SLIDING PIVOT AND SYNCHRONIZATION RING AIRCRAFT TURBOMACHINE SUSPENSION SYSTEM

Abstract

This aircraft turbomachine suspension system comprises a set of connecting rods (25), each including connecting means (26, 27) for attaching the system between a turbomachine housing (22, 23) and an aircraft component. Each connecting rod (25) includes at least one ball joint (26) and one sliding pivot joint (28). The connecting rods are linked in axial translation. (See Figure 4 for abbreviations.)

Description

Title of the invention: SUSPENSION SYSTEM FOR AIRCRAFT TURBOMACHINE WITH SLIDING PIVOT AND SYNCHRONIZATION RING technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of turbomachines used for the propulsion of an aircraft and, more particularly, the attachment of a turbomachine to an element of the aircraft. Previous techniques

[0002] In a known manner, a turbomachine is intended to provide the thrust necessary for the propulsion of an aircraft. It classically comprises, from upstream to downstream, considering the direction of an airflow admitted into the turbomachine, a fan allowing to accelerate the airflow admitted into the turbomachine and comprising blades generally extending in the same plane transverse to the axis of the turbomachine, at least one compressor, a combustion chamber and at least one turbine to drive the compressor in rotation.

[0003] Attaching an aircraft turbomachine to an aircraft component is carried out in the prior art by means of a suspension system comprising a clevis including load-bearing connecting rods fixed on one side to a turbomachine casing and on the other side to a coupling fixed to a pylon linked to the aircraft component.

[0004] An example of an embodiment of such a suspension system is illustrated in [Fig. 1] which illustrates an aircraft turbomachine, designated by the numerical reference 1, comprising a casing 2, for example an inter-compressor casing, which is suspended from a mounting pylon 3 by means of a set of straight or boomerang-shaped connecting rods 4 linked by ball joints, such as 5, to the casing 2, on the one hand and to a coupling 6 fixed to the pylon 3, on the other hand.

[0005] According to another arrangement visible in figures 2 and 3, the turbomachine casing 2 is suspended by means of a set of centering rods 7 comprising a first end 8 connected by a ball joint to the turbomachine casing 2 and an opposite end 9 connected by a ball joint to a nacelle 10 connected to the mounting pylon 3.

[0006] In [Fig. 3], which corresponds to the embodiment of [Fig. 2], the turbomachine's suspension system is attached to the exhaust housing or TRF (TRF being the Anglo-Saxon acronym for "Turbine Rear Frame") of the turbomachine. The TRF housing comprises an inner ferrule 11 and an outer ferrule 12, the suspension system comprising centering rods 7 connected to the outer ferrule 12 and to the nacelle.

[0007] In aircraft turbomachinery, it is generally desirable to constrain the transverse translations, i.e. perpendicular to the axis of the engine, and the rolling moment, coaxial with the engine of the turbomachine casing with respect to the pylon.

[0008] Suspension systems according to the prior art are likely to generate undesirable stresses in the turbomachine casing, particularly under the action of the connecting rods, these stresses being likely to cause casing ovalization, eccentricity of the load-bearing bearings, or even localized punching of the casing. Description of the invention

[0009] The aim of the invention is therefore to overcome these drawbacks and to propose a suspension system for aircraft turbomachinery which reduces the stresses in the casing, in particular by allowing an additional degree of freedom.

[0010] The invention therefore relates to a suspension system for an aircraft turbomachine, comprising a set of connecting rods, each comprising means for attaching the system between a housing of the turbomachine and an element of the aircraft.

[0011] Each connecting rod comprises at least one ball joint and one sliding pivot joint, the connecting rods being linked in axial translation.

[0012] According to another feature of the suspension system according to the invention, this suspension system includes a link between the moving parts of the sliding pivot links.

[0013] In one embodiment, the link is a ring linking the moving parts of the sliding pivot links.

[0014] Advantageously, the connection between the moving parts of the pivoting joints is elastically deformable.

[0015] Preferably, each connecting rod comprises at a first end a ball joint and at an opposite end a ball joint and a sliding pivot joint.

[0016] Advantageously, the first end is fixed on the side of the housing and the second end is fixed on the side of the aircraft element.

[0017] The invention also relates, in general, to a centering system of a first part with respect to a second part of an aircraft turbomachine comprising a set of connecting rods each comprising means for fixing the system between the first part and the second part, characterized in that each connecting rod comprises at least one ball joint and one sliding pivot joint, the connecting rods being linked in axial translation.

[0018] The invention also relates to an aircraft turbomachine comprising a suspension system as defined above. Brief description of the drawings

[0019] Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, given solely by way of non-limiting example, and made with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0020] Figs [1], [2] and [3], which have already been mentioned, schematically illustrate a turbomachine equipped with a suspension system according to the prior art;

[0021] Figures [Fig.4] and [Fig.5] schematically illustrate a turbomachine equipped with a suspension system according to the invention; Detailed description of at least one embodiment

[0022] Reference will be made to [Fig.4] which illustrates a turbomachine 20 equipped with a suspension system 21 according to the invention.

[0023] The invention relates essentially to the suspension system, only the part of the turbomachine 20 to which the suspension system is attached has been illustrated in [Fig.4],

[0024] A turbomachine extends along a turbomachine axis X and allows an aircraft to be propelled from an airflow entering the turbomachine and circulating from upstream to downstream, the terms upstream and downstream being defined with respect to the turbomachine axis X, considering the direction of the airflow in the turbomachine.

[0025] In a known manner, the turbomachine comprises, from upstream to downstream, a blower and a gas generator comprising a low pressure compressor, a high pressure compressor, a combustion chamber, a high pressure turbine and a low pressure turbine.

[0026] The low-pressure compressor, together with the low-pressure turbine to which it is connected by a turbine shaft, forms a low-pressure (LP) unit that drives the blower in rotation. The high-pressure compressor, together with the high-pressure turbine to which it is connected by a shaft, forms a high-pressure (HP) unit.

[0027] The fixed structural components of the turbomachine include in particular an inlet casing located at the inlet of the gas generator, an inter-compressor casing, located between the low pressure compressor and the high pressure compressor, and a TRF exhaust casing directly at the outlet of the low pressure turbine.

[0028] The turbomachine is supported by a suspension system 21 attached to the turbomachine housing, in particular to the TRF housing comprising an inner ferrule 22 and an outer ferrule 23, and to the nacelle 24 attached to an element of the aircraft, for example under a wing.

[0029] The suspension system comprises a set of centering rods, such as 25, arranged between the turbomachine and the aircraft element, in particular between the TRF housing of the turbomachine and the nacelle, and regularly distributed around the turbomachine.

[0030] The nacelle 24 is a structural nacelle, in that it allows centering of the turbomachine housing by means of the centering rods 25.

[0031] The centering rods include at their mutually opposite ends means for connecting to the TRF housing and the nacelle, respectively. The connecting means include ball joints 26, 27 and a sliding pivot joint 28.

[0032] As illustrated in [Fig.4], each connecting rod includes at one end a ball joint 26, by which it is fixed to the outer ferrule of the housing, and at its opposite end a ball joint 27 associated with a sliding pivot joint 28.

[0033] The upstream end of the connecting rod is provided with a ball joint 26. The opposite downstream end is provided with a ball joint 27 and then a sliding pivot joint 28.

[0034] The axis of the sliding pivot joint is parallel to the X axis of the turbomachine.

[0035] Compared to a two-ball joint, in which the forces applied in The connecting rod axis is returned to the housing and to the aircraft element to which the suspension system is attached; a double ball joint associated with a sliding pivot joint allows an additional degree of freedom to be introduced in the X-axis of sliding of the sliding pivot joint and to avoid the blocking of uniform expansions of the centering rods which appear when the turbomachine heats up or during its cooling.

[0036] Similarly, the axial-radial translations of the downstream end of the connecting rod are not blocked.

[0037] The connecting rods are further linked together, in axial translation, by providing a connection between the moving parts of the sliding pivot joints of the connecting rods.

[0038] This link comprises a ring 29 connected to the axially translational moving part of the sliding pivot links.

[0039] Such a connection between the sliding parts of the pivot joints prevents the various connecting rods from sliding in opposite directions, and thus prevents the frame from moving radially. This connection therefore allows the frame to absorb the loads generated during aircraft maneuvers that cause eccentricity of the TRF housing.

[0040] This connection does not, however, allow differential expansion of the connecting rods due to the thermal heterogeneity of the environment in which they are located, without generating local stress in the connecting rods and the ring, the connecting rods being able to slide axially only over the same length thanks to the ring which connects them together.

[0041] Advantageously, the connection between the sliding parts of the pivot joints is, however, elastically deformable or exhibits a flexibility allowing a deformation of this connection, in this case the ring, in order to reduce these stresses, a variation in flexibility, for example an increase in flexibility, allowing to vary the stresses, for example a reduction of the stresses, present in the connecting rods and the ring during differential expansions.

[0042] It will be noted that the invention which has just been described, which uses connecting means comprising ball joints 26 and 27 and a sliding pivot joint 28 associated with a joint 29 between the moving parts in translation of the sliding pivot joints, applies to any suspension system comprising any number of centering rods.

[0043] Furthermore, the invention is not limited to a suspension system used for centering a TRF housing but also applies to other attachment points located on the housing of the turbomachine.

[0044] The invention also covers, in general, any centering system of a first part with respect to a second part of an aircraft turbomachine, comprising a set of connecting rods each comprising means for fixing the system between the first part and the second part, in which each connecting rod comprises at least one ball joint and one sliding pivot joint, the connecting rods being linked in axial translation.

Claims

Demands

1. Suspension system for aircraft turbomachine, comprising a set of connecting rods (25) each comprising connecting means (26, 27) for fixing the system between a housing (22, 23) of the turbomachine and an element of the aircraft, characterized in that each connecting rod (25) comprises at least one ball joint (26) and one sliding pivot joint (28), the connecting rods being linked in axial translation.

2. Suspension system according to claim 1, comprising a link between the moving parts of the sliding pivot links.

3. System according to claim 2, wherein the link is a ring linking the moving parts of the sliding pivot links.

4. System according to any one of claims 2 and 3, wherein the connection between the moving parts of the pivoting joints is elastically deformable.

5. System according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein each connecting rod comprises at a first end a ball joint and at an opposite end a ball joint and a sliding pivot joint.

6. System according to claim 5, wherein the first end is fixed to the side of the housing and the second end is fixed to the side of the aircraft element.

7. Aircraft turbomachine comprising a suspension system according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

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