# US 2025/0154875 A1 · Wear pad for root of fan blade

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- Number: US 2025/0154875 A1
- Document ID: US20250154875A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 18/388,603
- Filed: 2023-11-10
- Published: 2025-05-15
- Earliest claimed: 2023-11-10
- Assignees: Rtx Corporation
- Applicants: RTX Corporation
- Inventors: Robert Andrew Love; Jiayuan Shen
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20250154875A1

## CPC

- F01D 5/3092: {Protective layers between blade root and rotor disc surfaces, e.g. anti-friction layers (F01D5/288 takes precedence)}
- F01D 5/288: {Protective coatings for blades}
- F01D 5/3007: {of axial insertion type}
- F05D 2220/36: specially adapted for the fan of turbofan engines
- F05D 2230/60: Assembly methods
- F05D 2230/90: Coating; Surface treatment
- F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D)
- F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS

## Abstract

A wear pad assembly is provided for a root of a fan blade. The wear pad assembly includes a first tapered side piece including an edge and first and second ends, a second tapered side piece including an edge and first and second ends, a bottom piece extending between the respective edges of the first and second tapered side pieces and including first and second ends and first and second end pieces by which the respective first and second ends of the first and second tapered side pieces are connectable with the first and second ends of the bottom piece, respectively, to form a wear pad having a similar shape as the root.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A wear pad assembly for a root of a fan blade, the wear pad assembly comprising prior to assembly to the root:
an initial unitary component comprising:
a first tapered side piece comprising an edge and first and second ends;
a second tapered side piece comprising an edge and first and second ends;
a bottom piece extending between the respective edges of the first and second tapered side pieces and comprising first and second ends; and
a first end piece by which the first ends of the first and second tapered side pieces are connected with the first end of the bottom piece; and
an additional component separate from the initial unitary component and comprising:
a second end piece by which the second ends of the first and second tapered side pieces are connectable with the second end of the bottom piece,
wherein the additional component is connectable with the initial unitary component to form a wear pad having a similar shape as the root.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The wear pad assembly according to claim 1, further comprising adhesive interposable between the wear pad and the root.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The wear pad assembly according to claim 1, wherein the wear pad comprises material which is adherable to the root.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The wear pad assembly according to claim 1, wherein the wear pad comprises material which is metallurgically bondable to the root.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The wear pad assembly according to claim 1, wherein: the wear pad assembly further comprises root protective coating on a bottom thereof.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The wear pad assembly according to claim 1, wherein the wear pad has a curvature matching a curvature of the root.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The wear pad assembly according to claim 1, wherein:
the first and second tapered side pieces, the bottom piece and the first end piece are initially connectable to form the initial unitary component as a first partial wear pad which is slidable over the root,
the second end piece of the additional component forms a second partial wear pad, and,
with the first partial wear pad being slidable over the root, the second partial wear pad is connectable with the first partial wear pad to form the wear pad.

### Claim 8

(canceled)

### Claim 9

A method of assembling a wear pad assembly for a root of a fan blade, the method comprising:
forming a first partial wear pad having an open end and a closed end;
forming a second partial wear pad;
sliding the first partial wear pad over the root with the open end leading until the closed end impinges upon a first end of the root and the open end substantially aligns with a second end of the root opposite the first end of the root; and
attaching, at the second end of the root, corresponding edges of the second partial wear pad to corresponding edges of the first partial wear pad to form a wear pad having a similar shape as the root,
wherein the forming of the first partial wear pad is executed such that the first partial wear pad comprises:
a first tapered side piece comprising an edge and first and second ends;
a second tapered side piece comprising an edge and first and second ends;
a bottom piece extending between the respective edges of the first and second tapered side pieces and comprising first and second ends; and
a first end piece by which the first ends of the first and second tapered side pieces are connected with the first end of the bottom piece, and
wherein the forming of the second partial wear pad is executed such that the second partial wear pad comprises a second end piece by which the second ends of the first and second tapered side pieces are connectable with the second end of the bottom piece.

### Claim 10

(canceled)

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The method according to claim 9, further comprising applying adhesive to the root prior to the sliding and the attaching.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The method according to claim 9, further comprising adhering a material of the wear pad onto the root.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The method according to claim 9, further comprising metallurgically bonding a material of the wear pad to the root.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The method according to claim 9, further comprising applying a root protective coating to a bottom of the wear pad.

### Claim at position 15

15-20. (canceled)