United Technologies Corporation

Raytheon Technologies Corporation

Other

Rtx Corporation

Westinghouse Air Brake Company

Larry Foster

John D Riehl

Eric W Malmborg

Darin S Lussier

Rajiv A Naik

Michael A Weisse

Kwan Hui

Michael V Kazakis

Charlie Edmond Jones

Sreenivasa R Voleti

Myron Klein

Stephen P Muron

Conley L McGee

Murtaza R Dossaji

Peter Finnigan

Gulperi Aksel

Glenn A Thomas

Myron L Klein

An airfoil for a gas turbine engine includes a blade body, a leading edge sheath, and an energy absorbing insert. The blade body has a pressure side and a suction side that each between a forward portion and a trailing edge. The leading edge sheath has a leading edge portion that is spaced apart from the forward portion, a first arm that engages the pressure side, and a second arm that engages the suction side. A cavity is defined between the leading edge portion, the first arm, the second arm, and the forward portion. The energy absorbing insert is disposed within the cavity and improves the impact resistance of the airfoil.

Composite fan blade with leading edge sheath and energy absorbing insert

An airfoil includes a metal body that has holes, a cover panel carried on the metal body, and push fasteners that extend through the cover panel and into the holes to lock the cover panel on the metal body. Each of the push fasteners includes flexible barbs that engage sides of the holes to resist retraction of the fasteners from the holes. The heads of the push fastener are embedded in recesses in the cover panel.

Airfoil with body and cover panel

An airfoil a metal body, a cover panel carried on the metal body, and push fasteners extending through the cover panel and locking the cover panel on the metal body.

An airfoil for a gas turbine engine according to an example of the present disclosure includes, among other things, an airfoil section extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge in a chordwise direction and extending between a tip and a root section in a spanwise direction. A composite core defines the root section and a portion of the airfoil section. First and second skins extend along opposed sides of the composite core.. A method of forming a composite airfoil is also disclosed.

Composite airfoil for gas turbine

A vane includes an airfoil that defines a leading edge, a trailing edge, a pressure side, and a suction side. The airfoil includes a truss structure that has ribs that define there between a plurality of through-cavities from the pressure side to the suction side. Honeycomb cells are disposed in the cavities. A face sheet defines at least one of the pressure side or the suction side. The face sheet has perforations that correspond in location to the honeycomb cells.

Guide vane with truss structure and honeycomb

An airfoil includes a body that has rib nodes that each define a node cavity therein. A cover panel is carried on the body over the rib nodes. The cover panel includes tabs that project into the node cavities. Plugs are disposed in the node cavities and pinch the tabs against the node cavities to lock the cover panel on the body.

A gas turbine engine and a composite apparatus is disclosed. The gas turbine engine includes a composite apparatus body formed from a composite material, the composite material including a three dimensional preform, the three dimensional preform including a plurality of warp fibers disposed in a warp direction in a first plane, a plurality of fill fibers disposed in a fill direction, wherein the fill direction is perpendicular to the warp direction in the first plane, a plurality of z-yarn fibers disposed in a z-yarn direction, wherein the z-yarn direction intersects the warp direction through the first plane, and a plurality of bias fibers disposed in a bias direction, wherein the bias direction is not aligned with the warp direction and the fill direction.

Gas-turbine engine composite components with integral 3-D woven off-axis reinforcement

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 composite article including a multiple of composite layers impregnated with a polymer matrix; and a nanotube material that facilitates a mechanical interlock between at least two of the multiple of composite layers. A method of manufacturing a composite article including a multiple of composite layers within a polymer matrix; and distributing a nanotube material between at least two of the multiple of composite layers to facilitate a mechanical interlock between the at least two of the multiple of composite layers adjacent an otherwise relatively low strength interlaminar interface region of the composite article.

Nanotube enhancement of interlaminar performance for a composite component

A gas turbine engine includes a fan mounting a first group of blades and a second group of blades. The first group of blades and the second group of blades share a profile shape. The first group of blades have a first laminate composition, and the second group of blades have a second laminate composition, distinct from the first laminate composition. A frequency of a vibratory mode of the first group of blades is offset from a frequency of a vibratory mode of the second group of blades.

Mistuned laminate airfoil

A fan containment case for a gas turbine engine includes a first inner layer and a second layer outside the first inner layer, where the second layer is made of a first material having a first fabric architecture. The fan containment case also includes a third layer outside of the second layer, where the third layer is made of a second material having a second fabric architecture, and at least one of the first material and the first fabric architecture of the second layer is different from the second material and the second architecture, respectively, of the third layer. A fourth outer layer is located outside of the third layer.

Functionally graded composite fan containment case

A preform sheet for a composite component comprises a body section and a flange section. The preform body section includes a plurality of axial tows braided with at least a plurality of first bias tows and a plurality of second bias tows. The preform flange section includes a first braided flange layer and a second braided flange layer. The first braided flange layer is defined by the first and second braided bias tows of the preform body section extending into the flange section. Neither the first nor second braided flange layers have axial tows.

Composite flange from braided preform

An airfoil according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a main body extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge separated in a chordwise direction and extending between a tip and a root in a spanwise direction. The main body defines a suction side and a pressure side separated in a thickness direction and a plurality of channels extending inwardly from at least one of said suction and pressure sides. A composite cover is attached to the main body. The composite cover includes a plurality of stiffeners each received within one of the channels. A cover skin is adjacent the stiffeners, and an over-wrap surrounds the stiffeners and the cover skin.

Airfoil with an integrally stiffened composite cover

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.

Growing community of inventors

South Glastonbury, CT, United States of America

Larry Foster