Stator assembly with retention clip for gas turbine engine

A gas turbine engine comprising:

• a fan section including a plurality of fan blades rotatable about an engine axis;
• a compressor section in fluid communication with the fan section;
• a turbine section driving the fan section;
• and
• a stator assembly comprising:
• a first shroud and a second shroud each extending about the engine axis, the first shroud defining an array of first openings, and the second shroud defining an array of second openings;
• a plurality of airfoils each including an airfoil body extending between first and second end portions, the first end portion situated in a respective one of the array of first openings, and the second end portion situated in a respective one of the array of second openings;
• and
• a plurality of retention clips each including an intermediate portion connecting a first leg portion and a second leg portion, the intermediate portion being compressible to position the first and second leg portions through the first end portion of a respective one of the plurality of airfoils to limit movement of the first end portion relative to the first shroud, and wherein the second leg portion moves in a direction toward the first leg portion in response to compression of the intermediate portion;
• wherein the first end portion defines a pair of airfoil openings, and the intermediate portion causes each of the first leg portion and the second leg portion to press against walls of the pair of airfoil openings when a respective one of the plurality of retention clips is located in an installed position;
• and
• wherein the first leg portion defines a first leg axis extending through a first terminal end, the second leg portion defines a second leg axis extending through a second terminal end, the first leg axis being transverse to the second leg axis when the respective retention clip is in an installed position, and each of the first leg axis and the second leg axis is substantially parallel to the engine axis when the respective retention clip is located in the installed position.

A method of assembling a stator assembly for a gas turbine engine comprising:

• providing a shroud defining a shroud opening;
• moving an end portion of an airfoil into the shroud opening, the end portion defining a pair of airfoil openings;
• compressing an intermediate portion of a retention clip that connects a pair of leg portions of the retention clip, including moving one of the pair of leg portions in a direction toward another one of the pair of leg portions in response to compressing the intermediate portion;
• and
• moving the pair of leg portions through the pair of airfoil openings such that the retention clip limits movement of the airfoil relative to the shroud;
• wherein the step of moving the pair of leg portions includes simultaneously sliding the pair of leg portions a distance through the pair of airfoil openings;
• and
• wherein the retention clip includes a pair of generally U-shaped handles that each connect the intermediate portion to a respective one of the pair of leg portions.