Structures for attaching or sealing a space between components having different coefficients or rates of thermal expansion
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsGregory Scot Corman, Anthony John Dean, Leonardo Tognarelli, Mario Pecchioli
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A structure for attaching together or sealing a space between a first component and a second component that have different rates or amounts of dimensional change upon being exposed to temperatures other than ambient temperature. The structure comprises a first attachment structure associated with the first component that slidably engages a second attachment structure associated with the second component, thereby allowing for an independent floating movement of the second component relative to the first component. The structure can comprise split rings, laminar rings, or multiple split rings.
Claims18
A structure for attaching together or sealing a space between a first component and a second component that have different rates or amounts of dimensional change upon being exposed to temperatures other than ambient temperature, said structure comprising a plurality of support members fixedly disposed between said first component and said second component, each of said support member defining a cavity and accepting therein at least a first attachment structure that slidably engages a mating second attachment structure provided on said second component such that said second component is capable of floating in an independent movement relative to said first component in at least one of radial and axial direction, said structure further substantially preventing a communication between a medium present in a space between said first component and said second component from and another medium present in a space defined by said second component.
A structure for attaching together or sealing a space between a first component and a second component that have different rates or amounts of dimensional change upon being exposed to temperatures other than ambient temperature, said structure comprising:
- (a) a plurality of support members fixedly disposed between said first component and said second component, each of said support member defining a cavity and comprising at least a first ring and at least two mating second rings, said at least first ring and said at least two second rings being selected from the group consisting of split rings, laminar rings, and multiple split rings attached together, said first rings being disposed in said cavity of said support member around said second component, said at least two second rings being spaced apart slidably to engage said at least first ring therebetween such that at least a portion of a surface of said at least two second rings always overlaps at least a portion of a surface of said at least a first ring;
- and
- (b) a plurality of protuberances formed on a surface of said first component and a plurality of corresponding depressions formed into an surface of said second component opposite said surface of said first component, each of said protuberances slidably engaging one of said cavities;
- wherein said rings and a combination of said protuberances and said depressions allow for an independent floating movement of said second component relative to said first component in at least one of radial and axial direction, and said structure further substantially prevents a communication between a medium present in a space between said first component and said second component and another medium present in a space defined by said second component.
A method for attaching together a first component and a second component that have different rates or amounts of dimensional change upon being exposed to temperatures other than ambient temperature and for substantially preventing a communication between a medium present in a space between said first component and said second component and a medium present in a space defined by said second component, said method comprising:
- (1) providing said first component and said second component that have a longitudinal or axial direction and a radial direction, generally have different radial dimensions, and are spaced apart from one another such that their longitudinal axes substantially coincide at room temperature;
- (2) providing a plurality of support members disposed between said first component and said second component for slidably attaching said first component to said second component such that said second component is capable of floating in an independent movement relative to said first component in at least one of radial and axial direction, each support member defining a cavity and accepting a first attachment structure therein;
- (3) providing a mating second attachment structure on the second component;
- and (4) slidably engaging said first attachment structure with said mating second attachment structure to attach said first component to said second component.
A turbine engine comprising a first component, a second component that is disposed within a space defined by said first component, and a structure for attaching together or sealing a space between said first component and said second component that have different rates or amounts of dimensional change upon being exposed to temperatures other than ambient temperature, said structure comprising a plurality of support members fixedly disposed between said first component and said second component, each of said support member defining a cavity and accepting therein at least a first attachment structure that slidably engages a mating second attachment structure provided on said second component such that said second component is capable of floating in an independent movement relative to said first component in at least one of radial and axial direction, said structure further substantially preventing a communication between a medium present in a space between said first component and said second component from and another medium present in a space defined by said second component.
A turbine engine comprising a first component, a second component that is disposed within a space defined by said first component, and a structure for attaching together or sealing a space between said first component and said second component that have different rates or amounts of dimensional change upon being exposed to temperatures other than ambient temperature, said structure comprising:
- (c) a plurality of support members fixedly disposed between said first component and said second component, each of said support member defining a cavity and comprising at least a first ring and at least two mating second rings, said at least first ring and said at least two second rings being selected from the group consisting of split rings, laminar rings, and multiple split rings attached together, said first rings being disposed in said cavity of said support member around said second component, said at least two second rings being spaced apart slidably to engage said at least first ring therebetween such that at least a portion of a surface of said at least two second rings always overlaps at least a portion of a surface of said at least a first ring;
- and
- (d) a plurality of protuberances formed on a surface of said first component and a plurality of corresponding depressions formed into an surface of said second component opposite said surface of said first component, each of said protuberances slidably engaging one of said cavities;
- wherein said rings and a combination of said protuberances and said depressions allow for an independent floating movement of said second component relative to said first component in at least one of radial and axial direction, and said structure further substantially prevents a communication between a medium present in a space between said first component and said second component and another space defined by said second component.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.