Composite material with controlled fracture regions

• US 9,914,282 B2
• Filed: 08/17/2015
• Issued: 03/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rtx Corporation
• Original Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Roach, James T., Lussier, Darin S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sample, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Flores, Jr., Donald M
• Application Number:
  US14/827,414
• Publication Number:
  US 20160263856A1
• Time in Patent Office: 939 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 37/0057 Moulding single grooves or ribs, e.g. tear lines folding lines B29C53/06
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/54 Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations , e.g. feeding or storage of prepregs or SMC after impregnation or during ageing
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/00 Layered products essentially comprising sheet glass, or glass, slag, or like fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2260/023 Two or more layers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/0269 Aromatic polyamide fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/101 Glass fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/106 Carbon fibres, e.g. graphite fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2305/08 Reinforcements
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/544 Torsion strength; Torsion stiffness
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/546 Flexural strength; Flexion stiffness
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/558 Impact strength, toughness
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2603/00 Vanes, blades, propellers, rotors with blades
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/18 characterised by an internal layer formed of separate pieces of material which are juxtaposed side-by-side B32B5/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/263 characterised by a layer having non-uniform thickness
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/266 characterised by an apertured layer, the apertures going through the whole thickness of the layer, e.g. expanded metal, perforated layer, slit layer regular cells B32B3/12
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/02 characterised by structural features of a fibrous or filamentary layer layer formed of metallic wires B32B15/02; layer formed of natural mineral fibres B32B19/02; layer formed of wood fibres B32B21/02
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/024 Woven fabric
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/14 characterised by a layer differing constitutionally or physically in different parts, e.g. denser near its faces
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/145 Variation across the thickness of the layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/26 another layer next to it also being fibrous or filamentary relative arrangement of fibres or filaments of different layers B32B5/12
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 7/022 : Mechanical properties
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 9/007 : comprising carbon, e.g. graphite, composite carbon
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 9/047 : made of fibres or filaments
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 21/045 : special arrangements in stators or in rotors dealing with breaking-off of part of rotor
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 25/005 : Selecting particular materials
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 5/282 : Selecting composite materials, e.g. blades with reinforcing filaments
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/20 : Mounting or supporting of plant; Accommodating heat expansion or creep
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/32 : in gas turbines
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/36 : specially adapted for the fan of turbofan engines
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2300/6034 : Orientation of fibres, weaving, ply angle
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 : Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

A composite component includes a plurality of layers. A fracture region includes at least one fracture inducing layer in an overlapping relationship with at least one of the plurality of layers.

Claims

1. A composite component comprising:

a plurality of layers;

a fracture region including at least one fracture inducing layer in overlapping relationship between the plurality of layers, wherein the fracture inducing layer includes a discontinuity at the fracture region and the discontinuity includes a plurality of perforations forming an opening extending between opposing sides of the at least one fracture inducing layer and at least one of the plurality of layers is configured to remain substantially intact when the at least one fracture inducing layer fails; and

wherein the composite component is an airfoil and includes a first portion defining a base portion of the airfoil and a second portion defining a tip portion of the airfoil with the first portion configured to separate from the second portion along the fracture region.

2. The composite component of claim 1, wherein the at least one fracture inducing layer is configured to fail prior to the at least one layer.

3. The composite component of claim 1, wherein the plurality of layers are configured to withstand a first loading and the at least one fracture inducing layer is configured to withstand a second loading, the first loading is greater than the second loading.

4. The composite component of claim 1, wherein the at least one fracture inducing layer includes a first portion having a first strength and a second portion having a second strength greater than the first strength, wherein the first portion is located at least partially within the fracture region.

5. The composite component of claim 1, wherein an outermost layer of the composite material includes fiberglass and at least one interior layer of the composite includes at least one of fiberglass, graphite, Kevlar, or woven fabric material.

6. A method of designing a composite component comprising:

forming a composite component with a plurality of layers to withstand a first loading;

forming a fracture region in the composite component with at least one fracture inducing layer to withstand a second loading, wherein the first loading is greater than the second loading and the fracture inducing layer includes a severed fiber; and

wherein the composite component is an airfoil and includes a first portion defining a base portion of the airfoil and a second portion defining a tip portion of the airfoil with the first portion configured to separate from the second portion along the fracture region.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising maintaining at least one of the plurality of layers substantially intact when the at least one fracture inducing layer fails.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the fracture inducing layer includes a discontinuity located in the fracture region.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the discontinuity includes a plurality of perforations in the at least one fracture inducing layer.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the first portion includes a first strength, the second portion includes a second strength greater than the first strength, and the first portion is located at least partially within the fracture region.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein at least one of the plurality of layers includes fiberglass, graphite, Kevlar, or woven fabric material.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein the second loading is approximately 90-95% of the first loading.

13. The method of claim 6, wherein failure of the at least one fracture inducing layer includes the first portion of the at least one fracture inducing layer moving relative to the second portion of the at least one fracture inducing layer.