Surface treatment system design for high fatigue life hollow fan blades

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12123085-B2
Application number	US-202217892541-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 22, 2022
Priority date	Aug 22, 2022
Publication date	Oct 22, 2024
Grant date	Oct 22, 2024

Abstract

A system for deep rolling a fan blade including a shaft assembly disposed along a first axis; a hub connected to a distal end of the shaft assembly, the hub having an upper hub portion and a lower hub portion extending along a second axis, the second axis forming an angle relative to a first axis; a roller disk joined to the lower portion of the hub, the roller disk configured to contact a fan blade; a fixture supporting the fan blade; the fixture comprising a body supporting a pivot clamp attached to the body with a pivot; a support attached to the body, the support is configured to engage an airfoil portion of the fan blade; a receiver formed in the body for supporting a root of the fan blade; and a shoulder attached to the body configured to support a platform portion of the fan blade.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for deep rolling a fan blade comprising:
a shaft assembly disposed along a first axis;
a hub connected to a distal end of the shaft assembly, the hub having an upper hub portion adjacent to the distal end of the shaft assembly aligned with the first axis, and a lower hub portion extending along a second axis, the second axis forming an angle relative to the first axis;
a roller disk joined to the lower portion of the hub, the roller disk configured to contact a fan blade;
a fixture supporting said fan blade;
the fixture comprising:
a body supporting a pivot clamp, the pivot clamp attached to the body with a pivot;
a support attached to the body, the support is configured to engage an airfoil portion of the fan blade;
a receiver formed in the body configured to support a root of the fan blade; and
a shoulder attached to the body configured to support a platform portion of the fan blade.

2. The system for deep rolling a fan blade according to claim 1 , wherein the pivot clamp includes an adjustable clamp, the adjustable clamp being adjustably mounted through an arm of the pivot clamp attached to the pivot.

3. The system for deep rolling a fan blade according to claim 1 , wherein the support extends upward relative to an upper region of the body to engage the airfoil portion of the fan blade; the support includes at least one brace coupled to a rear of the body, the at least one brace includes an adjustable strut.

4. The system for deep rolling a fan blade according to claim 1 , wherein the receiver includes at least one landing configured to support a corresponding portion of the root.

5. The system for deep rolling a fan blade according to claim 4 , further comprising a lug that extends outward from the receiver to brace the root.

6. The system for deep rolling a fan blade according to claim 1 , wherein the shoulder is located in an upper region of the body between the receiver and the support.

7. The system for deep rolling a fan blade according to claim 1 , wherein the adjustable clamp includes a hand knob and a surface contactor opposite the hand knob along a shaft of the adjustable clamp; wherein the surface contactor is configured to press against a portion of the fan blade to secure the fan blade.

8. A system for deep rolling a fan blade comprising:
a shaft assembly disposed along a first axis;
a hub connected to a distal end of the shaft assembly, the hub having an upper hub portion adjacent to the distal end of the shaft assembly aligned with the first axis, and a lower hub portion extending along a second axis, the second axis forming an angle relative to the first axis;
a roller disk joined to the lower portion of the hub, the roller disk configured to contact a fan blade;
a fixture supporting said fan blade;
the fixture comprising:
a body including an upper region opposite a lower region, the body includes a front and a rear opposite the front, the body includes a right side and a left side opposite the right side;
the body supports a pivot clamp, the pivot clamp attaches to the body with a pivot attached to the body;
a support attached to the body, the support includes at least one brace coupled to the rear of the body, the support is configured to engage an airfoil portion of the fan blade;
a receiver formed in the body configured to support a root of the fan blade, wherein the receiver includes at least one landing configured to support a corresponding portion of the root; and
a shoulder attached to the body configured to support a platform portion of the fan blade; wherein the shoulder is located in an upper region of the body between the receiver and the support.

9. The system for deep rolling a fan blade according to claim 8 , wherein the pivot clamp includes an adjustable clamp, the adjustable clamp being adjustably mounted through an arm of the pivot clamp attached to the pivot.

10. The system for deep rolling a fan blade according to claim 9 , wherein the adjustable clamp includes a knob and a surface contactor opposite the knob along a shaft of the adjustable clamp.

11. The system for deep rolling a fan blade according to claim 10 , wherein the surface contactor is configured to press against a portion of the fan blade to secure the fan blade.

12. The system for deep rolling a fan blade according to claim 8 , wherein the at least one brace includes an adjustable strut.

13. The system for deep rolling a fan blade according to claim 8 , further comprising:
a lug that extends outward from the receiver to brace the root.

14. A process for securing a fan blade for deep rolling comprising:
supporting the fan blade in a fixture, the fixture comprising:
a body supporting a pivot clamp, the pivot clamp attached to the body with a pivot;
engaging an airfoil portion of the fan blade with a support attached to the body;
supporting a root of the fan blade with a receiver formed in the body; and
supporting a platform portion of the fan blade with a shoulder attached to the body.

15. The process of claim 14 , wherein the pivot clamp includes an adjustable clamp, the adjustable clamp being adjustably mounted through an arm of the pivot clamp attached to the pivot.

16. The process of claim 14 , further comprising:
supporting a portion of the root with at least one landing formed in the receiver.

17. The process of claim 14 , further comprising:
bracing the root of the fan blade with a lug that extends outward from the receiver.

18. The process of claim 14 , wherein the adjustable clamp includes a knob and a surface contactor opposite the knob along a shaft of the adjustable clamp.

19. The process of claim 18 , further comprising:
pressing the surface contactor against a portion of the fan blade to secure the fan blade.

20. The process of claim 14 , wherein the support includes at least one brace coupled to a rear of the body, wherein the at least one brace includes an adjustable strut; and
adjusting the adjustable strut to contact the airfoil portion of the fan blade.

Assignees

• Raytheon Tech Corp
• Rtx Corp

Inventors

• Kuczek Andrzej E
• El-Wardany Tahany
• Bedard Benjamin
• Klecka Michael A
• Salva Randy P
• Barnat Krzysztof

Classifications

• Y10T29/49998

  Work holding · CPC title

• B23Q1/40

  using ball, roller or wheel arrangements · CPC title

• F01D25/285

  Temporary support structures, e.g. for testing, assembling, installing, repairing; Assembly methods using such structures · CPC title

• B23B2270/26

  Burnishing · CPC title

• F05D2220/32

  in gas turbines · CPC title