DAMPER PIN

• US 20140112792A1
• Filed: 12/30/2013
• Published: 04/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rtx Corporation
• Original Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Thomen, Seth J., Corcoran, Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 9,243,504 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 416/196.R
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 11/006 Sealing the gap between rotor blades or blades and rotor
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 11/008 by spacer elements between the blades, e.g. independent interblade platforms
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 5/22 Blade-to-blade connections, e.g. for damping vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2250/25 helical
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 416/50 Vibration damping features

Abstract

A damper pin for coupling platforms of adjacent turbine blades includes a first flat longitudinal end region, a second flat longitudinal end region and a reduced cross sectional area. The reduced cross sectional area is separated from the first flat longitudinal end region by a first main body region and the reduced cross sectional area is separated from the second flat longitudinal end region by a second main body region. The cross sectional area of the reduced cross sectional area is less than the cross sectional area of each of the first and second main body regions.

Claims

1. A pin for coupling platforms of adjacent turbine blades, the pin comprising:

a first flat longitudinal end region;

a second flat longitudinal end region;

a longitudinal slit radially extending through the pin; and

where the slit is separated from the first flat longitudinal end region by a first main body region and the slit is separated from the second flat longitudinal end region by a second main body region, and the first and second flat longitudinal end regions are undercut with respect to the first and second main body regions.

2. The pin of claim 1, further comprising a projection radially extending from the longitudinal end of the first flat longitudinal end region.

3. The pin of claim 2, where the first and second main body regions are cylindrical.

4. A pin for coupling platforms of adjacent turbine blades, the pin comprising:

a first flat longitudinal end region;

a second flat longitudinal end region;

an undercut region; and

where the undercut region is separated from the first flat longitudinal end region by a first main body region and the undercut region is separated from the second flat longitudinal end region by a second main body region, and the undercut region is undercut with respect to the first and second main body regions, and a projection radially extends from the longitudinal end of the first flat longitudinal end region.

5. The pin of claim 4, where the pin is formed from a metal alloy selected from the group consisting of IN100, IN718, IN625 and INCONEL X-750.

6. The pin of claim 5, where the first and second main body regions are cylindrical.

7. The pin of claim 6, where the reduced cross sectional area is formed by a continuous helical cut about the surface of the undercut region that allows cooling air to flow along opposite surfaces of the pin.