RTX Corporation
Flexible support structure for a geared architecture gas turbine engine

Abstract:

A gas turbine engine includes a fan shaft that drives a fan that has fan blades. The fan delivers airflow to a bypass duct. A gear system is connected to the fan shaft and is driven through an input defining an input lateral stiffness and an input transverse stiffness. A gear system flex mount arrangement accommodates misalignment of the fan shaft and the input during operation. A frame for supporting the fan shaft defines a frame lateral stiffness and a frame transverse stiffness. The input lateral stiffness is less than 11% of the frame lateral stiffness and the input transverse stiffness is less that 11% of the frame transverse stiffness.