Rolls-royce Corporation

David R Midgelow

David S Knott

Peter Rowland Beckford

Adrian M Jones

Robert M Hall

Jennifer M Norris

A gas turbine engine fan blade ( ) comprises a root portion ( ) and an aerofoil portion ( ). The aerofoil portion ( ) has a leading edge ( ), a trailing edge ( ), a concave metal wall portion ( ) extending from the leading edge ( ) to the trailing edge ( ) and a convex metal wall portion ( ) extending from the leading edge ( ) to the trailing edge ( ). The aerofoil portion ( ) has a hollow interior ( ) and the interior ( ) of the aerofoil portion ( ) is at least partially filled with a vibration damping material ( ). The vibration damping material ( ) comprises a material having viscoelasticity for example one formed by mixing an amine terminated polymer and bisphenol a-epichlorohydrin epoxy resin.

Turbomachine blade

A fan rotor assembly (30) for a gas turbine engine (10) comprises a fan rotor (32) and a plurality of radially extending fan blades (34). Each fan blade (34) has a root (64) which is retained in a corresponding groove (54) in the periphery of the hub (54) of the fan rotor (32). Each fan blade root (64) comprises four axially spaced root portions (66, 68, 70 and 72) which locate in a corresponding number of axially spaced groove portions (56, 58, 60 and 62). The flanks (94, 98) of two of the root portions (66, 70) are arranged at an angle to the axis of the fan rotor (32) and the flanks (96, 100) of the other two root portions (68, 72) are arranged at an angle in the opposite sense. The flanks (74, 76, 78 and 80) of the groove portions (56, 58, 60 and 62) are arranged at the same angle as the flanks (94, 96, 98 and 100) of the corresponding root portions (66, 68, 70 and 72). The arrangement provides improved retention of the fan blades (34) and reduces the weight of the fan blades (34) and fan rotor (32).

Growing community of inventors

Nottingham, United Kingdom

David R Midgelow