Bifurcating layup for airfoil rib, methods of manufacture thereof and articles comprising the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12077288-B2
Application number	US-202117180141-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 19, 2021
Priority date	Feb 19, 2021
Publication date	Sep 3, 2024
Grant date	Sep 3, 2024

Abstract

An airfoil comprises a wall that defines a leading edge and a trailing edge and one or more cavities located within the wall along with a rib that separates the cavities. The rib or the wall comprises a first split ply that comprises a consolidated section and two or more split sections; wherein the split sections emanate from the consolidated section; and where the split sections define the wall and the cavities of the airfoil.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An airfoil comprising:
a wall that defines a leading edge and a trailing edge;
one or more cavities located within the wall; and
a rib; where at least two cavities are separated by the rib; wherein the rib or the wall comprises two or more neighboring split plies, each of which comprises a consolidated section and one or more split sections; wherein the split sections emanate from the consolidated section; and where the split sections define the wall and the cavities of the airfoil; where a split in one ply is opposedly oriented to a split in a neighboring ply; and wherein a non-split ply is disposed between two or more neighboring split plies.

2. The airfoil of claim 1 , where the one or more split sections emanate from one end of the consolidated section.

3. The airfoil of claim 1 , wherein the rib or the wall further comprises a plurality of non-split plies.

4. The airfoil of claim 1 , where the rib further comprises a noodle located in the consolidated section.

5. The airfoil of claim 1 , where the rib further comprises a noodle located at the split in the split ply.

6. The airfoil of claim 1 , where the split plies overlap with each other at an end opposite the split.

7. The airfoil of claim 1 , where the split plies are butt jointed to each other at an end opposite the split.

8. A method of manufacturing an airfoil comprising:
winding on a plurality of mandrels a plurality of plies to form a preform; wherein the preform comprises a first split ply and a neighboring second split ply; where the first split ply and the second split ply each comprises a consolidated section and a split section; where the consolidated section is located at a rib or a wall of the airfoil and where the split sections define the wall or a cavity in an airfoil; where a split in the first split ply is opposedly oriented to a split in the neighboring second split ply; and where a non-split ply is disposed between the first split ply and the neighboring second split ply;
subjecting the preform to chemical vapor infiltration, polymer infiltration pyrolysis, melt infiltration, or a combination thereof; and
cooling the preform to form an airfoil.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein a chemical vapor in the chemical vapor infiltration process comprises SiC, Al 2 O 3 , BN, B 4 C, Si 3 N 4 , MoSi 2 , SiO 2 , SiOC, SiNC, and/or SiONC.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of plies comprise silicon carbide fibers.

11. The method of claim 8 , where the split section emanates from one end of the consolidated section.

12. The method of claim 11 , where the split section further comprising an additional split section that emanates from an end opposite the one end of the consolidated section.

13. The method of claim 11 , where the split plies are butt jointed to each other at an end opposite the split.

14. The method of claim 8 , further comprising two or more cavities, wherein the cavities are separated by the rib.

Assignees

• Raytheon Tech Corp
• Rtx Corp

Inventors

• Liles Howard J

Classifications

• B64C3/26

  Construction, shape, or attachment of separate skins, e.g. panels · CPC title

• C04B2237/341

  Silica or silicates · CPC title

• C04B2237/368

  Silicon nitride · CPC title

• C04B2237/361

  Boron nitride · CPC title

• C04B2237/36

  Non-oxidic · CPC title