System for coupling/uncoupling accessory boxes

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system for coupling an accessory box (16) of the engine (14) of an aircraft to an accessory box (12) of the aircraft, the engine accessory box being connected to a first shaft (20) inside which is slidably mounted a slide (28) carrying first coupling means (28d) capable of cooperating with second coupling means (38) carried by a second shaft (22) connected to the aircraft accessory box (12) so as to couple the first (20) and the second (22) rotating shaft, wherein it further comprises electrical means for moving the slide (28) along the axis (30) of the first shaft (20) between a first uncoupling position with the second shaft and a second first coupling position with the second shaft.

Claims

1. The system for coupling an accessory box of an aircraft engine to an accessory box of the aircraft, comprising a first shaft configured to be connected to the engine accessory box and inside which is slidably mounted a slide element carrying first coupling means capable of cooperating with second coupling means carried by a second shaft configured to be connected to the aircraft accessory box in order to couple the first and the second rotating shaft, wherein it further comprises a controller configured to move the slide element along the axis of the first shaft between a first position in which the first coupling means are not coupled to the second coupling means and a second position in which the first coupling means are coupled to the second coupling means, the first shaft comprising a cylindrical bearing centred in an inner cylindrical surface of the second shaft and the slide element comprising a first cylindrical portion mounted in the first shaft, rotatably coupled thereto and connected to a second cylindrical portion centered in a cylindrical surface of the second shaft.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first coupling means are formed at one end of the second cylindrical part opposite that connected to the first part.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the slide element comprises a radial finger having a radially inner end mounted circumferential sliding in a housing of an axially movable rod able to axially move and connected to the electrical means.

4. The system according to claim 2, wherein the slide element comprises a radial finger having a radially inner end mounted circumferential sliding in a housing of an axially movable rod able to axially move and connected to the electrical means.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first coupling means comprise first pawls carried by one end of the slide element and adapted to cooperate with second pawls of the second coupling means of the second shaft.

6. The system according to claim 2, wherein the first coupling means comprise first pawls carried by one end of the slide element and adapted to cooperate with second pawls of the second coupling means of the second shaft.

7. The system according to claim 3, wherein the first coupling means comprise first pawls carried by one end of the slide element and adapted to cooperate with second pawls of the second coupling means of the second shaft.

8. The system according to claim 4, wherein the first coupling means comprise first pawls carried by one end of the slide element and adapted to cooperate with second pawls of the second coupling means of the second shaft.

9. An assembly comprising the system according to claim 1 and the accessory box of an engine connected to the first shaft and the accessory box of an aircraft connected to the second shaft.

10. An assembly comprising the system according to claim 2 and the accessory box of an engine connected to the first shaft and the accessory box of an aircraft connected to the second shaft.

11. An assembly comprising the system according to claim 3 and the accessory box of an engine connected to the first shaft and the accessory box of an aircraft connected to the second shaft.

12. An assembly comprising the system according to claim 4 and the accessory box of an engine connected to the first shaft and the accessory box of an aircraft connected to the second shaft.

13. An assembly comprising the system according to claim 5 and the accessory box of an engine connected to the first shaft and the accessory box of an aircraft connected to the second shaft.

14. An assembly comprising the system according to claim 6 and the accessory box of an engine connected to the first shaft and the accessory box of an aircraft connected to the second shaft.

15. An assembly comprising the system according to claim 7 and the accessory box of an engine connected to the first shaft and the accessory box of an aircraft connected to the second shaft.

16. An assembly comprising the system according to claim 8 and the accessory box of an engine connected to the first shaft and the accessory box of an aircraft connected to the second shaft.

17. An assembly comprising the system according to claim 9 and the accessory box of an engine connected to the first shaft and the accessory box of an aircraft connected to the second shaft.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) FIG. 1 already described above is a functional diagram of a mechanical drive chain of an accessory box of an aircraft using an aircraft engine;

(2) FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view of a coupling/uncoupling system according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(3) Reference is now made to FIG. 2, which represents a coupling/uncoupling system according to the invention for use in a mechanical chain 10 as described in reference to FIG. 1.

(4) The system thus includes a first shaft 20 connected to the accessory box 16 of the aircraft engine 14 and a second shaft 22 coaxial to the first shaft 20 and connected to the aircraft accessory box. The first shaft 20 comprises a cylindrical bearing surface 24 formed at one end thereof and engaged in one end of the second shaft 22. This cylindrical bearing surface 24 is supported radially outwards on an inner cylindrical surface 26 of the second shaft 22 in order to ensure a centering of the first shaft 20 in the second shaft 22. The contact is a circumferential sliding one so that the first shaft 20 can rotate independently of the second shaft 22 in the absence of rotational coupling of the two shafts 20, 22.

(5) A slide 28 comprises a first cylindrical part 28a ensuring an axially sliding cooperation, i.e. along the axis 30 of the first shaft 20, in the first shaft 20. For this purpose, the first cylindrical part 28a of the slide 28 comprises axial splines 32a cooperating with axial splines 34 formed inside the first shaft 20. The first part 28a of the slide 28 is connected to a second part 28b which is substantially cylindrical via an annular shoulder 28c. This second part 28b ensures a circumferential sliding support on an internal cylindrical surface 36 of the second shaft 22 so as to ensure a centering of the slide 28 in the second shaft 22.

(6) Also, the end of the second part 28b of the slide 28 carries first coupling means formed by pawls 28d which are able to cooperate with second coupling means also formed by pawls 38. The second coupling means are formed at one end of the second shaft 22 opposite the one inside which the first shaft 20 is centred.

(7) The slide 28 includes a radial finger 28e extending radially inwards and extending the annular shoulder 28c in this direction. The radially inner end of the finger 28e is engaged by circumferential sliding in a housing 40 formed at the end of a rod 42. This finger is capable of sliding circumferentially into said housing 40. In the specific case shown in FIG. 2, the annular or circumferential housing 40 is formed at the end of a rod 42, which may be that of an electric cylinder, thus forming the electric means of movement of the slide 28. Thus, the actuation of the cylinder allows the movement and consequently the displacement of the rod 42 allows the axial movement of the slide 28 between a first position in which the first jaw clutching means 28d are arranged at a distance from the second jaw clutching means 38, the first shaft 20 and the second shaft 22 then being not coupled and a second position in which the first 28d and second 38 pawls are engaged and ensures a rotational coupling of the first shaft 20 and the second shaft 22 via the slide 28.

(8) In another embodiment not shown, it would be possible to use a rolling bearing to move the slide 28 instead of a housing 40 as described above. In this case, the radially inner end of the finger 28e would be attached to an outer ring of the bearing and the inner ring would be attached to the rod 42.