Fan blade leading edge sheath
AssigneeRtx Corporation
InventorsRobert Andrew Love, Jiayuan Shen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sheath is provided. The sheath includes a leading edge portion having pressure and suction sides for respective association with pressure and suction sides of an airfoil and first and second wings respectively extending from the pressure and suction sides of the leading edge portion. The first wing includes a first elongate portion and a first trailing edge disposed at an end of and thinned relative to the first elongate portion. The second wing includes a second elongate portion and a second trailing edge disposed at an end of and thinned relative to the second elongate portion.
Claims20
A sheath, comprising:
- a leading edge portion having pressure and suction sides for respective association with pressure and suction sides of an airfoil;
- and
- first and second wings respectively extending from the pressure and suction sides of the leading edge portion,
- the first wing comprising a first elongate portion, which is configured to extend along in contact with the pressure side, and a first trailing edge, which is configured to extend along in contact with the pressure side and which is disposed at an end of and thinned inwardly toward the pressure side relative to the first elongate portion, and
- the second wing comprising a second elongate portion, which is configured to extend along in contact with the pressure side, and a second trailing edge, which is configured to extend along in contact with the pressure side and which is disposed at an end of and thinned inwardly toward the pressure side relative to the second elongate portion.
An airfoil assembly, comprising:
- an airfoil having a leading edge and pressure and suction sides extending from the leading edge;
- and
- a sheath affixed to the leading edge of the airfoil and comprising:
- a leading edge portion having pressure and suction sides respectively associated with the pressure and suction sides of the airfoil;
- a first wing extending from the pressure side of the leading edge portion and comprising a locally-thinned trailing edge, which is thinned inwardly toward the pressure side;
- a second wing extending from the suction side of the leading edge portion and comprising a locally-thinned trailing edge, which is thinned inwardly toward the suction side;
- and
- an erosion coating applied to the pressure and suction sides of the airfoil to overlap with the respective locally-thinned trailing edge of each of the first and second wings.
An airfoil assembly method for use with an airfoil having a leading edge and pressure and suction sides extending from the leading edge, the airfoil assembly method comprising:
- forming a sheath to comprise;
- a leading edge portion having pressure and suction sides respectively associated with the pressure and suction sides of the airfoil;
- a first wing extending from the pressure side of the leading edge portion and comprising a locally-thinned trailing edge, which is thinned inwardly toward the pressure side;
- and
- a second wing extending from the suction side of the leading edge portion and comprising a locally-thinned trailing edge, which is thinned inwardly toward the suction side;
- adhering the sheath to the leading edge of the airfoil;
- and
- applying an erosion coating to the pressure and suction sides of the airfoil to overlap with the locally-thinned trailing edge of each of the first and second wings.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.