Accessory housing equipped with a sealing cover and retaining system, and aircraft engine equipped with such an accessory housing

The accessory housing with a sliding sleeve and retaining system simplifies maintenance by allowing direct tool engagement and automatic return, addressing complex maintenance issues and preventing oil leakage.

FR3163971A1Pending Publication Date: 2026-01-02SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES SAS
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Patent Information

Application Number
FR2024006883
Authority / Receiving Office
FR · FR
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2024-06-26
Publication Date
2026-01-02

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing aircraft engine accessory housings require complex and time-consuming maintenance procedures, with a risk of incorrectly reinstalling the sealing cover, leading to oil leakage during engine operation.

Method used

An accessory housing with a sealing cover and retaining system that allows for a sleeve to slide between operating and maintenance positions, simplifying maintenance by enabling direct engagement with a drive tool without removing the cover, and ensuring automatic return to the operating position post-maintenance.

Benefits of technology

Facilitates quick and safe maintenance operations by eliminating the risk of incorrectly reinstalling the sealing cover, preventing oil leakage, and ensuring the shaft is not driven during engine operation.

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Abstract

The present invention relates to an aircraft engine accessory housing (3), comprising a casing (5) and an assembly (9) of a blanking cover (11) and a retaining system (13), the blanking cover (11) closing an access hole and comprising a sleeve (15) adapted to slide in the access hole, a shaft (17) mounted in the sleeve (15), a drive input adapted to be coupled to a rotating drive tool (27), and a drive output (29) decoupled from the manual control in a first position and adapted to be coupled to the manual control in a second position, the retaining system (13) being able to assume a coupled configuration only when the sleeve (15) is in the second position, and being able to assume a decoupled configuration when the rotating drive tool (27) and the drive input are decoupled. The invention also relates to an aircraft engine. Figure for the summary: Fig. 2
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Description

Title of the invention: Accessory housing comprising a sealing cover and a retaining system, and aircraft engine equipped with such an accessory housing FIELD OF INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to an aircraft engine accessory housing comprising an assembly of a sealing cover and a retaining system, as well as to an aircraft engine comprising such an accessory housing. STATE OF THE ART

[0002] It is known to produce an accessory gearbox for an aircraft engine, which is a gearbox generally located on the periphery of the engine and connected to the engine's high-pressure core by a shaft. Such an accessory gearbox is commonly designated by its acronym AGB, for "Accessory Gear Box." This accessory gearbox incorporates a mechanism formed of gears with parallel axes that mesh with each other. Such an accessory gearbox is generally driven mechanically from a drive shaft, in particular by the high-pressure shaft of the aircraft engine, which is a turbomachine such as a turbojet or turboprop. Thus, during the operation of the aircraft engine, the gears are driven by an input shaft that is itself connected by a drive train to a drive shaft of the aircraft engine.

[0003] This accessory housing drives various components, for example, pumps and electric generators, and has access to a manual control connected to the internal drive train of the accessory housing by a pinion. Generally, one of the pinions is not used to drive any accessory equipment. This pinion serves primarily for manually rotating the engine shaft during aircraft engine inspection and overhaul operations. The accessory housing thus includes a hole, opening, or passage providing access to a shaft carrying this pinion, which generally has an additional housing for a drive square, in order to provide manual control of the pinion from the outside by a drive mechanism. This opening is sealed by a blanking cover when the engine is not undergoing overhaul.

[0004] During maintenance operations, after dismantling and removing or turning over the sealing cover, the manual control can be rotated manually with a manual wrench, also called a "hand crank" in English, or with a motorized tool cooperating with the control by means of the drive square. Among the maintenance operations performed are endoscopy and boroblending, also known as bore repair. Boroblending and endoscopy are activities that must be carried out quickly, within 2 to 3 hours, as the engine needs time to cool down before these operations can be performed.

[0005] By rotating the manual control, it is possible to rotate the drive train connected to the high-pressure housing of the engine, thus enabling engine endoscopy during maintenance operations. Conversely, when the engine is running, the internal drive train of the accessory gearbox rotates in line with the rotation of the high-pressure shaft, which is part of the high-pressure housing of the engine. The manual control can also be used to completely lock the drive train, for example, to allow the tightening of nuts on the high-pressure shaft of an aircraft engine, which may consist of a twin-spool, twin-spool turbomachine.

[0006] Document FR 3 105 997 Al discloses an example of an accessory housing, which has access to a gear train comprising a manual control with a drive square machined at the end of a gear shaft. The shaft extends to an access opening, with an interposed bearing and optionally a dynamic seal. The assembly is closed by a blanking cover.

[0007] However, in certain engine configurations, numerous components or utilities pass through the access area of ​​the sealing cover that blocks access to the accessory gearbox gears, such as oil lines. Therefore, removing the sealing cover's fixing screws requires disconnecting some of these oil lines to allow sufficient clearance for unscrewing and then rescrewing the fixing screws during maintenance.Thus, an operator performing maintenance must carry out numerous steps such as: dismantling oil lines, unscrewing the sealing cover fixing screws, dismantling and removing the sealing cover, mounting a drive tool for the manual control of the accessory gearbox pinion, performing the maintenance, dismantling the drive tool, refitting the sealing cover, re-screwing the sealing cover fixing screws, and refitting the oil lines.

[0008] Furthermore, it is possible, due to an oversight, that the sealing cover is not reinstalled or is incorrectly screwed back on at the end of the maintenance operations, and that when the engine is started, oil normally present in the accessory housing is projected outside through the access opening. Description of the invention

[0009] The present invention aims to overcome all or part of the drawbacks mentioned above.

[0010] In particular, the invention aims to provide a sealing cover that allows maintenance to be carried out by manually operating a gear in a simple and quick manner, while avoiding the risk of forgetting or incorrectly fitting the sealing cover at the end of the maintenance operation.

[0011] According to a first aspect, the invention provides an aircraft engine accessory housing. The accessory housing is notable in that it comprises a casing with an access hole allowing access to a manual control of a pinion housed in the casing, and an assembly of a sealing cover and a retaining system, the sealing cover closing the access hole and comprising: - a sleeve designed to slide in the access hole relative to the housing and parallel to an axis between a first position and a second position, - a shaft mounted to pivot in the sleeve, the shaft being designed to be driven in rotation about the axis, the shaft comprising: at one outer end, a drive input suitable for coupling to a rotating drive tool, and at one inner end, a drive output suitable for being decoupled from the manual control in the first position and suitable for being coupled to the manual control in the second position, the retaining system being suitable for assuming a coupling configuration only when the sleeve is in the second position, and in the coupling configuration, the retaining system axially holds the sleeve relative to the housing, and the holding system being designed to take a decoupling configuration when the rotating drive tool and the drive input are decoupled, and in the decoupling configuration, the holding system releases the sleeve to slide towards the first position.

[0012] Thus, an accessory housing is provided with an assembly that allows for a simple and quick maintenance operation by manually controlling the pinion, while avoiding the risk of forgetting or incorrectly installing the sealing cover at the end of the maintenance operation. Indeed, because the sealing cover is not removed, it is not necessary to remove any components or utilities passing through the access area of ​​the sealing cover that would obstruct access to the pinion. Furthermore, because the sleeve—and the shaft mounted pivoting within the sleeve—slides between two positions, namely a first normal operating position and a second maintenance position, the risk of a The possibility of forgetting the sealing cover is eliminated. Furthermore, the shaft is disengaged during normal pinion operation, particularly for the AGB, to prevent it from being driven outside of maintenance procedures. Finally, the coupling in the second position simplifies maintenance by an operator, as they only need to rotate the drive tool and do not need to axially support it to achieve rotation.

[0013] The accessory housing according to the invention is advantageously and optionally supplemented by the following features, taken alone or in any of their technically possible combinations:

[0014] - The first position is an operating position.

[0015] - The second position is a maintenance position.

[0016] - The assembly includes an elastic return element, which is suitable for returning The sleeve is moved from the second position to the first position. This ensures that the sleeve is disengaged during normal operation after the maintenance operation.

[0017] - The sealing cover carries an elastic return element, which is its own The sleeve is then recalled from the second position to the first position. This ensures that the sleeve is disengaged during normal operation after the maintenance operation.

[0018] - The elastic return element is designed to be compressed between the sleeve and the crankcase.

[0019] - The elastic return element is interposed between the housing and the sleeve. Thus, a Such direct interposition between the housing and the sleeve simplifies the design.

[0020] - The elastic restoring element bears against opposite transverse faces one from the other of the housing and the sleeve. Thus, the elastic return element can be made in a simple way.

[0021] - The sleeve has a first shoulder on which the elastic element of The return spring is supported. Thus, the support of the elastic return spring element on the sleeve is achieved in a particularly simple manner.

[0022] - The elastic return element is a compression spring. Thus, the element The elastic cord is made in a particularly simple and safe way.

[0023] - The sleeve has an external groove housing a sealing O-ring arranged radially between the sleeve and the housing. Thus, the housing seal is maintained in a simple way.

[0024] - A bearing, preferably a plain bearing, is interposed radially between the sleeve and the shaft. Thus, the rotation of the shaft relative to the sleeve is facilitated while maintaining the sealing of the housing.

[0025] - The holding system is designed to assume a decoupling configuration When an axial separation force of the sealing cover relative to the housing, applied to the sealing cover along its axis and directed from the second position to the first position, exceeds a predetermined threshold, then at the end of the maintenance operation, it is sufficient to apply a force exceeding the predetermined threshold to decouple the shaft of the sealing cover from the manual pinion control; such decoupling is then carried out in a particularly simple manner.

[0026] - The retention system comprises at least one finger carried by the sleeve, the Each finger, or finger, carries at its free end: either a retaining ball in the second position to be reversibly engaged in a notch in the housing, or a permanent magnet to interact with a magnetic element on the housing such that, in the second position, the permanent magnet is in contact with the magnetic element. Thus, the retaining system is implemented in a particularly simple manner, and the coupling and decoupling processes are also simplified.

[0027] - The magnetic element carried by the housing is formed by the housing itself, by a a ring made of ferromagnetic material or a ring of a permanent magnet. Thus, a particularly simple magnetic element is obtained.

[0028] - The retaining system comprises two diametrically opposed fingers. Thus, the Maintaining the second position is made easier.

[0029] - The retention system includes at least one pivotally mounted tab on the tool In the rotary drive, one free end of the lug has a retaining rib extending radially inwards. This retaining rib is designed to engage successively axially, parallel to the axis, and then tangentially around the axis in a groove of the housing. This groove extends parallel to the axis in an axial portion of the groove, and then around the axis in a tangential portion of the groove. In this second position, when the rotary drive tool is coupled to the drive input, the retaining rib is held axially in the tangential portion of the groove. This prevents any unintentional disengagement during maintenance. The axial force transmitted by the rotary drive tool compresses the elastic element.Next, a limited angular rotation, for example a quarter turn, is applied to the rotary drive tool to wedge the retaining system's tab into the tangential part of the housing groove. The tab's retaining rib is then held engaged by the rotary drive tool, which in turn holds the sleeve in the second position. The rotary drive tool can then be used to rotate the pinion in both directions.

[0030] - The groove is an L-shaped or J-shaped groove.

[0031] - The tangential part of the groove terminates in an axial notch specific to receive the rib. Thus, the rotating drive tool can be rotated in both directions while avoiding the risk of ejection of the rotating drive tool.

[0032] - A rotational drive of the drive input by the drive tool rotation causes a rotation drive of the manual control by the drive output only in the second position between the first and second positions.

[0033] - The shaft has a first shoulder designed to abut against the housing in the first position of the sleeve.

[0034] - The training input includes a female or male training square, Preferably, a female drive square. This ensures the drive input is compatible with the respective drive square of a power tool, such as a manual wrench or a power tool—either a male or female drive square. The female drive square is preferred due to its reduced mass.

[0035] - The drive output includes a male or female drive square, of Preferably a male drive square. Thus, the drive output is compatible with a respective drive square of the pinion, namely a female or male drive square.

[0036] - The sealing cover is suitable for oil-tight sealing of the hole access.

[0037] - The sleeve is designed to be butted against the housing in the second position.

[0038] - The sleeve, the shaft and the access hole are coaxial.

[0039] - The drive inlet is located externally to the housing.

[0040] - The drive output is oriented towards the inside of the housing.

[0041] - The drive output is located inside the housing.

[0042] - The sleeve is cylindrical.

[0043] - The bearing is in axial stop against a second shoulder of the shaft.

[0044] - The bearing comprises a shoulder forming an interposed internal axial stop between the sleeve and the shaft.

[0045] - The shaft has a groove receiving a circlip, which forms an axial stop external interposed between the sleeve and the shaft.

[0046] - The rotating drive tool is a manual ratchet wrench with a square male or female drive, preferably male with a retaining ball, more preferably male with a retaining ball conforming to ISO 1174-1:2011.

[0047] - The rotation drive tool is a reversible ratcheting hand wrench, suitable for rotate the drive input in both directions.

[0048] According to a second aspect, the invention also proposes an aircraft engine, remarkable in that it comprises a high-pressure body and an accessory housing as previously described, the high-pressure body being mechanically coupled to the accessory housing. DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0049] Other features, objectives and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description below, which is purely illustrative and not limiting, and which should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, given by way of non-limiting examples and on which: - [Fig.1] is a schematic top view of an aircraft equipped with an aircraft engine according to the invention; - [Fig.2] is a schematic perspective view according to a first variant of the realization of an assembly and a housing of an accessory box and a rotating drive tool; - [Fig.3] is a schematic perspective view from above in longitudinal section of the assembly and the casing shown in [Fig.2]; - [Fig.4] is a schematic perspective view of a detail of the crankcase shown in [Fig.2]; - [Fig.5] is a schematic perspective view of a detail of the whole shown in [Fig.2]; - [Fig.6] is a schematic perspective view according to a second variant of the embodiment of an assembly and a housing of an accessory housing and a rotating drive tool; - [Fig.7] is a schematic perspective view according to a third variant of the embodiment of an assembly and a housing of an accessory housing and a rotating drive tool.

[0050] Throughout the figures, similar elements are designated by identical reference numerals. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0051] Fig. 1 schematically represents an aircraft 100 equipped with at least one aircraft engine 1, in the example shown, with two aircraft engines 1.

[0052] The aircraft engine 1 includes in particular a high-pressure body and an accessory housing 3, the high-pressure body being mechanically coupled to the accessory housing 3, which is partially shown in [Fig.2].

[0053] Advantageously, the aircraft engine 1 is a turbomachine, such as a turbojet or a turboprop.

[0054] As shown in [Fig. 2] and [Fig. 3], the accessory housing 3 includes a casing 5 with an access hole 7 for a manual control of a pinion. Thus, the access hole 7 allows access to the manual control of the pinion, not shown, which is housed in the casing 5. It should therefore be noted that the casing 5 is only partially shown, to facilitate the readability of these figures.

[0055] Thus, the housing 5 is a housing 5 of an accessory housing 3, preferably a housing 5 of an accessory housing 3 of an aircraft engine 1.

[0056] Advantageously, the housing 5 is made of steel.

[0057] The accessory case 3 also includes an assembly 9 of a shutter cover 11 and a retaining system 13.

[0058] The access hole 7 is closed by the sealing cover 11. Thus, the sealing cover 11 is suitable for sealing the access hole 7 of the housing 5. Preferably, the sealing cover 11 is suitable for oil-tight sealing of the access hole 7.

[0059] The sealing cover 11 includes a sleeve 15 and a shaft 17.

[0060] Advantageously, the sleeve 15 is made of steel.

[0061] Preferably, the shaft 17 is made of stainless steel.

[0062] The sleeve 15 is adapted to slide in the access hole 7 relative to the housing 5 and parallel to an axis X between a first position, in particular shown in [Fig.3], and a second position, in particular shown in [Fig.2].

[0063] Advantageously, the first position is an operating position.

[0064] Advantageously, the second position is a maintenance position.

[0065] Preferably, the sleeve 15 is cylindrical.

[0066] Advantageously, the sleeve 15, the shaft 17 and the access hole 7 are coaxial, in other words coaxial about the X axis.

[0067] Preferably, the shaft 17 has a first shoulder 18 suitable for abutting against the housing 5 in the first position of the sleeve 15.

[0068] Advantageously, the sleeve 15 has an external groove 19 housing a sealing O-ring 21 arranged radially between the sleeve 15 and the housing 5.

[0069] The shaft 17 is pivotally mounted in the sleeve 15. The shaft 17 is thus able to be driven in rotation around the X axis.

[0070] The shaft 17 includes, at an outer end, a drive input 25 suitable for coupling to a rotating drive tool 27. By "outer end", it is necessary to understand the end of the shaft 17 oriented towards the outside of the housing 5.

[0071] Advantageously, the rotation drive tool 27 is a manual ratchet wrench having a male or female drive square, preferably male with a retaining ball, more preferably male with a retaining ball conforming to ISO 1174-1:2011.

[0072] Preferably, the rotation drive tool 27 is a reversible ratchet hand wrench, suitable for rotating the drive input 25 in both directions.

[0073] The shaft 17 includes, at an inner end, a drive output 29 adapted to be decoupled from the manual control in the first position and adapted to be coupled to the manual control in the second position. By "inner end," one should understand the end of the shaft 17 oriented towards the inside of the housing 5.

[0074] Advantageously, the drive inlet 25 is arranged externally to the housing 5.

[0075] Advantageously, the drive input 25 comprises a female or male drive square, preferably a female drive square, as shown in [Fig.3].

[0076] Preferably, the sleeve 15 is designed to be butted against the housing 5 in the second position.

[0077] Advantageously, a rotational drive of the drive input 25 by the rotational drive tool 27 causes a rotational drive of the manual control by the drive output 29 only in the second position among the first position and the second position.

[0078] Preferably, the drive output 29 is oriented towards the inside of the housing 5.

[0079] Advantageously, the drive output 29 is arranged inside the housing 5.

[0080] Advantageously, the training output 29 includes a training square male or female, preferably a male training square.

[0081] The retaining system 13 is able to assume a coupling configuration only when the sleeve 15 is in the second position. More specifically, in the coupling configuration, the retaining system 13 axially holds the sleeve 15 relative to the housing 5.

[0082] The retaining system 13 is adapted to take a decoupling configuration when the rotating drive tool 27 and the drive input 25 are decoupled. More specifically, in the decoupling configuration, the retaining system 13 releases the sliding of the sleeve 15 towards the first position.

[0083] Advantageously, the assembly 9, preferably the sealing cover 11, includes a spring return element 31, which is adapted to return the sleeve 15 from the second position to the first position. Thus, the spring return element 31 returns the sleeve 15 from the second position to the first position.

[0084] Preferably, the elastic return element 31 is suitable for being compressed between the sleeve 15 and the housing 5. Thus, the elastic return element 31 is compressed between the sleeve 15 and the housing 5.

[0085] Advantageously, the elastic return element 31 is interposed between the housing 5 and the sleeve 15.

[0086] Preferably, the elastic return element 31 is a compression spring.

[0087] Advantageously, the elastic return element 31 is made of spring steel.

[0088] Preferably, the elastic return element 31 bears on opposite transverse faces of the housing 5 and the sleeve 15.

[0089] Advantageously, the sleeve 15 has a first shoulder 33 on which the elastic return element 31 rests.

[0090] Advantageously, a bearing 35, preferably a plain bearing, is interposed radially between the sleeve 15 and the shaft 17.

[0091] Preferably, the bearing 35 is a plain brass bearing.

[0092] Preferably, the bearing 35 is axially abutted against a second shoulder 37 of tree 17.

[0093] Advantageously, the bearing 35 has a shoulder 39 forming an internal axial stop interposed between the sleeve 15 and the shaft 17.

[0094] Preferably, the shaft 17 has a groove receiving an elastic ring or circlip 41, which forms an external axial stop interposed between the sleeve 15 and the shaft 17.

[0095] Preferably, the circlip 41 is metallic.

[0096] Advantageously, according to a first embodiment shown in [Fig.2], [Fig.3], [Fig.4] and [Fig.5], and according to a second embodiment shown in [Fig.6], the retaining system 13 is able to take a decoupling configuration when an axial separation force of the sealing cover 11 relative to the housing 5, applied to the sealing cover 11 along the X axis and oriented from the second position to the first position, is greater than a predetermined threshold.

[0097] Preferably, the retaining system 13 comprises at least one finger 43 carried by the sleeve 15. Advantageously, the retaining system 13 comprises two fingers 43, preferably two diametrically opposed fingers 43, in particular with respect to the X axis.

[0098] Advantageously and according to the first embodiment, the finger 43 or each finger 43 carries at its free end, a retaining ball 45 suitable in the second position to be reversibly engaged in a notch 47 of the housing 5. The notch 47 is in particular shown in [Fig.4], and the retaining ball 45 is in particular shown in [Fig.5].

[0099] Preferably, in the second position, the free end of the finger 43 or of each finger 43 is engaged in an axial groove 48 in which the notch 47 is made.

[0100] Advantageously, the free end of the finger 43 or of each finger 43 has a protrusion 43a complementary to the axial groove 48.

[0101] Advantageously, the retaining ball 45 is made in a conventional manner, similar to the retaining ball of the rotating drive tool 27. Thus, to hold the sleeve 15 in the second position, the retaining ball 45 can be pushed out of the finger 43 into the notch 47 by an internal spring. This internal spring is compressed when the retaining system 13 assumes its decoupling configuration, allowing the retaining ball 45 to press against the internal spring in the finger 43 and slide out of the notch 47, thereby enabling axial movement of the sleeve 15 from the second position to the first position.

[0102] According to the second embodiment shown in [Fig.6], the retaining system 13 differs from the retaining system 13 according to the first embodiment in that the finger 43 or each finger 43 carries at its free end, a permanent magnet 49 adapted to interact with a magnetic element 51 carried by the housing 5 such that, in the second position, the permanent magnet 49 is in contact with the magnetic element 51. In other words, the permanent magnet 49 according to the second embodiment replaces the retaining ball 45 according to the first embodiment.

[0103] On [Fig.6], sleeve 15 is in the first position.

[0104] Advantageously, the magnetic element 51 carried by the housing 5 is formed by the housing 5 itself, by a ring of ferromagnetic material or by a ring of a permanent magnet.

[0105] Fig. 7 represents a third embodiment of an assembly 9, a rotating drive tool 27 and a housing 5.

[0106] On [Fig.7], the sleeve 15 is in the first position.

[0107] According to this third embodiment, the retaining system 13 is distinguished of the retaining system 13 according to the first embodiment and according to the second embodiment in that the retaining system 13 comprises at least one lug 53 pivotally mounted on the rotating drive tool 27, a free end of the lug 53 having a retaining rib extending radially inwards, the retaining rib being adapted to be engaged successively only axially parallel to the X-axis and then tangentially around the X-axis in a groove 55 of the housing 5 extending parallel to the X-axis in an axial portion of the groove 55 and then around the X-axis in a tangential portion of the groove 55. Thus, in the second position of the sleeve 15 and when the drive tool in rotation 27 is coupled to the drive input 25, the retaining rib is held axially in the tangential part of the groove 55.

[0108] Advantageously, the groove 55 is an L-shaped or J-shaped groove.

[0109] Preferably, the tangential part of the groove 55 ends with an axial notch 57 suitable for receiving the rib.

[0110] To carry out a maintenance operation using the assembly 9, the aircraft engine 1 is stopped, the rotating drive tool 27 is engaged in the drive input 25, the elastic return element 31 is compressed axially along the X axis by means of the circlip 41 against the sleeve 15, the sleeve 15 then sliding from the first position into the second position, the drive output 29 being engaged in the manual control of the pinion.

[0111] The sleeve 15 then occupies the second position, and the retaining system 13 takes its coupling configuration which maintains the sleeve 15 in the second position until the end of the maintenance operation.

[0112] Once maintenance is complete, the operator removes the rotating drive tool 27, causing the retaining system 13 to move into its disengaged position. Since the retaining system 13 no longer holds the sleeve 15 in the second position, the sleeve 15 returns to the first position by the action of the elastic return element 31 until the shaft 17 is abutted against the housing 5. In the first position of the sleeve 15, the drive output 29 is disengaged from the manual pinion control.

[0113] The aircraft engine 1 can then be restarted safely, particularly because the sealing cover 11 has not been removed. Furthermore, the shaft 17 is not driven in rotation during the operation of the aircraft engine 1, especially in flight.

[0114] The invention is not limited to the embodiments and variants shown, and other embodiments will be obvious to those skilled in the art. In particular, it is possible to combine the embodiments and variants with each other.

Claims

Demands

1. Aircraft engine accessory housing (3) (1), characterized in that it comprises a casing (5) having an access hole (7) allowing access to a manual control of a pinion housed in the casing (5), and an assembly (9) of a sealing cover (11) and a retaining system (13), the sealing cover (11) sealing the access hole (7) and comprising: - a sleeve (15) adapted to slide in the access hole (7) relative to the casing (5) and parallel to an axis X between a first position and a second position, - a shaft (17) pivotally mounted in the sleeve (15), the shaft (17) being adapted to be driven in rotation about the axis, the shaft (17) comprising: at an outer end, a drive input (25) adapted to be coupled to a rotating drive tool (27), and at one inner end,a drive output (29) adapted to be decoupled from the manual control in the first position and adapted to be coupled to the manual control in the second position, the retaining system (13) adapted to assume a coupled configuration only when the sleeve (15) is in the second position, and in the coupled configuration, the retaining system (13) axially retains the sleeve (15) relative to the housing (5), and the retaining system (13) adapted to assume a decoupling configuration upon decoupling of the rotating drive tool (27) and the drive input (25), and in the decoupling configuration, the retaining system (13) releases the sliding of the sleeve (15) towards the first position.

2. Accessory housing (3) according to claim 1, in which the sealing cover (11) carries an elastic return element (31), which is suitable for returning the sleeve (15) from the second position to the first position.

3. Accessory housing (3) according to claim 1 or 2, in which the sleeve (15) has an external groove (19) housing a sealing O-ring (21) arranged radially between the sleeve (15) and the housing (5).

4. Accessory housing (3) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which a plain bearing (35) is radially interposed between the sleeve (15) and the shaft (17).

5. Accessory housing (3) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the retaining system (13) is adapted to take a decoupling configuration when an axial separation force of the sealing cover (11) relative to the housing (5), applied to the sealing cover (11) along the X axis and oriented from the second position to the first position, is greater than a predetermined threshold.

6. Accessory housing (3) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, in which the retaining system (13) comprises at least one finger (43) carried by the sleeve (15), the finger (43) or each finger (43) having at its free end: - a retaining ball (45) suitable in the second position to be reversibly engaged in a notch (47) of the housing (5), or - a permanent magnet (49) suitable to interact with a magnetic element (51) carried by the housing (5) such that, in the second position, the permanent magnet (49) is in contact with the magnetic element (51).

7. Accessory housing (3) according to claim 6, in which the retaining system (13) comprises two diametrically opposed fingers (43).

8. Accessory housing (3) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the retaining system (13) comprises at least one tab (53) pivotally mounted on the rotating drive tool (27), a free end of the tab (53) having a retaining rib extending radially inwards, the retaining rib being adapted to be engaged successively only axially parallel to the X axis and then tangentially around the X axis in a groove (55) of the housing (5) extending parallel to the X axis in an axial part of the groove (55) and then around the X axis in a tangential part of the groove (55), such that in the second position and when the rotating drive tool (27) is coupled to the drive input (25), the retaining rib is retained axially in the tangential part of the groove (55).

9. Accessory housing (3) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the drive input (25) has a female or male drive square.

10. Aircraft engine (1), characterized in that it comprises a high-pressure body and an accessory housing (3) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, the high-pressure body being mechanically coupled to the accessory housing (3).

Citation Information

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