Textron Inc.
PLUNGER SEAL FOR DRIVESHAFT CONNECTION

Abstract:

Systems and methods include providing an aircraft with a fuselage and a wing assembly rotatable relative to the fuselage about a stow axis between a flight position and a stowed position. The aircraft includes an engine reduction gearbox having a retractable driveshaft that selectively engages the mid-wing gearbox via axially translatable motion along a rotation axis when the wing assembly is in the flight position. The mid-wing gearbox includes a plunger seal that is displaced in response to contact with the retractable driveshaft. Displacement of the plunger seal allows lubricant to flow through an inner bore in the retractable driveshaft, across splines of the retractable driveshaft and the mid-wing gearbox, and through lubrication ports in the mid-wing gearbox to lubricate the engine reduction gearbox, splines of the retractable driveshaft and the mid-wing gearbox, and the mid-wing gearbox via a single lubrication system.