Annular retention strap

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10669894-B2
Application number	US-201815881069-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 26, 2018
Priority date	Jan 26, 2018
Publication date	Jun 2, 2020
Grant date	Jun 2, 2020

Abstract

A gas turbine engine includes an annular structure disposed around an engine central longitudinal axis of the gas turbine engine. The annular structure defines an annular channel and comprises a first density, according to various embodiments. The gas turbine engine may further include a weight-saving filler disposed within the annular channel. The weight-saving filler may have a second density that is less than the first density. The gas turbine engine may further include an annular retention strap disposed around the engine central longitudinal axis of the gas turbine engine. The annular retention strap is at least partially embedded in the weight-saving filler, according to various embodiments.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A gas turbine engine comprising:
an annular structure disposed around an engine central longitudinal axis of the gas turbine engine, wherein the annular structure defines an annular channel and comprises a first density;
a weight-saving filler disposed within the annular channel, wherein the weight-saving filler comprises a second density that is less than the first density; and
an annular retention strap disposed around the engine central longitudinal axis of the gas turbine engine, wherein the annular retention strap is at least partially embedded in the weight-saving filler such that the weight-saving filler is disposed both radially inward of and radially outward of the annular retention strap;
wherein the annular channel faces radially outward.

2. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the annular retention strap is a full, integral hoop.

3. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the annular retention strap is completely surrounded by the weight-saving filler.

4. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein:
the annular structure comprises a first coefficient of thermal expansion;
the annular retention strap comprises a second coefficient of thermal expansion;
the first coefficient of thermal expansion is substantially equal to the second coefficient of thermal expansion.

5. The gas turbine engine of claim 4 , wherein the annular structure and the annular retention strap are made from a same material.

6. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the annular retention strap comprises a woven composite material.

7. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the weight-saving filler is a rubber material.

8. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein a radially outward surface of the weight-saving filler is configured to be exposed to airflow.

9. The gas turbine engine of claim 8 , wherein the annular structure is a flow splitter between flowpath streams.

10. The gas turbine engine of claim 9 , wherein the annular structure is a stator shroud.

11. The gas turbine engine of claim 9 , wherein the annular structure is a case.

12. A gas turbine engine comprising:
an annular structure disposed around an engine central longitudinal axis of the gas turbine engine, wherein the annular structure is a flow splitter between a core flowpath and a bypass flowpath, wherein the annular structure defines an annular channel and comprises a first density;
a weight-saving filler disposed within the annular channel, wherein the weight-saving filler comprises a second density that is less than the first density; and
an annular retention strap disposed around the engine central longitudinal axis of the gas turbine engine, wherein the annular retention strap is completely surrounded by the weight-saving filler;
wherein the annular channel faces radially outward, wherein a radially outward surface of the weight-saving filler is configured to be exposed to airflow in the bypass flowpath.

13. A method of assembling a gas turbine engine, the method comprising:
positioning an annular retention strap in an annular channel defined by an annular structure, wherein the annular retention strap and the annular channel are disposed about an engine central longitudinal axis of the gas turbine engine; and
after positioning the annular retention strap in the annular channel, positioning a weight-saving filler into the annular channel to substantially fill the annular channel around the annular retention strap such that the annular retention strap is at least partially embedded in the weight-saving filler.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising positioning a plurality of weight-saving spacers in the annular channel before the positioning the annular retention strap in the annular channel, wherein the preformed weight-saving spacers facilitate holding the annular retention strap in a desired orientation during the positioning the weight-saving filler into the annular channel.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of weight-saving spacers are circumferentially distributed around the engine central longitudinal axis.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of weight-saving spacers and the weight-saving filler are made from the same material.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the positioning the weight-saving filler comprises pouring a liquid precursor into the annular channel and allowing the liquid precursor to cure to become the weight-saving filler.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising forming a radially outward surface of the weight-saving filler using a mold, wherein the radially outward surface of the weight-saving filler is configured to be exposed to airflow.

19. The method of claim 13 , wherein the positioning the annular retention strap in the annular channel defined by the annular structure comprises cooling the annular structure to contract the annular structure to a first diameter and heating the annular retention strap to expand the annular retention strap to a second diameter, wherein the first diameter is smaller than the second diameter.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein after allowing the annular structure and the annular retention strap to reach a substantially similar temperature, the annular structure comprises a third diameter and the annular retention strap comprises a fourth diameter, wherein the third diameter is larger than the fourth diameter.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp
• Raytheon Tech Corp

Inventors

• Amadon Colin G
• Freeman Thomas

Classifications

• F05D2240/14

  Casings or housings protecting or supporting assemblies within · CPC title

• F01D25/24 Primary

  Casings (modified for heating or cooling F01D25/14); Casing parts, e.g. diaphragms, casing fastenings (casings for rotary machines or engines in general F16M {; special arrangements in stators dealing with breaking-off of part of rotor F01D21/045}) · CPC title

• F05D2300/431

  Rubber · CPC title

• F05D2300/603

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

• F05D2300/50211

  similar · CPC title