TURBINE BLADE SEAL ASSEMBLY
First Claim
1. A seal assembly for limiting gas leakage between a hot gas path and a cavity containing cooling air in a turbine engine, the seal assembly comprising:
- a first blade assembly comprising a first platform and a first airfoil, said first platform comprising a first mate face;
a second blade assembly comprising a second platform and a second airfoil, said second platform comprising a second mate face located in opposing facing relationship with said first mate face;
a first seal slot formed in said first mate face and extending into said first platform in a circumferential direction of the engine, wherein said first seal slot is defined by opposing radially inner and radially outer first walls of said first seal slot and by opposing second walls of said first seal slot extending between said first walls, wherein at least the radially outer one of said first walls is angled relative to a line perpendicular to said first mate face such that an entry portion of said first seal slot located at said first mate face has a larger width than an inner end portion of said first seal slot;
a first seal member slidably disposed in said first seal slot and including a circumferentially facing contact surface; and
wherein rotation of the seal assembly during operation of the engine causes an exertion of a centrifugal force on said first seal member in the radial direction so as to cause said first seal member to slide circumferentially partially out of said first seal slot to engage said contact surface into contact with said second mate face.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A seal assembly for an axial flow gas turbine engine includes a rotatable component having a radially extending mate face, a seal slot formed in the mate face, and a seal member slidably disposed in the seal slot. The seal slot includes a radially outer wall and an opposing radially inner wall extending into the component in a circumferential direction from the mate face. The radially outer wall is angled radially inwardly from the mate face toward an inner end portion of the seal slot. Rotation of the seal assembly during operation of the engine produces a centrifugal force on the seal member to effect movement of the seal member in the circumferential direction out of the seal slot.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A seal assembly for limiting gas leakage between a hot gas path and a cavity containing cooling air in a turbine engine, the seal assembly comprising:
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a first blade assembly comprising a first platform and a first airfoil, said first platform comprising a first mate face; a second blade assembly comprising a second platform and a second airfoil, said second platform comprising a second mate face located in opposing facing relationship with said first mate face; a first seal slot formed in said first mate face and extending into said first platform in a circumferential direction of the engine, wherein said first seal slot is defined by opposing radially inner and radially outer first walls of said first seal slot and by opposing second walls of said first seal slot extending between said first walls, wherein at least the radially outer one of said first walls is angled relative to a line perpendicular to said first mate face such that an entry portion of said first seal slot located at said first mate face has a larger width than an inner end portion of said first seal slot; a first seal member slidably disposed in said first seal slot and including a circumferentially facing contact surface; and wherein rotation of the seal assembly during operation of the engine causes an exertion of a centrifugal force on said first seal member in the radial direction so as to cause said first seal member to slide circumferentially partially out of said first seal slot to engage said contact surface into contact with said second mate face. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A seal assembly for an axial flow gas turbine engine, the seal assembly comprising:
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a rotatable component comprising a radially extending mate face; a seal slot formed in said mate face, said seal slot including a radially outer wall and an opposing radially inner wall extending into said component in a circumferential direction from said mate face, said radially outer wall being angled radially inwardly from said mate face toward an inner end portion of said seal slot; a seal member slidably disposed in said seal slot; and wherein rotation of the seal assembly during operation of the engine produces a centrifugal force on said seal member to effect movement of said seal member in the circumferential direction out of said seal slot. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification