Aerodynamic interface component for fan blade

A fan blade interface component, comprising:

• (a) a sleeve portion configured to receive a fan blade end, wherein the fan blade end has an outer surface and an edge, wherein the sleeve portion is configured to extend along a portion of the length of the outer surface of the fan blade end;
• (b) a hub engaging portion, wherein the hub engaging portion is configured to substantially continuously engage a fan hub outer face and to substantially close a gap defined between the edge of the first end of the fan blade and the outer face of the hub;
• and
• (c) at least one resilient member, wherein the at least one resilient member is configured to resiliently bear against the edge of the fan blade end to resiliently bias the hub engaging portion against the outer face of the hub.

A method of fitting an interface component to a fan, wherein the fan comprises a hub and a plurality of fan blades, wherein the hub is configured to rotate, wherein the hub comprises a plurality of radially extending fan blade mounting members and an outer surface adjacent to the radially extending fan blade mounting members, wherein each of the fan blades has a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of each fan blade has an outer edge, wherein the first end of each fan blade is configured to engage a corresponding fan blade mounting member of the plurality of fan blade mounting members while defining a gap between the outer edge of the fan blade and the hub, wherein the interface component comprises a sleeve configured to receive the first end of a corresponding fan blade of the plurality of fan blades, wherein each interface component defines an opening configured to receive a corresponding fan blade mounting member of the plurality of fan blade mounting members, the method comprising:

• (a) positioning each interface component of the plurality of interface components about a corresponding fan blade mounting member of the plurality of fan blade mounting members, wherein the act of positioning comprises passing each fan blade mounting member through the opening defined by each corresponding interface component;
• (b) positioning each interface component of the plurality of interface components to engage the outer surface of the hub;
• (c) inserting the first end of each fan blade into the sleeve of a corresponding interface component of the plurality of interface components, such that the outer edge of the fan blade is enclosed within the sleeve and such that the sleeve substantially closes a gap defined between the outer edge of the first end of the fan blade and the outer surface of the hub;
• and
• (d) securing each fan blade relative to a corresponding fan blade mounting member of the plurality of fan blade mounting members, wherein the gap remains defined between the outer edge of the first end of the fan blade and the outer surface of the hub during the act of securing each fan blade relative to the corresponding fan blade mounting member, wherein the sleeve of each interface component continues to substantially close the gap during the act of securing each fan blade relative to the corresponding fan blade mounting member.