US 12,253,162 B2
Torque sensor for an aircraft propulsion system gearbox assembly
Michel Desjardins, St Hubert (CA)
Assigned to PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP., Longueuil (CA)
Filed by Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp., Longueuil (CA)
Filed on May 5, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/143,972.
Prior Publication US 2024/0369137 A1, Nov. 7, 2024
Int. Cl. F16H 59/16 (2006.01); F02C 7/36 (2006.01)
CPC F16H 59/16 (2013.01) [F02C 7/36 (2013.01); F05D 2260/40311 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An assembly for an aircraft propulsion system, the assembly comprising:
an output shaft;
a planetary gear assembly configured to drive rotation of the output shaft, the planetary gear assembly including a sun gear, a plurality of planet gears, a first ring gear, and a second ring gear,
the sun gear is rotatable about a rotational axis,
each planet gear of the plurality of planet gears includes a main gear, a first lateral gear, and a second lateral gear, the main gear is engaged with the sun gear, the first lateral gear is engaged with the first ring gear, and the second lateral gear is engaged with the second ring gear, and
the first ring gear is axially spaced from the second ring gear relative to the rotational axis;
a torque sensor assembly contacting the second ring gear, the torque sensor assembly is configured to generate an output signal corresponding to an axial deflection of the second ring gear, the torque sensor assembly including a piston, a housing, and a metering valve, the piston is disposed in contact with the second ring gear, the piston configured for axial translation relative to the housing, and the piston forming at least a portion of a first fluid cavity and a second fluid cavity, the metering valve disposed between the first fluid cavity and the second fluid cavity;
a controller connected in signal communication with the torque sensor assembly, the controller includes a processor in communication with a non-transitory memory storing instructions, which instructions when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
calculate a torque applied to the output shaft by the planetary gear assembly using the output signal;
a pressure sensor connected in signal communication with the controller, the pressure sensor configured to generate the output signal, the pressure sensor connected in fluid communication with the first fluid cavity; and
a hydraulic source configured to supply and direct hydraulic fluid to the second fluid cavity.