Conduit with damping fingers
AssigneeUnited Technologies Corporation
InventorsJonas S. Banhos, Jesse Ian Berube, William Oldach, Jesus S. Lopez, Ravi Mandya Kumar, Scott David Hjelm, Nicholas Andrew Kesler
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus that includes a conduit having a first end, a second end, and a longitudinal axis. The conduit may define an inner channel and may be configured to extend through a vane cavity of a vane. The apparatus may further include a damping finger that includes a first portion coupled to the conduit and a second portion diverging outward at an angled orientation from the conduit. The damping finger may be resiliently flexible and the second portion of the damping finger may be configured to contact an inner surface of the vane.
Claims19
An apparatus comprising:
- a conduit comprising a first end, a second end, and a longitudinal axis, wherein the conduit defines an inner channel and is configured to extend through a vane cavity of a vane;
- and
- a damping finger comprising a first portion coupled to the conduit, and a second portion diverging outward from the first portion at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the conduit, wherein the damping finger is resiliently flexible and the second portion of the damping finger is configured to contact an inner surface of the vane;
- wherein:
- the first portion comprises an attachment surface in contact with the conduit;
- the first portion comprises a first surface, opposite the attachment surface, that faces away from the longitudinal axis of the conduit;
- a second surface of the second portion faces away from the longitudinal axis of the conduit;
- and the first surface is continuous with the second surface.
A gas turbine engine comprising:
- a vane extending between a radially inward structure and a radially outward structure, the vane defining a vane cavity;
- a conduit extending through the vane cavity and defining an inner channel configured to convey at least one of fluid and wiring between the radially inward structure and the radially outward structure;
- and
- a damping finger comprising a first portion coupled to the conduit and a second portion diverging outward from the first portion at an angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the conduit, wherein the damping finger is resiliently flexible and a tip of the second portion of the damping finger contacts an inner surface of the vane;
- wherein:
- the first portion comprises an attachment surface in contact with the conduit;
- the first portion comprises a first surface, opposite the attachment surface, that faces away from the longitudinal axis of the conduit;
- a second surface of the second portion faces away from the longitudinal axis of the conduit;
- and
- the first surface is continuous with the second surface.
A method of assembling a gas turbine engine, the method comprising:
- depressing a second portion of a damping finger towards a conduit, wherein a first portion of the damping finger is coupled to the conduit and the second portion diverges outward from the first portion at an angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the conduit in an undepressed state;
- and
- inserting the conduit through an aperture defined in a radially outward structure of the gas turbine engine, wherein the aperture opens to a vane cavity of a vane that extends between the radially outward structure and a radially inward structures;
- wherein:
- the first portion comprises an attachment surface in contact with the conduit;
- the first portion comprises a first surface, opposite the attachment surface, that faces away from the longitudinal axis of the conduit;
- a second surface of the second portion faces away from the longitudinal axis of the conduit;
- and
- the first surface is continuous with the second surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.