Integral stiffening rail for braided composite gas turbine engine component

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11519291-B2
Application number	US-201815868289-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 11, 2018
Priority date	Jan 11, 2018
Publication date	Dec 6, 2022
Grant date	Dec 6, 2022

Abstract

A gas turbine engine component includes a tubular body section including a plurality of fiber wraps encompassed within a matrix composition and one or more integrally-formed stiffeners extending from an outer surface of the body section and in a component circumferential direction around the body section. The stiffener includes one or more fiber wraps extending radially outwardly from the body section over a form and to the body section from the form.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A gas turbine engine component, comprising:
a tubular body section including a plurality of fiber wraps encompassed within a matrix composition; and
one or more integrally-formed stiffeners extending from an outer surface of the body section and in a component circumferential direction around the body section, the stiffener including one or more fiber wraps of the plurality of fiber wraps of the body section extending radially outwardly from the body section over a form and to the body section from the form;
wherein the form is hollow; and
wherein one or more vent openings extend into the form to reduce a pressure differential between ambient conditions and an interior of the form;
wherein the plurality of fiber wraps each include:
a plurality of axial tows oriented to extend in the component circumferential direction; and
a plurality of first bias tows and a plurality of second bias tows braided with the plurality of axial tows; and

wherein:
the stiffener extends continuously and unbroken around an entire circumference of the tubular body section; and
the plurality of axial tows of the one or more fiber wraps of the plurality of fiber wraps are discontinuous at the stiffener to allow for conformity of the plurality of first bias tows and the plurality of second bias tows to the form;
wherein the body section includes:
a main portion having a first radial thickness; and
an axially forward portion disposed axially forward of the main portion and having a second radial thickness less than the first radial thickness; and
an axially aft portion disposed axially aft of the min portion and having a third radial thickness less than the first radial thickness;
wherein a stiffener of the one or more stiffeners extends from an outer surface of one of the axially forward portion or the axially aft portion, axially spaced apart from the main portion;

wherein the stiffener has a rounded triangular cross-section including:
a linear base portion;
two linear legs extending from the base portion; and
a peak portion connecting the two linear legs, the peak portion a continuous arc.

2. The gas turbine engine component of claim 1 , wherein the form is one of a flyaway mandrel or a filler element.

3. The gas turbine engine component of claim 2 , wherein the filler element is formed from one of a potting compound or a foam material.

4. A fan containment case for a gas turbine engine, comprising:
a tubular body section including a plurality of fiber wraps encompassed within a matrix composition, the plurality of fiber wraps each including:
a plurality of axial tows oriented to extend in the component circumferential direction; and
a plurality of first bias tows and a plurality of second bias tows braided with the plurality of axial tows; and

one or more integrally-formed stiffeners extending from an outer surface of the body section and in a component circumferential direction around the body section, the stiffener including one or more fiber wraps of the plurality of fiber wraps of the body section extending radially outwardly from the body section over a filler element and to the body section from the filler element;

wherein the filler element is hollow;
wherein one or more vent openings extend into the filler element to reduce a pressure differential between ambient conditions and an interior of the filler element; and
wherein:
the stiffener extends continuously and unbroken around an entire circumference of the tubular body section; and
the plurality of axial tows of the one or more fiber wraps of the plurality of fiber wraps are discontinuous at the stiffener to allow for conformity of the plurality of first bias tows and the plurality of second bias tows to the form;

wherein the body section includes:
a main portion having a first radial thickness; and
an axially forward portion disposed axially forward of the main portion and having a second radial thickness less than the first radial thickness; and
an axially aft portion disposed axially aft of the min portion and having a third radial thickness less than the first radial thickness;

wherein a stiffener of the one or more stiffeners extends from an outer surface of one of the axially forward portion or the axially aft portion, axially spaced apart from the main portion;
wherein the stiffener has a rounded triangular cross-section including:
a linear base portion;
two linear legs extending from the base portion; and

a peak portion connecting the two linear legs, the peak portion a continuous arc.

5. The fan containment case of claim 4 , wherein the filler element is formed from one of a potting compound or a foam material.

6. A gas turbine engine, comprising:
a turbine section; and
a fan section operably connected to the turbine section, including:
a fan; and
a fan containment case surrounding the fan, the fan containment case including:
a tubular body section including a plurality of fiber wraps encompassed within a matrix composition, the plurality of fiber wraps each including:
a plurality of axial tows oriented to extend in the component circumferential direction; and
a plurality of first bias tows and a plurality of second bias tows braided with the plurality of axial tows; and

one or more integrally-formed stiffeners extending from an outer surface of the body section and in a component circumferential direction around the body section, the stiffener including one or more fiber wraps of the plurality of fiber wraps of the body section extending radially outwardly from the body section over a filler element and to the body section from the filler element;
wherein the filler element is hollow; and
wherein one or more vent openings extend into the filler element to reduce a pressure differential between ambient conditions and an interior of the filler element; and
wherein:
the stiffener extends continuously and unbroken around an entire circumference of the tubular body section; and
the plurality of axial tows of the one or more fiber wraps of the plurality of fiber wraps are discontinuous at the stiffener to allow for conformity of the plurality of first bias tows and the plurality of second bias tows to the form;

wherein the body section includes:
a main portion having a first radial thickness; and
an axially forward portion disposed axially forward of the main portion and having a second radial thickness less than the first radial thickness; and
an axially aft portion disposed axially aft of the min portion and having a third radial thickness less than the first radial thickness;

wherein a stiffener of the one or more stiffeners extends from an outer surface of one of the axially forward portion or the axially aft portion, axially spaced apart from the main portion;
wherein the stiffener has a rounded triangular cross-section including:
a linear base portion;
two linear legs extending from the base portion; and

a peak portion connecting the two linear legs, the peak portion a continuous arc.

7. The gas turbine engine of claim 6 , wherein the filler element is formed from one of a potting compound or a foam material.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp
• Raytheon Tech Corp

Inventors

• Kling Colin J

Classifications

• F05D2300/6034

  Orientation of fibres, weaving, ply angle · CPC title

• F01D21/045 Primary

  special arrangements in stators or in rotors dealing with breaking-off of part of rotor · CPC title

• F05D2220/36

  specially adapted for the fan of turbofan engines · CPC title

• F01D25/24

  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

• B29C70/24

  oriented in at least three directions forming a three-dimensional [3D] structure · CPC title