Airfoil with body and cover panel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11536142-B2
Application number	US-202117529392-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 18, 2021
Priority date	Jan 18, 2019
Publication date	Dec 27, 2022
Grant date	Dec 27, 2022

Abstract

An airfoil a metal body, a cover panel carried on the metal body, and push fasteners extending through the cover panel and locking the cover panel on the metal body.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An airfoil comprising:
a metal body having holes, the holes having undercuts;
a cover panel carried on the metal body; and
push fasteners extending through the cover panel and locking the cover panel on the metal body, each of the push fasteners including flexible barbs, wherein upon insertion of the fasteners into the holes the flexible barbs compress to fit into the holes and then decompress upon reaching the undercuts such that the flexible barbs engage the undercuts and prevent retraction of the fasteners from the holes to thereby lock the panel on the metal body,
wherein the push fasteners include heads that are embedded in recesses in the cover panel, and further comprising a film disposed on the cover panel, the film extending across the recesses such that the film encloses the recesses.

2. The airfoil as recited in claim 1 , wherein each of the push fasteners includes a head that is embedded in the cover panel.

3. The airfoil as recited in claim 2 , wherein the cover panel includes stitching adjacent the head of the push fasteners.

4. The airfoil as recited in claim 1 , wherein the film is formed of an elastomer.

5. The airfoil as recited in claim 4 , further comprising an adhesive layer between the cover panel and the metal body.

6. The airfoil as recited in claim 5 , wherein the adhesive layer is disposed on a perimeter edge of the metal body.

7. The airfoil as recited in claim 1 , wherein the metal body includes a rib, the rib having a base at the metal body and, distal from the metal body, a flange that is in facial contact with the cover panel.

8. The airfoil as recited in claim 7 , further comprising an adhesive layer between the flange and the cover panel.

Assignees

• Raytheon Tehcnologies Corp
• Raytheon Tech Corp

Inventors

• Malmborg Eric W
• Foster Larry

Classifications

• F01D5/18

  Hollow blades, {i.e. blades with cooling or heating channels or cavities (structure of hollow blades in general F01D5/147)}; Heating, heat-insulating or cooling means on blades · CPC title

• F05D2230/64

  using positioning or alignment devices for aligning or centring, e.g. pins · CPC title

• F01D5/147 Primary

  Construction, i.e. structural features, e.g. of weight-saving hollow blades (F01D5/148, F01D5/16 and F01D5/20 take precedence; blade shape F01D5/141; blades with cooling or heating channels or cavities F01D5/18; heating, heat-insulating or cooling means on blades F01D5/18) · CPC title

• Y02T50/60

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

• F16B2013/007

  to be fastened in undercut holes · CPC title