RTX Corporation
FLEXIBLE SUPPORT STRUCTURE FOR A GEARED ARCHITECTURE GAS TURBINE ENGINE

Abstract:

A gas turbine engine includes a fan section that has fan blades that drive air along a bypass flow path in a bypass duct. A fan shaft is drivingly connected to the fan. A turbine section includes a turbine drive shaft. A gear system is connected to the turbine draft shaft through an input and connected to the fan shaft through an output. At least one of the input and the output include a flexible coupling. A gear system flex mount arrangement accommodates misalignment of the fan shaft and the turbine drive shaft during operation. The gear system flex mount arrangement includes a gear mesh that defines a gear mesh lateral stiffness and a ring gear that defines a ring gear lateral stiffness that is less than 12% of the gear mesh lateral stiffness.