Toroidal spinner aft flange

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10343765-B2
Application number	US-201615171926-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 2, 2016
Priority date	Jun 2, 2016
Publication date	Jul 9, 2019
Grant date	Jul 9, 2019

Abstract

A spinner for a gas turbine engine may include a substantially-flat inner surface having frustoconical geometry. A flange having semi-toroidal geometry may extend from the spinner with an inner curved surface of the flange being tangential to the inner surface. A mating portion may extend substantially tangentially from the inner curved surface of the flange and configured for fastening to a fan hub.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A spinner for a gas turbine engine comprising:
an inner surface of the spinner having a first frustoconical geometry;
a flange having semi-toroidal geometry and extending from the spinner, wherein an inner curved surface of the flange is substantially tangential to the inner surface;
a mating portion extending from the flange, wherein an inner mating surface of the mating portion is substantially tangential to the inner curved surface; and
a filler contacting the flange, wherein the filler comprises a continuous annular geometry with a triangular cross section.

2. The spinner of claim 1 , wherein the spinner comprises a laminar composite structure.

3. The spinner of claim 1 , further comprising an extension extending aft from the spinner, wherein the extension is defined by an external surface parallel to the inner surface with the external surface having a second frustoconical geometry.

4. The spinner of claim 1 , wherein a ratio of a radius of curvature of the flange to a radius of the flange ranges from 1:5 to 1:15.

5. The spinner of claim 1 , wherein a radius of curvature of the flange is between 0.5 inches and 3 inches.

6. The spinner of claim 1 , wherein the flange has a multi-radial curve.

7. The spinner of claim 1 , wherein the flange is continuously curved from the inner surface to the inner mating surface.

8. A nose cone assembly comprising:
a spinner, comprising:
an inner surface with frustoconical geometry;
a flange having semi-toroidal geometry and extending from the spinner, wherein an inner curved surface of the flange is substantially tangential to the inner surface of the spinner; and
a mating portion extending from the flange, wherein an inner mating surface of the mating portion is substantially tangential to the inner curved surface of the flange;

a fan hub flange configured to engage an external mating surface of the mating portion; and
a filler contacting the flange, wherein the filler comprises a continuous annular geometry with a triangular cross section.

9. The nose cone assembly of claim 8 , wherein the spinner comprises a laminar composite structure.

10. The nose cone assembly of claim 8 , further comprising:
an extension extending aft from the spinner, wherein the extension is defined by an external surface parallel to the inner surface; and
an annular seal mechanically coupled to the extension.

11. The nose cone assembly of claim 10 , wherein a first fastener opening defined by the mating portion is aligned with a second fastener opening defined by the fan hub flange.

12. The nose cone assembly of claim 8 , wherein a ratio of a radius of curvature of the flange to a radius of the flange is approximately 1:10.

13. The nose cone assembly of claim 8 , wherein a radius of curvature of the flange is between 0.5 inches and 3 inches.

14. The nose cone assembly of claim 8 , wherein the flange is continuously curved from the inner surface to the inner mating surface.

15. A gas turbine engine comprising:
a compressor section configured to rotate about an axis;
a fan forward of the compressor section, the fan comprising a fan hub configured to rotate about the axis;
a nose cone assembly forward of the fan and comprising a spinner, wherein an aft flange of the spinner is fastened to a fan hub flange of the fan hub, wherein the aft flange comprises a semi-toroidal geometry; and
a filler contacting the aft flange, wherein the filler comprises a continuous annular geometry with a triangular cross section.

16. The gas turbine engine of claim 15 , wherein the spinner comprises an inner surface having a substantially flat contour, wherein an inner curved surface of the aft flange is substantially tangential to the inner surface of the spinner.

17. The gas turbine engine of claim 16 , wherein the spinner comprises a laminar composite structure.

18. The gas turbine engine of claim 16 , wherein a ratio of a radius of curvature of the aft flange to a radius of the aft flange is between 1:5 and 1:15.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Mcphail James J
• Kling Colin J

Classifications

• F02C7/04

  Air intakes for gas-turbine plants or jet-propulsion plants · CPC title

• F05D2300/603

  Composites; e.g. fibre-reinforced · CPC title

• B64C11/14 Primary

  Spinners · CPC title

• F05D2220/32

  in gas turbines · CPC title

• F05D2250/71

  curved · CPC title