Spinner for electrically grounding fan blades

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9896936-B2
Application number	US-201414515243-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 15, 2014
Priority date	Feb 7, 2014
Publication date	Feb 20, 2018
Grant date	Feb 20, 2018

Abstract

A fan assembly for gas assembly engine is disclosed. The fan assembly includes a rotor that is coupled to at least one fan blade. The fan assembly also includes a spinner that extends towards the rotor and the fan blades so that an edge of the spinner engages the fan blades. The edge of the spinner thereby serves as a grounding element for the fan blade. If the spinner is fabricated from a composite or a plastic material that is not sufficiently conductive for grounding purposes, the edge may be coated with a conductive material. Alternatively, the spinner may be fabricated from a metallic material, which would eliminate the need for a conductive coating on the edge that engages the fan blades.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A fan assembly for a gas turbine engine, the fan assembly comprising:
a rotor coupled to at least one fan blade;
a spinner providing an electrical ground for the at least one fan blade;
the spinner including an edge, the edge being electrically conductive and the edge extends to and engages the at least one fan blade such that the edge provides the electrical ground for the at least one fan blade.

2. The fan assembly of claim 1 wherein the edge of the spinner is coated with a conductive material.

3. The fan assembly of claim 1 wherein the spinner is fabricated from a conductive material.

4. The fan assembly of claim 1 wherein the spinner is fabricated from a composite material that includes conductive material.

5. The fan assembly of claim 1 wherein the spinner is fabricated from at least one plastic.

6. The fan assembly of claim 1 wherein the at least one fan blade includes a metallic body that engages the edge of the spinner.

7. The fan assembly of claim 1 wherein the at least one fan blade includes a composite body that engages the edge of the spinner.

8. The fan assembly of claim 1 wherein the spinner is coupled to and disposed between the rotor and a spinner cap.

9. The fan assembly of claim 1 wherein the spinner is fabricated from a composite or a plastic material and the edge of the spinner is plated with a conductive material.

10. The fan assembly of claim 1 wherein the edge of the spinner is covered with a conductive material.

11. The fan assembly of claim 8 wherein the spinner includes another edge that is coupled to the spinner cap and a radially inwardly extending flange, the radially inwardly extending flange being coupled to the rotor.

12. A method for grounding fan blades of a fan assembly of a gas turbine engine, the method comprising:
providing a rotor coupled to at least one fan blade;
providing a spinner having an annular body including an edge and a radially inwardly extending flange, the edge including conductive material;
connecting the flange of the spinner to the rotor so the edge engages the at least one fan blade; and
electrically grounding the at least one fan blade to the rotor via the edge.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the edge of the spinner is coated with the conductive material.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the spinner is fabricated from a conductive material.

15. The method claim 12 wherein the spinner is fabricated from a composite material that includes conductive material.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the at least one fan blade includes a metallic body.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein the at least one fan blade includes a composite body.

18. The method of claim 12 further including plating the edge of the spinner with a conductive material.

19. The method of claim 12 further including covering the edge of the spinner with a conductive material.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Whitehurst Sean A
• Mccomb Patrick James

Classifications

• F01D5/02 Primary

  Blade-carrying members, e.g. rotors (rotors of non-bladed type F01D1/34; stators F01D9/00 {; selecting particular materials F01D5/28}) · CPC title

• F05D2240/24

  for turbines · CPC title

• F01D5/286

  Particular treatment of blades, e.g. to increase durability or resistance against corrosion or erosion (F01D5/288 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F02K3/06

  with front fan · CPC title

• F05D2230/30

  with deposition of material · CPC title