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 and a first trailing edge disposed at an end of and thinned relative to the first elongate portion, and
- the second wing comprising a second elongate portion and a second trailing edge disposed at an end of and thinned 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;
- first and second wings respectively extending from the pressure and suction sides of the leading edge portion and respectively comprising a locally-thinned trailing edge;
- and
- an erosion coating applied 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.
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 and first and second wings respectively extending from the pressure and suction sides of the leading edge portion and respectively comprising a locally-thinned trailing edge;
- 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.