# US 12,110,805 B2 · Fan blade with intrinsic damping characteristics > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,110,805 B2 - Document ID: US12110805B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/329,467 - Filed: 2023-06-05 - Published: 2023-10-05 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2020-05-25 - Assignees: General Electric Company - Applicants: General Electric Company - Inventors: Ravindra Shankar Ganiger; Viswanadha Gupta Sakala; Nicholas Joseph Kray; Ambika Shivamurthy; Kirti Arvind Petkar - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12110805B2 ## CPC - 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 5/16: for counteracting blade vibration - F01D 5/02: Blade-carrying members, e.g. rotors (rotors of non-bladed type F01D1/34; stators F01D9/00 {; selecting particular materials F01D5/28}) - G06F 30/17: Mechanical parametric or variational design - F05D 2220/32: in gas turbines - F05D 2220/36: specially adapted for the fan of turbofan engines - F05D 2230/80: Repairing, retrofitting or upgrading methods - F05D 2240/24: for turbines - F05D 2250/75: given by its similarity to a letter, e.g. T-shaped - F05D 2260/81: Modelling or simulation - G06F 30/20: Design optimisation, verification or simulation (optimisation, verification or simulation of circuit designs G06F30/30) - Y02T 50/60: Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft - F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture corresponding to a fan blade with intrinsic damping characteristics are disclosed. An example fan blade comprises an exterior body including a first side and a second side; a first hairpin structure in contact with (a) the first side of the exterior body and (b) the second side of the exterior body; and a second hairpin structure in contact with (a) the first side and (b) the second side, wherein the first hairpin structure corresponds to a first stiffness and the second hairpin structure corresponds to a second stiffness different than the first stiffness. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A fan blade comprising: an exterior body including a first side and a second side; a first hairpin structure in contact with (a) the first side of the exterior body and (b) the second side of the exterior body; and a second hairpin structure in contact with (a) the first side, (b) the second side, and (c) the first hairpin structure. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The fan blade of claim 1, wherein the first hairpin structure is at least one of a “U” shape, a “V” shape, or a “C” shape. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The fan blade of claim 1, wherein the first hairpin structure and the second hairpin structure are made from different materials. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The fan blade of claim 1, wherein the first hairpin structure is in contact with the first side and the second side of the exterior body via fuse shears. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The fan blade of claim 1, wherein the first hairpin structure is sandwiched with the second hairpin structure. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The fan blade of claim 1, wherein there is at least one of an air cavity or an elastic material between the first hairpin structure and the second hairpin structure, the at least one of the air cavity or the elastic material providing shock absorption. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The fan blade of claim 1, wherein the first hairpin structure and the second hairpin structure provides at least one of vibration damping or energy absorption. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The fan blade of claim 1, wherein the first hairpin structure includes at least one of carbon nanotubes impregnated with graphene, functionally graded material, metal, or shape-memory alloy. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The fan blade of claim 1, wherein the first hairpin structure extends radially from a first position of the fan blade to a second position of the fan blade. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The fan blade of claim 1, wherein, when the first side of the exterior body and the second side of the exterior body compress together, the first hairpin structure and the second hairpin structure rub against each other. ### Claim 11 A turbine engine comprising: a compressor; a turbine; and a rotor including a fan blade, the fan blade including a first hairpin structure in contact with (a) a first side of a first interior wall of the fan blade and (b) a second side of a second interior wall of the fan blade, wherein the fan blade includes a second hairpin structure in contact with the first side of the first interior wall of the fan blade, the second side of the second interior wall of the fan blade and (c) the first hairpin structure. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The turbine engine of claim 11, wherein, when the first side of the first interior wall and the second side of the second interior wall compress together, the first hairpin structure and the second hairpin structure rub against each other. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The turbine engine of claim 11, wherein the first hairpin structure is at least one of a “U” shape, a “V” shape, or a “C” shape. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The turbine engine of claim 11, wherein the first hairpin structure and the second hairpin structure are made from different materials.