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Internally-damped airfoil and method therefor

  • US 8,172,541 B2
  • Filed: 02/27/2009
  • Issued: 05/08/2012
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2009
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A airfoil component comprising:

  • a root portion having means for attaching the component to a support structure;

    an airfoil portion extending from the root portion in a span-wise direction of the airfoil portion, the airfoil portion having an airfoil tip at a span-wise extremity thereof and oppositely-disposed concave and convex surfaces spaced apart in a thickness-wise direction thereof, the concave and convex surfaces converging at leading and trailing edges of the airfoil portion that are spaced apart in a chord-wise direction of the airfoil portion, the airfoil portion having at least one stiffener between first and second walls of the airfoil portion that define the concave and convex surfaces, respectively, the at least one stiffener defining multiple internal cavities within the airfoil portion that extend in the span-wise direction of the airfoil portion so that each of the multiple internal cavities has a first extremity relatively nearer the root portion and a second extremity relatively nearer the airfoil tip; and

    a polymeric material defining at least a first internal damping member within at least one of the internal cavities, the first internal damping member having first and second longitudinal ends disposed and restrained at, respectively, the first and second extremities of the at least one internal cavity and having a length therebetween, the first internal damping member defining continuous gaps between the length thereof and the at least one stiffener and the first and second walls of the airfoil portion that allow relative motion of the length of the first internal damping member, the first internal damping member being supported at the second extremity of the at least one internal cavity and being bonded to the airfoil portion at the first extremity of the at least one internal cavity and not being supported by or bonded to the at least one stiffener or the first and second walls of the airfoil portion so that the first internal damping member provides a vibratory damping effect to the airfoil portion.

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