High temperature airfoil
AssigneeAllison Advanced Development Company
InventorsJeffrey F. Rhodes, Jon D. Harvey
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A high temperature repairable airfoil having a plurality of flow path cover tiles coupled to a single crystal spar member. In one embodiment, the plurality of flow path cover tiles include an attachment portion that is received within a groove formed in the outer surface of the spar. The attachment portion slides into a retaining feature within the groove so as to limit movement of the plurality of flow path cover tiles. Upon rotation of the airfoil, the plurality of flow path cover tiles become centrifugally loaded with a portion of the spar member. In one embodiment, the plurality of flow path cover tiles are formed of a material selected from the group consisting of ceramics, intermetallic, and thermal barrier coated single crystal alloy material.
Claims48
A combination, comprising:
- an airfoil shaped device having an outer surface;
- a structural member disposed within said device, said structural member has one of a groove formed therein and an attachment member extending therefrom;
- and
- a cover member defining at least a portion of said outer surface, said cover member has the other of said groove formed therein and said attachment member extending therefrom, said attachment member extends into said groove to couple said structural member and said cover member and allows relative sliding motion therebetween so as to bias said cover member against said structural member during rotation.
A method for coupling a flow path cover tile with a spar, comprising;
- providing a first member having a plurality of spaced mechanical attachment members extending therefrom and a second member having a groove with a plurality of receiving portions and a plurality of restraining portions, wherein the first member is one of the flow path cover tile and the spar and the second member is the other of the flow path cover tile and the spar;
- positioning the plurality of mechanical attachment members within the plurality of receiving portions;
- moving the first member and second member relative to one another so that the plurality of spaced mechanical attachment members are positioned within the plurality of restraining portions;
- and
- supporting one of the first member and the second member in a first location during a static state.
A gas turbine engine blade, comprising:
- an airfoil shaped device having an outer surface;
- a structural member disposed within said device;
- a cover member defining a portion of said outer surface, one of said cover member and said structural member has a mechanical attachment portion and the other of said cover member and said structural member has a receiving portion, said mechanical attachment portion has a plurality of spaced upstanding mechanical retainers extending therefrom;
- and
- said receiving portion defines a groove with a first portion having a width at least as wide as said mechanical retainers and a second portion with a width less than the width of said mechanical retainers, wherein said plurality of spaced mechanical retainers are positionable within said second portion to couple said cover member to said structural member.
A gas turbine engine blade, comprising:
- an airfoil shaped device having an outer surface;
- a structural member disposed within said device;
- a plurality of flow path cover tiles defining a portion of said outer surface;
- and
- plug and slide means for coupling each of said plurality of flow path cover tiles with said structural member.
An apparatus, comprising:
- a rotatable member;
- a plurality of gas turbine engine blades coupled to said rotatable member;
- each of said plurality of gas turbine engine blades comprising:
- a structural member, said structural member has one of a groove formed therein and an attachment member extending therefrom;
- and
- a cover member defining a portion of an outer surface of said gas turbine engine blade, said cover member has the other of said groove formed therein and said attachment member extending therefrom, said attachment member extends into said groove to couple said structure member and said cover member and allow relative sliding motion therebetween in a first state, and said cover member is biased against said structural member in a second state.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.