The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 14, 2012
Filed:
Mar. 31, 2009
Mario P. Bochiechio, Vernon, CT (US);
Thomas J. Watson, South Windsor, CT (US);
Wangen Lin, South Glastonbury, CT (US);
John Joseph Marcin, Marlborough, CT (US);
Joseph Parkos, Jr., East Haddam, CT (US);
Mario P. Bochiechio, Vernon, CT (US);
Thomas J. Watson, South Windsor, CT (US);
Wangen Lin, South Glastonbury, CT (US);
John Joseph Marcin, Marlborough, CT (US);
Joseph Parkos, Jr., East Haddam, CT (US);
United Technologies Corporation, Hartford, CT (US);
Abstract
A hollow airfoil and a method for manufacturing a hollow airfoil is provided. The method includes the steps of: providing a first airfoil portion, which first portion has a wall with an interior surface and an exterior surface, and one or more ribs extending out from the interior surface; providing a second airfoil portion having a wall with an interior surface and an exterior surface; wherein the first airfoil portion and the second airfoil portion have mating geometries in which the one or more ribs extend between the interior surfaces of the walls of the first and second airfoil portion to form at least one internal cavity defined by the interior surface of the first portion wall, one or more of the ribs, and the interior surface of the second portion wall, and wherein the airfoil includes at least one exterior port disposed in one of the first airfoil portion or the second airfoil portion, or is formed between the first and second airfoil portions, which at least one exterior port is in fluid communication with the at least one cavity; disposing a support material within the at least one internal cavity allowing the support material to be in contact with the one or more ribs, which support material is operative to structurally support the one or more ribs; attaching the first and second airfoil portions together; and removing the support material from the at least one internal cavity through the at least one exterior port.