Shrouded Rotor Stator Segmented Composite Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional shrouded rotary assemblies for aircraft are heavy, costly, and prone to corrosion and fatigue, with manufacturing processes being cumbersome and time-consuming, which compromises aerodynamic performance and weight reduction.
Innovation Solution
A stator hollow structure manufactured from composite angular segments, where each segment includes a core arched section, a peripheral rim section, and sliced portions for guide vanes, forming a unitary piece that reduces the need for mechanical connections and enhances structural integrity and aerodynamics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional metallic parts and unitary items are used for stator hollow structure, then structural strength and load bearing capacity are improved, but weight increases and corrosion resistance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials (fiber-reinforced plastics) to manufacture the stator hollow structure, replacing traditional metallic parts. The composite material provides sufficient structural strength and load bearing capacity while significantly reducing weight and eliminating corrosion issues inherent to metallic constructions.
2Strength
If traditional metallic parts and unitary items are used for stator hollow structure, then structural strength and load bearing capacity are improved, but manufacturing complexity and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the stator hollow structure into multiple separable composite angular segments that can be manufactured independently and then assembled. This segmentation simplifies the manufacturing process by allowing parallel production of segments, reduces tooling complexity, and facilitates quality control while maintaining overall structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The use of composite materials enables complex aerodynamic shapes to be formed through molding processes rather than extensive machining, significantly reducing manufacturing complexity and time compared to traditional metallic construction methods.
3Shape
If slim design of profiled guide vanes is implemented, then aerodynamic performance and weight reduction are improved, but load bearing capacity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite materials for the profiled guide vanes, enabling slim aerodynamic designs that maintain high load bearing capacity. The fiber reinforcement provides exceptional strength-to-weight ratio, allowing thin-walled structures to withstand high fatigue loads without requiring bulky cross-sections that would compromise aerodynamics.
4Strength
If traditional assembly methods with mechanical connections are used, then structural integrity is improved, but manufacturing time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs separable composite angular segments designed for simplified assembly. The segments can be joined using modern composite bonding techniques or minimal mechanical fasteners, dramatically reducing assembly time and complexity compared to traditional riveted or bolted metallic constructions while maintaining structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent integrates multiple structural functions into the composite angular segments, combining the stator hollow structure, guide vanes, and attachment means into unified composite components. This merging eliminates the need for numerous separate mechanical connections, reducing both manufacturing time and assembly complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A shrouded rotor assembly for an aircraft. The shrouded rotor assembly comprises a stator hollow structure comprises formed from a plurality of composite angular segments. Each composite angular segment includes: a core arched section of a central hub casing, a peripheral rim section of an external hollow duct and a pair of angularly opposed sliced portions, respectively for one of a pair of guide vanes. The resulting stator hollow structure is a unitary one-piece, integrating together continuously the composite angular segments. The invention typically applies e.g. to aircrafts such as rotary wing aircrafts.