Turbine engine containment assembly and method for manufacturing the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018283397-A1
Application number	US-201715478702-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 4, 2017
Priority date	Apr 4, 2017
Publication date	Oct 4, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A containment assembly for use in a turbine engine includes a fan case formed from a composite material. The fan case includes a forward end, an aft end, and an opening defined through the fan case between the forward and aft ends. The containment assembly further includes a structural attachment member formed from a metallic material and coupled to the fan case. The structural attachment member is positioned within the opening in the fan case and is configured to receive at least one fastener to couple a component to the structural attachment member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A containment assembly for use with a turbine engine, said containment assembly comprising:
a fan case formed from a first material and including a forward end and an aft end, wherein said fan case includes an opening defined through said fan case between said forward end and said aft end; and a structural attachment member coupled to said fan case, wherein said structural attachment member is positioned within said opening, and wherein said structural attachment member is formed from a second material different than the first material and is configured to receive at least one fastener to couple a component to said structural attachment member.

2 . The containment assembly in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said fan case includes a first flange, and wherein said structural attachment member includes a second flange aligned with said first flange, wherein a seam is defined between said aligned first and second flanges.

3 . The containment assembly in accordance with claim 2 , further comprising a stiffener coupled to both said first flange and to said second flange such that said stiffener extends across said seam.

4 . The containment assembly in accordance with claim 3 , wherein said stiffener includes a plate coupled to both said first flange and to said second flange with a plurality of fasteners.

5 . The containment assembly in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said structural attachment member includes a first lip extending about a perimeter of said structural attachment member and said fan case includes a second lip extending about a perimeter of said opening, wherein said first lip is coupled to said second lip to form a joint about the perimeter of said structural attachment member.

6 . The containment assembly in accordance with claim 5 , wherein said first lip and said second lip are tapered such that a thickness of said joint is substantially similar to a thickness of said structural attachment member.

7 . The containment assembly in accordance with claim 5 , wherein said second lip includes a first thickness and said first lip includes a second thickness smaller than the first thickness.

8 . The containment assembly in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the first material includes a composite material and the second material includes a metallic material.

9 . A turbine engine comprising:
an outlet guide vane; a fan case positioned radially outward from said outlet guide vane, wherein said fan case includes a forward end, an aft end and an opening defined through said fan case between said forward end and said aft end; and a structural attachment member coupled to said fan case, wherein said structural attachment member is positioned within said opening, wherein structural attachment member is also coupled to said outlet guide vane with at least one fastener.

10 . The turbine engine in accordance with claim 9 , wherein said fan case is formed from a composite material and said structural attachment member is formed from a metallic material.

11 . The turbine engine in accordance with claim 9 , wherein said structural attachment member extends circumferentially within a range of 20 degrees to 50 degrees about said fan case.

12 . The turbine engine in accordance with claim 9 , wherein said fan case includes a first flange, and wherein said structural attachment member includes a second flange aligned with said first flange, wherein a seam is defined between said aligned first and second flanges.

13 . The turbine engine in accordance with claim 12 , further comprising a stiffener coupled to both said first flange and to said second flange such that said stiffener extends across said seam, wherein said stiffener includes a U-shaped coupling coupled to both a forward side and an aft side of said first and said second flanges.

14 . The turbine engine in accordance with claim 9 , wherein said fan case includes a V-groove at said aft end, wherein said V-groove is integrally formed with said fan case from a composite material.

15 . A method of forming a containment assembly for use in a turbine engine, said method comprising:
forming a fan case from a composite material; machining an opening through the fan case; forming a structural attachment member from a metallic material; coupling the structural attachment member to the fan case such that the structural attachment member is positioned within the opening; and coupling a component to the structural attachment member using at least one fastener.

16 . The method in accordance with claim 15 , wherein machining the opening comprises machining the opening to extend circumferentially about the fan case within a range of 20 degrees to 50 degrees.

17 . The method in accordance with claim 15 , wherein coupling the structural attachment member to the fan case further comprises:
drilling a plurality of apertures in the fan case and in the structural attachment member; and inserting a plurality of fasteners through the plurality of apertures to couple the fan case to the structural attachment member.

18 . The method in accordance with claim 15 , wherein coupling the structural attachment member to the fan case further comprises coupling a stiffener across a seam formed by aligning a first flange of the fan case with a second flange of the structural attachment member.

19 . The method in accordance with claim 18 , wherein coupling the stiffener comprises coupling a plate to one of a forward side and an aft side of the aligned first and second flanges using a plurality of fasteners.

20 . The method in accordance with claim 18 , wherein coupling the stiffener comprises coupling a U-shaped coupling to both a forward side and an aft side of the aligned first and second flanges such that the coupling straddles the first and second flanges.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Sakala Viswanadha Gupta
• Boyer Mitchell Harold
• Xie Ming
• Ward Douglas Duane

Classifications

• F04D29/644

  especially adapted for elastic fluid pumps · CPC title

• F02K3/06

  with front fan · CPC title

• F04D29/522 Primary

  especially adapted for elastic fluid pumps · CPC title

• F04D29/542

  Bladed diffusers (fixing blades to stators F01D9/042) · CPC title

• F05D2230/60

  Assembly methods · CPC title