Gas turbine engine mounting arrangements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9347337-B2
Application number	US-201213644849-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 4, 2012
Priority date	Oct 4, 2011
Publication date	May 24, 2016
Grant date	May 24, 2016

Abstract

A clamp suitable for use in an anti-icing system of a gas turbine engine is provided is disclosed. The clamp has a clasping portion for clasping a heating element. Two resilient arms extend from the clasping portion to a substantially rigid outer collar. Translational movement of the clasping portion, which may be created by radial expansion of an annular heating element being clasped thereby, can be accommodated by the clamp by elastic deformation of the resilient arms. This allows radial expansion of the heating element to be accommodated without relative rotation between the clasping portion and the heating element.

First claim

We claim:

1. A clamp for holding an elongate element having a central axis, the clamp comprising:
an outer collar having a fixing portion for fixing the clamp to a fixed structure; and
a clasp for holding the elongate element, the clasp comprising:
a clasping portion arranged to receive the elongate element such that, when the elongate element is received, a clasping axis (Y-Y axis) of the clasping portion is generally aligned with the central axis of the elongate element;
a first resilient arm extending from a first suspension position of the clasping portion to the outer collar, the first resilient arm being offset from the clasping portion in the direction of the clasping axis at the first suspension position; and
a second resilient arm extending from a second suspension position of the clasping portion to the outer collar,

wherein the first and second resilient arms allow translational movement of the clasping portion in a plane perpendicular to the clasping axis by flexing of the first resilient arm and of the second resilient arm.

2. The clamp according to claim 1 , wherein the first resilient arm and the second resilient arm are arranged between the clasping portion and the outer collar so as to allow translational movement of the clasping portion with substantially no rotation of the clasping portion about the clasping axis.

3. The clamp according to claim 1 , wherein the second suspension position is substantially opposite to the first suspension position.

4. The clamp according to claim 1 , wherein the first resilient arm and the second resilient arm extend tangentially from the clasping portion.

5. The clamp according to claim 1 , wherein:
the first resilient arm extends to a first attachment position on the outer collar;
the second resilient arm extends to a second attachment position on the outer collar; and
the second attachment position is substantially opposite to the first attachment position.

6. The clamp according to claim 1 , wherein the first resilient arm and the second resilient arm are attached tangentially to the outer collar.

7. The clamp according to claim 1 , wherein, in a cross-section perpendicular to the clasping axis:
the first resilient arm forms a curve extending from the first suspension position to a first attachment position on the outer collar; and
the second resilient arm forms a curve extending from the second suspension position to a second attachment position on the outer collar.

8. The clamp according to claim 7 , wherein:
the curve of the first resilient arm turns through an angle in the range of from 120° to 240° between the first suspension position to the first attachment position; and
the curve of the second resilient arm turns through an angle in the range of from 120° to 240° between the second suspension position to the second attachment position.

9. The clamp according to claim 1 , wherein:
the outer collar comprises a non-planar, substantially rigid extrusion extending in the direction of the clasping axis; and
the outer collar extends around the outside of at least a portion of the clasp.

10. The clamp according to claim 1 , wherein:
the outer collar has a proximal end region and a distal end region;
the first resilient arm is attached to the outer collar at the distal end region;
the second resilient arm is attached to the outer collar at the proximal end region; and
the fixing portion is provided at the proximal end region.

11. The clamp according to claim 1 , wherein:
the clasp comprises a first clasp element and a second clasp element, the first clasp element including the first resilient arm integrally formed with a first portion of the clasping portion, and the second clasp element including the second resilient arm integrally formed with a second portion of the clasping portion; and
the first clamp element and the second clasp element are releasably attached to each other.

12. The clamp according to claim 1 , wherein the second resilient arm is offset from the clasping portion in the direction of the clasping axis at the second suspension position.

13. An annular assembly comprising:
an annular element having an annular central axis; and
a plurality of clamps configured to mount the annular element to a fixed structure, each clamp of the plurality of clamps including;
an outer collar having a fixing portion for fixing the clamp to the fixed structure; and
a clasp for holding the annular element, the clasp comprising:
a clasping portion arranged to receive the annular element such that, when the annular element is received, a clasping axis (Y-Y axis) of the clasping portion is generally aligned with the central axis of the annular element;
a first resilient arm extending from a first suspension position of the clasping portion to the outer collar, the first resilient arm being offset from the clasping portion in the direction of the clasping axis at the first suspension position; and
a second resilient arm extending from a second suspension position of the clasping portion to the outer collar,

wherein:
the first and second resilient arms allow translational movement of the clasping portion in a plane perpendicular to the clasping axis by flexing of the first resilient arm and of the second resilient arm, and
the clasping portion of each clamp is configured to receive a circumferential portion of the annular element, much that radial expansion of the annular element is accommodated by the clamps.

14. The annular assembly according to claim 13 , wherein radial expansion of the annular element is accommodated by the clamps without relative rotation between the annular element and the respective clasping portions.

15. An anti-icing assembly for a nacelle of a gas turbine engine, the anti-icing assembly comprising:
an annular element having an annular central axis; and
a plurality of clamp configured to mount the annular element to a fixed structure, each clamp of the plurality of clamps including:
an outer collar having a fixing portion for fixing the clamp to the fixed structure; and
a clasp for holding the annular element, the clasp comprising:
a clasping portion arranged to receive the annular element such that, when the annular element is received, a clasping axis (Y-Y axis) of the clasping portion is generally aligned with the central axis of the annular element;
a first resilient arm extending from a first suspension position of the clasping portion to the outer collar, the first resilient arm being offset from the clasping portion in the direction of the clasping axis at the first suspension position; and
a second resilient arm extending from a second suspension position of the clasping portion to the outer collar,

wherein:
the first and second resilient arms allow translational movement of the clasping portion in a plane perpendicular to the clasping axis by flexing of the first resilient arm and of the second resilient arm,
the clasping portion of each clamp is configured to receive a circumferential portion of the annular element, such that radial expansion of the annular element is accommodated by the clamps,
the annular element is an annular heating element configured to provide heat to a leading edge of the nacelle, and
the fixing portion of the outer collar of each clamp is configured to fix the respective clamp to the fixed structure.

16. The anti-icing assembly according to claim 15 , wherein:
the annular heating element is a pipe configured to receive fluid having a higher temperature than ambient temperature, and
the pipe has a plurality of bleed holes

Assignees

• Rolls Royce Plc

Inventors

• Hindle Andrew Kenneth
• Littley Benjamin Thomas
• Johnson Alana
• Lambert Keith Adam

Classifications

• Y02T50/672

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• F02C7/20

  Mounting or supporting of plant; Accommodating heat expansion or creep · CPC title

• F01D25/02

  De-icing means for engines having icing phenomena · CPC title

• F02C7/047

  Heating to prevent icing · CPC title

• F01D25/28 Primary

  Supporting or mounting arrangements, e.g. for turbine casing · CPC title