# US 11,441,429 B2 · Composite fan blade and manufacturing method thereof

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- Number: US 11,441,429 B2
- Document ID: US11441429B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/277,420
- Filed: 2019-02-15
- Published: 2019-09-12
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2018-03-09
- Assignees: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
- Applicants: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
- Inventors: Vincent Gill
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11441429B2

## CPC

- B29C 70/46: using matched moulds, e.g. for deforming sheet moulding compounds [SMC] or prepregs
- B29C 53/04: of plates or sheets {(B29C63/04 takes precedence; bending or folding paper B31F1/0003; folding films B65H45/00)}
- B29C 53/382: {using laminated sheets}
- B29C 70/30: Shaping by lay-up, i.e. applying fibres, tape or broadsheet on a mould, former or core; Shaping by spray-up, i.e. spraying of fibres on a mould, former or core
- F01D 5/147: {Construction, i.e. structural features, e.g. of weight-saving hollow blades (F01D5/148, F01D5/16 and F01D5/20 take precedence; blade shape F01D5/141; blades with cooling or heating channels or cavities F01D5/18; heating, heat-insulating or cooling means on blades F01D5/18)}
- F01D 5/282: {Selecting composite materials, e.g. blades with reinforcing filaments}
- B29C 70/081: {Combinations of fibres of continuous or substantial length and short fibres}
- B29C 70/12: using fibres of short length, e.g. in the form of a mat {(non-woven fabrics per se D04H1/00)}
- B29C 70/345: {using matched moulds}
- B29C 70/36: and impregnating by casting, e.g. vacuum casting
- B29C 70/54: Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations {, e.g. feeding or storage of prepregs or SMC after impregnation or during ageing}
- B29C 70/68: by incorporating or moulding on preformed parts, e.g. inserts or layers {, e.g. foam blocks (mould constructions therefor B29C33/12; joining preformed parts by moulding B29C65/70)}
- B29C 70/682: {Preformed parts characterised by their structure, e.g. form}
- B29C 70/70: Completely encapsulating inserts {(B29C70/86 takes precedence)}
- B29D 99/0025: {Producing blades or the like, e.g. blades for turbines, propellers, or wings}
- B29L 2031/08: Blades for rotors, stators, fans, turbines or the like, e.g. screw propellers
- B29L 2031/082: {Blades, e.g. for helicopters}
- B32B 1/00: Layered products having a non-planar shape
- B32B 5/06: characterised by a fibrous {or filamentary} layer {mechanically connected, e.g. by needling} to another layer, e.g. of fibres, of paper
- B32B 5/26: another layer {next to it} also being fibrous or filamentary {(relative arrangement of fibres or filaments of different layers B32B5/12)}
- B32B 38/0012: {Mechanical treatment, e.g. roughening, deforming, stretching}
- B32B 38/1808: {characterised by the laying up of the layers}
- B32B 2250/20: All layers being fibrous or filamentary
- B32B 2255/02: on fibrous or filamentary layer
- B32B 2255/26: Polymeric coating
- B32B 2305/076: Prepregs
- B32B 2603/00: Vanes, blades, propellers, rotors with blades
- F05D 2220/32: in gas turbines
- F05D 2230/40: Heat treatment
- F05D 2300/44: Resins
- F05D 2300/603: Composites; e.g. fibre-reinforced
- F05D 2300/6034: Orientation of fibres, weaving, ply angle
- F05D 2300/611: Coating
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D)
- B29D: PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE (making granules B29B9/00; making preforms B29B11/00)
- B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES
- B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
- F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS

## Abstract

A method of manufacturing a composite fan blade with an outer part and a core includes laying up a plurality of continuous plies to achieve a stack, placing the core on a central portion of the stack of continuous plies to achieve an unfolded preform; folding the contin-uous plies about the core, such that the central portion of the stack folds about the core and the first portion is superimposed to the second portion, to achieve a folded preform; apply-ing pressure to the folded preform to achieve a consolidated curved folded preform; curing the consolidated curved folded preform to achieve the composite fan blade.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of manufacturing a composite fan blade extending spanwise from a root to a tip, chordwise from a leading edge to a trailing edge, the composite fan blade comprising an outer part and a core, the outer part defining a pressure surface wall extending from the leading edge to the trailing edge and a suction surface wall extending from the leading edge to the trailing edge, the method comprising:
laying up a plurality of continuous plies extending along a longitudinal direction from a first end to a second end to achieve a stack of continuous plies, the stack comprising a first portion corresponding to the pressure surface wall, a second portion corresponding to the suction surface wall, and a central portion corresponding to the root, wherein the first end corresponds to a pressure surface tip region of the composite fan blade and the second end corresponds to a suction surface tip region of the composite fan blade;
placing the core on the central portion of the stack of continuous plies to achieve an unfolded preform;
folding the continuous plies about the core, such that the central portion of the stack folds about the core and the first portion is superimposed to the second portion, to achieve a folded preform;
applying pressure to the folded preform to achieve a consolidated curved folded preform; and
curing the consolidated curved folded preform to achieve the composite fan blade; wherein
in the folding step the central portion of the stack folds about the core so as to form the root, and the first portion and the second portion extend in a spanwise direction between the root and respective tip regions.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according claim 1, wherein the composite fan blade further comprises filler plies, and wherein the method further comprises:
laying up the filler plies on the continuous plies both on the first portion and on the second portion, the filler plies not extending from the first portion to the second portion through the central portion.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according claim 1, comprising, after the folding of the continuous plies, applying heat and/or pressure to the folded preform to promote adhesion of the core to the outer part.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the folding of the continuous plies comprises folding all of the continuous plies at one time.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the folding of the continuous plies comprises folding each continuous ply individually.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the folding of the continuous plies comprises folding the continuous plies in groups of two or more plies.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, comprising, during the folding of the continuous plies, applying pressure either manually or by means of a roller to the continuous ply being folded from the root to the tip.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the continuous plies are made of dry fibres.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, comprising, after the laying up of each continuous ply, depositing on an internal surface of said continuous ply a layer of resin.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the continuous plies are made of pre-impregnated fibres.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, comprising applying through thickness reinforcement to reinforce the core to the outer part.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method according to claim 11, wherein through thickness reinforcement comprises any one of tufting, stitching, felting, z-pinning, or intra-layer toughening using veils and nanoforests or thermoplastic toughening particles.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, comprising, during the folding of the continuous plies, keeping the core in position by means of a frame.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the folding of the continuous plies comprises rotating either the first or the second end by substantially 180° about the core to-wards the second end or the first end, respectively.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the placing of the core in the central portion comprises depositing a plurality of chopped fibres on the central portion of the continuous plies.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the laying- up of the plurality of continuous plies is carried out manually or automatically using automatic fibre placement.