IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,945,237
Granted Patent B2
US 9,945,237 · App. 14/765,491 · Granted Apr 17, 2018

Lock for retaining minidisks with rotors of a gas turbine engine

Inventors: Julian Partyka (West Springfield, MA); Jonathan Perry Sandoval (Hebron, CT)
Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
F01D5/32F01D5/02F01D5/082F01D5/12F01D5/3015F01D5/3046F01D11/006F02C3/04F05D2220/32F05D2230/60Y02T50/676
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,945,237
App. No.
14/765,491
Granted
Apr 17, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

In accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, a rotor is disclosed. The rotor may include a disk having a central axis, an airfoil radially extending from the disk, a bayonet tab extending radially from the disk, and a lock. The lock may further include a short tab and a long tab, both extending radially from the disk and in an axial direction with respect to the central axis. The long tab may have a greater axial length than the short tab.

Claims (40)

1. An assembly, comprising;

a rotor, comprising:

a disk having a central axis;

an airfoil radially extending from the disk;

a bayonet tab extending radially from the disk; and

a lock having a short tab and a long tab, the short and long tabs extending radially from the disk with respect to the central axis and in an axial direction with respect to the central axis, the long tab having a first axial length and the short tab having a second axial length, wherein the first axial length is greater than the second axial length, and

a minidisk operatively associated with the rotor, the minidisk including a first locking tab formed thereon;

wherein the first locking tab on the minidisk aligns with a first space separating the bayonet tab and the lock of the rotor;

wherein the minidisk moves in a first direction such that the first locking tab of the minidisk moves through the first space separating the bayonet tab and the lock of the rotor;

wherein the minidisk rotates until the first locking tab on the minidisk aligns with a second space separating the short tab and the long tab of the lock; and

wherein the minidisk moves in a second direction opposite to the first direction until the first locking tab on the minidisk is positioned between the short tab and the long tab of the lock.

2. The rotor of claim 1 , wherein the second axial length of the short tab of the lock is greater than an axial width of the bayonet tab.

3. The rotor of claim 1 , wherein a first circumferential distance around the disk separating the bayonet tab and the lock is equal to a second circumferential distance around the disk separating the short tab and the long tab of the lock.

4. The rotor of claim 1 , wherein the bayonet tab, the short tab, and the long tab extend radially outward from the disk of the rotor with respect to the central axis.

5. The rotor of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of the locks are evenly distributed about the circumference of the disk.

6. The rotor of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of the bayonet tabs are evenly distributed about the circumference of the disk.

7. The rotor of claim 1 , wherein the minidisk has a second locking tab proximate the bayonet tab of the rotor.

8. The rotor of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of the locking tabs are evenly distributed about the circumference of the minidisk.

9. The rotor of claim 1 , wherein the rotor is a turbine of a gas turbine engine and the minidisk is an air seal.

10. The rotor of claim 1 , wherein the lock further includes a connector spanning between and joining the short and long tabs of the lock.

11. A method of assembling a rotor and a minidisk, comprising:

aligning a first locking tab on the minidisk with a first space separating a bayonet tab and a lock of the rotor, the lock of the rotor comprising a short tab and a long tab;

moving the minidisk in a first direction such that the first locking tab of the minidisk moves through the first space separating the bayonet tab and the lock of the rotor;

rotating the minidisk until the first locking tab on the minidisk is aligned with a second space separating the short tab and the long tab of the lock of the rotor; and

moving the minidisk in a second direction opposite to the first direction until the first locking tab on the minidisk is positioned between the short tab and the long tab of the lock of the rotor.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the minidisk is moved in the first direction until the minidisk comes in contact with the bayonet tab of the rotor.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the minidisk is rotated until the first locking tab on the minidisk comes into contact with the long tab of the lock of the rotor.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the minidisk is moved in the second direction until a second locking tab on the minidisk comes into contact with the bayonet tab of the rotor.

15. The method of claim 11 , further including disassembling the rotor and the minidisk; moving the minidisk in the first direction such that the first locking tab of the minidisk is moved from between the short tab and long tab of the lock; rotating the minidisk until the first locking tab is aligned with the first space separating the bayonet tab and the lock of the rotor; and moving the minidisk in the second direction to free the minidisk from the rotor.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the minidisk is moved in the first direction until the minidisk contacts the bayonet tab.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the minidisk is rotated until the first locking tab contacts the long tab of the lock.

18. A gas turbine engine, comprising:

a compressor;

a combustor downstream of the compressor;

a turbine downstream of the combustor, wherein at least one of the compressor and the turbine includes a rotor including a disk, a plurality of airfoils radially extending from the disk, a bayonet tab radially extending from the disk, a lock radially extending from the disk, and the lock including a short tab and a long tab, and a minidisk operatively associated with the rotor, the minidisk including a first locking tab positioned between the short tab and the long tab of the lock; and

wherein the first locking tab on the minidisk aligns with a first space separating the bayonet tab and the lock of the rotor;

wherein the minidisk moves in a first direction such that the first locking tab of the minidisk moves through the first space separating the bayonet tab and the lock of the rotor;

wherein the minidisk rotates until the first locking tab on the minidisk aligns with a second space separating the short tab and the long tab of the lock; and

wherein the minidisk moves in a second direction opposite to the first direction until the first locking tab on the minidisk is positioned between the short tab and the long tab of the lock.

19. The gas turbine engine of claim 18 , wherein the rotor is a first stage of the turbine and the minidisk is an air seal directing a flow of compressed air from the compressor to the turbine.

Assignments (4)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 27, 2023
From: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
To: RTX CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 064714/0001 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE AND REMOVE PATENT APPLICATION NUMBER 11886281 AND ADD PATENT APPLICATION NUMBER 14846874. TO CORRECT THE RECEIVING PARTY ADDRESS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 054062 FRAME: 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE CHANGE OF ADDRESS. Recorded Mar 4, 2021
From: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
To: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 055659/0001 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Sep 4, 2020
From: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
To: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 054062/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 26, 2016
From: PARTYKA, JULIAN; SANDOVAL, JONATHAN PERRY
To: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 037588/0347 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 61798933 · Mar 15, 2013
Related Publication 20150377041A1 · Dec 31, 2015