Deep rolling tool for blade fatigue life enhancement
AssigneeUnited Technologies Corporation
InventorsJustin R. Hawkes, Eric D. Gray, Raja Kountanya, Gary Paul Zadrozny, Joe J. Liou
Life of this patent
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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.
Claims20
A deep rolling tool for applying compressive stress, the deep rolling tool comprising:
- a first fork arm and a second fork arm each integrally formed with and extending outwardly from a base section, wherein the first fork arm and the second fork arm are separated from one another to form an opening;
- a first rolling element rotatably secured to a distal end of the first fork arm;
- a second rolling element rotatably secured to a distal end of the second fork arm;
- wherein the first fork arm and the 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 first rolling element and the second rolling element apply a compressive stress to an article received in the opening, wherein the first rolling element and the second rolling element each have a crowned roller, the crowned roller having a minor radius for contacting the article received by the rolling tool, and a major diameter adapted to provide a load capacity, and wherein the applied compressive stress of the first rolling element and the second rolling element is dependent upon a flexural stiffness of the first fork arm and the second fork arm.
A deep rolling tool for applying compressive stress with rolling elements, the deep rolling tool comprising:
- a first fork arm and a second fork arm each integrally formed with and extending outwardly from a base section wherein the first fork arm and the 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 first fork arm;
- a second crowned rolling element rotatably secured to a distal end of the second fork arm;
- wherein the first fork arm and the second fork arm 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 first fork arm and the second fork arm extend outwardly from the base section;
- and
- wherein the first crowned rolling element and the second crown rolling element apply a compressive stress to an article located between the first crowned rolling element and the second crowned rolling element, wherein the applied compressive stress is dependent upon a flexural stiffness of the first fork arm and the second fork arm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.