TURBOJET ENGINE BLADE, IN PARTICULAR A GUIDE BLADE, AND TURBOJET ENGINE RECEIVING SUCH BLADES

Abstract

A turbojet vane, in particular a compressor guide vane, characterized in that the vane comprises the following elements: an elongate one-piece front portion (2) cut out from a pultruded section member comprising fibers bonded together by resin and forming a leading edge; an elongate one-piece rear portion (3) cut out from a pultruded section member comprising fibers bonded together by resin and forming a trailing edge; and a skin (5) based on resin-impregnated fibers extending between the leading edge and the trailing edge in order to form side faces of the vane and covering at least zones (6, 7) of the leading edge (2) and of the trailing edge (3); these elements being assembled together by hot compaction.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] Vanes made of composite material are known that have ends carrying fastener means for fastening them to annular casings of a turbojet.

[0002] Various fastener means have been proposed. For example, document US 2009/0317246 recommends ends making up a cylindrical platform forming a portion of the outer casing and carrying two fastener flanks, thereby leading to shapes that are complex to fabricate. Document

[0003] US 2009/0317246 recommends joining the vanes together by means of a circular ring prior to mounting the assembly made in this way in the casing. That solution is complex to implement and requires assembly tooling.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The object of the invention is thus to propose a turbojet vane that is simple to produce and easy to mount.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] To this end, the invention provides a turbojet vane, in particular a compressor guide vane comprising the following elements:

[0006] an elongate one-piece front portion cut from a pultruded section member comprising fibers bonded together by resin and forming a leading edge;

[0007] an elongate one-piece rear portion cut from a pultruded section member comprising fibers bonded together by resin and forming a trailing edge; and

[0008] a skin cut out from a resin-impregnated fabric fiber that extends to cover the side faces of the core, while also covering at least zones of the leading and trailing edges that are contiguous to the central portion, all of these elements being joined together by hot compaction so as to provide a particularly strong one-piece vane.

[0009] In a particular aspect of the invention, the vane includes a core-forming central portion arranged between the leading edge and the trailing edge, and preferably, the leading edge and the trailing edge present extensions that project from the core from at least one end of the vane in order to form attachment means for attaching the vane to a casing of the turbojet.

[0010] The extensions of the leading and trailing edges make it very easy to anchor the vane in an annular casing. It suffices to provide through orifices in the casing to receive these extensions which can then be fastened to complementary attachment means of the casing.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment, the leading and/or the trailing edge comprises an elongate body obtained by pultrusion and impregnated with thermoplastic resin having fibers that are arranged essentially along a longitudinal axis of the leading and/or trailing edge. If the vanes are of constant section, then the leading and/or trailing edges may be cut to length from a section member bar made in the manner described. Such a technique makes it possible to obtain a leading edge and a trailing edge capable of withstanding high levels of stress.

[0012] The invention also provides a turbojet specially adapted to receive such vanes, each vane being fastened to at least one casing in such a manner that the attachment means of the vane co-operate with complementary attachment means of the casing.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment, the attachment means of the casing are obtained by pultrusion and impregnated with thermoplastic resin, and they are assembled to the casing by hot compaction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention appear on reading the following description of particular embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:

[0015] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a vane of the invention;

[0016] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the FIG. 1 vane, the skin covering the core of the vane being partially cut away;

[0017] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a first technique for fastening the vane to a casing; and

[0018] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a second technique for fastening the vane to the casing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the vane 1 shown therein is a guide vane for extending behind the fan of a turbojet. In this embodiment, the vane 1 has a leading edge 2 that is in the form of a one-piece elongate structure. The vane 1 also has a trailing edge 3 that is likewise in the form of a one-piece elongate structure.

[0020] The leading edge 2 and the trailing edge 3 are cut from section members obtained by pultrusion, preferably with fibers being placed obliquely (the so-called "pullbraiding" method). The section members have fibers, e.g. carbon fibers, that are arranged essentially along a longitudinal axis in order to form an elongate body. Ideally, substantially 80% of the fibers are arranged along the longitudinal axis X of the leading edge and along the longitudinal axis Y of the trailing edge, and 20% of the fibers are arranged at an angle of inclination of about 60 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis. These proportions and this arrangement for the fibers are given by way of example. The fibers are impregnated in thermoplastic resin.

[0021] Between the leading edge 2 and the trailing edge 3 there extends a core 4. A skin 5 is made up in this example of two webs 5A and 5B that are obtained by being cut out from a fiber fabric that has been pre-impregnated with thermoplastic resin, the webs extending on either side of the core 4 so as to cover both the core and also zones of the leading edge 2 and of the trailing edge 3 that are contiguous with the core 4.

[0022] The faces of the core 4 that are not covered by the webs 5A and 5B form free ends of the core 4, and in this example they are protected and reinforced by means of a mixture 22 of short fibers and of resin inserted in a cavity defined by the webs 5A and 5B and the free edge of the core 4. The leading edge 2 and the trailing edge 3 include extensions 10, 11, 12, and 13 that extend projecting from the core 4 at each end of the vane 1.

[0023] The various components of the vane 1 are assembled together by hot compaction so as to join the components of the assembly to one another. This type of assembly imparts great strength to the vane 1 as a whole.

[0024] Finally, orifices 14, 15, 16, and 17 are formed in the extensions 10, 11, 12, and 13 so as to transform the extensions into means for attaching the vane 1, which means are designed to co-operate with complementary attachment means in a casing of the turbojet, as described below in detail with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

[0025] FIG. 3 shows a first technique for fastening the vane 1 to an annular turbojet casing 20. (This figure shows the outer casing of the turbojet that is made of long fibers impregnated with thermoplastic resin.) The casing 20 has orifices 26 for passing the extensions 10 and 12 of the leading edge 2 and of the trailing edge 3 through the casing 20. The orifices 26 are shown as being of sufficient extent to allow the extensions from both the leading edge and the trailing edge to pass through the same orifice. Nevertheless, in a variant, it would be possible to make the orifices in two portions, comprising an upstream orifice and a downstream orifice respectively for passing the end of the leading edge and the end of the trailing edge.

[0026] The casing 20 is fitted with means for attaching the leading edges, which means are in the form of a peripheral rail 21 extending around the casing on a face thereof that faces away from the vanes. The rail 21 defines a housing suitable for receiving the heads 24 of fastener elements 23 that are generally T-shaped or L- shaped. One of these elements is shown in the figure.

[0027] The fastener element 23 has an opposite end 25 that is remote from its head 24 and that is cut so as to receive the extension 10 of the leading edge. In this example, the fastener element 23 is joined to the extension 10 by pinning. For this purpose, the end 25 includes an orifice (not shown in the drawing) that is situated in register with the orifice 14 in the extension 10 of the leading edge 2 in order to receive a fastener pin 27.

[0028] The extension 12 of the trailing edge 3 is fastened in similar manner by means of a second rail 21' in which a second fastener element 23' is engaged to co-operate with the extension 12 of the trailing edge 3, the assembly being pinned together with the help of a pin 27'.

[0029] In a preferred embodiment, the rails 21 and 21' and the fastener elements 23 and 23' are made by pultrusion and they are impregnated with thermoplastic resin, thus enabling the entire assembly to be joined together by a single hot compaction operation on the casing 20.

[0030] Furthermore, FIG. 3 shows only half of the vane 1. The terminal portions 11 and 13 that are not shown are fastened to an inner casing in a manner that is identical to that described above. Nevertheless, if the vane does not have a structural function, the vane needs to be fastened to only one of the casings.

[0031] FIG. 4 shows a second technique for fastening the vane 1 to a turbojet casing 20. In this figure the attachment means comprise an angle bar 30 arranged peripherally all around the casing. The angle bar 30 extends over a face of the casing 20 facing away from the vane 1. The casing 20 has through orifices 26 for passing the extensions of the leading and trailing edges of the vane through the casing 20 so that they face the angle bar 30.

[0032] In preferred manner, the angle bar 30 is made by pultrusion and is impregnated with thermoplastic resin.

[0033] The angle bar 30 has an L-shaped section with a first face 28 that is fastened to the casing 20 by hot compaction and a second face 29 that is fastened to the extension 10 by pinning. For this purpose, the face 29 of the angle bar 30 is pierced by an orifice that comes into register with the orifice 114 formed in the extension 10 of the leading edge. It should also be observed that the orifice 114 is formed perpendicularly relative to the orifice 14 of the above-described embodiment. It should also be observed that the extension 10 has been machined to present a flat face that comes to bear against the facing face of the flange 29.

[0034] As in the above-described example, the various elements of the casing are joined together by thermocompaction.

[0035] Furthermore, the extensions 11, 12, and 13 of the leading edge 2 and of the trailing edge 3 that are not shown are fastened in identical manner to respective similar angle bars.

[0036] The operation of fastening the vane 1 to the angle bar 30 is repeated for all of the vanes that are to be installed.

[0037] In addition to their role in fastening vanes via the extensions of their leading or trailing edges, it should be observed that the rails and the angle bars also contribute to stiffening the casing of the turbojet.

[0038] Naturally, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and they may be subjected to variations that appear to the person skilled in the art without going beyond the ambit of the invention as defined by the claims.

[0039] In particular, the materials used for making the various elements 2, 3, 4, 5 of the vane 1 and for making the attachment means 21, 23, 27 may equally well be composite materials or metals or a combination of both.

[0040] Similarly, the reinforcements 22 that are visible in FIG. 2 covering the free ends of the core 4 may be replaced by or associated with the skin of one or both of the webs 5A, 5B being folded over. Under such circumstances, the dimensions of the webs 5A, 5B should be adjusted to leave a flap suitable for covering the free end of the core.

[0041] Similarly, the attachment means of the casing and the attachment means of the leading and trailing edges may be joined together by operations involving hot compaction, welding, adhesive, or indeed by using nut- and-bolt fasteners or any other solution that serves to hold the elements together.

[0042] Finally, although FIGS. 3 and 4 suggest identical fastener means for each of the extensions 10, 11, 12, 13 of the leading edge 2 and of the trailing edge 3 in two different embodiments, it is not contrary to the invention for each extension to be fastened to the casing 20 using one or the other of the fastener means in independent manner.

[0043] The core may be reinforced in part or in full with short fibers.

[0044] The core may be arranged to fill the volume extending between the leading edge and the trailing edge in full or only in part. The central portion may also have the shape of one or more core-forming strips. In a particular embodiment, the vane need not have a central core, the portions forming the leading and trailing edges then being contiguous.

[0045] The vane may include a core of low mechanical strength or it may have no core: the mechanical connection between the leading and trailing edges is provided by the skin and/or by the reinforcements, with the core and the reinforcements preferably being made out of a single piece of plastics resin incorporating short fibers.

Claims

1. A turbojet vane, in particular a compressor guide vane, characterized in that the vane comprises the following elements: an elongate one-piece front portion (2) cut from a pultruded section member comprising fibers bonded together by resin and forming a leading edge; an elongate one-piece rear portion (3) cut from a pultruded section member comprising fibers bonded together by resin and forming a trailing edge; and a skin (5) based on resin-impregnated fibers extending between the leading edge and the trailing edge in order to form side faces of the vane and covering at least zones (6, 7) of the leading edge (2) and of the trailing edge (3); these elements being assembled together by hot compaction.

2. A turbojet vane according to claim 1, wherein the resin impregnating the skin (5) is a thermoplastic resin.

3. A turbojet vane according to claim 1, wherein the resin impregnating the leading edge and/or the trailing edge is a thermoplastic resin.

4. A turbojet vane according to claim 1, wherein the leading edge and/or the trailing edge is/are obtained by pultrusion with fibers being placed obliquely.

5. A turbojet vane according to claim 1, wherein the leading edge (2) and the trailing edge (3) are connected to each other by reinforcements (22) extending in the vicinity of the ends of said edges.

6. A turbojet vane according to claim 1, including a core-forming central portion (4) arranged between the leading edge (2) and the trailing edge (3).

7. A turbojet vane according to claim 6, wherein the core (4) has free ends that are reinforced by inserting short fibers and thermoplastic resin (22) in a cavity formed by the skin and the core (4).

8. A turbojet vane according to claim 6, wherein the core (4) has free ends that are reinforced by folding over portions of the skin (5A, 5B) on said ends.

9. A turbojet vane according to claim 6, wherein the leading edge (2) and the trailing edge (3) present extensions (10, 11, 12, 13) that project from the core (4) from at least one end of the vane (1) in order to carry attachment means (14, 15, 16, 17) for attaching the vane (1) to a casing (20) of the turbojet.

10. A turbojet vane according to claim 9, wherein the attachment means (14, 15, 16, 17) for attaching the vane to a casing are made directly in the extensions (10, 11, 12, 13).

11. A turbojet vane according to claim 6, wherein the leading edge (2) and the trailing edge (3) are connected together by reinforcements (22) extending in the vicinity of the ends of said edges, the core (4) and the reinforcements being made as a single piece of plastics resin, incorporating short fibers.

12. A turbojet including a plurality of vanes according to claim 1, wherein each vane is fastened to at least one casing in such a manner that the attachment means of the vane (14, 15, 16, 17) co-operate with complementary attachment means (21, 30) of the casing.

13. A turbojet according to claim 12, wherein the attachment means (21) of the casing comprise at least one peripheral rail (21) having the ends (24) of fastener elements (23) inserted therein, the fastener elements having opposite ends fastened to the attachment means (14, 15, 16, 17) carried by the leading or trailing edges (2, 3) of the vane (1).

14. A turbojet according to claim 12, wherein the attachment means (30) of the casing comprise a peripheral angle bar (30) having the extensions of the leading or trailing edges (2, 3) fastened directly thereto.

15. A turbojet according to claim 12, wherein the attachment means (21, 30) of the casing are obtained by pultrusion and impregnated with thermoplastic resin, and are assembled to the casing by hot compaction.