# US 10,371,163 B2 · Load absorption systems and methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,371,163 B2 - Document ID: US10371163B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/013,099 - Filed: 2016-02-02 - Published: 2017-08-03 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-02-02 - Assignees: General Electric Company - Applicants: General Electric Company - Inventors: Michael Jason Bishop; Rajendra Madhukar Kelkar; Alex Yuen; Andrew Philip Woodfield - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10371163B2 ## CPC - B22F 10/20: Direct sintering or melting - B22F 5/009: {of turbine components other than turbine blades (of turbine blades B22F5/04)} - B33Y 80/00: Products made by additive manufacturing - F01D 5/3007: {of axial insertion type} - F01D 5/3015: {with side plates} - F01D 5/32: Locking, e.g. by final locking blades or keys - F01D 5/323: {Locking of axial insertion type blades by means of a key or the like parallel to the axis of the rotor} - F01D 5/326: {Locking of axial insertion type blades by other means} - F02K 3/06: with front fan - F04D 29/322: {Blade mountings} - F04D 29/329: {Details of the hub} - F04D 29/34: Blade mountings {(for axial flow compressors F04D29/322)} - B22F 3/04: by applying fluid pressure {, e.g. by cold isostatic pressing [CIP]} - B22F 3/15: Hot isostatic pressing - B22F 3/225: {by injection molding} - F05D 2220/323: for aircraft propulsion, e.g. jet engines - F05D 2220/36: specially adapted for the fan of turbofan engines - F05D 2230/31: Layer deposition - F05D 2250/283: honeycomb - F05D 2260/30: Retaining components in desired mutual position - F05D 2300/133: Titanium - Y02P 10/25: Process efficiency - Y02T 50/60: Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft - B22F: WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER (making alloys by powder metallurgy C22C); APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER - B33Y: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING - F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D) - F02K: JET-PROPULSION PLANTS (features of jet-propulsion plants common to gas-turbine plants, air intakes or fuel supply control of air-breathing jet-propulsion plants F02C7/00, F02C9/00) - F04D: NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS (engine fuel-injection pumps F02M; ion pumps H01J41/12; electrodynamic pumps H02K44/02) - F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A load absorbing system that may include a rotor blade retention system is provided. The load absorbing system may include a block, a first retainer plate, and a deformable core. The block may be selectively positioned alongside a dovetail groove. The block may have a first face directed away from the blade root and an axially-spaced second face directed toward the blade root. The first retainer plate may be attached to the second face of the block and axially positioned between the block and the axially-directed surface of the blade root. The deformable core may be positioned between the block and the first retainer plate. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A rotor blade retention system for restraining movement of a blade root along an axial direction, the blade root having an axially-directed surface, the rotor blade retention system comprising: a block selectively positioned alongside a dovetail groove, the block having a first face directed away from the blade root and an axially-spaced second face directed toward the blade root; a first retainer plate attached to the second face of the block and axially positioned between the block and the axially-directed surface of the blade root; a second retainer plate positioned for engagement with an axially-directed surface of the blade root; a deformable core positioned between the first retainer plate and the second retainer plate, the deformable core extending in the axial direction between a proximal end and a distal end, the deformable core being attached to the first and second retainer plates; and wherein at least one of the first retainer plate or the second retainer plate defines an axial powder aperture for releasing an excess formation of powder. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The rotor blade retention system of claim 1, wherein the deformable core includes a webbing fixed between the block and the axially-directed surface of the blade root. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The rotor blade retention system of claim 2, wherein the deformable core is integrally bonded to the first retainer plate. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The rotor blade retention system of claim 2, wherein the webbing includes a plurality of axially-extending rigid columns, a plurality of intersected partitions, or combinations thereof. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The rotor blade retention system of claim 2, wherein the webbing includes one or more wave members alternating between a top radial portion and a bottom radial portion of the deformable core. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The rotor blade retention system of claim 5, wherein each wave member includes a plurality of successive pairs of adjacent louvered walls, each pair of adjacent louvered walls defining a discrete wall spacing therebetween, wherein the wall spacings between the successive pairs decrease in a lateral direction. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The rotor blade retention system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the block, the first retainer plate, or the deformable core includes a titanium material. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The rotor blade retention system of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the block, the first retainer plate, or the deformable core includes a metal injection molding material. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The rotor blade retention system of claim 1, further comprising an additively-manufactured bond attaching the first retainer plate to the deformable core. ### Claim 10 A rotor blade retention system for restraining movement of a blade root along an axial direction, the blade root having an axially-directed surface, the rotor blade retention system comprising: a block selectively positioned alongside a dovetail groove, the block having a first face directed away from the blade root and an axially-spaced second face directed toward the blade root; a first retainer plate connected to the second face of the block and axially positioned between the block and the axially-directed surface of the blade root; a deformable core positioned and secured between the block and the first retainer plate; and wherein the first retainer plate defines an axial powder aperture for releasing an excess formation of powder. ### Claim 11 A rotor blade retention system for restraining movement of a blade root along an axial direction, the blade root having an axially-directed surface, the rotor blade retention system comprising: a block selectively positioned alongside a dovetail groove, the block having a first face directed away from the blade root and an axially-spaced second face directed toward the blade root; a first retainer plate axially positioned between the second face of the block and the axially-directed surface of the blade root; and a deformable core positioned and secured between the second face of the block and the first retainer plate, the deformable core including a plurality of columns longitudinally extending between the second face of the block and the first retainer plate, wherein the plurality of columns are configured in a grid pattern having a set number of parallel rows and laterally aligned columns such that each of the plurality of columns is positioned at one or more predetermined radial and/or lateral distances from an adjacent one of the plurality of columns, and wherein spacing between parallel rows decrease in a radial direction such that a top radial portion of the deformable core has smaller spacing than a bottom radial portion of the deformable core. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The rotor blade retention system of claim 11, further including a second retainer plate connected to the second face of the block, the deformable core being positioned and secured between the first retainer plate and the second retainer plate. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The rotor blade retention system of claim 11, wherein the deformable core is integrally bonded to the first retainer plate. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The rotor blade retention system of claim 12, wherein the deformable core is integrally bonded to the first retainer plate and the second retainer plate. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The rotor blade retention system of claim 11, wherein the deformable core is integrally bonded to the second face of the block at the distal end and attached to the first retainer plate at the proximal end.