Lap-Jointed Composite Flanges for Lighter Circumferential Joints
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing composite components in gas turbine engines face challenges in joining segmented parts with circumferential flanges, leading to excess weight and complex geometries due to the use of metallic fasteners and plates, which complicates the replacement of legacy hardware with composite materials.
Innovation Solution
A lap jointed flanged composite component design featuring a butt joint and a lap joint with overlapping segments, allowing for the integration of circumferential and longitudinal flanges, reducing the need for multiple fasteners and simplifying the manufacturing process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If metallic fasteners and plates are used to join segmented composite components with circumferential flanges, then the structural integrity and joining capability are improved, but the overall weight increases and the geometry becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the metallic fasteners and plates from the composite component assembly. By using a lap joint configuration where composite segments overlap and are bonded directly, the design removes the need for separate metallic joining elements, thereby reducing weight while maintaining structural integrity through the composite-material-matched joint design
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the joining function directly into the composite segment geometry itself. The lap joint integrates the overlapping composite segments with circumferential flanges that are molded as part of the segments, combining what were previously separate components (segments, flanges, and fasteners) into a unified composite structure
2Strength
If metallic fasteners and plates are used to join segmented composite components, then the structural integrity is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the flange structures and segment bodies into integrated composite components. The circumferential flanges are molded as integral parts of the composite segments, eliminating the need for separate metallic plates and fasteners, thereby simplifying the overall device geometry and reducing the number of discrete parts
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials for both the segments and the joining structures. By molding composite flanges and using composite-to-composite bonding in the lap joint, the design eliminates material incompatibility issues between metallic and composite components, simplifying both design and manufacturing processes
3Adaptability or versatility
If complex composite geometries are used to preserve legacy hardware interfaces, then the adaptability is improved, but the manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of conforming composite components to fit existing metallic hardware interfaces, the patent inverts the approach by having the composite components define their own optimized geometry. The lap joint and circumferential flanges are designed as composite-specific features that eliminate the need to accommodate metallic hardware, thereby simplifying manufacturing while maintaining interface functionality
4Reliability
If multiple fasteners and plates are used to join segments, then the reliability of the joint is improved, but the weight and manufacturing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes multiple fasteners and plates from the joint assembly, replacing them with a simplified lap joint configuration. This extraction of unnecessary components reduces manufacturing steps and assembly complexity while maintaining joint reliability through the bonded composite structure
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple joining functions into a single integrated lap joint structure. The overlapping segments with circumferential flanges provide both structural connection and load transfer in one configuration, eliminating the need for multiple separate fasteners and plates, thereby improving manufacturing efficiency
Data Source
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AI summary
A lap jointed flanged composite component (10) including a first end (16) opposite a second end (18) with respect to an axis; a first segment (12) coupled with a second segment (14) to form the composite component; the first segment includes a first flange (20) on at least one of the first end and the second end; the second segment includes a second flange (22) on at least one of the first end and the second end; the first flange and the second flange being combined together at a butt joint forming a circumferential flange with respect to the axis; and a lap joint (34) overlapping of the first segment with the second segment proximate the butt joint (28).