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EP-4741638-A2 - LUBRICATION RINGS FOR AIRCRAFT ENGINE BOLTS

EP4741638A2EP 4741638 A2EP4741638 A2EP 4741638A2EP-4741638-A2

Abstract

A method is provided during which lubrication material is arranged with a fastening member. The lubrication material is at a first temperature during the arranging of the lubrication material such that the lubrication material is solid and forms a self-supporting lubrication ring. The arranging of the lubrication material includes one of: mounting the self-supporting lubrication ring onto a shank of the fastening member; or mounting the self-supporting lubrication ring onto a surface defining an aperture such that the lubrication ring extends around the aperture.

Inventors

  • NAGARAJ, RAGHUNATH

Assignees

  • Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20251110

Claims (15)

  1. A method, comprising: arranging lubrication material (126) with a fastening member (116), wherein the lubrication material (126) is at a first temperature during the arranging of the lubrication material (126) such that the lubrication material (126) is solid and forms a self-supporting lubrication ring (132) and the arranging of the lubrication material (126) includes one of: mounting the self-supporting lubrication ring (132) onto a shank (122) of the fastening member (116); or mounting the self-supporting lubrication ring (132) onto a surface (94) defining an aperture (88) such that the lubrication ring (132) extends around the aperture (88); and after the arranging of the lubrication material (126), inserting the shank (122) of the fastening member (116) into the aperture (88).
  2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: arranging the fastening member (116) with a first component (70) of an aircraft engine (20) and a second component (72) of the aircraft engine (20) such that: the lubrication material (126) is axially between and contacts a head (120) of the fastening member (116) and the first component (70), the first component (70) comprising the surface (94) and the aperture (88); and the shank (122) is disposed in the aperture (88) and a second aperture (106) in the second component (72); and preloading the head (120) against the first component (70) axially through the lubrication material (126), wherein the lubrication material (126) is at a second temperature, which is higher than the first temperature, such that the lubrication material (126) is semi-solid prior to the preloading of the head (120).
  3. The method of claim 2, wherein the lubrication material (126) is at a third temperature prior to the arranging of the fastening member (116); and the third temperature is between the first temperature and the second temperature, and closer to the second temperature than the first temperature.
  4. The method of claim 3, wherein the lubrication material (126) is semi-solid at the third temperature.
  5. The method of any of claims 2 to 4, further comprising: threading a nut (118) onto the shank (122) with the first component (70) and the second component (72) captured axially between the head (120) and the nut (118); and torquing the nut (118) onto the fastening member (116) to preload the head (120) against the first component (72) axially through the lubrication material (126).
  6. The method of any of claims 2 to 5, wherein the aircraft engine (20) is a gas turbine engine (20); the first component (70) is a first case (70) of the gas turbine engine (20); and the second component (72) is a second case (72) of the gas turbine engine (20).
  7. The method of any preceding claim, further comprising controlling a temperature of the lubrication material (126) to be below a phase-change temperature associated with the lubrication material (126), wherein the lubrication material (126) is in a non-solid state when above the phase-change temperature and the lubrication material (126) is in a solid state when below the phase-change temperature.
  8. The method of claim 7, wherein the temperature of the lubrication material (126) is controlled to be below the phase-change temperature during a period of time leading up to the arranging of the lubrication material (126) with the fastening member (116).
  9. The method of claim 7 or 8, wherein the lubrication material (126) comprises a material selected from the following materials: a petroleum-based lubrication material; a molybdenum disulfide lubrication material; and grease.
  10. The method of any preceding claim, further comprising cutting the self-supporting lubrication ring (132) out of a layer (130) of the lubrication material (126) at or below a phase-change temperature associated with the lubrication material (126), wherein the lubrication material (126) is in a non-solid state when above the phase-change temperature and the lubrication material (126) is in a solid state when below the phase-change temperature.
  11. The method of any of claims 1 to 9, further comprising punching the self-supporting lubrication ring (132) out of a layer (130) of the lubrication material (126) at or below a phase-change temperature associated with the lubrication material (126), wherein the lubrication material (126) is in a non-solid state when above the phase-change temperature and the lubrication material (126) is in a solid state when below the phase-change temperature.
  12. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the lubrication material (126) is a petroleum-based lubrication material (126).
  13. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the lubrication material (126) comprises molybdenum disulfide; and/or wherein the lubrication material (126) comprises grease.
  14. A method, comprising: controlling a temperature of a layer (130) of lubrication material (126) to be below a phase-change temperature associated with the lubrication material (126), wherein the lubrication material (126) is in a non-solid state when above the phase-change temperature and the lubrication material (126) is in a solid state when below the phase-change temperature; cutting a plurality of self-supporting lubrication rings (132) out of the layer (130) of lubrication material (126) while the layer (130) of lubrication material (126) is below the phase-change temperature; and gathering the plurality of self-supporting lubrication rings (132) for further use while the temperature of the plurality of self-supporting lubrication rings (132) remains below the phase-change temperature, optionally wherein the method further comprises maintaining the plurality of self-supporting lubrication rings (132) below the phase-change temperature within a cold storage, further optionally, wherein the method further comprises: removing a first of the plurality of self-supporting lubrication rings (132) from the cold storage; arranging the first of the plurality of self-supporting lubrication rings (132) with a bolt (116) within an environment (136) while the first of the plurality of self-supporting lubrication rings (132) remains below the phase-change temperature, wherein the phase-change temperature is lower than an ambient temperature of the environment (136) during the arranging of the first of the plurality of self-supporting lubrication rings (132), the bolt (116) includes a head (120) and a shank (122) projecting axially out from the head (120) to a distal end (128) of the shank (122), and the arranging of the first of the plurality of self-supporting lubrication rings (132) includes mounting the first of the plurality of self-supporting lubrication rings (132) onto the shank (122) and axially abutting the first of the plurality of self-supporting lubrication rings (132) against the head (120); arranging the bolt (116) with a first engine component (70) and a second engine component (72) such that the first of the plurality of self-supporting lubrication rings (132) is axially between the head (120) and the first engine component (70) and the shank (122) is disposed in a first aperture (88) of the first engine component (70) and a second aperture (106) of the second engine component (72); and preloading the head (120) against the first engine component (70) axially through the lubrication material (126), wherein the lubrication material (126) is at a temperature above the phase-change temperature during the preloading.
  15. A method of manufacture, comprising: forming a self-supporting lubrication ring (132) out of a layer (130) of lubrication material (126) at or below a first temperature, wherein the lubrication material (126) is solid at the first temperature; mounting the self-supporting lubrication ring (132) onto a shank (122) of a bolt (116) and axially abutting the self-supporting lubrication ring (132) against a head (120) of the bolt (116) while the lubrication material (126) is at the first temperature; arranging the bolt (116) with a first engine component (70) and a second engine component (72) such that the lubrication material (126) is axially between the head (120) of the bolt (116) and the first engine component (70) and the shank (122) of the bolt (116) is disposed in a first aperture (88) of the first engine component (70) and a second aperture (106) of the second engine component (72); and preloading the head (120) of the bolt (116) against the first engine component (70) axially through the lubrication material (126), wherein the lubrication material (126) is at a second temperature that is higher than the first temperature during the preloading of the head (12) of the bolt (116), and the lubrication material (126) is semi-solid at the second temperature, optionally, wherein: the method further comprises: threading a nut (118) onto the shank (122) of the bolt (116) with the first engine component (70) and the second engine component (72) captured axially between the head (120) of the bolt (116) and the nut (118); and torquing the nut (118)onto the bolt (116) to preload the head (120) of the bolt (116) against the first engine component (70) axially through the lubrication material (126); and/or the self-supporting lubrication ring (132) is formed while the layer (130) of the lubrication material (126) is frozen.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD This disclosure relates generally to an aircraft engine and, more particularly, to assembling components of the aircraft engine together. BACKGROUND INFORMATION Various methods are known in the art for assembling aircraft engine components together. While these known assembly methods have various benefits, there is still room in the art for improvement. SUMMARY According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a method is provided during which lubrication material is arranged with a fastening member. The lubrication material is at a first temperature during the arranging of the lubrication material such that the lubrication material is solid and forms a self-supporting lubrication ring. The arranging of the lubrication material includes one of: mounting the self-supporting lubrication ring onto a shank of the fastening member; or mounting the self-supporting lubrication ring onto a surface defining an aperture such that the lubrication ring extends around the aperture. After the arranging of the lubrication material, the shank of the fastening member is inserted into the aperture. According to another aspect of the present disclosure, another method is provided during which a temperature of a layer of lubrication material is controlled to be below a phase-change temperature associated with the lubrication material. The lubrication material is in a non-solid state when above the phase-change temperature and the lubrication material is in a solid state when below the phase-change temperature. A plurality of self-supporting lubrication rings are cut out of the layer of lubrication material while the layer of lubrication material is below the phase-change temperature. The self-supporting lubrication rings are gathered for further use while the self-supporting lubrication remains below the phase-change temperature. According to still another aspect of the present disclosure, a method of manufacture is provided during which a self-supporting lubrication ring is formed out of a layer of lubrication material at or below a first temperature. The lubrication material is solid at the first temperature. The self-supporting lubrication ring is mounted onto a shank of a bolt. The self-supporting lubrication ring is axially abutted against a head of the bolt while the lubrication material is at the first temperature. The bolt is arranged with a first engine component and a second engine component such that the lubrication material is axially between the head of the bolt and the first engine component and the shank of the bolt is disposed in a first aperture of the first engine component and a second aperture of the second engine component. The head of the bolt is preloaded against the first engine component axially through the lubrication material. The lubrication material is at a second temperature that is higher than the first temperature during the preloading of the head of the bolt. The lubrication material is semi-solid at the second temperature. The method may also include: threading a nut onto the shank of the bolt with the first engine component and the second engine component captured axially between the head of the bolt and the nut; and torquing the nut onto the bolt to preload the head of the bolt against the first engine component axially through the lubrication material. The self-supporting lubrication ring may be formed while the layer of the lubrication material is frozen. The method may also include maintaining the self-supporting lubrication rings below the phase-change temperature within a cold storage. The method may also include: removing a first of the self-supporting lubrication rings from the cold storage; arranging the first of the self-supporting lubrication rings with a bolt within an environment while the first of the self-supporting lubrication rings remains below the phase-change temperature, wherein the phase-change temperature is lower than an ambient temperature of the environment during the arranging of the first of the self-supporting lubrication rings, the bolt includes a head and a shank projecting axially out from the head to a distal end of the shank, and the arranging of the first of the self-supporting lubrication rings includes mounting the first of the self-supporting lubrication rings onto the shank and axially abutting the first of the self-supporting lubrication rings against the head; arranging the bolt with a first engine component and a second engine component such that the first of the self-supporting lubrication rings is axially between the head and the first engine component and the shank is disposed in a first aperture of the first engine component and a second aperture of the second engine component; and preloading the head against the first engine component axially through the lubrication material, wherein the lubrication material is at a temperature above the phase-change temperature during the preloading. The method may also include: arranging the fas