Fan Cases and Manufacture Methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016201505-A1
Application number	US-201414914840-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 15, 2014
Priority date	Sep 9, 2013
Publication date	Jul 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A turbine engine fan case ( 48 ) comprises a composite body member ( 300 ) circumscribing an axis ( 500 ) and having an annular mounting portion ( 310, 410 ), a segmented polymer member ( 320, 330, 420, 440 ) along the annular mounting portion, and integrated therewith.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A turbine engine fan case ( 48 ) comprising:
a composite body member ( 300 ) circumscribing an axis ( 500 ) and having an annular mounting portion ( 310 , 410 ); and a segmented polymer member ( 320 , 330 , 420 , 440 ) along the annular mounting portion and integrated therewith.

2 . The turbine engine fan case of claim 1 wherein:
the composite body member comprises a carbon fiber-reinforced composite.

3 . The turbine engine fan case of claim 1 comprising:
the segmented polymer member is a segmented fiber-filled polymer member.

4 . The turbine engine fan case of claim 3 wherein:
the fiber-filled polymer comprises glass fiber.

5 . The turbine engine fan case of claim 3 wherein:
the fiber-filled polymer comprises polyetherimide (PEI) polymer.

6 . The turbine engine fan case of claim 3 wherein:
the mounting portion ( 410 ) is a flange.

7 . The turbine engine fan case of claim 6 wherein:
a first said segmented fiber-filled polymer member ( 420 ) is along a first face ( 414 ) of the flange; and
a second said segmented fiber-filled polymer member ( 440 ) is along a second face ( 416 ) of the flange opposite the first face to sandwich the flange between the first and second said segmented fiber-filled polymer members.

8 . The turbine engine fan case of claim 3 wherein:
the mounting portion ( 310 ) has an inner diameter (ID) surface and an outer diameter (OD) surface.

9 . The turbine engine fan case of claim 8 wherein at least one of:
a first said segmented fiber-filled polymer member is along the ID surface; and
a second said segmented fiber-filled polymer member is along the OD surface.

10 . The turbine engine fan case of claim 8 wherein:
a first said segmented fiber-filled polymer member is along the ID surface; and
a second said segmented fiber-filled polymer member is along the OD surface axially overlapping the first segmented fiber-filled polymer member.

11 . The turbine engine fan case of claim 3 wherein:
a metallic member ( 312 , 120 , 136 , 460 ) is mounted to said segmented polymer member.

12 . The turbine engine fan case of claim 11 wherein:
the metallic member is selected from the group consisting of:
a mounting ring ( 120 );
a fan exit guide vane ( 84 , 312 ) array; and
a liner capture plate ( 136 ).

13 . The turbine engine fan case of claim 3 wherein:
the segmented fiber-filled polymer member has a characteristic thickness of 0.25 millimeters to 1.5 millimeters.

14 . The turbine engine fan case of claim 3 wherein:
the segmented fiber-filled polymer member has a fiber content of 10% to 40% by weight.

15 . The turbine engine fan case of claim 3 wherein:
the segmented fiber-filled polymer member has 4-30 segments.

16 . The turbine engine fan case of claim 3 wherein:
the segmented fiber-filled polymer member combines for at least 300° of an annulus.

17 . A method for manufacturing the turbine engine fan case of claim 1 , the method comprising:
laying up the composite body member; applying the segmented polymer member to the annular mounting portion; and curing the composite body member.

18 . The method of claim 17 wherein:
the segmented polymer member is of a first said segmented polymer member; and
a second segmented polymer member is applied to a mandrel and the laying up is atop the second segmented polymer member.

19 . The method of claim 17 further comprising:
after the applying and the curing, machining the segmented fiber-filled polymer member.

20 . A method for using the turbine engine fan case of claim 1 , the method comprising:
fastening a metallic member ( 312 , 120 , 136 , 460 ) to the segmented polymer member to the annular mounting portion.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Clarkson Steven C
• Robertson Jr Thomas J
• Parkin Michael

Classifications

• F05D2300/603

  Composites; e.g. fibre-reinforced · CPC title

• F05D2300/43

  Synthetic polymers, e.g. plastics; Rubber · CPC title

• F05D2240/14

  Casings or housings protecting or supporting assemblies within · CPC title

• F01D11/08

  for sealing space between rotor blade tips and stator (specially-shaped blade tips therefor F01D5/20) · CPC title

• F05D2300/614

  Fibres or filaments · CPC title