IP Library Granted Patent US 6,910,866
Granted Patent B2
US 6,910,866 · App. 10/659,290 · Granted Jun 28, 2005

Controlling the axial position of a fan blade

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 6,910,866
App. No.
10/659,290
Granted
Jun 28, 2005
Kind
B2
Abstract

A fan rotor includes a disk having a rim with a plurality of substantially axial grooves that are spaced apart angularly. Removable blades extend radially outwards from the periphery of the disk. Each blade has a blade root in a respective groove. A downstream flange plate can be secured to the disk with the downstream faces of the blade roots being in abutment against the downstream flange plate. An upstream flange plate is secured to the disk so as to retain the blade roots in the grooves. In the rotor, the upstream flange plate is fitted on its downstream face with a resilient device configured to exert sufficient force on the upstream faces of the blade roots, after assembly, to prevent an axial displacement of the blades during normal operation (apart from exceptional events of the type in which foreign bodies are ingested or blades are lost).

Claims (35)

1. A fan rotor comprising a disk having a rim with a plurality of substantially axial grooves that are regularly spaced apart angularly, a plurality of removable blades extending radially outwards from the periphery of said disk, each blade having a blade root received in a respective groove, a downstream flange plate secured to said disk with the downstream faces of the blade roots being in abutment against said downstream flange plate, and a removable upstream flange plate secured to said disk for the purpose of retaining the blade roots in the grooves,

wherein the upstream flange plate is fitted on its downstream face with resilient means for exerting sufficient force on the upstream faces of the blade roots, after assembly, to prevent any axial displacement of the blades during normal operation of an engine,

wherein resilient means specific to each blade root are provided.

2. A fan rotor according to claim 1 , wherein the resilient means specific to each blade root are constituted by an elastomer peg retained in an orifice formed in the upstream flange plate.

3. A fan rotor according to claim 1 , further comprising a spacer interposed between each blade root and the bottom of the corresponding groove, the spacer having a radially-extending lug bearing against the upstream face of said blade root, and wherein the resilient means bear against said lugs.

4. A fan rotor comprising:

a disk having a rim with a plurality of substantially axial grooves that are spaced apart;

a plurality of blades extending radially outwards from said disk, each blade having a blade root in a respective groove;

an upstream flange plate configured to prevent the blade roots from sliding out of the grooves; and

a plurality of axial spacers coupled to said upstream flange plate, each axial spacer being configured to prevent an axial displacement of one of the blades in a respective grooves,

wherein each of said axial spacers comprises a peg in an orifice of the upstream flange plate, and

wherein said peg is an elastomer peg.

5. A fan rotor according to claim 4 , wherein said axial grooves are regularly spaced apart angularly.

6. A fan rotor according to claim 4 , further comprising a downstream flange plate secured to said disk.

7. A fan rotor according to claim 6 , wherein downstream faces of the blade roots are in abutment against said downstream flange plate.

8. A fan rotor according to claim 4 , wherein said upstream flange plate is secured to said disk.

9. A fan rotor according to claim 4 , wherein said upstream flange plate is removable.

10. A fan rotor according to claim 4 , wherein said axial spacers are fitted on a downstream face of said upstream flange plate.

11. A fan rotor according to claim 4 , wherein each of said axial spacers is configured to exert sufficient force on an upstream face of said one of the blades.

12. A fan rotor according to claim 11 , wherein each of said axial spacers is configured to exert said sufficient force during normal operation of said fan rotor.

13. A fan rotor according to claim 4 , further comprising a root spacer interposed between each blade root and a bottom of a corresponding groove.

14. A fan rotor according to claim 13 , wherein the root spacer has a radially-extending lug bearing against an upstream face of said blade root.

15. A fan rotor according to claim 14 , wherein each of said axial spacers bears against one of said lugs.

16. A fan rotor according to claim 14 , wherein each of said axial spacers comprises a shank in an orifice of the upstream flange plate and further comprises a head of diameter greater than that of said orifice.

17. A fan rotor according to claim 16 , wherein the head of each of said axial spacers has a thickness not less than a clearance between said lug and a downstream face of the upstream flange plate.

18. A fan rotor according to claim 4 , wherein each of said axial spacers has a portion located between said disk and a downstream face of the upstream flange plate.

19. A fan rotor according to claim 18 , wherein said portion is compressed between said disk and said downstream face of the upstream flange plate.

20. A fan rotor comprising:

a disk having a rim with a plurality of substantially axial grooves that are spaced apart;

a plurality of blades extending radially outwards from said disk, each blade having a blade root in a respective groove;

an upstream flange plate configured to prevent the blade roots from sliding out of the grooves;

a plurality of axial spacers coupled to said upstream flange plate, each axial spacer being configured to prevent an axial displacement of one of the blades in a respective groove; and

a root spacer interposed between each blade root and a bottom of a corresponding groove,

wherein the root spacer has a radially-extending lug bearing against an upstream face of said blade root, and

wherein each of said axial spacers comprises a shank in an orifice of the upstream flange plate and further comprises a head of diameter greater than that of said orifice.

Assignments (4)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE COVER SHEET TO REMOVE APPLICATION NOS. 10250419, 10786507, 10786409, 12416418, 12531115, 12996294, 12094637 12416422 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 046479 FRAME 0807. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE CHANGE OF NAME. Recorded Aug 24, 2018
From: SNECMA
To: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
Reel/Frame 046939/0336 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded May 23, 2018
From: SNECMA
To: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
Reel/Frame 046479/0807 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 20, 2008
From: SNECMA MOTEURS
To: SNECMA
Reel/Frame 020609/0569 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 9, 2004
From: BASSOT, ALAIN; BONNY, JEAN-CLAUDE; EVEN, PHILIPPE; LAMOTHE, PIERRE; MADEC, ALAIN; REGHEZZA, PATRICK
To: SNECMA MOTEURS
Reel/Frame 014961/0567 →