# US 9,752,446 B2 · Support buttress > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,752,446 B2 - Document ID: US9752446B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/593,886 - Filed: 2015-01-09 - Published: 2016-07-14 - Granted: 2017-09-05 - Earliest claimed: 2015-01-09 - Assignees: United Technologies Corporation - Applicants: United Technologies Corporation - Inventors: Mark A. Boeke; Richard M. Salzillo, Jr.; Jeffrey J. Degray - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9752446B2 ## CPC - F01D 9/023: {Transition ducts between combustor cans and first stage of the turbine in gas-turbine engines; their cooling or sealings} - F01D 9/04: forming ring or sector - F01D 9/06: Fluid supply conduits to nozzles or the like - F01D 25/28: Supporting or mounting arrangements, e.g. for turbine casing - F05D 2240/81: Cooled platforms - Y02T 50/60: Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft - 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 - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract An airfoil of a turbine engine may have internal passages to permit the travel of cooling air through the airfoil. Multiple airfoils may be formed together in a stator vane assembly, and cooling air may be directed through the stator vane assembly. The stator vane assembly may be mounted to an engine structure to carry structural loads experienced by the stator vane assembly. Buttresses may be formed in the stator vane assembly, such as beneath each airfoil of the stator vane assembly, and extending into a passage permitting the travel of cooling air through the airfoil. The buttresses may enhance the strength and stability of the stator vane assembly by facilitating the transmission of structural loads to an engine structure. A channel may be defined through one or more buttress to enable the passage of cooling air into the airfoils, and yet allow the buttresses to carry structural loads. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vane assembly comprising: a first stator vane defining an inner fluid channel disposed radially inward of the first stator vane; a chordal seal comprising an annular flange extending radially inward of the first stator vane, wherein the chordal seal forms a wall of the inner fluid channel; and a first stator vane buttress comprising a boss disposed radially inward of the first stator vane and extending radially into the inner fluid channel, the first stator vane buttress defining a first stator vane cooling channel extending radially through the first stator vane buttress and into the first stator vane and in fluidic communication with the inner fluid channel, wherein the first stator vane buttress axially protrudes from and is axially adjacent to the chordal seal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vane assembly according to claim 1, further comprising: a second stator vane further defining the inner fluid channel disposed radially inward of the second stator vane; a second stator vane buttress comprising a boss disposed radially inward of the second stator vane and extending radially into the inner fluid channel; and a cross vane cooling transfer channel defined through the vane assembly, defining a channel radially inward of the first stator vane and the second stator vane and radially outward of the inner fluid channel and in fluidic communication with the first stator vane cooling channel, the second stator vane defining a second stator vane cooling channel extending radially through the second stator vane and in fluidic communication with the cross vane cooling transfer channel. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The vane assembly according to claim 2, further comprising: a seal weld disposed in the second stator vane cooling channel, whereby the second stator vane cooling channel is isolated from the inner fluid channel. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The vane assembly according to claim 2, further comprising: a seal weld, wherein the second stator vane buttress further defines the second stator vane cooling channel through the second stator vane buttress, wherein the seal weld occupies a portion of the second stator vane cooling channel and seals the second stator vane cooling channel from fluidic communication with the inner fluid channel. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The vane assembly of claim 4, further comprising an upper attachment rail comprising a flange disposed at a radially outermost end of the first stator vane and the second stator vane and connecting the first stator vane and the second stator vane together. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The vane assembly of claim 4, further comprising a lower attachment rail comprising a flange disposed at a radially innermost end of the first stator vane and the second stator vane and connecting the first stator vane and the second stator vane together. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The vane assembly of claim 4, further comprising: an upper attachment rail comprising a flange disposed at a radially outermost end of the first stator vane and the second stator vane and connecting the first stator vane and the second stator vane together; and a lower attachment rail comprising a flange disposed at a radially innermost end of the first stator vane and the second stator vane and connecting the first stator vane and the second stator vane together. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The vane assembly of claim 1, wherein the first vane buttress is unitary with the chordal seal. ### Claim 9 A vane set comprising: a plurality of vane assemblies arranged in an annulus; the vane assemblies each comprising: a first stator vane defining an inner fluid channel disposed radially inward of the first stator vane; a first stator vane buttress comprising a boss disposed radially inward of the first stator vane and extending radially into the inner fluid channel, the first stator vane buttress defining a first stator vane cooling channel extending radially through the first stator vane buttress and into the first stator vane and in fluidic communication with the inner fluid channel; a seal weld, wherein a second stator vane buttress further defines a second stator vane cooling channel through the second stator vane buttress, wherein the seal weld occupies a portion of the second stator vane cooling channel and seals the second stator vane cooling channel from fluidic communication with the inner fluid channel. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The vane set according to claim 9, the vane assemblies each further comprising: an upper attachment rail comprising a flange disposed at a radially outermost end of the first stator vane and a second stator vane and connecting the first stator vane and the second stator vane together. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The vane set according to claim 9, the vane assemblies each further comprising: a lower attachment rail comprising a flange disposed at a radially innermost end of the first stator vane and a second stator vane and connecting the first stator vane and the second stator vane together. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The vane set according to claim 9, the vane assemblies each further comprising: an upper attachment rail comprising a flange disposed at a radially outermost end of the first stator vane and a second stator vane and connecting the first stator vane and the second stator vane together; and a lower attachment rail comprising a flange disposed at a radially innermost end of the first stator vane and the second stator vane and connecting the first stator vane and the second stator vane together. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The vane set according to claim 9, the vane assemblies each further comprising: a chordal seal comprising an annular flange extending radially inward of the first stator vane buttress and the second stator vane buttress and disposed at an axially aftmost end of the vane assembly. ### Claim 14 A method of manufacturing a vane assembly comprising: forming a first stator vane having a body comprising a chordal seal, the body defining an inner fluid channel disposed radially inward of the first stator vane; forming a first stator vane buttress comprising a boss disposed radially inward of the first stator vane and extending radially into the inner fluid channel, wherein the first stator vane buttress axially protrudes from and is axially adjacent to the chordal seal; and forming a first stator vane cooling channel defined through the first stator vane buttress and into the first stator vane and in fluidic communication with the inner fluid channel. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of manufacturing according to claim 14, further comprising: forming a second stator vane further defining the inner fluid channel disposed radially inward of the second stator vane; forming a second stator vane buttress comprising a boss disposed radially inward of the second stator vane and extending radially into the inner fluid channel; forming a cross vane cooling transfer channel defined through the vane assembly, defining a channel radially inward of the first stator vane and the second stator vane and radially outward of the inner fluid channel and in fluidic communication with the first stator vane cooling channel; and forming a second stator vane cooling channel defined radially through the second stator vane and in fluidic communication with the cross vane cooling transfer channel. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of manufacturing according to claim 15, further comprising: forming a seal weld disposed in the second stator vane cooling channel, whereby the second stator vane cooling channel is isolated from the inner fluid channel. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method of manufacturing according to claim 14, further comprising: forming a second stator vane further defining the inner fluid channel disposed radially inward of the second stator vane; forming a second stator vane buttress comprising a boss disposed radially inward of the second stator vane and extending radially into the inner fluid channel; forming a second stator vane cooling channel through the second stator vane buttress wherein a seal weld occupies a portion of the second stator vane cooling channel and seals the second stator vane cooling channel from fluidic communication with the inner fluid channel. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of manufacturing according to claim 17, further comprising: forming an upper attachment rail comprising a flange disposed at a radially outermost end of the first stator vane and a second stator vane and connecting the first stator vane and the second stator vane together; and forming a lower attachment rail comprising a flange disposed at a radially innermost end of the first stator vane and the second stator vane and connecting the first stator vane and the second stator vane together.