Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080253922 | Method for roughening metal surfaces and article manufactured thereby - A method for surface roughening a metal work piece includes disposing the work piece proximate to a counter electrode. The work piece and the counter electrode are disposed in an electrolyte. An electric potential with current flow is applied between the work piece and the counter electrode to roughen the metal surface to a desired roughness. | 10-16-2008 |
20100028594 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MANUFACTURING A BLADE - A method of manufacturing a blade is provided. The method includes providing a plurality of first plies, each of the first plies sized to extend substantially the length of a span of the blade and providing a plurality of second plies, each of the second plies sized to extend only partially the length of the span of the blade. The method also includes layering the plurality of first plies and the plurality of second plies in a mold such that the plurality of second plies is interspersed throughout the plurality of first plies to spread apart the plurality of first plies to facilitate increasing a cross-sectional area of the blade and bonding the plurality of first plies to the plurality of second plies to facilitate forming a structural core of the blade. | 02-04-2010 |
20100329863 | METHOD FOR REDUCING TIP RUB LOADING - A method for reducing tip rub loads in a rotor blade is described having the steps of selecting a location of contact between the rotor blade and a static structure; selecting a location on the blade for incorporating a tip-cutter; selecting a cutter-profile for the tip-cutter; and incorporating the tip-cutter on the selected location on the blade such that tip-cutter is capable of removing a portion of the static structure during a tip rub such that tip rub loads are facilitated to be reduced. | 12-30-2010 |
20100329875 | ROTOR BLADE WITH REDUCED RUB LOADING - An airfoil for use in a rotor assembly is disclosed, the airfoil having a tip-cutter located on a sidewall near a tip portion, wherein the tip-cutter is capable of removing a portion of an abradable material during a tip rub. In another embodiment, an airfoil has a tip-grinder located on the tip portion, wherein the tip-grinder capable of removing a portion of an abradable material during a tip rub. In another embodiment, an airfoil has a tip-rake that facilitates reducing loading induced to said airfoil during tip rubs. | 12-30-2010 |
20130052012 | METALLIC FAN BLADE PLATFORM - A platform is provided for use between adjacent fan blades joined to a rotor disk to provide an inner flowpath boundary. The platform includes: a metallic arcuate body with opposed forward and aft ends and opposed lateral edges; and a pair of frangible wings that extend from the lateral edges laterally and radially beyond the body. | 02-28-2013 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090020509 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR HYBRID MACHINING A CONTOURED, THIN-WALLED WORKPIECE - An apparatus and method for hybrid machining a workpiece is disclosed. The workpiece is powered as an anode, a cutter is powered as a cathode and a cutting fluid or coolant is circulated therebetween. The cutter is made of a conductive material and a non-conductive abrasive material. The hybrid machine performs a roughing pass machining operation in which material is removed from the workpiece at a relatively high rate using a high-speed electro-erosion (HSEE) process. Then, the hybrid machine performs a finish pass machining operation in which material is removed from the workpiece using precision electro-grinding (PEG) process at a different differential electrical potential and/or flushing rate than the roughing pass machining operation to provide a smooth finish without thermal effects on the workpiece. | 01-22-2009 |
20100126277 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR INSPECTING AN OBJECT USING ULTRASOUND - An ultrasound inspection system is provided for inspecting an object. The inspection system includes an ultrasound probe configured to scan the object and acquire a plurality of ultrasound scan data. The inspection system further includes a processor coupled to the ultrasound probe and configured to apply a transfer function to the ultrasound scan data to compensate for distortion of a plurality of ultrasound signals through the object and thereby generate a plurality of compensated ultrasound scan data, and to process the compensated ultrasonic scan data to characterize a feature in the object. | 05-27-2010 |
20100129227 | FIBER COMPOSITE REINFORCED AIRCRAFT GAS TURBINE ENGINE DRUMS WITH RADIALLY INWARDLY EXTENDING BLADES - A gas turbine engine assembly having one or more blade rows with blades extending radially inwardly from a rotatable drum, one or more composite fiber material rings disposed circumferentially around the rotatable drum, and the composite fiber material rings including circumferentially extending high strength fibers or filaments. The rings may be axially aligned with the blade rows. Ring widths of the rings may be less wide than blade widths at blade bases of the blades at a radially inner surface of the drum. The rings may be made of a material including a plurality of circumferentially extending reinforcing structural fibers or filaments disposed in an integral matrix. The rotatable drum, rings, and blades extending radially inwardly from the drum may be incorporated in a gas turbine engine booster having one or more rotatable booster stages or in a counter rotatable low pressure turbine. | 05-27-2010 |
20100205816 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MULTIMODAL INSPECTION WITH A COORDINATE MEASURING DEVICE - A method for integrating a measurement device for use in measuring a machine component includes providing a coordinate measuring device, such as a coordinate measuring machine (CMM), and integrating with a plurality of nondestructive examination (NDE) capabilities with a plurality of coordinate measuring device capabilities to form an inspection probe. The method further includes integrating the NDE inspection probe with the coordinate measuring device such that the inspection probe substantially simultaneously measures a plurality of NDE measurements and external/internal geometry and defects of machine component, which are linked to actual component dimensional information provided by CMM. The inspection data can be simultaneously linked to and/or displayed together with a CAD model to enable a direct comparison between the inspection data and the nominal requirements carried on the CAD model. | 08-19-2010 |
20100207619 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR INTEGRATING EDDY CURRENT INSPECTION WITH A COORDINATE MEASURING DEVICE - A method for integrating a measurement device for use in measuring a machine component includes providing a coordinate measuring machine (CMM) and combining eddy current (EC) capabilities and CMM capabilities to form an inspection probe. The method further includes installing the inspection probe on the CMM so that the inspection probe measures external boundaries of the machine component with the CMM capabilities and substantially simultaneously measures at least one of internal boundaries, internal defects, surface defects, and material properties of the machine component with the EC capabilities, which are directly linked to actual component dimensional information provided by CMM. The inspection data can be simultaneously linked to and/or displayed with a CAD model to enable a direct comparison between the inspection data and the nominal requirements specified on the CAD model. | 08-19-2010 |
20100305876 | NON-DESTRUCTIVE INSPECTION SYSTEM HAVING SELF-ALIGNING PROBE ASSEMBLY - An inspection system comprises a sensor configured to acquire inspection data of the object, a motion control device, a joint assembly coupled to the motion control device, and a probe housing coupled to the joint assembly and configured to hold the sensor. The inspection system further comprises a compliant element coupled to the probe housing and configured to cooperate with the joint assembly and the motion control device to position the sensor relative to the object. A self-aligning probe assembly is also presented. | 12-02-2010 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110262771 | METHOD FOR ROUGHENING METAL SURFACES AND ARTICLE MANUFACTURED THEREBY - A method for surface roughening a metal work piece includes disposing a region of the workpiece to be roughened proximate to a counter electrode. The region of the workpiece to be roughened and the counter electrode are subsequently disposed together in an electrolyte. An electric potential with current flow is applied between the work piece and the counter electrode to roughen the metal surface to a desired roughness. | 10-27-2011 |
20120021243 | COMPONENTS WITH BONDED EDGES - A metallic sheath for a mounting on a component is disclosed. The metallic sheath comprises a nose portion extending in a chordwise direction, a first side-wall extending in the chordwise direction from the nose portion and a second side-wall extending in the chordwise direction from the nose portion wherein the second side-wall is bonded to the nose portion such that the nose portion, the first side-wall and the second side-wall form a cavity capable of receiving a portion of the component. | 01-26-2012 |
20130064669 | BLADE AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING BLADE - A method of manufacturing a rotor blade is provided. The method includes forming a preform from a plurality of composite plies, the preform including an airfoil portion and a dovetail portion, removing a cutout portion from the dovetail portion of the preform to define a cutout in the preform, wherein the removing the cutout portion facilitates reducing residual stresses in the preform, and inserting an insert into the cutout formed by the removal of the cutout portion. | 03-14-2013 |
20130134292 | APPARATUS TO APPLY A VARIABLE SURFACE TEXTURE ON AN AIRFOIL - A drum is provided having a peripheral surface with texture features thereon. The texture features may be a plurality of grooves for applying riblets to an airfoil surface. Methods of using the drum are also provided. | 05-30-2013 |
20130146217 | Method of Applying Surface Riblets to an Aerodynamic Surface - A method for applying texture to an aerodynamic surface is provided. A master plate is provided having a textured surface. A first material is then applied to that surface and cured forming a caul sheet with a negative impression of the master plate textured surface. A surface to which a texture is to be applied is then provided; this may be an aerodynamic surface. Another material, different from the first, is then applied to the aerodynamic surface and the caul sheet is placed on top. The second material is cured and the caul sheet is removed. The second material is adhered to the aerodynamic surface and has a surface that is substantially a negative impression of the caul sheet textured surface and substantially similar to the master plate textured surface. | 06-13-2013 |
20130156592 | FAN BLADE WITH COMPOSITE CORE AND WAVY WALL TRAILING EDGE CLADDING - A gas turbine engine airfoil includes leading and trailing edges, pressure and suction sides extending from airfoil base to airfoil tip, trailing edge cladding made of cladding material bonded to composite core made of composite material, cladding material less brittle than composite material, composite core including central core portion extending downstream from leading edge portion to trailing edge portion of composite core, and trailing edge cladding including wavy wall and trailing edge. Pressure and suction side flanks of trailing edge cladding may be bonded to pressure and suction side surfaces of trailing edge portion. Waves of wavy wall may extend normal to and away from the pressure and suction side surfaces. Trailing edge cladding may include wavy pressure and suction side trailing edge guards including waves of wavy wall. Airfoil may extend outwardly from platform of a blade. Root may include integral dovetail. | 06-20-2013 |
20130156594 | COMPOSITE ROTOR AND VANE ASSEMBLIES WITH INTEGRAL AIRFOILS - A composite gas turbine engine structure includes a retention ring with airfoils mounted on, integral with, and extending radially away from retention ring. Retention ring includes annular composite plies, a circumferentially segmented airfoil ring including airfoil ring segments disposed around one of outer and inner circumferences of retention ring. Airfoil ring segments include annular bases and radially extending clockwise and counter-clockwise airfoil segments at clockwise and counter-clockwise ends of annular base. Composite airfoils include circumferentially adjacent ones of the clockwise and counter-clockwise airfoil segments. A flowpath shell circumferentially disposed around segmented airfoil ring traps annular bases between flowpath shell and retention ring. Composite airfoils airfoils extend through slots in flowpath shell. Plies may be wrapped in a single spiral made from a continuous composite tape. Slots may be circumferentially angled. Circumferentially adjacent ones of clockwise and counter-clockwise airfoil segments may be stitched together. | 06-20-2013 |
20130164140 | AIRFOILS INCLUDING COMPLIANT TIP - An airfoil, a fan assembly and an engine include at least one airfoil including a root portion, a body portion and a tip portion. The body portion is configured extending radially outward from the root portion and the tip portion is configured extending radially outward from the root portion and the body portion. The airfoil including a suction and a pressure side coupled together at a leading and a trailing edge and extending therebetween. The airfoil including a compliant tip at the tip portion. The compliant tip extending along at least a portion of the tip portion in a chord-wise direction and a span-wise direction. The compliant tip is configured to provide wave propagation along the tip portion such that critical strain proximate the tip portion and the trailing edge is reduced during a foreign object impact. | 06-27-2013 |
20130206503 | Acoustic Panel and Method of Forming - A disclosed embodiment provides an acoustic panel having a composite laminate panel having a back sheet layer, a face sheet layer, and a core layer disposed therebetween. The core layer has one or more depressions at an interface between the core layer and the face sheet layer, with the face sheet having a generally uniform thickness across the composite laminate panel. A hole extends through the composite laminate panel at the depressions, and a bolt assembly extends through the hole such that it is countersunk. | 08-15-2013 |
20130287588 | FAN BLADE - A fan blade for a turbine system includes a root portion connectable to a rotating member of a turbine system and airfoil portion having a morphable portion on an edge of the airfoil portion. The morphable portion includes a plurality of layers aligned unsymmetrically relative to each other in a thickness direction and changes in shape in response to a change in a speed of the airfoil portion. | 10-31-2013 |
20130302168 | Embedded Actuators in Composite Airfoils - An airfoil having active actuators and at least one morphing area allowing shape change of the airfoil and further allowing for optimization of the airfoil shape at more than one operating condition. | 11-14-2013 |
20130330496 | COMPOSITE STRUCTURE WITH LOW DENSITY CORE AND COMPOSITE STITCHING REINFORCEMENT - A composite structure includes: a core having a pair of opposed exterior surfaces and having a first density; a composite layup surrounding the core, the composite layup comprising a plurality of layers of fibers embedded in a matrix and extending along the exterior surfaces of the core, the composite layup having a second density; and stitching comprising fibers extending through the core and at least a portion of the composite layup. | 12-12-2013 |
20140064937 | FAN BLADE BRUSH TIP - A fan assembly is provided. The fan assembly includes a rotor having a hub and a plurality of rotor blades extending radially outward from the hub. Each rotor blade includes a blade tip at a radially distal end of each blade. The rotor blade tips define a rotor diameter. The fan assembly also includes a first cylindrical casing substantially axially aligned with the blade tips, the first casing including a first inner diameter that is greater than the rotor diameter. The fan assembly further includes a brush seal assembly coupled to the blade tip of a least one of the plurality of rotor blades, the brush seal assembly configured to contact the casing segment during a first operational mode of the fan assembly, the brush seal assembly configured to avoid contact with the casing segment during a second operational mode of the fan assembly. | 03-06-2014 |
20140112796 | COMPOSITE BLADE WITH UNI-TAPE AIRFOIL SPARS - A gas turbine engine composite blade includes an airfoil having pressure and suction sides extending outwardly in a spanwise direction from a blade root along a span to a blade tip. A core section of the blade including composite quasi-isotropic plies extends spanwise outwardly through the blade. One or more spars including a stack of uni-tape plies having predominately a 0 degree fiber orientation with respect to the span and extending spanwise outwardly through the root and a portion of the airfoil towards the tip. Spars may include pressure and suction side spars sandwiching a chordwise extending portion of the core section in the airfoil and which be located near or along the pressure and suction sides respectively. Chordwise extending portion may be centered about a maximum thickness location of the airfoil. Spars may have height, width, and thickness that avoids flexural airfoil modes. | 04-24-2014 |
20140161620 | ATTACHMENT OF COMPOSITE ARTICLE - A composite article including composite component extending heightwise from a component base to a component tip and lengthwise between spaced apart component first and second edges. Component plies having widthwise spaced apart ply first and second sides and ply edges therebetween. Component mounted on a spar which includes a shank extending heightwise into the composite component, tab at upper end of shank and substantially or fully embedded in the composite component, and tab tip. Ply edges of at least a first portion of the plies directly or indirectly contacting or pressing against the tab. Ply edges of at least a second portion of the plies may directly or indirectly contact or press against the tab tip. Ply edges of first portion may press against one or more indented or recessed surfaces in the tab. The composite article may be a composite blade or vane including a composite airfoil. | 06-12-2014 |
20140161621 | ATTACHMENT OF COMPOSITE ARTICLE - A composite article including composite component mounted on a spar including a shank extending heightwise from below component base up into composite component. Tab at an upper end of shank substantially or fully embedded in the composite component and at least one ply surface pattern of the composite component contacting and generally conforming to at least one spar surface pattern on the tab. | 06-12-2014 |
20140186187 | NON-INTEGRAL FAN BLADE PLATFORM - Described are a gas turbine engine fan blade platform, related rotor assembly and gas turbine engine, as well as a method of assembling the same. The platform has a forward portion proximal to an axis of rotation, an aft portion, and a transition portion between the forward and aft portions. The forward portion has a forward interface surface facing axially forward, the aft portion has an aft interface surface facing radially outward, and the transition portion has at least one mounting feature. For the method of assembly, an aft support is installed on a fan disk and booster spool assembly. A plurality of fan blades are installed into a fan disk, followed by installing a fan platform between adjacent blades and securing the mounting features to the disk, thereby filling the annulus of the fan disk. Finally, a forward support is installed on the fan disk. | 07-03-2014 |
20140212295 | SPINNER ASSEMBLY WITH REMOVABLE FAN BLADE LEADING EDGE FAIRINGS - A gas turbine engine spinner assembly including a spinner defining at least in part an aerodynamically smooth surface, a shell defining at least in part the aerodynamically smooth surface, and circumferentially spaced apart removable aerodynamic fairings located around the shell. Fairing shanks disposed in circumferentially spaced apart axially extending slots in the shell may be attached to the aerodynamic fairings. The fairings may shield radially extending portions of the fan blades including portions of blade shanks or portions of transition regions of the blade shanks. The fairing shanks may be disposed between and monolithically formed with the fairings and fairing roots attached to the fairing shanks. The fairings may be made of an injectable thermoplastic and the shell made of metal. The fairing shanks may be setback from fairing forward tips and the fairing shanks may be setback from root forward tips of the fairing roots. | 07-31-2014 |
20140219805 | LOW RADIUS RATIO FAN FOR A GAS TURBINE ENGINE - A fan blade for a gas turbine engine includes: a straight axial dovetail, an airfoil, and a transition section disposed between the dovetail and the airfoil, the fan blade having opposed pressure and suction sides, and further including at least one shoulder protruding from a nominal surface of a selected one of the pressure and suction sides, wherein the at least one shoulder includes a boss defining a side face, and an upper section extending radially outward from the boss and tapering inward to join a nominal surface of the selected side. | 08-07-2014 |
20140322482 | COMPOSITE ARTICLE INCLUDING COMPOSITE TO METAL INTERLOCK AND METHOD OF FABRICATION - A composite article including a composite component, a metallic component and one or more interlock components. The composite component including a plurality of composite plies and extending heightwise from a component base to a component tip and lengthwise between spaced apart component first and second edges, the composite. The metallic component including a first surface and a second surface and a plurality of openings formed therein extending from the first surface to the second surface. The metallic component including at least a portion substantially or fully embedded in the composite component. The one or more interlock components is interwoven through one or more of the plurality of openings in the metallic component and extending into and at least partially embedded in the composite component to provide an interlocking system between the composite component and the metallic component. A method of fabrication of a composite article is also provided. | 10-30-2014 |