Airfoil including loose damper

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016160651-A1
Application number	US-201615042840-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 12, 2016
Priority date	Apr 24, 2012
Publication date	Jun 9, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An airfoil includes an airfoil body that has a leading edge and a trailing edge and a first sidewall and a second sidewall that is spaced apart from the first sidewall. The first sidewall and the second sidewall join the leading edge and the trailing edge between a radially outer end and a radially inner end. The first sidewall and the second sidewall at least partially define a cavity extending radially in the airfoil body. A damper member has a free radially inner end in the cavity and a free radially outer end in the cavity. The damper member is free-floating in the cavity.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An airfoil comprising:
an airfoil body including a leading edge and a trailing edge and a first sidewall and a second sidewall that is spaced apart from the first sidewall, the first sidewall and the second sidewall joining the leading edge and the trailing edge between a radially outer end and a radially inner end, the first sidewall and the second sidewall at least partially defining a cavity extending radially in the airfoil body; and a damper member having a free radially inner end in the cavity and a free radially outer end in the cavity, wherein the damper member is free-floating in the cavity.

2 . The airfoil as recited in claim 1 , wherein the damper member is elongated in a radial direction between the radially outer end and the radially inner end.

3 . The airfoil as recited in claim 1 , wherein the airfoil body further includes at least one fixed guide member that has a bearing surface that circumscribes the damper member.

4 . The airfoil as recited in claim 1 , wherein the airfoil body further includes at least one guide member that has a sloped bearing surface with regard to a radial direction between the radially outer end and the radially inner end.

5 . The airfoil as recited in claim 1 , wherein the airfoil body further includes a support arm fixed to at least one of the first sidewall or the second sidewall and a radially elongated guide member supported on the support arm, wherein the radially elongated guide member includes a bearing surface with respect to the damper member.

6 . The airfoil as recited in claim 1 , wherein the airfoil body includes a plurality of guide members with respective bearing surfaces that are radially spaced apart with regard to a radial direction between the radially outer end and the radially inner end.

7 . The airfoil as recited in claim 1 , wherein the damper member includes radially alternating bearing sections and non-bearing sections with regard to a radial direction between the radially outer end and the radially inner end.

8 . A turbine engine comprising:
at least one of a fan, a compressor section, or a turbine section that includes a plurality of airfoils, each of the airfoils comprising,
an airfoil body including a leading edge and a trailing edge and a first sidewall and a second sidewall that is spaced apart from the first sidewall, the first sidewall and the second sidewall joining the leading edge and the trailing edge between a radially outer end and a radially inner end, the first sidewall and the second sidewall at least partially defining a cavity extending radially in the airfoil body, and
a damper member having a free radially inner end in the cavity and a free radially outer end in the cavity, wherein the damper member is free-floating in the cavity.

9 . The turbine engine as recited in claim 8 , wherein the damper member is tapered.

10 . The turbine engine as recited in claim 8 , wherein the damper member is elongated in a radial direction between the radially outer end and the radially inner end.

11 . The turbine engine as recited in claim 8 , wherein the airfoil body further includes at least one fixed guide member that has a bearing surface that circumscribes the damper member.

12 . The turbine engine as recited in claim 8 , wherein the airfoil body further includes at least one guide member that has a sloped bearing surface with regard to a radial direction between the radially outer end and the radially inner end.

13 . The turbine engine as recited in claim 8 , wherein the airfoil body further includes a support arm fixed to at least one of the first sidewall or the second sidewall and a radially elongated guide member supported on the support arm, wherein the radially elongated guide member includes a bearing surface with respect to the damper member.

14 . The turbine engine as recited in claim 8 , wherein the airfoil body includes a plurality of guide members with respective bearing surfaces that are radially spaced apart with regard to a radial direction between the radially outer end and the radially inner end.

15 . The turbine engine as recited in claim 8 , wherein the damper member includes radially alternating bearing sections and non-bearing sections with regard to a radial direction between the radially outer end and the radially inner end.

16 . An airfoil comprising:
an airfoil body having an inner end and an outer end defining a radial direction there between, the airfoil body including a radially elongated internal cavity; a radially elongated damper member having a free first damper end in the cavity and a free second damper end in the cavity; and a guide member in the cavity, the guide member including a continuous bearing surface that is situated with respect to the damper member such that the bearing surface limits movement of the damper member in the radial direction and in a cross direction that is transverse to the radial direction.

17 . The airfoil as recited in claim 16 , wherein the continuous bearing surface circumscribes the damper member.

18 . The airfoil as recited in claim 16 , wherein the continuous bearing surface has a geometry of a frustrum.

19 . The airfoil as recited in claim 16 , wherein the radial direction is a radial outward direction, and the continuous bearing surface is non-limiting with respect to movement of the damper member in a radial inward direction.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Houston David P
• Propheter-Hinckley Tracy A
• Fisk Benjamin T
• Tracy Anita L

Classifications

• B22F10/28

  Powder bed fusion, e.g. selective laser melting [SLM] or electron beam melting [EBM] · CPC title

• F01D5/16 Primary

  for counteracting blade vibration · CPC title

• B22F5/10

  of articles with cavities or holes, not otherwise provided for in the preceding subgroups · CPC title

• F05D2250/232

  conical · CPC title

• F01D25/04

  Antivibration arrangements · CPC title