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US5431532A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Blade containment system

Assignee: General Electric Co
•
Filing: 1994-05-20
•
Granted: 1995-07-11
•
Expires: 2014-05-20
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Abstract

Abstract A blade containment system is disclosed which includes an annular casing positioned radially outward of the blades and in surrounding relationship therewith, the annular casing including a plurality of composite tapes bonded to the outer or inner radial surfaces thereof, wherein the composite tapes limit the propagation of cracks and holes formed in the annular casing.

Inventors

  • 👤 Brian J. Humke
  • 👤 Robert P. Czachor
  • 👤 Donald L. Bellia
  • 👤 Eric E. Baehre
  • 👤 Christopher C. Glynn

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-05 21:19
CPC Classifications
F; F01; F01D; F01D21/00; F01D21/04; F01D21/045; F05; F05D; F05D2220/00; F05D2220/30; F05D2220/32; F05D2220/327; Y; Y02; Y02T; Y02T50/00; Y02T50/60

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim 80 words
In a gas turbine engine having a plurality of radially extending blades mounted on an annular disk, the blades and disk being rotatable about a longitudinal axis of the engine, a blade containment system comprising an annular casing positioned radially outward of the blades and in surrounding relationship therewith, said annular casing including a plurality of composite tapes bonded to a radial surface thereof, wherein said composite tapes limit the propagation of cracks and holes formed in said annular casing.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 80 words
In a gas turbine engine having a plurality of radially extending blades mounted on an annular disk, the blades and disk being rotatable about a longitudinal axis of the engine, a blade containment system comprising an annular casing positioned radially outward of the blades and in surrounding relationship therewith, said annular casing including a plurality of composite tapes bonded to a radial surface thereof, wherein said composite tapes limit the propagation of cracks and holes formed in said annular casing.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 27 words
The blade containment system of claim 1, wherein said composite tapes are circumferentially oriented with respect to said longitudinal axis to limit axial propagation of said cracks.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 17 words
The blade containment system of claim 2, wherein said circumferential tapes include a plurality of layered plies.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 27 words
The blade containment system of claim 1, wherein said composite tapes are axially oriented with respect to said longitudinal axis to limit circumferential propagation of said cracks.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 17 words
The blade containment system of claim 4, wherein said circumferential tapes include a plurality of layered plies.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 41 words
The blade containment system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said composite tapes is axially oriented with respect to said longitudinal axis and at least one of said composite tapes is oriented circumferentially with respect to said longitudinal axis.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 32 words
The blade containment system of claim 6, wherein junctions are formed by each intersection of said circumferential tapes and said axial tapes, the distance between each adjacent junction being approximately four inches.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 43 words
The blade containment system of claim 6, each of said circumferential tapes and axial tapes including a plurality of layered plies, wherein junctions are formed by each intersection of said circumferential and axial tapes by alternating plies of said circumferential and axial tapes.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 23 words
The blade containment system of claim 8, wherein said junctions have a height approximately one-half of a thickness of said inner annular casing.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 33 words
The blade containment system of claim 1, wherein each of said composite tapes is bonded to a radially outer surface of said annular casing and has a width approximately twenty times its thickness.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 33 words
The blade containment system of claim 1, wherein each of said composite tape is bonded to a radially inner surface of said annular casing and has a width approximately twenty times its thickness.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 39 words
The blade containment system of claim 1, further including an outer shell which is spaced radially outward of said annular casing and is attached to said annular casing at first and second axial ribs to define a chamber therebetween.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 24 words
The blade containment system of claim 12, wherein none of said composite tapes is oriented circumferentially within said axial section of said annular casing.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 29 words
The blade containment system of claim 1, said annular casing including a section axially aligned with said blades having an axial length approximating a chord size of said blades.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 25 words
The blade containment system of claim 14, further including acoustic panels radially inward of said annular casing and axially outside said axial annular casing section.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 26 words
The blade containment system of claim 14, further including an abradable material attached to a radially inner surface of said annular casing within said axial section.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 22 words
The blade containment system of claim 1, said composite tapes having a thickness approximately equal to a thickness of said annular casing.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 16 words
The blade containment system of claim 1, wherein said composite tapes include unidirectional reinforcing fibers therein.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 23 words
The blade containment system of claim 18, wherein said reinforcing fibers are parallel to a longitudinal axis for each of said composite tapes.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 94 words
A blade containment system for a fan of a gas turbine engine, said fan including blades and a disk rotatable about a longitudinal axis of the engine, comprising: an annular fan casing positioned radially outward of the fan blades and in surrounding relationship therewith, said annular casing including a plurality of composite tapes bonded to a radial surface thereof, said composite tapes including a plurality oriented axially and a plurality oriented circumferentially with respect to said longitudinal axis, wherein said composite tapes limit the propagation of cracks and holes formed in said annular casing.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 94 words
A blade containment system for a fan of a gas turbine engine, said fan including blades and a disk rotatable about a longitudinal axis of the engine, comprising: an annular fan casing positioned radially outward of the fan blades and in surrounding relationship therewith, said annular casing including a plurality of composite tapes bonded to a radial surface thereof, said composite tapes including a plurality oriented axially and a plurality oriented circumferentially with respect to said longitudinal axis, wherein said composite tapes limit the propagation of cracks and holes formed in said annular casing.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4149824A Cited
US4425080A Cited
US5050385A Cited
US4534698A Cited
US5188505A Cited
US5344280A Cited
US5336044A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1998-07-10 1999-01-09 1999-07-11 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2002-07-10 2003-01-09 2003-07-11 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2006-07-10 2007-01-09 2007-07-11 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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