Deep rolling tool for blade fatigue life enhancement
AssigneeUnited Technologies Corporation
InventorsJustin R. Hawkes, Eric Gray, Raja Kountanya, Gary Paul Zadrozny, Joe J. Liou
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device and methods are provided for deep rolling. In one embodiment, a deep rolling tool for applying compressive stress with rolling elements includes a fork having a base section and a plurality of fork arms, each fork arm extends outwardly from the base section and the fork arms are separated from one another to form an opening. The deep rolling tool may also include rolling elements, wherein each rolling element is mounted at the distal end of a fork arm, and the rolling elements are configured to apply a compressive stress to articles received by the deep rolling tool.
Claims16
A deep rolling tool for applying compressive stress, the deep rolling tool comprising:
- a flexible first fork arm and a flexible second fork arm each extending outwardly from a base section, wherein the flexible first fork arm and the flexible second fork arm are separated from one another to form an opening;
- a first rolling element rotatably secured to a distal end of the flexible first fork arm;
- a second rolling element rotatably secured to a distal end of the flexible second fork arm;
- wherein the flexible first fork arm and the flexible second fork arm are configured to locate the first rolling element and the second rolling element in a facing spaced relationship with respect to each other and wherein the flexible first fork arm and wherein the flexible second fork arm extend outwardly from the base section without a pivot such that movement of the distal end of the flexible first fork arm with respect to the distal end of the flexible second fork arm is dependent upon a flexural stiffness of the flexible first fork arm and a flexural stiffness of the flexible second fork arm;
- and
- wherein the first rolling element and the second rolling element are configured to apply a compressive stress to an article received in the opening.
A deep rolling tool for applying compressive stress with rolling elements, the deep rolling tool comprising:
- a flexible first fork arm and a flexible second fork arm each extending outwardly from a base section wherein the flexible first fork arm and the flexible second fork arm are separated from one another to form an opening;
- a first crowned rolling element rotatably secured to a distal end of the flexible first fork arm;
- a second crowned rolling element rotatably secured to a distal end of the flexible second fork arm;
- wherein the flexible first fork arm and the flexible second fork arm are configured to locate the first crowned rolling element and the second crowned rolling element in a facing spaced relationship with respect to each other and wherein the flexible first fork arm and the flexible second fork arm extend outwardly from the base section without a pivot such that movement of the distal end of the flexible first fork arm with respect to the distal end of the flexible second fork arm is dependent upon a flexural stiffness of the flexible first fork arm and a flexural stiffness of the flexible second fork arm;
- and
- wherein the first crowned rolling element and the second crown rolling element are configured to apply a compressive stress to an article located between the first crowned rolling element and the second crowned rolling element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.