# US 2026/0063045 A1 · Reinforced Fan Inter-Blade Platforms > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2026/0063045 A1 - Document ID: US20260063045A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/819,532 - Filed: 2024-08-29 - Published: 2026-03-05 - Earliest claimed: 2024-08-29 - Assignees: Rtx Corporation - Applicants: RTX Corporation - Inventors: Arun K. Theertham - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20260063045A1 ## CPC - F01D 11/008: {by spacer elements between the blades, e.g. independent interblade platforms} - 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)} - F05D 2220/36: specially adapted for the fan of turbofan engines - F05D 2230/20: essentially without removing material - F05D 2230/60: Assembly methods - F05D 2250/283: honeycomb - F05D 2300/603: Composites; e.g. fibre-reinforced - F05D 2300/612: Foam - 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 An inter-blade platform for a gas turbine engine fan has a body section including a fiber composite having: a forward end and an aft end; an outer diameter wall; a suction side wall; and a pressure side wall. The body section further comprises a core within the outer diameter wall. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An inter-blade platform for a gas turbine engine fan, the platform comprising: a body section including a fiber composite having: a forward end and an aft end; an outer diameter wall; a suction side wall; and a pressure side wall, wherein: the body section further comprises a core within the outer diameter wall and having tapering fore, aft, pressure side, and suction side edge sections; the outer diameter wall comprises one or more outer fiber layers and one or more inner fiber layers and the core is sandwiched between the one or more outer fiber layers and the one or more inner fiber layers; and at the tapering fore, aft, pressure side, and suction side edge sections one or more outer fiber layers and one or more inner fiber layers cleanly drape and transition a laminate structure from a sandwich structure including the core to a laminate without the core. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The inter-blade platform of claim 1 wherein the core comprises: a honeycomb. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The inter-blade platform of claim 1 wherein the core comprises: a foam. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The inter-blade platform of claim 1 wherein: the fiber composite comprises carbon fiber. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The inter-blade platform of claim 1 wherein: the core is along at least 50% of an area of the outer diameter wall. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The inter-blade platform of claim 1 wherein: the core is a single piece; and the core extends for at least 50% of a length of the body section. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The inter-blade platform of claim 1 wherein: the pressure side wall and the suction side wall do not have a core. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The inter-blade platform of claim 1 wherein: the fiber composite surrounds a hollow interior containing brackets mounted to an interior surface along the pressure side wall and suction side wall and straddling respective apertures in a junction between the pressure side wall and suction side wall. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The inter-blade platform of claim 1 further comprising: a pressure side seal mounted to the pressure side wall; and a suction side seal mounted to the suction side wall. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A fan including a plurality of inter-blade platforms of claim 1 and further comprising: a hub; a plurality of fan blades mounted to the hub and each having: an airfoil with a leading edge, a trailing edge, a pressure side, and a suction side; and said plurality of inter-blade platforms mounted to the hub and alternating with the plurality of fan blades so that the pressure side wall of each platform is to the pressure side of one adjacent airfoil and the suction side wall of each platform is adjacent the suction side of the other adjacent airfoil. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The fan of claim 10 wherein: each platform is mounted to the hub via a respective pair of a fore lug and an aft lug of the hub passing through apertures in a junction between the pressure side wall and suction side wall. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The fan of claim 11 wherein: the fiber composite surrounds a hollow interior containing brackets mounted to an interior surface along the pressure side wall and suction side wall and straddling respective said apertures in said junction between the pressure side wall and suction side wall. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A method for manufacturing the inter-blade platform of claim 1, the method comprising resin transfer molding wherein: fiber is wrapped around a mandrel; the core is assembled to the fiber-wrapped mandrel; further fiber is wrapped around the assembly; the fiber-wrapped assembly is placed in a mold; resin is injected into the mold; and the resin-injected assembly is released from the mold. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The inter-blade platform of claim 1 wherein: the core comprises a honeycomb or a foam; and the core extends for at least 50% of a length and circumferential span of the body section. ### Claim 15 (canceled) ### Claim 16 (canceled) ### Claim 17 An inter-blade platform comprising: a body section including a fiber composite having: a forward end and an aft end; an outer diameter wall; a suction side wall; and a pressure side wall, wherein the outer diameter wall comprises: means sandwiched between layers of the outer diameter wall for resisting outward bowing under centrifugal load, the means comprising a core fully encapsulated by the fiber composite; and wherein: the means comprising a core fully encapsulated by the fiber composite such that at fore, aft, pressure side, and suction side edge sections of the core one or more outer fiber layers of said layers and one or more inner fiber layers of said transition a laminate structure from a sandwich structure including the core to a laminate without the core. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The inter-blade platform of claim 17 wherein: the means comprises a honeycomb or foam. ### Claim 19 (canceled) ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The inter-blade platform of claim 17 wherein: the fiber composite surrounds a hollow interior containing brackets mounted to an interior surface along the pressure side wall and suction side wall and straddling respective apertures in a junction between the pressure side wall and suction side wall. ### Claim 21 An inter-blade platform for a gas turbine engine fan, the platform comprising: a body section including a fiber composite having: a forward end and an aft end; an outer diameter wall; a suction side wall; and a pressure side wall, wherein the body section further comprises: a core within the outer diameter wall between one or more outer fiber layers of the outer diameter wall and one or more inner fiber layers of the outer diameter wall, wherein the pressure side wall and the suction side wall do not have a core; and wherein the fiber composite surrounds a hollow interior containing brackets mounted to an interior surface along the pressure side wall and suction side wall and straddling respective apertures in a junction between the pressure side wall and suction side wall. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The inter-blade platform of claim 21 wherein: the core comprises a honeycomb or a foam. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The inter-blade platform of claim 21 wherein: the core is along at least 50% of an area of the outer diameter wall.