IP Library Granted Patent US 12709987
Granted Patent B2
US 12709987 · App. 19/041,609 · Granted Aug 18, 2026

Ceramic matrix composite blade outer air seal feather seal configuration and method

Inventors: David Wasserman (Hamden, CT); Howard Liles (Newington, CT); Daniel Whitney (East Waterboro, ME); Cheng Gao (South Glastonbury, CT)
Assignee: RTX Corporation
F01D11/08F01D11/005F05D2240/55F05D2260/30F05D2300/6033
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12709987
App. No.
19/041,609
Filed
Jan 30, 2025
Granted
Aug 18, 2026
Kind
B2
Art Unit
3711
USPC
415/170.1
Abstract

A feather seal arrangement for a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) blade outer air seal (BOAS) of a turbine engine includes a CMC BOAS segment having a specific geometry and a first feather seal. The CMC BOAS segment includes a shoe having a flowpath side, an opposing non-flowpath side, and first and second matefaces extending axially between the flowpath side and the non-flowpath side from an upstream leading edge to a downstream trailing edge. One or more support flanges extend substantially transverse from the non-flowpath side. A geometry of the CMC BOAS segment allows a substantially flat first feather seal surface to be disposed on the non-flowpath side adjacent and substantially transverse to the first mateface. A first feather seal is disposed atop the non-flowpath side on the first feather seal surface and extends to an adjacent feather seal surface of an adjacent CMC BOAS segment.

Claims (28)

1 . A feather seal arrangement for a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) blade outer air seal (BOAS) of a turbine engine, comprising:

a CMC BOAS segment including:

a shoe having a flowpath side configured for exposure to a hot gas path of the turbine engine, an opposing non-flowpath side, and first and second matefaces extending axially between the flowpath side and the non-flowpath side from an upstream leading edge to a downstream trailing edge;

one or more support flanges extending substantially transverse from the non-flowpath side; and

a substantially flat first feather seal surface disposed on the non-flowpath side adjacent and substantially transverse to the first mateface;

a first feather seal disposed atop the non-flowpath side on the first feather seal surface and extending to an adjacent feather seal surface of an adjacent CMC BOAS segment; and

a first full hoop retainer configured for retaining an upstream end of the first feather seal and/or a second full hoop retainer configured for retaining a downstream end of the first feather seal,

wherein the first and/or second full hoop retainer comprises an axial recess configured to axially hold the upstream and/or downstream end of the first feather seal, respectively.

2 . The feather seal arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the one or more flanges extend between the first and second matefaces.

3 . The feather seal arrangement of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the one or more flanges are set back from the first mateface to provide the first feather seal surface.

4 . The feather seal arrangement of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the one or more flanges includes an undercut portion to provide the first feather seal surface.

5 . The feather seal arrangement of claim 2 , wherein the one or more flanges comprise two flanges that are set back from the first mateface, a plateau extends from the non-flowpath side between the two flanges, and the first feather seal is disposed on the plateau.

6 . The feather seal arrangement of claim 2 , wherein the one or more flanges comprise two flanges that include a first flange set back from the first mateface, and a second flange having an undercut portion adjacent the first mateface.

7 . The feather seal arrangement of claim 6 , further comprising a ramp that extends between the first flange and the second flange, and the first feather seal surface is disposed on the ramp.

8 . A feather seal method for a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) blade outer air seal (BOAS) of a turbine engine, comprising:

providing a CMC BOAS segment including:

a shoe having a flowpath side configured for exposure to a hot gas path of the turbine engine, an opposing non-flowpath side, and first and second matefaces extending axially between the flowpath side and the non-flowpath side from an upstream leading edge to a downstream trailing edge;

one or more support flanges extending substantially transverse from the non-flowpath side; and

a substantially flat first feather seal surface disposed on the non-flowpath side adjacent and substantially transverse to the first mateface;

disposing a first feather seal atop the non-flowpath side on the first feather seal surface and extending the feather seal to an adjacent feather seal surface of an adjacent CMC BOAS segment;

disposing a first full hoop retainer to retain an upstream end of the first feather seal and/or a second full hoop retainer to retain a downstream end of the first feather seal; and

axially holding the upstream and/or downstream end of the first feather seal in an axial recess of the first and/or second full hoop retainer, respectively.

9 . The feather seal method of claim 8 , further comprising disposing the one or more flanges to extend between the first and second matefaces.

10 . The feather seal method of claim 9 , further comprising setting at least one of the one or more flanges back from the first mateface to provide the first feather seal surface.

11 . The feather seal method of claim 9 , further comprising undercutting a portion of at least one of the one or more flanges to provide the first feather seal surface.

12 . The feather seal method of claim 9 , wherein providing the one or more flanges comprises providing two flanges that are setback from the first mateface, and further providing a plateau that extends from the non-flowpath side between the two flanges, and disposing the first feather seal on the plateau.

13 . The feather seal method of claim 9 , wherein providing the one or more flanges comprises providing two flanges including a first flange set back from the first mateface, and a second flange having an undercut portion adjacent the first mateface.

14 . The feather seal method of claim 13 , further comprising providing a ramp that extends between the first flange and the second flange, and disposing the first feather seal surface on the ramp.