Interface device between two turbomachine elements

Abstract

An interface device between first and second turbomachine elements is provided. The interface device includes an annular air inlet structure including opposite first and second parts, designed to come into contact with the first and second turbomachine elements respectively, in which the first part is configured to be in swivel contact with the first element; and an elastic return device that can be placed around the air inlet structure and designed to come into contact with at least the first turbomachine element.

Claims

1. An interface device between first and second turbomachine elements, comprising: an annular air inlet structure comprising opposite first and second parts, designed to come into contact with first and second turbomachine elements respectively, the first part being configured to be in swivel contact with the first element; and an elastic return device, that can be placed around the air inlet structure and that will come into contact with at least the first element of the turbomachine.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the air inlet structure comprises a fan flow seal ring for calibration of the airflow entering into the air inlet structure.

3. The device according to claim 2, further comprising an elastic ring located between the fan flow seal ring and the second part of the air inlet structure.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the second part of the air inlet structure comprises a plane surface in order to provide a sliding contact with the second turbomachine element.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first part of the air inlet structure comprises a swivel annular portion, an outside of the swivel annular portion in contact with an inner annular surface of the first turbomachine element.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein the elastic return device may be placed around the air inlet structure bearing on an outer annular surface of the first turbomachine element, opposite the inner annular surface of the first turbomachine element, such that at least part of the first turbomachine element comprising the inner and outer opposite annular surfaces is located between the elastic return device and the swivel annular portion of the air inlet structure.

7. A turbomachine comprising an interface device according to claim 1, located between first and second turbomachine elements.

8. The turbomachine according to claim 7, wherein the first turbomachine element is an active or inactive system (LPTACC or LPTCC) to control the clearance of the low pressure turbine of the turbomachine, and wherein the second turbomachine element is a scoop located on a part forming an envelope an outside of the part defines an inner delimitation surface of an annular fan flowpath of the turbomachine.

9. The turbomachine according to claim 7, wherein the first turbomachine element comprises at least one retaining means of the air inlet structure configured to prevent the air inlet structure from separating from the first turbomachine element.

10. The turbomachine according to claim 9, wherein said at least one retaining means comprises a projecting rib designed to cooperate with the air inlet structure.

11. An interface device between first and second turbomachine elements, comprising: an annular air inlet structure comprising opposite first and second parts, designed to come into contact with first and second turbomachine elements respectively, the first part being configured to be in swivel contact with the first element; and an elastic return device, that can be placed around the air inlet structure and that will come into contact with at least the first element of the turbomachine, wherein the second part of the air inlet structure comprises a plane surface in order to provide a sliding contact with the second turbomachine element.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention will be better understood after reading the detailed description given below of non-limitative examples of the invention, and after examining the diagrammatic and partial figures in the appended drawing in which:

(2) FIG. 1 diagrammatically shows a longitudinal half-section of a turbofan engine for an aircraft,

(3) FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of an example of an interface device according to the invention placed between first and second turbomachine elements,

(4) FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the interface device and the first turbomachine element in FIG. 2,

(5) FIG. 4 shows a partial perspective sectional view of the interface device and the first turbomachine element in FIG. 3,

(6) FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of an example of a first turbomachine element comprising retaining means for an air inlet structure of an interface device according to the invention, and

(7) FIG. 6 shows cooperation between a retaining means of the first turbomachine element in FIG. 5 and an air inlet structure of an interface device according to the invention.

(8) In all these figures, identical references may refer to identical or similar elements.

(9) Furthermore, the different parts shown in the figures are not necessarily all shown at the same scale to make the figures more easily readable.

DETAILED PRESENTATION OF PARTICULAR EMBODIMENTS

(10) FIG. 1 has already been described.

(11) With reference to FIGS. 2 to 4, the figures show an example of an interface device 1 according to the invention that will be placed between a first turbomachine element 2 and a second turbomachine element 3.

(12) More particularly and preferably, the first turbomachine element 2 is a low pressure turbine active or inactive clearance control system (LPTACC or LPTCC system) and the second turbomachine element 3 is a scoop located on a part forming an envelope, the outside of which defines an inner delimitation surface of an annular fan flowpath of the turbomachine (IFD part), as was disclosed above with reference to FIG. 1.

(13) The interface device 1 comprises an annular air inlet structure 4 in the form of an inlet tube, which comprises a first part 5 and a second part 6 opposite each other, located in contact with the LPTACC or LPTCC system 2 and the turbomachine scoop 3.

(14) Furthermore, the interface device 1 comprises an elastic return device 7 in the form of a helical spring with a plurality of turns that is placed around the inlet tube 4 and that comes into contact with the system 2.

(15) The first part 5 of the inlet tube 4 comprises a swivel annular portion 5a, the outside surface of which comes into contact with an inner annular surface 2a of the turbomachine system 2. Thus, the first part 5 of the inlet tube 4 is in swivel contact with the system 2.

(16) The presence of the helical spring 7 and the swivel annular portion 5a compensates for relative displacements between the different parts. In particular, the spring 7 can absorb radial displacements, while the swivel annular portion 5a absorbs axial and tangential displacements.

(17) The spring 7 is placed around the inlet tube 4 bearing on an outer annular surface 2b of the turbomachine system 2 opposite the inner annular surface 2a such that at least part of the system 2 comprising opposite inner annular surface 2a and outer annular surface 2b is located between the spring 7 and the swivel annular portion 5a of the inlet tube 4.

(18) Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 1, the helical spring 7 provides a sufficient force along the direction of the arrow E to force together the contact zone 3a of the scoop 3 and the contact zone 6a of the second part 6 of the inlet tube 4. These contact zones are formed by the plane surface 3a of the scoop 3 and the plane surface 6a of the second part 6 of the inlet tube 4, so as to obtain a sliding contact between the inlet tube 4 and the scoop 3.

(19) The inlet tube 4 also comprises an airflow fan flow seal ring 8 to calibrate air entering the inlet tube. The fan flow seal ring 8 advantageously calibrates the input airflow into the system 2 to adjust it to the required value. It is preferably removable during the design phase until convergence about an optimum diameter.

(20) Furthermore, particularly in order to make the interface device 1 leak tight and especially to hold the fan flow seal ring 8 in position in its housing, an elastic ring 9 is placed between the fan flow seal ring 8 and the second part 6 of the inlet tube 4.

(21) The inlet tube 4 can preferably be installed on the system 2 with a rocker fitting, although force fitting is also possible.

(22) In order to make sure that it is impossible for the inlet tube 4 to separate from the system 2 during assembly and/or disassembly of the interface device 1 on the turbomachine, the system 2 may comprise means 11 of retaining the inlet tube 4 as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

(23) As can be seen in FIG. 5, each retaining means 11 may form a tab in the form of a lug in other words comprising a thinned bottom portion that becomes wider towards the outside to form opposite lobes. This form can limit stresses during assembly of the inlet tube 4 on the system 2 by force fitting, if force fitting is applied.

(24) As can also be seen in FIG. 6, each retaining means 11 comprises a projecting rib 13 that cooperates with the swivel annular part 5a of the inlet tube 4 so to prevent the inlet tube 4 from separating from the system 2.

(25) The rib 13 may be formed on the retaining means 11 by adjacent or non-adjacent portions 13a, 13b, (as shown) forming angles , respectively with the normal of the outer annular surface 2b.

(26) The size of the angles , may be determined so as to control operation of the interface device 1 according to the invention.

(27) In particular, the angle may be selected to minimise stresses in the case of force fitting of the inlet tube 4 on the system 2.

(28) The angle may be selected to limit the radial force generated by the axial force of the spring 7, this force tending to open the retaining means 11, and thus to separate the inlet tube 4 from the system 2.

(29) Obviously, the invention is not limited to the example embodiments described above. Those skilled in the art can make various modifications to it.

(30) The term comprising a must be understood as being synonymous with comprising at least one, unless mentioned otherwise.