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US 6,910,854 B2Granted
Leak resistant vane cluster
AssigneeUnited Technologies Corporation
InventorFrederick R. Joslin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A vane cluster for a turbine engine compressor or turbine includes a shroud 12 with a nonlinear slot 26 extending therethrough to divide the shroud into thermally independent shroud segments 24. The slot is bordered by matching nonlinear surfaces 28 that are easy and inexpensive to produce with conventional wire EDM equipment. The nonlinear profile of the slots effectively resists fluid leakage.
Claims13
A vane cluster, comprising:
- an outer shroud;
- a radially inner shroud;
- at least two airfoils extending between the shrouds;
- one and only one of the shrouds having a slot residing between neighboring airfoils end extending nonlinearly from a radially inner surface of the shroud to a radially outer surface of the shroud to define shroud segments, the slot having a generally constant width.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.