Structural case for aircraft gas turbine engine
AssigneePratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
InventorsDavid Denis, Andreas Eleftheriou, David Harold Menheere
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The structural case has an annular body having a central axis and including a plurality of boss sections circumferentially interspaced from one another around the axis by a plurality of arcuate panel sections, each panel section having: two parallel arcuate structural flange members being axially interspaced from one another; a sheet metal wall extending between and interconnecting the two flange members; and at least one rib having an edge welded to the sheet-metal wall.
Claims18
A structural case for an aircraft gas turbine engine, said structural case comprising:
- an annular body having a central axis and including a plurality of boss sections circumferentially interspaced from one another around the axis and a plurality of arcuate panel sections also circumferentially interspaced from one another around the axis, the arcuate panel sections being interspersed with the boss sections around the axis with each boss section being affixed between two corresponding panel sections, the annular body having a continuous, smooth annular radial face forming a portion of a wall of a fluid path of the gas turbine engine, each panel section having:
- two parallel arcuate structural flange members being axially interspaced from one another;
- a sheet metal wall extending between and interconnecting the two flange members, the sheet metal wall being butt welded to the two flange members and having a face forming a portion of the smooth annular radial face of the annular body;
- at least one rib, the flange members and the at least one rib projecting radially from the sheet metal wall in a same radial direction, opposite the smooth annular radial face of the annular body;
- and
- a weld joining an edge of the at least one rib to a face of the sheet-metal wall opposite the smooth annular radial face of the annular body.
An aircraft gas turbine engine comprising:
- a structural case having:
- an annular body having a central axis and including a plurality of boss sections circumferentially interspaced from one another around the axis and a plurality of arcuate panel sections also circumferentially interspaced from one another around the axis, the arcuate panel sections being interspersed with the boss sections around the axis with each boss section being affixed between two corresponding panel sections, the annular body having a continuous, smooth annular radial face forming a portion of a wall of fluid path of the gas turbine engine, each panel section having:
- two parallel arcuate structural flange members being axially interspaced from one another;
- a sheet metal wall extending between and interconnecting the two flange members, the sheet metal wall being butt welded to the two flange members and having a face forming a portion of the smooth annular radial face of the annular body;
- at least one rib, the flange members and the at least one rib projecting radially from the sheet metal wall in a same radial direction, opposite the smooth annular radial face of the annular body;
- and
- a weld joining an edge of the at least one rib to a face of the sheet-metal wall opposite the smooth annular radial face of the annular body;
- and
- an engine core mounted to the structural case via a front internal mounting structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.