IP Library › Granted Patent US 12692793
Granted Patent B2
US 12692793 · App. 19/283,850 · Granted Jul 28, 2026

Turbine engine with compliant axial retainer

Inventors: Nicholas Joseph Kray (Mason, OH); Elzbieta Kryj-Kos (Evendale, OH); Arthur William Sibbach (Boxford, MA)
Assignee: General Electric Company
F01D5/147F01D5/282F05D2300/43F05D2300/50
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12692793
App. No.
19/283,850
Granted
Jul 28, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A gas turbine engine includes a fan section, a compressor section, a combustion section, and a turbine section in serial flow arrangement, and defining an engine centerline extending between a forward direction and an aft direction. A disk includes a slot for mounting a composite airfoil to the disk. An axial retainer couples to the disk and secures the composite airfoil to the disk. A compliant portion positioned at the composite airfoil abuts the composite airfoil during operation of the gas turbine engine to secure the composite airfoil to the disk.

Claims (29)

1 . A gas turbine engine comprising:

a fan section, a compressor section, a combustion section, and a turbine section in serial flow arrangement, and defining an engine centerline extending between a forward direction and an aft direction;

a disk provided in one of the fan section, the compressor section, or the turbine section and including a slot;

a composite airfoil coupled to the disk at the slot; and

an axial retainer coupled to the disk and securing the composite airfoil within the slot, the axial retainer including a compliant portion positioned to directly abut the composite airfoil; and

at least one void provided in the compliant portion;

wherein the compliant portion is made from a compliant material that is deformable from a non-deformed shape to a deformed shape in response to a force from the composite airfoil acting on the axial retainer, and wherein the compliant portion returns at least partially to its non-deformed shape after cessation of the force resultant of a compliancy of the compliant material.

2 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the at least one void is at least one opening.

3 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the at least one void is defined by a porous material for the compliant portion.

4 . The gas turbine engine of claim 3 , wherein the at least one void is a plurality of voids defined by the porous material.

5 . The gas turbine engine of claim 4 , wherein the porous material forms an entirety of the compliant portion.

6 . The gas turbine engine of claim 3 , wherein the porous material is a closed cell foam with a pressure between 2 PSIA-100 PSIA.

7 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the at least one void is defined by a lattice structure having one or more spaces, and the one or more spaces defines the at least one void.

8 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the at least one void is defined by a set of orifices within the compliant portion.

9 . The gas turbine engine of claim 8 , wherein the set of orifices are provided as a set of elongated orifices.

10 . The gas turbine engine of claim 9 , wherein the set of elongated orifices extend in a direction orthogonal to an expected direction of force against the compliant portion.

11 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the at least one void is defined within a bladder.

12 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the compliant portion returns fully to the non-deformed shape after cessation of the force.

13 . An axial retainer for a gas turbine engine for retaining a composite airfoil at a rotor, the axial retainer comprising:

a compliant portion configured to deform between a deformed shape and a non-deformed shape, wherein the compliant portion is exposed such that it can directly abut the composite airfoil;

at least one void provided in the compliant portion; and

wherein the axial retainer is made from a compliant material that deforms from the non-deformed shape to the deformed shape in response to a force acting on the axial retainer, and wherein the axial retainer returns at least partially to its non-deformed shape after cessation of the force, resultant of the complaint material.

14 . The axial retainer of claim 13 , wherein the at least one void is compressible to permit the compliant portion to deform to the deformed shape.

15 . The axial retainer of claim 13 , wherein the at least one void is defined by a set of orifices within the compliant portion.

16 . The axial retainer of claim 15 , wherein the set of orifices are provided as a set of elongated orifices.

17 . The axial retainer of claim 13 , wherein the at least one void is defined by a porous material for the compliant portion.

18 . The axial retainer of claim 13 , wherein the at least one void is defined by a lattice structure having one or more spaces, and the one or more spaces defines the at least one void.

19 . The axial retainer of claim 13 , wherein the at least one void is defined within a bladder.

20 . The axial retainer of claim 13 , wherein the compliant portion is made of a polymer.