Blade dovetail bottom

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10036261-B2
Application number	US-201213459748-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 30, 2012
Priority date	Apr 30, 2012
Publication date	Jul 31, 2018
Grant date	Jul 31, 2018

Abstract

A blade has an airfoil extending radially outwardly of a dovetail. The dovetail has edges that will be at circumferential sides of the blade when the blade is mounted within a rotor. A bottom surface of the dovetail will be radially inward when the rotor blade is mounted in a rotor, and is formed such that a circumferentially central portion of the bottom surface is radially thicker than are circumferential edges. A fan and a gas turbine engine are also described.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A blade comprising:
an airfoil extending radially outwardly of a dovetail, said dovetail having edges that will be at circumferential sides of the blade when the blade is mounted within a rotor;
a bottom surface of the dovetail that will be radially inward when the blade is mounted in the rotor, and said bottom surface being formed such that a circumferentially central portion of said bottom surface is radially thicker than are circumferential edges;
said dovetail being formed of a material that is less strong than the rotor which will receive said blade;
wherein said dovetail merges directly into the airfoil without an intermediate platform; and
the bottom surface merging into radially outwardly extending surfaces, and then inwardly extending surfaces, and said bottom surface being formed to extend along a curve such that said circumferentially central portion is radially thicker than said circumferential edges.

2. A fan comprising:
a fan rotor having a plurality of slots, with said slots each receiving a fan blade;
the fan blades including an airfoil extending radially outwardly of a dovetail, said dovetail having edges at circumferential sides of the fan blade, a bottom surface of the dovetail defined at a radially inward location, and said bottom surface being formed such that a circumferentially central portion of said bottom surface is radially thicker than are circumferential edges;
said dovetail being formed of a material that is less strong than a material forming the fan rotor;
wherein said dovetail merges directly into the airfoil without an intermediate platform; and
the bottom surface merging into radially outwardly extending surfaces, and then inwardly extending surfaces, and said bottom surface being formed to extend along a curve such that said circumferentially central portion is radially thicker than said circumferential edges.

3. A gas turbine engine comprising:
a fan configured to deliver air into a compressor section;
a combustion section;
a turbine section;
said fan having a fan rotor with a plurality of slots, with said slots receiving a fan blade, and the fan blades including an airfoil extending radially outwardly of a dovetail, said dovetail having edges at circumferential sides of the fan blade, a bottom surface of the dovetail defined at an inward location, and said bottom surface being formed such that a circumferentially central portion of said bottom surface is radially thicker than are circumferential edges;
said dovetail being formed of a material that is less strong than a material forming the fan rotor;
a turbine rotor in said turbine section driving said fan through a gear reduction;
wherein said dovetail merges directly into the airfoil without an intermediate platform; and
the bottom surface merges into radially outwardly extending surfaces, and then inwardly extending surfaces, and said bottom surface being formed to extend along a curve such that said circumferentially central portion is radially thicker than said circumferential edges.

Assignees

• Whitehurst Sean A
• Mckaveney Christopher S
• Mccomb Patrick James
• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Whitehurst Sean A
• Mckaveney Christopher S
• Mccomb Patrick James

Classifications

• F05D2250/711

  convex · CPC title

• F01D5/3007 Primary

  of axial insertion type · CPC title

• F04D29/322

  Blade mountings · CPC title

• F05D2220/36

  specially adapted for the fan of turbofan engines · CPC title

• Y02T50/60

  Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft · CPC title