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US 11,448,233 B2Granted
Following blade impact load support
AssigneeRaytheon Technologies Corporation
InventorEric W. Malmborg
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fan blade assembly for a gas turbine engine includes a blade extending from a blade root to a blade tip, and from a blade leading edge to a blade trailing edge. The blade includes a plurality of ribs defining a plurality of blade cavities. A pressure surface cover is affixed to the blade and at least partially defines a pressure surface of the fan blade. At least one rib of the plurality of ribs extends along a predicted impact path of a foreign object at the fan blade assembly, thereby supporting impact loads on the pressure surface cover.
Claims11
A fan blade assembly for a gas turbine engine, comprising:
- a blade portion extending from a blade root to a blade tip, and from a blade leading edge to a blade trailing edge, the blade portion including a plurality of ribs defining a plurality of blade cavities, the blade portion defining the blade leading edge, the blade trailing edge and a suction surface of the blade;
- and
- a pressure surface cover disposed in a recess in the blade portion and affixed to the blade portion and at least partially defining a pressure surface of the fan blade;
- wherein at least one rib of the plurality of ribs extends along a predicted release trajectory of an adjacent blade, thereby supporting impact loads on the pressure surface cover;
- wherein the blade portion includes a region of solidity absent blade cavities at the blade leading edge;
- wherein the blade includes a puck defined in an interior of the blade portion beneath the pressure surface cover and disposed at the blade leading edge along the predicted release trajectory, the puck defining an increased region of solidity extending from the region of solidity in a chordwise direction, the puck having a decreasing spanwise width with increasing chordwise distance from the blade leading edge, along a side of the blade closest to the pressure surface cover;
- wherein the puck has a tapered thickness, reducing in thickness with increasing distance from the blade leading edge;
- and
- wherein the puck has a tapered spanwise width, reducing in width with increasing distance from the blade leading edge;
- wherein a maximum chordwise length of the puck is located at the at least one rib.
7 more elements
A fan assembly for a gas turbine engine, comprising:
- a fan hub;
- and
- a plurality of fan blade assemblies secured to the fan hub, a fan blade assembly of the plurality of fan blade assemblies including:
- a blade portion extending from a blade root to a blade tip, and from a blade leading edge to a blade trailing edge, the blade portion including a plurality of ribs defining a plurality of blade cavities, the blade portion defining the blade leading edge, the blade trailing edge and a suction surface of the blade;
- and
- a pressure surface cover disposed in a recess in the blade portion and affixed to the blade portion and at least partially defining a pressure surface of the fan blade;
- wherein at least one rib of the plurality of ribs extends along a predicted release trajectory of an adjacent blade, thereby supporting impact loads on the pressure surface cover;
- wherein the blade portion includes a region of solidity absent blade cavities at the blade leading edge;
- wherein the blade includes a puck defined in an interior of the blade portion beneath the pressure surface cover and disposed at the blade leading edge along the predicted release trajectory, the puck defining an increased region of solidity extending from the region of solidity in a chordwise direction, the puck having a decreasing spanwise width with increasing chordwise distance from the blade leading edge, along a side of the blade closest to the pressure surface cover;
- wherein the puck has a tapered thickness, reducing in thickness with increasing distance from the blade leading edge;
- and
- wherein the puck has a tapered spanwise width, reducing in width with increasing distance from the blade leading edge;
- wherein a maximum chordwise length of the puck is located at the at least one rib.
10 more elements
A gas turbine engine, comprising:
- a turbine section;
- and
- a fan assembly operably connected to the turbine section, including:
- a fan hub;
- and
- a plurality of fan blade assemblies secured to the fan hub, a fan blade assembly of the plurality of fan blade assemblies including:
- a blade portion extending from a blade root to a blade tip, and from a blade leading edge to a blade trailing edge, the blade portion including a plurality of ribs defining a plurality of blade cavities, the blade portion defining the blade leading edge, the blade trailing edge and a suction surface of the blade;
- and
- a pressure surface cover disposed in a recess in the blade portion and affixed to the blade portion and at least partially defining a pressure surface of the fan blade;
- wherein at least one rib of the plurality of ribs extends along a predicted release trajectory of an adjacent blade, thereby supporting impact loads on the pressure surface cover;
- wherein the blade portion includes a region of solidity absent blade cavities at the blade leading edge;
- wherein the blade includes a puck defined in an interior of the blade portion beneath the pressure surface cover and disposed at the blade leading edge along the predicted release trajectory, the puck defining an increased region of solidity extending from the region of solidity in a chordwise direction, the puck having a decreasing spanwise width with increasing chordwise distance from the blade leading edge, along a side of the blade closest to the pressure surface cover;
- wherein the puck has a tapered thickness, reducing in thickness with increasing distance from the blade leading edge;
- and
- wherein the puck has a tapered spanwise width, reducing in width with increasing distance from the blade leading edge;
- wherein a maximum chordwise length of the puck is located at the at least one rib.
13 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.