Bonded mount ring spinner

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016288902-A1
Application number	US-201415030787-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 23, 2014
Priority date	Oct 21, 2013
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A fan assembly of a gas turbine engine, a method for fabricating a fan assembly for a gas turbine engine, and a gas turbine engine are disclosed. The fan assembly of the gas turbine engine may include a spinner section, a fan hub section aft of the spinner section, and a joint therebetween. The fan assembly may further include a support ring for internally supporting the spinner, the support ring including a first portion facing the fan hub and a second portion connected to the spinner at the joint, wherein the connection between the second portion and the joint is a bonded connection.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A fan assembly, for a gas turbine engine, comprising:
a spinner, a fan hub aft of the spinner, and a joint therebetween; a support ring for internally supporting the spinner including a first portion facing the fan hub and a second portion connected to the spinner at the joint, wherein the connection between the second portion and the joint is a bonded connection.

2 . The fan assembly of claim 1 , wherein the joint comprises an axial stop.

3 . The fan assembly of claim 1 , wherein the joint comprises a radial snap.

4 . The fan assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a mating key at the joint.

5 . The fan assembly of claim 4 , wherein the support ring further comprises a mating slot to accept the mating key at the joint.

6 . The fan assembly of claim 1 , further comprising bond rails at the joint.

7 . The fan assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second portion of the support ring is bonded by epoxy to the spinner section at the joint.

8 . The fan assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second portion of the support ring is bonded by silicone adhesive to the spinner at the bonding joint.

9 . A method of fabricating a fan assembly for a gas turbine engine, the fan assembly having a spinner, a fan hub aft of the spinner, and a joint therebetween, the method comprising:
forming the spinner; forming a support ring for internally supporting the spinner including a first portion facing the fan hub and a second portion connected to the spinner at the joint; bonding the second portion of the support ring to the spinner at the joint.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the spinner is formed by injection molding.

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the support ring formed by injection molding.

12 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising forming bonding rails at the joint.

13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising sizing the bonding rails to constrain a thickness of a bond bonding the second portion of the support ring to the spinner section at the joint.

14 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising sizing the bonding rails to create a bond thickness capable of bearing stress associated with a flight cycle.

15 . A gas turbine engine, comprising:
a fan assembly section, the fan assembly section comprising:
a spinner, a fan hub aft of the spinner, and a joint therebetween;
a support ring for internally supporting the spinner including a first portion facing the fan hub and a second portion connected to the spinner at the joint, wherein the connection between the second portion and the joint is a bonded connection;
a compressor section downstream of the fan assembly section; a combustor section downstream of the compressor section; and a turbine section downstream of the combustor section.

16 . The gas turbine engine of claim 15 , wherein the joint further comprises an axial stop, the axial stop transferring axial compressive forces associated with the gas turbine engine to the support ring.

17 . The gas turbine engine of claim 15 , wherein the joint further comprises a radial snap, the radial snap transferring radial forces associated with the gas turbine engine.

18 . The gas turbine engine of claim 15 , wherein the fan assembly section further comprises a mating key at the joint.

19 . The gas turbine engine of claim 18 , wherein the support ring further comprises a mating slot to accept the mating key at the joint.

20 . The gas turbine engine of claim 19 , wherein the mating key and the mating slot, in combination, transfer shear forces associated with the gas turbine engine to the support ring.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Kling Colin J
• Webb Scot A
• Mcphail James J

Classifications

• F05D2220/36

  specially adapted for the fan of turbofan engines · CPC title

• F05D2230/23

  by permanently joining parts together · CPC title

• B64C11/14 Primary

  Spinners · CPC title

• F02C3/04

  having a turbine driving a compressor (power transmission arrangements F02C7/36; control of working fluid flow F02C9/16) · CPC title

• F01D5/066 Primary

  Connecting means for joining rotor-discs or rotor-elements together, e.g. by a central bolt, by clamps · CPC title