Erosion resistant aerodynamic fairing
AssigneeBlade Dynamics Limited
InventorsHarald Behmer, Peter Anthony Broome, Paul Trevor Hayden
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An erosion resistant aerodynamic fairing for a rotor blade. A fairing body is formed from at least one reinforcing fiber layer set in a cured resin. An erosion resistant pre-form is fixed to an outer surface of the fairing body. The erosion resistant pre-form comprises a thermoplastic film outer layer fused to a fiber substrate. The fiber substrate of the erosion resistant pre-form is impregnated with the cured resin of the fairing body which fixes at the preform to the fairing body.
Claims21
An erosion resistant aerodynamic fairing for a rotor blade, the fairing comprising:
- a fairing body formed from at least one reinforcing fibre layer set in a cured resin;
- and
- an erosion resistant pre-form fixed to an outer surface of the fairing body,
- wherein the erosion resistant pre-form comprises a thermoplastic film outer layer fused to a fibre substrate, and
- wherein the fibre substrate of the erosion resistant pre-form is impregnated with the cured resin of the fairing body which fixes at the preform to the fairing body.
A method of manufacturing an erosion resistant aerodynamic fairing for a rotor blade, comprising:
- fusing a thermoplastic film to a fibre substrate to form an erosion resistant pre-form;
- placing the erosion resistant pre-form into a mould such that the film is placed directly against the mould surface;
- placing at least one reinforcing fibre layer into the mould and on top of the pre-form;
- impregnating the reinforcing fibre layer with a curable resin to form an uncured composite body;
- and
- curing the resin to form a fairing body from the uncured composite body, such that the resin impregnates the fibre substrate and forms a continuous resin matrix between the pre-form and the reinforcing fibre layer to fix the pre-form to the fairing body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.