Blade containment structure
First Claim
1. A blade containment structure surrounding a fan in a fan jet engine comprising:
- a honeycomb structure spaced radially outwardly from and surrounding the entire tips of blades of said fan;
a fabric blanket surrounding said honeycomb structure;
said fabric blanket being of a type effective to contain fragments of said blades thrown outward by damage to said fan;
said honeycomb structure including an inner honeycomb region having an inner wall and a septum, said septum being an outer wall of said inner honeycomb region and being spaced a predetermined distance radially outward from said inner wall; and
said honeycomb structure further including an outer honeycomb region disposed radially outwardly of said inner honeycomb region and being bounded by said septum and an outer wall.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A blade containment structure employs a two-layer honeycomb region radially outward of a fan blade rub strip. The two layers are separated by a septum and each layer contributes independently to strength and stiffness of the structure. A Kevlar blanket radially outward of the honeycomb region retains blade fragments which may be broken loose by ingestion of large objects such as, for example, birds. The radially inner honeycomb region is deep enough to position the septum out of the orbit of blade tips in an engine made unbalanced by loss of one or more fan blades. The septum and outer honeycomb region retains sufficient strength in the structure for supporting forward components.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A blade containment structure surrounding a fan in a fan jet engine comprising:
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a honeycomb structure spaced radially outwardly from and surrounding the entire tips of blades of said fan; a fabric blanket surrounding said honeycomb structure; said fabric blanket being of a type effective to contain fragments of said blades thrown outward by damage to said fan; said honeycomb structure including an inner honeycomb region having an inner wall and a septum, said septum being an outer wall of said inner honeycomb region and being spaced a predetermined distance radially outward from said inner wall; and said honeycomb structure further including an outer honeycomb region disposed radially outwardly of said inner honeycomb region and being bounded by said septum and an outer wall. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A blade containment structure for surrounding blades of a gas turbine engine comprising:
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an annular honeycomb structure positionable radially outwardly of the entire axially extent of blade tips of said blades and including; a radially inner honeycomb region bounded by a septum and an inner wall spaced radially inwardly therefrom and being faceable toward said blade tips; and a radially outer honeycomb region bounded by said septum and an outer wall spaced radially outwardly therefrom; and a fabric containment blanket disposed radially outwardly of said outer wall of said second honeycomb region and being of a type effective for containing blade fragments thrown outwardly upon damage to said blades. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. In a gas turbine engine including a fan having a plurality of blades, a fan casing, and an inlet cowl, a fan blade containment structure comprising:
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an annular honeycomb structure disposed radially outwardly of the entire axial extent of blade tips of said fan blades and including; a radially inner honeycomb region bounded by a septum and an inner wall spaced radially inwardly therefrom and facing toward said blade tips; a radially outer honeycomb region bounded by said septum and an outer wall spaced radially outwardly therefrom; and said inner wall, septum and outer wall being fixedly joined at axially spaced ends thereof to define an aft flange and a forward flange, said aft flange being fixedly joined to said fan casing and said forward flange being fixedly joined to said inlet cowl, said honeycomb structure being effective for providing load carry-through to said forward flange for supporting said inlet cowl to said fan casing; and a fabric containment blanket disposed radially outwardly of said outer wall of said second honeycomb region and being effective for containing blade fragments thrown outwardly upon damage to said blades. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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Specification