Root block design for composite fan blade
AssigneeRtx Corporation
InventorThomas Robertson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A root block design for a composite fan blade including first side plies attached to second side plies to form the composite fan blade, the composite fan blade comprising a blade tip opposite a root portion; a first wedge in operative communication with the first side plies proximate the root portion; and a second wedge in operative communication with the second side plies proximate the root portion; wherein each of the first wedge and the second wedge are configured insertable within a dovetail of a blade hub configured to support the composite fan blade.
Claims20
A root block design for a composite fan blade comprising:
- first side plies attached to second side plies to form the composite fan blade, the composite fan blade comprising a blade tip opposite a root portion;
- a first wedge in operative communication with the first side plies proximate the root portion;
- and
- a second wedge in operative communication with the second side plies proximate the root portion;
- wherein each of the first wedge and the second wedge are configured to be insertable within a dovetail of a blade hub configured to support the composite fan blade;
- a root cap in operative communication with a base end of the composite fan blade proximate the root portion;
- a root delta located between the root cap and the base end proximate a transition region radius of the root portion;
- and
- a spacer filling a space that remains between the root cap and a hub dovetail.
A composite fan blade comprising:
- first side plies attached to second side plies to form the composite fan blade, the composite fan blade comprising a blade tip opposite a root portion;
- the root portion includes a transition region radius where an axial portion transitions to a radial portion of the polymer matrix composite material blade;
- an airfoil portion located between the blade tip and the root portion;
- a first wedge in operative communication with the first side plies proximate the root portion;
- and
- a second wedge in operative communication with the second side plies proximate the root portion;
- wherein each of the first wedge and the second wedge are configured to be insertable within a dovetail of a blade hub configured to support the composite fan blade;
- a root cap in operative communication with a base end of the composite fan blade proximate the root portion;
- and a spacer filling a space that remains between the root cap and a hub dovetail.
A process for securing a composite fan blade with a root block design comprising:
- attaching first side plies to second side plies to form the composite fan blade, the composite fan blade comprising a blade tip opposite a root portion;
- the root portion includes a transition region radius where an axial portion transitions to a radial portion of the polymer matrix composite material blade;
- an airfoil portion located between the blade tip and the root portion;
- coupling a first wedge in operative communication with the first side plies proximate the root portion;
- and
- coupling a second wedge in operative communication with the second side plies proximate the root portion;
- configuring each of the first wedge and the second wedge to be insertable within a dovetail of a blade hub configured to support the composite fan blade;
- coupling a root cap in operative communication with a base end of the composite fan blade proximate the root portion;
- inserting a spacer between the root cap and a hub dovetail;
- and
- filling a space that remains between the root cap and a hub dovetail.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.