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US 7,922,456 B2Granted
Lightweight components
AssigneeROLLS-ROYCE plc
InventorAlison J. McMillan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A lightweight component in the form of an outlet guide vane for a gas turbine engine and a method of manufacturing such lightweight components are provided. The vane is filled with hollow metal ellipsoid members in a solid metal outer member. The arrangement of hollow metal ellipsoid members allows directionally tailored stiffness or strength.
Claims16
A fan blade aerofoil for a gas turbine engine, comprising:
- a hollow outer portion defining a space;
- a plurality of hollow members filling the space, the plurality of hollow members being spheroids or ellipsoids and each having a major axis being a longest axis of the hollow member,
- wherein the space narrows at least one of an end and a tip of the space;
- and
- the major axes of more than half of the hollow members are turned to pack more efficiently into the at least one of the end and the tip of the space than spheres of equivalent volume.
2 more elements
A method of manufacturing a fan blade aerofoil for a gas turbine engine, comprising:
- forming a hollow outer portion having a space that narrows at least one of an end and a tip of the space;
- placing a plurality of hollow members in the hollow outer portion, the plurality of hollow members being spheroids or ellipsoids and each having a major axis being a longest axis of the hollow member;
- and
- sintering the plurality members in the hollow outer portion to form the aerofoil;
- and
- the major axes of more than one half of the hollow members are turned to pack more efficiently into the at least one of the end and the tip of the space than spheres of equivalent volume.
3 more elements
A method of manufacturing a sector panel component for a gas turbine engine, comprising:
- providing a sector panel-shaped mould having an opening;
- orienting the mould such that the opening faces up;
- allowing a plurality of hollow members to fall by gravity into the sector panel-shaped mould opening, the hollow members being spheroids or ellipsoids and each having a major axis being a longest axis of the hollow member, the plurality of hollow members tending to roll under gravity to bring centres of mass of the plurality of hollow members to a lowest possible position, and
- sintering the hollow members in the mould to form the component,
- wherein the major axes of more than one half of the hollow members are aligned with and substantially parallel to the radial direction of a containment casing around which the sector panel component is arranged.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.