outer bearing pair 3, a high-speed automatic clutch 4, an inner bearing pair 5, a mounting seat 6 and a high-speed motor 7.

[0007] One end of the shearing type torque limiter 2 is connected to an aircraft accessory through a spline insertion, and the other end of the shearing type torque limiter 2 is limited in the inner bearing pair 5, the inner bearing pair 5 is fixed on the outer ring of the high-speed automatic clutch 4, and the aircraft accessory is externally connected to an engine.

[0008] The outer bearing pair 3 is fixed in the mounting seat 6, the outer bearing pair 3 supports the outer ring of the high-speed automatic clutch 4, the mounting seat 6 is used to connect the aircraft accessory and the high-speed motor 7, the outer ring of the high-speed automatic clutch 4 supports the inner bearing pair 5, and the high-speed automatic clutch 4 is connected to the high-speed motor 7.

[0009] Further, the shearing type torque limiter 2 is a first transmission shaft in the torque transmission process of the starter, the material of the shearing type torque limiter 2 is consistent with that of the aircraft accessory 1, and the positioning of the shearing type torque limiter 2 is controlled by the mounting seat 6 and the aircraft accessory 1 to keep coaxial.

[0010] Further, the high-speed automatic clutch 4 is a secondary transmission shaft of the starter motor torque transmission process, and the shear type torque limiter 2 and the outer ring of the high-speed automatic clutch 4 realize the one-way transmission function through a wedge.

[0011] Further, the shear type torque limiter 2 is provided with a torque weakening area, the torque weakening area is arranged in the area corresponding to the spline structure connected with the aircraft accessory, and one end of the torque weakening area is reserved in the aircraft accessory 1, and the other end is limited in the inner bearing pair 5.

[0012] Further, the torque weakening area adopts circumferential weakening.

[0013] Further, the area corresponding to the high-speed automatic clutch 4 in the shear type torque limiter 2 is hardened, and is used to replace the inner ring of the high-speed automatic clutch 4.

[0014] Further, for different types of engines, when the starter motor is started, the intermittent torque limiter 2 and the mounting seat 6 meeting the engine interface parameters need to be replaced.

[0015] Further, the mounting seat 6 is used to connect the aircraft accessory 1 and the high-speed motor 7, the mounting seat 6 and the high-speed motor 7 are connected by adopting a bolt-flange structure, positioning is achieved by using a stop opening, and the entire torque transmission path is relatively coaxial and controllable.

[0016] The technical scheme of the present application adopts a high-speed motor as a power source, replaces traditional aviation special elements, and improves the starting speed and efficiency of the starter motor. The present application adopts a high-speed automatic clutch, the highest speed of which can reach 10,000 revolutions, and realizes the starting demand of the high-speed engine. Meanwhile, the present application also adopts a shear type torque limiter, and ensures the safety of the starter motor. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0017] Figure 1 A structural schematic view of a new high-speed starter motor provided by the embodiment of the present application is shown in the figure.

[0018] Among them, 1-aircraft accessory, 2-shear type torque limiter, 3-outer bearing pair, 4-high-speed automatic clutch, 5-inner bearing pair, 6-mounting seat, 7-high-speed motor. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] The technical scheme of the present application will be described in detail below in combination with the drawings.

[0020] The embodiment of the present application provides a new high-speed starter motor, which is used to start the main engine of an aircraft, such as Figure 1 As shown in the figure, the starter motor comprises a shear type torque limiter 2, an outer bearing pair 3, a high-speed automatic clutch 4, an inner bearing pair 5, a mounting seat 6, and a high-speed motor 7.

[0021] The shear type torque limiter 2 is connected to the aircraft accessory through spline insertion at one end, and is limited in the inner bearing pair 5 at the other end, the inner bearing pair 5 is fixed on the outer ring of the high-speed automatic clutch 4, and the aircraft accessory is externally connected to the engine;

[0022] The outer bearing pair 3 is fixed inside the mounting seat 6, which supports the outer ring of the high-speed automatic clutch 4, and the mounting seat 6 is used to connect the aircraft accessory and the high-speed motor 7.

[0023] Specifically,

[0024] The aircraft accessory is a random accessory of the test engine, usually a military device, and its interface and parameters are different for different engines. The torque input is usually spline input, and the spline specification is based on the aircraft accessory.

[0025] The shear type torque limiter 2 is a key component of the starter, which is a first transmission shaft in the torque transmission process. Its material is usually consistent with the aircraft accessory 1 to reduce wear on the aircraft accessory 1. It uses spline insertion structure with the aircraft accessory 1, and positioning relies on the mounting seat 6 to keep the aircraft accessory 1 coaxial and controllable. The shear type torque limiter 2 is the closest transmission device to the test aircraft accessory 1, and the weakening zone is set near the spline, which can effectively protect the aircraft accessory 1. When the torque peak hits, the weakening zone has one end remaining in the aircraft accessory 1 and the other end limited in the inner bearing pair 5, preventing additional flying damage caused by rupture. The area of the clutch 4 in the shear type torque limiter 2 is locally hardened to replace the inner ring of the clutch, participate in the disengagement and engagement action of the clutch 4, and complete the torque transmission process from the high-speed motor 7 to the aircraft accessory 1.

[0026] The outer bearing pair 3 is fixed in the mounting seat 6 through a spacer, end cover, shaft shoulder, etc., which is used to support the outer ring of the clutch 4 and transmit the number of revolutions and torque of the high-speed motor 7 to the shear type torque limiter 2 through the clutch 4.

[0027] The clutch 4 is a key component of the starter, which is a second transmission shaft in the torque transmission process, used to control the disengagement and engagement of torque transmission. The one-way transmission function of the shear type torque limiter 2 and the outer ring is realized through mechanical structure (wedge), which meets the functional requirements of fixed speed, fixed torque, one-way transmission, and engagement at any time of the aircraft accessory 1. The inner ring of the clutch 4 is replaced by the shear type torque limiter 2, and the outer ring meets the requirements of disengagement and engagement, supporting the inner bearing pair 5, and connecting the high-speed motor 7, of which the disengagement and engagement area is locally hardened.

[0028] The inner bearing pair 5 is used for supporting the shearing type torque limiter 2, is fixed on the outer ring of the clutch 4 through a shaft shoulder, an end cover, a wave-shaped pad and the like, and ensures that no additional flying damage is caused after the shearing type torque limiter 2 is broken.

[0029] The mounting seat 6 is used for connecting the aircraft accessory 1 and the high-speed motor 7, wherein the connection form with the aircraft accessory 1 is according to different specifications and the aircraft accessory 1, the connection with the high-speed motor 7 adopts a bolt-flange structure, positioning is achieved through a stop opening, and it is ensured that the entire transmission path is controllable relative to the coaxial.

[0030] The high-speed motor 7 is a power device of the starter, parameters thereof need to meet the functional requirements of the number of revolutions and the torque of different aircraft accessories 1, and the high-speed motor 7 is borne on the aircraft accessory 1 through the mounting seat 6, and the weight, length and other parameters thereof need to be miniaturized and lightened as much as possible, the motor shell, the cooling fin and the like thereof are made of aluminum material, the main rotating shaft and the winding inside thereof need to be lightened, so as to avoid additional load on the aircraft accessory 1, and the clutch 4 adopts a spline connection form to transmit the torque.

[0031] Further, the technical scheme of the present application can also adopt an electronic control system to control and monitor the operation of the starter. The electronic control system can realize automatic control of the starter, improve the stability and reliability of the starter. At the same time, the electronic control system can also monitor and diagnose the running state of the starter, and timely find and eliminate faults.

[0032] (1) Automatic control of the starter: the electronic control system can detect the state and environmental parameters of the starter through sensors, such as speed, current, temperature, vibration and the like. According to the preset parameters and logical control algorithm, the electronic control system can automatically start, stop and adjust the speed of the high-speed motor. For different products and times, the starter can be set to reach a predetermined speed and maintain for a certain period of time to ensure that the engine starts, and the starter is automatically stopped after the engine starts to reduce the wear of the related parts of the starter.

[0033] (2) Design of control timing: according to specific products and specific high-speed conditions, the electronic control system can design suitable control timing. During the starting process of the starter, a series of operation steps and timing can be set to ensure the stability and reliability of the starter. The specific control timing can be adjusted and optimized according to the characteristics of the starter and product requirements. Due to the working characteristics of the starter, it needs to reach the working number of revolutions in a short time (20-30 seconds) and reach the maximum output torque, but the overall working time is relatively short (about 60s). For this characteristic, the number of revolutions and torque values need to be monitored in real time during the control timing, and data are collected through a high sampling rate data collector to correct the control system, so as to meet the functional requirements of the starter

[0034] (3) Precise speed control: The electronic control system can achieve precise control of the speed by adjusting the voltage and frequency of the motor. Using a PID control algorithm or other suitable control strategy, the electronic control system can adjust the driving force of the motor according to the set value and feedback signal to achieve the required speed.

[0035] (4) Fault monitoring and diagnosis: The electronic control system can also monitor and diagnose the running state of the starter in real time. Through sensors and algorithms, the electronic control system can detect the speed and current of the starter and compare them with the preset standards. If abnormalities or faults are found, the electronic control system can issue an alarm and take appropriate measures, such as automatically stopping the starter, displaying fault codes, or sending alarm information.

[0036] Further, the present application adopts a high-speed automatic clutch, which can reach a maximum speed of 10,000 revolutions per minute, and can meet the starting requirements of high-speed engines. At the same time, the high-speed automatic clutch can automatically control the clutch, making the starting of the starter more stable and reliable. Compared with traditional centrifugal clutches, friction clutches, and other types, the high-speed automatic clutch adopted by this patent has a simpler structure, is easy to maintain and replace, and can realize one-way transmission, mechanical disengagement-holding, and other advantages.

[0037] The internal structure of the high-speed automatic clutch is as follows:

[0038] Inner and outer rings: The main parts of the clutch are the inner and outer rings, which are supported by bearings and can rotate at a relatively high speed.

[0039] Wedge blocks: The wedge blocks are the key components of the clutch, which are arranged between the inner and outer rings. The number and arrangement of the wedge blocks can be designed according to actual requirements, and different specifications of starters can use relatively similar structures.

[0040] The assembly relationship of the high-speed automatic clutch is as follows:

[0041] Assembly of inner and outer rings: The inner and outer rings are supported by bearings and can rotate relative to each other. The inner ring is connected to the input shaft of the engine, and the outer ring is connected to the output shaft of the transmission system.

[0042] Arrangement of wedge blocks: The wedge blocks are arranged between the inner and outer rings and change the working state of the clutch through their special shape and retainer. When there is a speed difference between the inner and outer rings, the wedge blocks will be subjected to force and change their posture, thereby causing the clutch to disengage or engage.

[0043] Specifically, the high-speed automatic clutch has the following advantages:

[0044] One-way transmission effect: Through the special shape and position design of the wedge, when there is a speed difference between the inner and outer rings, the wedge will change its posture, thereby realizing the disengagement or engagement action of the clutch. In this way, one-way transmission effect can be achieved, that is, torque is transmitted in one direction, while the clutch is disengaged in the other direction. For example: when the inner ring is high speed and the outer ring is low speed (the inner ring rotates and the outer ring is stationary), the wedge is released, and there is no relative torque transmission relationship between the inner and outer rings, and the inner and outer rings can rotate freely, that is, the clutch is in a disengaged state; when the inner ring is low speed and the outer ring is high speed (the inner ring is stationary and the outer ring rotates), the wedge is held, and there is a relative torque transmission relationship between the inner and outer rings, and the inner ring is forced to rotate in accordance with the speed of the outer ring, that is, the clutch is in an engaged state. The purpose of one-way transmission is achieved.

[0045] Mechanical disengagement and holding effect: Through the special shape and position design of the wedge, combined with the relative rotation of the inner and outer rings, the clutch can realize the mechanical disengagement and holding effect. When the speed difference between the inner and outer rings is large, the wedge will change its posture, causing the clutch to disengage, thereby realizing the smooth start of the starter. When the speed difference between the inner and outer rings is small, the wedge will change its posture, causing the clutch to hold, thereby increasing the reliability of the transmission system.

[0046] Simple structure and easy maintenance: Compared with traditional centrifugal clutches and friction clutches, the wedge-type structure adopted by the high-speed automatic clutch is simpler, without springs, friction plates and other structures, making it easy to maintain and replace. This can reduce maintenance costs and repair time.

[0047] Further, the shear type torque limiter in the present application adopts a design of a local weakening area on the shaft. By weakening the local area on the shaft, the torque is physically limited during the force transmission. This design can effectively prevent the overloading and damage of the starter, ensuring the reliability of the peak value during torque transmission. The design of the local weakening area on the shaft needs to be optimized according to actual needs, including the position, size and shape of the weakening area. Through the optimization of these parameters, accurate control of the transmission torque can be achieved, ensuring the safety and reliability of the starter.

[0048] (1) Weakening area position: The position of the weakening area will directly affect the transmission path of the torque. Placing the weakening area far from the torque source can gradually weaken the torque during transmission. Placing the weakening area close to the torque source will quickly weaken the torque during transmission. In combination with the application situation of this project, the weakening area is used as the final means of protecting the engine, and is arranged near the transmission spline area of the engine to ensure that the engine can be effectively protected when the torque peak value appears.

[0049] (2) The size of the weakening area: the size of the weakening area will determine the degree of weakening. The larger the weakening area, the more obvious the weakening effect of the torque. Conversely, the smaller the weakening area, the smaller the weakening effect of the torque. The setting of the weakening area needs to be based on the numerical simulation in the early stage and the torque torsion test of the transmission shaft, and finally the size of the weakening area is determined.

[0050] (3) The shape of the weakening area: the shape of the weakening area will also affect the weakening effect. Different shapes of the weakening area will produce different degrees of weakening to different parts of the torque. For example, a circular weakening area may produce uniform weakening effect on the entire range of torque, while an elliptical weakening area may produce stronger weakening effect in a certain direction of the torque. According to the running state of the starter and the characteristics of the engine, the weakening area adopts circumferential weakening to ensure that all kinds of loads can be effectively absorbed and protected.

[0051] The technical scheme of the present application adopts a high-speed motor as a power source, replacing the traditional aviation special elements, improving the starting speed and efficiency of the starter. The high-speed automatic clutch adopted in the present application can reach a maximum speed of 10,000 revolutions, realizing the starting demand of high-speed engine. At the same time, the present application also adopts a shearing type torque limiter to ensure the safety of the starter.

Claims

1. A novel high speed starter characterized in that, The application discloses a starter for starting a main engine of an airplane, which comprises a shearing torque limiter (2), an outer bearing pair (3), a high-speed automatic clutch (4), an inner bearing pair (5), a mounting base (6) and a high-speed motor (7). One end of the shearing torque limiter (2) is connected to an airplane accessory through a spline insertion, and the other end of the shearing torque limiter (2) is limited in the inner bearing pair (5), the inner bearing pair (5) is fixed on an outer ring of the high-speed automatic clutch (4), and the airplane accessory is externally connected to an engine. The outer bearing pair (3) is fixed in the mounting base (6), the outer bearing pair (3) supports the outer ring of the high-speed automatic clutch (4), the mounting base (6) is used for connecting the airplane accessory and the high-speed motor (7), the outer ring of the high-speed automatic clutch (4) supports the inner bearing pair (5) and is connected to the high-speed motor (7). The high-speed automatic clutch (4) is a secondary transmission shaft in a torque transmission process of the starter, one-way transmission functions of the shearing torque limiter (2) and the outer ring of the high-speed automatic clutch (4) are realized through a wedge block, and the inner ring of the high-speed automatic clutch (4) is replaced by the shearing torque limiter (2). The shearing torque limiter (2) is provided with a torque weakening area, the torque weakening area is arranged in a region corresponding to a spline structure connected to the airplane accessory, one end of the torque weakening area is reserved in the airplane accessory (1), and the other end of the torque weakening area is limited in the inner bearing pair (5).

2. A novel high speed starter as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The shearing torque limiter (2) is a primary transmission shaft in the torque transmission process of the starter, the material of the shearing torque limiter (2) is consistent with that of the airplane accessory (1), and the shearing torque limiter (2) is positioned by the mounting base (6) and the airplane accessory (1) to keep relative coaxial controllability.

3. A novel high speed starter as claimed in claim 2, wherein, The torque weakening area adopts circumferential weakening.

4. A novel high speed starter as claimed in claim 2, wherein, The shearing torque limiter (2) is provided with a hardened region corresponding to the high-speed automatic clutch (4) in the shearing torque limiter (2), and the hardened region is used for replacing the inner ring of the high-speed automatic clutch (4).

5. A novel high speed starter as claimed in claim 2, wherein, When the starter is used for starting engines of different types, the shearing torque limiter (2) and the mounting base (6) meeting the interface parameters of the engines need to be replaced.

6. A novel high speed starter as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The mounting base (6) is used for connecting the airplane accessory (1) and the high-speed motor (7), the mounting base (6) and the high-speed motor (7) are connected in a bolt-flange structure, positioning is realized through a stop opening, and relative coaxial controllability of the entire torque transmission path is ensured.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

  • Method for controlling a separating clutch in a hybrid drive train, and drive train

    CN103842231A

  • Auxiliary power unit with variable speed ratio

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