Composite spinner and method of making the same
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsChen-Yu J. Chou, Gerald A. Pauley, Yiping Xu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Increased impact resistance capability is achieved in a cost and weight efficient manner by providing a spinner made of a 3-D orthogonal woven composite material. The spinner defines a generally conical shell having a plurality of axial rib stiffeners and at least one circumferential rib stiffener integrally formed thereon. The combination of the integral rib stiffeners with the 3-D orthogonal woven composite material results in a substantially greater torsional stiffness. The use of the 3-D orthogonal woven composite material also eliminates delamination found in laminated composite spinners.
Claims17
A spinner made of a three dimensional orthogonal woven composite material, said spinner comprising a three dimensional preform of woven continuous fiber tows having a generally conical shape with a plurality of axial ridges and at least one circumferential ridge interwoven therein, said spinner defining a generally conical shell having a plurality of axial rib stiffeners corresponding to said axial ridges and at least one circumferential rib stiffener corresponding to said circumferential ridge formed thereon.
A spinner comprising:
- an outer wall defining a generally conical shell having a nose and a trailing edge and defining a concave inner surface;
- a plurality of axial rib stiffeners integrally formed with said outer wall;
- and
- at least one circumferential rib stiffener integrally formed with said outer wall, wherein said outer wall, said axial rib stiffeners and said circumferential rib stiffener are all made of a three dimensional orthogonal woven composite material, and wherein said composite material includes a plurality of continuous fiber tows woven into a preform including a plurality of axial ridges corresponding to said axial rib stiffeners and at least one circumferential rib stiffener corresponding to said circumferential rib stiffener.
A method of making a spinner comprising the steps of:
- weaving continuous fiber tows into a three dimensional preform having a generally conical shape with a plurality of axial ridges and at least one circumferential ridge interwoven therein;
- placing said preform into a mold;
- injecting resin into said mold so as to fully impregnate said preform;
- and
- curing said fully impregnated preform.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.