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EP-4741648-A1 - ENGINE ACCESSORY MOUNTING ASSEMBLY

EP4741648A1EP 4741648 A1EP4741648 A1EP 4741648A1EP-4741648-A1

Abstract

A mounting arrangement includes a casing (17) of an aircraft engine (10) extending around an axis, an accessory (22), and a bracket (40) for mounting the accessory to the casing. The bracket (40) includes a first bracket segment (44) coupled to the casing at a first mounting point and a second bracket segment (48) coupled to the accessory at a second mounting point. The mounting arrangement further includes one or more shoulder bolts (56) fastening one or more of the first bracket segment (44) to the casing at the first mounting point and the second bracket segment (48) to the accessory at the second mounting point, and one or more wave springs (54) disposed about a shaft of the one or more shoulder bolts (56) and engaging one or more of the first bracket segment (44) at the first mounting point and the second bracket segment (48) at the second mounting point.

Inventors

  • FISH, JASON

Assignees

  • Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20251111

Claims (12)

  1. A mounting arrangement, comprising: a casing (17) of an aircraft engine (10) extending around an axis (11); an accessory (22); a bracket (40) for mounting the accessory (22) to the casing (17), the bracket (40) comprising a first bracket segment (44) coupled to the casing (17) at a first mounting point and a second bracket segment (48) coupled to the accessory (22) at a second mounting point; one or more shoulder bolts (56) fastening one or more of the first bracket segment (44) to the casing (17) at the first mounting point and the second bracket segment (48) to the accessory (22) at the second mounting point; and one or more wave springs (54) disposed about a shaft of the one or more shoulder bolts (56) and engaging one or more of the first bracket segment (44) at the first mounting point and the second bracket segment (48) at the second mounting point.
  2. The mounting arrangement as defined in claim 1, wherein one or a first of the one or more shoulder bolts (56) fastens the first bracket segment (44) to the casing (17) at the first mounting point, and one or a first of the one or more wave springs (54) is disposed between the first bracket segment (44) and the casing (17).
  3. The mounting arrangement as defined in claim 2, wherein another of the one or more wave springs (54) is disposed between a head (56a) of said one of the one or more shoulder bolts (56) and the first bracket segment (44) at the first mounting point.
  4. The mounting arrangement as defined in any preceding claim, wherein one of the one or more shoulder bolts (56) fastens the second bracket segment (48) to the accessory (22) at the second mounting point, and one of the one or more wave springs (54) is disposed between the second bracket segment (48) and the accessory.
  5. The mounting arrangement as defined in claim 4, wherein another of the one or more wave springs (54) is disposed between a head (56a) of said one of the one or more shoulder bolts (56) and the accessory at the second mounting point.
  6. The mounting arrangement as defined in claim 2, wherein a second of the one or more shoulder bolts (56) fastens the second bracket segment (48) to the accessory at the second mounting point, and a second of the one or more wave springs (54) is disposed between the second bracket segment (48) and the accessory.
  7. The mounting arrangement as defined in claim 6, wherein a third of the one or more wave springs (54) is disposed between a head (56a) of the first of the one or more shoulder bolts (56) and the first bracket segment (44) at the first mounting point, and a fourth of the one or more wave springs (54) is disposed between a head (56a) of the second of the one or more shoulder bolts (56) and the accessory at the second mounting point.
  8. The mounting arrangement as defined in any preceding claim, wherein the mounting arrangement has characteristics including: a stiffness of the one or more wave springs (54), a length of the one or more wave springs (54), a number of the one or more wave springs (54), and a degree of tightening of the one or more shoulder bolts (56), the characteristics of the mounting arrangement selected to dampen vibrations from the casing (17) to the accessory (22).
  9. The mounting arrangement as defined in any preceding claim, wherein the one or more wave springs (54) are compressible along a bolt axis extending through the one or more shoulder bolts (56) in response to vibrations transmitted to the bracket (40) from one or more of the casing and the accessory.
  10. An aircraft engine (10), comprising a mounting arrangement as defined in any preceding claim, wherein the casing is a turbine casing (17) of a turbine section (18) and the accessory is a cooling system (20) for the turbine section (18), the cooling system (20) including a cooling manifold (22a; 22b) disposed around the turbine casing and a cooling conduit (26) adapted to provide a cooling flow to the cooling manifold (22a; 22b).
  11. A method for absorbing vibrations between an accessory (22) and a casing (17) of an aircraft engine (10), comprising: coupling the accessory (22) to the casing (17) via brackets (40), at least one of the brackets (40) coupling the accessory (22) to the casing (17) at a first mounting point between a first bracket segment (44) and the casing (17) at and at a second mounting point between a second bracket segment (48) and the accessory (22); and fastening the at least one of the brackets (40) to at least one of the casing (17) and the accessory (22) with a shoulder bolt (56) with one or more wave springs (54) disposed about a shaft of the shoulder bolt (56).
  12. The method as described in claim 11, wherein coupling the accessory (22) to the casing (17) via the brackets (40) includes fastening the bracket (40) to the casing (22) with a first said shoulder bolt (56) and fastening the bracket (40) to the accessory with a second said shoulder bolt (56), with wave springs (54) disposed about a shaft of the first said shoulder bolt (56) and the second said shoulder bolt (56).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The invention relates generally to aircraft engines and, more particularly, to mounting arrangements in aircraft engines. BACKGROUND Aircraft engines may include various accessories, such as accessory gearboxes, fluid tanks and cooling manifolds. These accessories are mounted to the engine casing, for instance, via mounting arrangements comprising one or more brackets. These brackets are subjected to various dynamic and thermal loads, which may cause premature wear. Improvements are desired. SUMMARY In one aspect of the invention, there is provided a mounting arrangement, comprising: a casing of an aircraft engine extending around an axis; an accessory; a bracket for mounting the accessory to the casing, the bracket comprising a first bracket segment coupled to the casing at a first mounting point (e.g., defined by the casing) and a second bracket segment coupled to the accessory at a second mounting point (e.g., defined by the accessory); one or more bolts (e.g., shoulder bolts) fastening one or more of the first bracket segment to the casing at the first mounting point and the second bracket segment to the accessory at the second mounting point; and one or more wave springs disposed about a shaft of the one or more bolts and engaging one or more of the first bracket segment at the first mounting point and the second bracket segment at the second mounting point. The mounting arrangement described above may include any of the following features, in any combinations. In any of the aspects or embodiments described above or herein, one (e.g., a first) of the one or more bolts may fasten the first bracket segment to the casing at the first mounting point, and one (e.g., a first) of the one or more wave springs may be disposed between the first bracket segment and the casing. In any of the aspects or embodiments described above or herein, another (e.g., a second) of the one or more wave springs may be disposed between a head of the first of the one or more bolts and the first bracket segment at the first mounting point. In any of the aspects or embodiments described above or herein, one (e.g., a first or second) of the one or more bolts may fasten the second bracket segment to the accessory at the second mounting point, and one (e.g., a first, second or third) of the one or more wave springs may be disposed between the second bracket segment and the accessory. In any of the aspects or embodiments described above or herein, another (e.g., a second, third or fourth) of the one or more wave springs may be disposed between a head of the one (e.g., the first or second) of the one or more bolts and the accessory at the second mounting point. In any of the aspects or embodiments described above or herein, another (e.g., a second) of the one or more bolts may fasten the second bracket segment to the accessory at the second mounting point, and another (e.g., a second or third) of the one or more wave springs may be disposed between the second bracket segment and the accessory. In any of the aspects or embodiments described above or herein, a third of the one or more wave springs may be disposed between a head of the first of the one or more bolts and the first bracket segment at the first mounting point, and a fourth of the one or more wave springs may be disposed between a head of the second of the one or more bolts and the accessory at the second mounting point. In any of the aspects or embodiments described above or herein, the mounting arrangement may have characteristics including: a stiffness of the one or more wave springs, a length of the one or more wave springs, a number of the one or more wave springs, and a degree of tightening of the one or more bolts, the characteristics of the mounting arrangement selected to dampen vibrations from the casing to the accessory. In any of the aspects or embodiments described above or herein, the one or more wave springs may be compressible along a bolt axis extending through the one or more bolts in response to vibrations transmitted to the bracket from one or more of the casing and the accessory. In any of the aspects or embodiments described above or herein, the accessory may comprise a cooling manifold. In any of the aspects or embodiments described above or herein, the casing may comprise a turbine casing. In another aspect of the invention, there is provided an aircraft engine, comprising: a turbine section having a turbine core housed within a turbine casing; a cooling system for the turbine section, the cooling system including a cooling manifold disposed around the turbine casing and a cooling conduit adapted to provide a cooling flow to the cooling manifold; and brackets disposed about a circumference of the cooling manifold and coupling the cooling manifold to the turbine casing, at least one of the brackets having a first coupling between a first bracket segment and the turbine casing at a first mounting point and a second coupling between a second