Shoulder Bushing Lip Redistributes Flange Load

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Solution Overview

Problem

Dissimilar metal materials in gas turbine engine casings lead to galvanic corrosion, reducing the bolt hole area and failing to meet Fan Blade Out loads, resulting in costly scrapping of components.

Innovation Solution

A shoulder bushing with a lip portion is designed to redistribute loads efficiently, allowing a thinner bushing thickness and maintaining the original bolt length, thus avoiding the need for design changes and costly repairs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If the bushing thickness is increased to redistribute load effectively, then the load bearing capacity is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase due to longer bolts and design changes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveload bearing capacityVSAvoiddesign complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The bushing is segmented into distinct functional zones: a thicker first portion that contacts the fillet radius for load redistribution, and a thinner second portion that accommodates the bolt. This segmentation allows each zone to perform its specific function optimally without requiring uniform thickness throughout the entire bushing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The bushing exhibits non-uniform thickness distribution with the first portion being thicker than the second portion. This local quality variation concentrates material where load bearing is critical (at the fillet radius contact zone) while reducing material where it is less critical (at the bolt accommodation zone), thereby optimizing strength without proportionally increasing overall complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Device complexity

If the bushing thickness is reduced to simplify design and reduce cost, then the device complexity is reduced, but the load bearing capacity becomes insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedesign simplicityVSAvoidload bearing capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The bushing is divided into functional segments with different thicknesses, allowing the design to be simpler overall while maintaining adequate strength in critical areas. The segmented approach avoids the need for uniformly thick designs that would increase complexity and cost throughout the entire component.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

By concentrating material thickness locally at the first portion where load bearing is most critical, the design achieves sufficient strength without requiring uniform thickness increases throughout the entire bushing. This localized material placement maintains load bearing capacity while keeping the overall design simpler and more cost-effective.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Strength

If dissimilar metals (steel bolt and aluminum flange) are used, then the strength and weight characteristics are optimized, but galvanic corrosion occurs reducing the bolt hole area

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvematerial strength propertiesVSAvoidgalvanic corrosion
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The bushing acts as an intermediary component between the steel bolt and aluminum flange. It provides a transition interface that redistributes loads away from the corroded bolt hole area and into the surrounding fillet radius region, thereby compensating for the material loss due to galvanic corrosion while maintaining the beneficial dissimilar metal combination.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The novel shoulder bushing design effectively redistributes loads, reducing bushing thickness from 0.07 inches to 0.05 inches, allowing continued service without scrapping the component and eliminating the need for additional design changes or longer bolts.

Implementation Method 1

the lip portion contacts a portion of the casing proximate a fillet region to bear the flange load along the fillet

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLoad redistribution: Mechanical Force

Data Source

PatentEP3170994B1Casing flange coupling assembly and corresponding method of redistributing a flange load
Publication Date: 2020.10.28 RTX CORP
  • EP3170994B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3170994B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A bushing (60) including a body portion (62) including a cylinder portion (66) having a bore (64) there through configured to receive a bolt (24); a flange portion (74) orthogonal and integral to the cylinder portion (66), the flange portion (74) configured to abut a load bearing surface (38) of a flange (18); a lip portion (80) orthogonal to and integral to the flange portion (74) proximate the cylinder portion (66), wherein the lip portion (80) redistributes a flange load.