Composite fan platform
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsJohn A. Ravenhall, Brian M. Davis, Thomas C. Mesing
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A platform for a turbofan gas turbine engine that does not limit the rotation capability of adjacent fan blades in the event one of the fan blades is impacted by a foreign object. The platform includes a structural body portion and an integrally formed flowpath surface portion. The structural body portion has a contour that matches that of the adjacent fan blades. The flowpath surface portion defines a pair of wings that extend laterally beyond the structural body portion. The wings are frangible so as to break off if an adjacent fan blade rotates in response to an ingestion event. The platform is made from a composite material using a resin transfer molding process.
Claims13
A platform for use between adjacent fan blades joined to a rotor disk to provide an inner flowpath boundary, said platform comprising:
- a structural body portion comprising a hollow body having a first side wall, a second side wall, a radially inner surface extending between said first and second side walls, and open ends, said structural body portion having a contour that matches that of said adjacent fan blades;
- and
- a flowpath surface portion joined to said structural body portion, said flowpath surface portion defining a pair of frangible wings that extend laterally beyond said structural body portion.
A platform for use between adjacent fan blades joined to a rotor disk to provide an inner flowpath boundary, said platform comprising an integral member made of a composite material and including:
- a structural body portion comprising a hollow body having a first side wall, a second side wall, a radially inner surface extending between said first and second side walls, and open ends, said structural body portion having a contour that matches that of said adjacent fan blades;
- and
- a flowpath surface portion integrally formed on said structural body portion to define a substantially T-shaped configuration, said flowpath surface portion defining a pair of frangible wings that extend laterally beyond said structural body portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.