United Technologies Corporation

Raytheon Technologies Corporation

Kwan Hui

Michael A Weisse

James Cosby

Larry Foster

James R Murdock

Darin S Lussier

Hillary Anne Huttenhower

Hillary A Huttenhower

A fan blade having an opening on one side exposing one or more cavities, and a composite cover that fits over the opening, is provided. The composite cover has a variable thickness resulting from the layering of cover plies having different shapes, and is designed to achieve a lightweight fan blade having an optimal level of stiffness.

Fan blade with variable thickness composite cover

A fan blade includes a blade body, a composite segment and a cover. The blade body extends from a blade root to an opposed blade tip along a longitudinal axis. The blade body defines a leading edge and a trailing edge. A first airfoil surface extends from the leading edge to the trailing edge. A pocket is defined between the leading edge, the trailing edge, the blade root and the blade tip. The pocket has a bottom surface that opposes the first airfoil surface across the blade body. The composite segment is disposed in the pocket. The cover is mounted to the composite segment and to the blade body to form a second airfoil surface opposed to the first airfoil surface.

Fan blade composite segments

A blade assembly comprises a blade () and one or more wear pads (). The blade has an airfoil () having a leading edge (), a trailing edge (), a pressure side (), a suction side (), and extending from an inboard end to a tip (). The blade further includes an attachment root (). The one or more wear pads are along the attachment root. The one or more wear pads have a plurality of slits ().

Blade wear pads and manufacture methods

A fan blade has a blade body, a composite rib and a cover. The blade body extends from a blade root to an opposed blade tip along a longitudinal axis. The blade body defines a leading edge and a trailing edge. A first airfoil surface extends from the leading edge to the trailing edge A pocket is defined between the leading edge, the trailing edge, the blade root, and the blade tip. The pocket has a bottom surface that opposes the first airfoil surface across the blade body. The composite rib is disposed in the pocket. The cover is mounted to the composite rib and the blade body to form a second airfoil surface opposed to the first airfoil surface.

Fan blade composite ribs

The present disclosure relates generally to a cover for a fan blade. The cover encloses a hollowed portion formed in the fan blade and includes at least one extending portion that wraps around at least one of a trailing edge, a leading edge, and a root of the fan blade.

Fan blade assembly

Hollow fan blades for gas turbine engines are disclosed. The hollow fan blades include a body having a convex side and a concave side wherein the convex side has a cavity formed therein. The cavity is covered by two covers including an inner cover that may be adhered to the body of the fan blade assembly and an outer cover that may be adhered to the inner cover and/or the body of the fan blade assembly. The covers may be made of titanium, more than two covers may be employed and more than one cavity may be employed.

Covers for cavities in aircraft fan blades

A blade for use in a gas turbine engine has an airfoil and a dovetail. The airfoil extends radially outwardly of the dovetail. An inner surface of the dovetail includes a slot extending along a length of the dovetail between a leading edge and a trailing edge. A rotor and a gas turbine engine are also disclose.

Lightweight blade for gas turbine engine

A fan blade for a turbofan gas turbine engine is disclosed. The fan blade includes a body having a pressure side and a suction side and a cover. The suction side of the body includes an opening exposing at least one cavity to reduce the weight of the fan blade. The cover overlays the opening and includes a leading portion and a trailing portion that are tapered in the direction of the cover leading edge and cover trailing edge.

Fan blade composite cover with tapered edges

An airfoil includes a dovetail root having a base. A grooved slot is disposed in the base and a plurality of root lightening cavities is disposed in the grooved slot.

Root lightening holes with slot

A hollow article includes a metallic hollow article formed from a having a first major surface, an internal cavity with an opening in the first major surface, and a socket around the opening; a cover of composite material received in the socket and covering the opening; and a filler material of foam in the internal cavity.

Hollow airfoil with composite cover and foam filler

A fan rotor includes a fan blade for use in a gas turbine engine includes a sheath formed of a material that is more conductive than a main fan blade body. A grounding element provides a grounding path from the sheath into a rotor receiving the fan blade. A gas turbine engine incorporating the fan blade is also disclosed.

Electrical grounding for fan blades

An example airfoil for a gas turbine engine includes a body having a first surface extending from a first edge to a second edge and a cavity disposed in the body. A first cover is at least partially disposed within the cavity. The first cover includes a first portion cooperates with a corresponding second portion. A second cover covers the first cover and forms at least a portion of the first surface with the body. The first cover is disposed between the body and the second cover. The first cover and the second cover have a different coefficient of thermal expansion than the body.

Airfoil cover system

A fan blade has an airfoil main body extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge. The airfoil also has suction and pressure sides. A cavity is formed into said main body, and receives a filler material. A cover closes off the cavity, and is attached to the main body, with the cover having a thickness defined in a direction perpendicular to the suction side. The main body has a spar which extends along the cavity, with a thickness of the spar at a central location between ends of the cavity which has a second thickness. A ratio of the first thickness to the second thickness is between 0.5 and 2. A fan rotor and a gas turbine engine are also disclosed.

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Manchester, CT, United States of America

Kwan Hui