# US 12,601,266 B2 · Composite airfoil assembly for a turbine engine > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,601,266 B2 - Document ID: US12601266B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/328,856 - Filed: 2023-06-05 - Published: 2024-12-05 - Granted: 2026-04-14 - Earliest claimed: 2023-06-05 - Assignees: General Electric Company - Applicants: General Electric Company - Inventors: Nicholas Joseph Kray; Tod Winton Davis; Elzbieta Kryj-Kos; Michael John Franks - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12601266B2 ## CPC - F01D 5/282: {Selecting composite materials, e.g. blades with reinforcing filaments} - F02C 3/04: having a turbine driving a compressor (power transmission arrangements F02C7/36; control of working fluid flow F02C9/16) - 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 5/288: {Protective coatings for blades} - B32B 2603/00: Vanes, blades, propellers, rotors with blades - F05D 2300/603: Composites; e.g. fibre-reinforced - F05D 2300/611: Coating - F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D) - F02C: GAS-TURBINE PLANTS; AIR INTAKES FOR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS; CONTROLLING FUEL SUPPLY IN AIR-BREATHING JET-PROPULSION PLANTS (construction of turbines F01D; jet-propulsion plants F02K; construction of compressors or fans F04; generating combustion products of high pressure or high velocity F23R; using gas turbines in compression refrigeration plants F25B11/00) - 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 composite airfoil assembly for a gas turbine engine, the composite airfoil assembly comprising a composite airfoil, a first cladding, and a second cladding. The composite airfoil having a core comprising a composite structure having a core bulk modulus and a laminate skin applied to at least a portion of an exterior of the core. The first cladding and the second cladding are coupled to an outer surface of the composite airfoil. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A composite airfoil assembly for a gas turbine engine, the composite airfoil assembly comprising: a composite airfoil comprising: opposite pressure and suction sides extending radially from a root to a tip, the pressure side and the suction side defining an outer surface of the composite airfoil; opposite leading and trailing edges, the pressure side and the suction side extending axially between the leading edge and the trailing edge; a core comprising a composite structure having a core bulk modulus; and a laminate skin applied to at least a portion of an exterior of the core; at least three cladding elements including a first cladding element adjacent to the trailing edge and only located on the pressure side of the composite airfoil, a second cladding element adjacent to the trailing edge and only located on the suction side of the composite airfoil, and a third cladding element adjacent to the tip; and a leading-edge sheath located at the leading edge of the composite airfoil; wherein no portion of each of the first cladding element and the second cladding element are in contact with the trailing edge, and wherein no portion of the third cladding element is in contact with the tip, and wherein the at least three cladding elements comprise a metallic material. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The composite airfoil assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least three cladding elements have cladding bulk moduli greater than the core bulk modulus. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The composite airfoil assembly of claim 1, wherein the metallic material comprises titanium, nickel, steel, tin, aluminum, brass, copper, or any combination thereof. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The composite airfoil assembly of claim 1, wherein the third cladding element is located on one of the pressure side or the suction side. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The composite airfoil assembly of claim 1, wherein the composite airfoil has an axial airfoil length measured from the leading edge to the trailing edge, wherein the first cladding element and the second cladding element have a thickness in a range from 0.0001% to 10% of the axial airfoil length. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The composite airfoil assembly of claim 1, wherein the first cladding element and the second cladding element cover 2%-60% of a pressure side surface area, a suction side surface area, or a total surface area defined as a sum of the pressure side surface area and the suction side surface area. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The composite airfoil assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the at least three cladding elements is coupled to the outer surface of the composite airfoil using an adhesive. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The composite airfoil assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the at least three cladding elements include one or more layers additively manufactured onto the composite airfoil. ### Claim 9 A gas turbine engine comprising: a fan section, a compressor section, a combustor section, and a turbine section in serial flow arrangement, and defining an engine centerline; and a composite airfoil assembly rotatable about the engine centerline, the composite airfoil assembly comprising: a composite airfoil comprising: opposite pressure and suction sides extending radially from a root to a tip, the pressure side and the suction side defining an outer surface of the composite airfoil; opposite leading and trailing edges, the pressure side and the suction side extending axially between the leading and trailing edges; a core comprising a composite structure having a core bulk modulus; and a laminate skin applied to at least a portion of an exterior of the core; and at least three cladding elements including a first cladding element adjacent to the trailing edge and only located on the pressure side, a second cladding element adjacent to the trailing edge and only located on the suction side of the composite airfoil, and a third cladding element adjacent to the tip; and a leading-edge sheath located at the leading edge of the composite airfoil; wherein no portion of each of the first cladding element and the second cladding element are in contact with the trailing edge, and wherein no portion of the third cladding element is in contact with the tip, and wherein the at least three cladding elements comprise a metallic material. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The gas turbine engine of claim 9, wherein the first cladding element, the second cladding element, and the third cladding element together cover 2%-60% of a pressure side surface area, a suction side surface area, or a total surface area defined by a sum of the pressure side surface area and the suction side surface area. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The gas turbine engine of claim 9, wherein the core is a woven core that includes a three-dimensional weave pattern.