# US 9,435,209 B2 · Turbomachine blade reinforcement > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,435,209 B2 - Document ID: US9435209B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/660,989 - Filed: 2012-10-25 - Published: 2014-05-01 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2012-10-25 - Assignees: General Electric Company - Applicants: General Electric Company - Inventors: Andres Jose Garcia Crespo - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9435209B2 ## CPC - F01D 5/147: {Construction, i.e. structural features, e.g. of weight-saving hollow blades (F01D5/148, F01D5/16 and F01D5/20 take precedence; blade shape F01D5/141; blades with cooling or heating channels or cavities F01D5/18; heating, heat-insulating or cooling means on blades F01D5/18)} - F01D 5/282: {Selecting composite materials, e.g. blades with reinforcing filaments} - F01D 5/284: {Selection of ceramic materials} - F05D 2260/941: particularly aimed at mechanical or thermal stress reduction - F05D 2300/6033: Ceramic matrix composites [CMC] - F05D 2300/702: Reinforcement - Y02E 20/16: Combined cycle power plant [CCPP], or combined cycle gas turbine [CCGT] - Y02T 50/60: Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft - Y10T 29/49337: Composite blade - F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D) - F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract Embodiments of the present disclosure include a system having a turbomachine blade segment including a blade and a mounting segment coupled to the blade, wherein the mounting segment has a plurality of reinforcement pins laterally extending at least partially through a neck of the mounting segment. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system, comprising: a turbomachine blade segment, comprising: a blade; and a mounting segment coupled to the blade, wherein the mounting segment has a plurality of reinforcement pins laterally extending at least partially through a neck of the mounting segment, wherein the neck of the mounting segment comprises a portion of the mounting segment that has a smallest thickness of the mounting segment, wherein the smallest thickness extends from a pressure side of the blade to a suction side of the mounting segment, wherein at least one of the plurality of pins extends laterally through the smallest thickness of the mounting segment, and wherein none of the plurality of reinforcement pins extends through an outer surface of the mounting segment. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the turbomachine blade segment is formed from a plurality of laminated layers. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of laminated layers comprises a composite material, wherein the composite material comprises a first plurality of ceramic fibers distributed throughout a ceramic matrix material, and wherein each of the first plurality of ceramic fibers extends along a length of the respective laminated layer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein the plurality of reinforcement pins comprises a second plurality of ceramic fibers. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of reinforcement pins extends through two or more of the plurality of laminated layers. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of reinforcement pins has a staggered arrangement. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein each of the plurality of reinforcement pins at least partially overlaps with adjacent reinforcement pins. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, comprising a turbomachine having a rotor, wherein the turbomachine blade segment is coupled to the rotor via the mounting segment. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the turbomachine comprises a turbine. ### Claim 10 A system, comprising: a turbomachine blade mounting segment, comprising: a plurality of layers laminated to one another to form a first portion of a dovetail joint; and a plurality of reinforcement pins, wherein each of the plurality of reinforcement pins extends crosswise through at least two of the plurality of layers within a shank region of the turbomachine blade mounting segment, wherein the shank region of the turbomachine blade mounting segment comprises a portion of the turbomachine blade mounting segment having a smallest thickness extending between a suction side and a pressure side of the turbomachine blade mounting segment, at least one of the plurality of reinforcement pins extends crosswise through the smallest thickness, and none of the plurality of reinforcement pins extends through an outer layer of the plurality of layers. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of layers comprises a plurality of ceramic fibers embedded within a ceramic matrix material, and each of the plurality of ceramic fibers extends along a length of the respective layer. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of reinforcement pins comprises a ceramic fiber. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the plurality of reinforcement pins are staggered, overlapping, crisscrossing, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, comprising a turbomachine having a rotor with a second dovetail portion of the dovetail joint, and the turbomachine blade mounting segment is coupled to the rotor with the first and second dovetail portions mated together to define a dovetail joint. ### Claim 15 A method, comprising: laminating a plurality of layers to form a turbomachine blade mounting segment of a turbomachine blade, wherein each of the plurality of layers comprises a plurality of ceramic fibers distributed within a ceramic matrix material; and disposing a plurality of reinforcement pins within a neck region of the turbomachine blade mounting segment, wherein the neck region comprises a region of the turbomachine blade mounting segment having a smallest thickness extending from a pressure side to a suction side of the turbomachine blade mounting segment, each of the plurality of reinforcement pins extends crosswise through at least two of the plurality of layers, at least one of the plurality of reinforcement pins extends through the smallest thickness, and none of the plurality of reinforcement pins extends through outer layers of the plurality of layers. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, comprising arranging the plurality of reinforcement pins in a staggered pattern, an overlapping pattern, a crisscrossing pattern, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein each of the plurality of reinforcement pins comprises a ceramic fiber.