Blade tip clearance probe and method for measuring blade tip clearance

• US 6,575,011 B1
• Filed: 04/19/2001
• Issued: 06/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Busby, R. L., Muny, Richard M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kwok, Helen
• Assistant Examiner(s): BELLAMY, TAMIKO D
• Application Number:
  US09/837,810
• Time in Patent Office: 782 Days
• Field of Search: 731/181-117, 73/7, 324/662, 415/171, 250/561
• US Class Current: 73/7
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 3/56 Investigating resistance to wear or abrasion

Abstract

A blade tip clearance probe including a rub probe support removably attachable to a probe boss attachable to a fan case; a rub probe removably attachable to the rub probe support, the rub probe is composed of soft composite material, the rub probe support is able to receive the rub probe such that the rub probe can be adjusted to contact a blade tip; and an anti rotational lock being able to lock the rub probe into place in the rub probe support and being able to prevent rub prove movement. A method for measuring blade tip clearance including: fastening a rub probe support to a probe boss attached to a fan case; threading a rub probe into the rub probe support until the rub probe contacts a blade tip in the fan case; backing the rub probe off a specified turn angle; operating an engine attached to the blade tip; and measuring the probe wear.

Claims

1. A blade tip clearance probe, the blade tip clearance probe utilizing a probe boss attached to a fan case with a blade tip disposed within said fan case, the blade tip clearance probe comprising:

a.) a rub probe support removably attached to said probe boss;

b.) a rub probe removably attached to the rub probe support, the rub probe being composed of soft composite material, the rub probe support being able to receive the rub probe such that the rub probe being able to be adjusted to contact said blade tip, the rub probe manufactured from a paper-based laminate with a phenolic resin; and

c.) an anti rotational lock to prevent rub probe movement, the anti rotational lock being able to lock the rub probe into place in the rub probe support.

2. The blade tip clearance probe of claim 1, wherein the paper based laminate with a phenolic resin has a specific gravity in the range of 1.10 to 1.40.

3. The blade tip clearance probe of claim 2, wherein the rub probe has a conic tip.

4. The blade tip clearance probe of claim 3, wherein the rub probe and rub probe support having corresponding threads.

5. The blade tip clearance probe of claim 4, wherein the rub probe support comprises of a housing passage, an upper portion, and a lower portion, the upper portion being rectangular in shape, the lower portion being cylindrical in shape, the rub probe being cylindrical in shape, the housing passage passing through the upper portion and the lower portion, the housing passage accepting the rub probe, the rub probe and housing passage being axially aligned.

6. A method for measuring blade tip clearance, comprising:

a.) attaching a rub probe support to a probe boss attached to a fan case;

b.) threading a rub probe into the rub probe support until the rub probe contacts a blade tip in the fan case, the rub probe manufactured from a paper based laminate with a phenolic resin, the phenolic resin having a specific gravity in a range of about 1.10 to about 1.40;

c.) backing the rub probe off about 0.005 inches;

d.) operating an engine attached to the blade tip; and

e.) measuring wear on the rub probe.