Fixture for disposing a laser blocking material in an airfoil

• US 6,139,303 A
• Filed: 12/17/1998
• Issued: 10/31/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Jordan, Christopher P., Vontell, John H., Lamm, Foster P., Funk, Stanley J., Reed, Gordon M., Boucher, Kenneth M., Whitton, James, Bak, Joseph, Dolan, James F., Nehez, William A. Sr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Heitbrink, Tim
• Application Number:
  US09/213,593
• Time in Patent Office: 684 Days
• Field of Search: 425/110, 425/116, 425/127, 425/129.1
• US Class Current: 425/116
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/009 using a non-absorbing, e.g. transparent, reflective or refractive, layer on the workpiece using a mask on the workpiece B23K26/066
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/18 using absorbing layers on the workpiece, e.g. for marking or protecting purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/389 of fluid openings, e.g. nozzles, jets laser machining of inkjet nozzles B41J2/1634

Abstract

A fixture 56 for disposing laser blocking material 52 on the interior of an airfoil 10 is disclosed. Various construction details are developed which allow for the repetitive disposition of the laser blocking material in one airfoil after another. In one embodiment, the fixture includes a sprue plate 62 and locating block 126 which are spanwisely spaced and engage the ends 14, 18 of the airfoil.

Claims

1. A fixture for disposing a laser blocking material in an airfoil from a source for supplying blocking material under pressure, the airfoil having a first end and a second end spaced spanwise from the first end, the fixture having a passage for the blocking material, which comprises:

a sprue plate having a spanwise facing seal surface which faces the first end of the airfoil, the sprue plate having a portion of the passage for receiving blocking material extending through the sprue plate and in flow communication with the rotor blade through the seal surface; and

,

a member having a surface facing spanwise toward the seal surface of the sprue plate which is spaced spanwise from the sprue plate and which engages the airfoil, the surface of the member being softer than the material of the rotor blade;

wherein in the installed (operative) condition the source of pressurized blocking material is in flow communication with the passage and the passage is in flow communication with the airfoil; and

wherein in the installed (operative) condition, the sprue plate is urged toward the first end of the airfoil to exert a force on the airfoil and the airfoil is urged against the member both to position the airfoil between the seal surface and the surface of the member, and, to urge the seal surface toward the first end of the airfoil to block the loss of material from the passage between the sprue plate and the first end.

2. The fixture for disposing a laser blocking material in an airfoil as claimed in claim 1 wherein the sprue plate has a side facing the airfoil which has the seal surface, wherein the side has another spanwise facing surface which has an area A1 facing spanwise toward the airfoil in the operative condition, and which is spaced in the spanwise direction a distance D from the seal surface, and wherein the seal surface has a spanwise facing area A2 which is less than the area A1 (A2<

A1).

3. The fixture for disposing a laser blocking material in an airfoil as claimed in claim 2 wherein said side has a projection having the seal surface, the projection extending in a spanwise direction for the distance D and around the passage to provide a bounded perimeter about the passage, and wherein the seal surface engages the end of the airfoil and is pressed directly against the airfoil to form the seal about the passage.

4. The fixture for disposing a laser blocking material in an airfoil as claimed in claim 1 wherein a gasket is disposed between the seal surface and the end of the airfoil and wherein the sprue plate and the end of the airfoil are urged against the gasket under operative conditions.

5. The fixture for disposing a laser blocking material in an airfoil as claimed in claim 4 wherein the side having the seal surface has a recess which extends in the spanwise direction the distance D and which extends around the passage;

and, wherein the gasket is disposed in the recess and extends about the passage, and the seal surface engages the gasket and presses the gasket against the end of the airfoil to block the loss of blocking material from the passage.

6. The fixture for disposing a laser blocking material in an airfoil as claimed claim 1 wherein the source for supplying blocking material includes a nozzle;

wherein the fixture includes a sprue plate holder having a slot which adapts the sprue plate holder to slidably receive the sprue plate and includes means for preventing relative movement between the sprue plate and the sprue plate holder;

wherein the sprue plate holder is adapted to be affixed to the source for supplying blocking material under pressure and has an opening which adapts the sprue plate holder to permit the nozzle to extend though the sprue plate holder and to engage directly the sprue plate; and

, wherein the sprue plate has a surface facing spanwise away from the first end of the airfoil which adapts the sprue plate to sealingly engage the nozzle and, under operative conditions, to leave the nozzle pressed directly against the sprue plate to exert a sealing force at that location and wherein the sprue plate holder urges the sprue plate in the spanwise direction toward the first end of the rotor blade to exert a sealing force at the first end of the airfoil.

7. The fixture for disposing a laser blocking material in an airfoil as claimed in claim 1 wherein the member having a surface facing spanwise toward the seal surface is a block of material.

8. The fixture for disposing a laser blocking material in an airfoil as claimed in claim 7 wherein the block of material engages the second end of the airfoil.

9. The fixture for disposing a laser blocking material in an airfoil as claimed in claim 7 wherein the fixture has a plurality of blocks having different spanwise heights and wherein one of said blocks is the block used to engage the airfoil and wherein the fixture has a plurality of sprue plate each having a seal surface configured to engage a particular airfoil and wherein each sprue plate has an associated block such that the fixture may be easily modified to accept different airfoils having different spanwise lengths and different configurations at the first end.

12. The fixture for disposing a laser blocking material in an airfoil as claimed in claim 4 wherein the material of the gasket is polytetrafluoroethylene.

13. The fixture for disposing a laser blocking material in an airfoil as claimed in claim 5 wherein the material of the gasket is polytetrafluoroethylene.

10. A fixture having a passage for disposing a laser blocking material in a rotor blade from means for injecting the blocking material under pressure having a nozzle, the rotor blade having a first end and a second end spaced spanwise from the first end, which comprises:

A. a sprue plate having

1) a portion of the passage extending spanwise through the sprue plate for receiving pressurized blocking material and in flow communication with the rotor blade,

2) a first side having a first spanwise facing surface which faces spanwise away from the rotor blade in the operative condition and has an opening for receiving the pressurized blocking material,

3) a second side having a second spanwise facing surface having an area A1 which faces spanwise toward the rotor blade in the operative condition, the second side having a projection which extends in the spanwise direction a distance S1 and which extends around the passage to provide a bounded perimeter about the passage, the projection further having a third seal surface which faces in the spanwise direction and which has a spanwise facing area A2 which is less than the area A1 (A2<

A1);

B. a sprue plate holder having a slot which adapts the sprue plate holder to receive the sprue plate and means for preventing relative movement between the sprue plate and the sprue plate holder; and

,

C. a block of material having a fourth surface facing spanwise which is softer than the tip material of the rotor blade, which is spaced spanwise from the sprue plate holder by the spanwise length of the airfoil and which adapts the block to engage the tip of the airfoil;

wherein in the installed condition the sprue plate holder is integrally attached to the injection machine and the nozzle of the injection machine is pressed against the sprue plate to receive pressurized blocking material, and wherein in the installed condition the sprue plate is urged against the root of the airfoil and the airfoil against the block to form a seal between the third surface of the projection and the root.

11. The fixture for disposing a laser blocking material in an airfoil as claimed in claim 10 wherein the injection machine is an injection molding machine.