US 11,852,080 B1
Gearbox assembly
Ethan Patrick O'Connor, Hamilton, OH (US); Gert J. van der Merwe, Lebanon, OH (US); and Barry L. Allmon, Matthews, NC (US)
Assigned to GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, Schenectady, NY (US)
Filed by General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US)
Filed on Aug. 5, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/817,852.
Int. Cl. F02C 7/36 (2006.01); F02C 7/06 (2006.01)
CPC F02C 7/36 (2013.01) [F02C 7/06 (2013.01); F05D 2220/323 (2013.01); F05D 2260/40311 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A gearbox assembly comprising:
a first gear coupled to a first shaft, the first shaft including a first shaft stiff portion and a first shaft flexible portion, the first shaft flexible portion including a greater flexibility than a flexibility of the first shaft stiff portion such that the first gear moves in a radial direction with respect to the first shaft stiff portion;
a second gear coupled to a second shaft, the second shaft including a second shaft stiff portion and a second shaft flexible portion, the second shaft flexible portion including a greater flexibility than a flexibility of the second shaft stiff portion such that the second gear moves in the radial direction with respect to the second shaft stiff portion; and
a plurality of planet gears, each planet gear of the plurality of planet gears meshing with the first gear and the second gear, the first gear and the second gear moving in the radial direction to distribute loads substantially equally on the plurality of planet gears.