Flow path assemblies for gas turbine engines and assembly methods therefore

A flow path assembly for a gas turbine engine, the flow path assembly comprising:

• a boundary structure formed from a composite material and defining an opening, the boundary structure further defining a cutout proximate the opening;
• an airfoil formed from a composite material and sized to fit within the opening of the boundary structure;
• and
• a locking feature received within the cutout defined by the boundary structure to interlock the airfoil with the boundary structure and engage with the boundary structure and the airfoil,
• wherein the locking feature is a locking ring having an oval-shaped axial cross section, the oval-shaped axial cross section defining a major axis that is defined by the longest diameter of the oval-shaped axial cross section, and
• wherein the opening defined by the boundary structure extends between an outer end and an inner end, and wherein the major axis of the locking ring extends toward the outer end of the opening and projects into the opening so as to define a recess between the locking ring and the boundary structure, and wherein the airfoil comprises a locking portion that fills the recess to interlock the airfoil with the boundary structure.

A flow path assembly for a gas turbine engine, the flow path assembly comprising:

• a boundary structure formed from a composite material and defining an opening, the boundary structure further defining a cutout proximate the opening;
• an airfoil formed from a composite material and sized to fit within the opening of the boundary structure;
• and
• a C-shaped locking feature received within the cutout defined by the boundary structure to interlock the airfoil with the boundary structure and engage with the boundary structure and the airfoil, wherein the C-shaped locking feature is integrally formed with the airfoil such that the C-shaped locking feature and the airfoil are formed as a monolithic component,
• wherein the opening defined by the boundary structure extends between an outer end and an inner end, and wherein when the airfoil is inserted into the opening,
• wherein a midline of the C-shaped locking feature formed integrally with the airfoil extends toward the inner end of the opening and projects into the cutout defined by the boundary structure so as to interlock the airfoil with the boundary structure.