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EP-4737689-A1 - TURBINE ENGINE FRAME ASSEMBLY HAVING A MOUNTING BRACKET ASSEMBLY

EP4737689A1EP 4737689 A1EP4737689 A1EP 4737689A1EP-4737689-A1

Abstract

A frame assembly includes a frame (170) and a mounting bracket assembly (300, 302, 304, 306, 500, 502). The frame (170) includes an inner hub (174), an outer shell (172, 470) located opposite the inner hub (174), and a plurality of struts (158) connecting the inner hub (174) with the outer shell (172, 470). At least one strut of the plurality of struts (158) is a hollow strut (400) with a radial passage (440) extending therethrough. The mounting bracket assembly (300, 302, 304, 306, 500, 502) includes an inner flange (330) located on an inner surface (178) of the inner hub (174), an outer flange (320) located on an outer surface (176) of the outer shell (172, 470), and a radial linkage (340) connecting the inner flange (330) with the outer flange (320). The radial linkage (340) extends through the radial passage (440) of the hollow strut (400).

Inventors

  • WU, WEI
  • Kray, Nicholas
  • GILBERT, AARON
  • XIE, MING

Assignees

  • General Electric Company

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20251031

Claims (15)

  1. A frame assembly for a turbine engine (100) of an aircraft, the frame assembly having a radial direction and comprising: a frame (170) including: an inner hub (174) having an inner surface (178); an outer shell (172, 470) located opposite the inner hub (174) and having an outer surface (176); and a plurality of struts (158) connecting the inner hub (174) with the outer shell (172, 470), the plurality of struts (158) extending in the radial direction, at least one strut (158) of the plurality of struts (158) being a hollow strut (400) with a radial passage (440) extending therethrough, the radial passage (440) extending from an outer opening (442) formed in the outer surface (176) of the outer shell (172, 470) to an inner opening (444) formed in the inner surface (178) of the inner hub (174); and a mounting bracket assembly (300, 302, 304, 306, 500, 502) including: an inner flange (330) located on the inner surface (178) of the inner hub (174); an outer flange (320) located on the outer surface (176) of the outer shell (172, 470); and a radial linkage (340) connecting the inner flange (330) with the outer flange (320), the radial linkage (340) extending through the radial passage (440) of the hollow strut (400).
  2. The frame assembly of claim 1, wherein the radial linkage (340) is an integral structure with at least one of the inner flange (330) or the outer flange (320), and/or wherein the radial linkage (340) is an integral structure with the inner flange (330).
  3. The frame assembly of claim 1 or 2, wherein the radial linkage (340) includes an inner end portion (452), the inner end portion (452) having one or more flange connectors (350), and wherein the inner flange (330) comprises a plurality of sections, each section being engageable with the one or more flange connectors (350) of the inner end portion (452) to connect the inner flange (330) with the radial linkage (340).
  4. The frame assembly of claim 4, wherein each section of the inner flange (330) is fastened to the inner hub (174) by a fastener (360) engaging with both the inner flange (330) and the inner hub (174).
  5. The frame assembly of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the hollow strut (400) is a first hollow strut (402), and the mounting bracket assembly (500, 502) is a first mounting bracket assembly (512, 520) with the inner flange (330) being a first inner flange (330), the outer flange (320) being a first outer flange (320), and the radial linkage (340) being a first radial linkage (340), wherein the plurality of struts (158) includes a second hollow strut (404) with a radial passage (440) extending therethrough, the radial passage (440) extending from an outer opening (442) formed in the outer surface (176) of the outer shell (172, 470) to an inner opening (444) formed in the inner surface (178) of the inner hub (174), and wherein the frame assembly further includes a second mounting bracket assembly (514, 530) including: a second inner flange (330) located on the inner surface (178) of the inner hub (174); a second outer flange (320) located on the outer surface (176) of the outer shell (172, 470); and a second radial linkage (340) connecting the second inner flange (330) with the second outer flange (320), the second radial linkage (340) extending through the radial passage (440) of the second hollow strut (404).
  6. The frame assembly of claim 5, wherein the first outer flange (320) and the second outer flange (320) are integrally formed with each other, wherein the first outer flange (320) and the second outer flange (320) are fastened to each other, or wherein the first outer flange (320) and the second outer flange (320) are fastened to each other by a hinge (540).
  7. The frame assembly of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the frame (170) includes a composite comprising a plurality of reinforcing fibers positioned to embed at least a portion of the mounting bracket assembly (300) within the frame (170).
  8. The frame assembly of claim 7, wherein the outer shell (172, 470) is the composite and the plurality of reinforcing fibers are a positioned to form an inner outer-shell section (472) that is underneath the outer flange (320) and an outer outer-shell section (474) that is on top of the outer flange (320).
  9. The frame assembly of claim 8, wherein the inner outer-shell section (472) and the outer outer-shell section (474) are connected to each other to enclose the outer flange (320) within the outer shell (172, 470).
  10. The frame assembly of any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the radial linkage (340) includes an inner end portion (452), the inner end portion (452) having a flange connector (350), and wherein the inner flange (330) is engageable with the flange connector (350) of the inner end portion (452) to connect the inner flange (330) with the radial linkage (340).
  11. The frame assembly of claim 10, wherein the flange connector (350) is an aperture (354) formed in the inner end portion (452) of the radial linkage (340), the inner flange (330) engaging with the inner end portion (452) by being inserted into the aperture (354) of the inner end portion (452).
  12. The frame assembly of claim 11, wherein the inner flange (330) is fastened to the inner hub (174) by a fastener (360) engaging with both the inner flange (330) and the inner hub (174).
  13. The frame assembly of claim 12, wherein the fastener (360) engages with the inner hub (174) through the inner surface (178) of the inner hub (174) and extends in the radial direction, and/or wherein the frame assembly has an axial direction, the inner hub (174) includes an axial flange, and the fastener (360) engages with the axial flange of the inner hub (174) and extending in the axial direction.
  14. The frame assembly of any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the mounting bracket assembly (300, 302, 304, 306, 500, 502) further includes an outer mounting structure (310), the outer mounting structure (310) including the outer flange (320) and a frame connector (312).
  15. The frame assembly of claim 14, wherein the frame connector (312) is a clevis including a clevis body (314) with a pin receiver (316) formed therein, and/or wherein the frame connector (312) is an engine mount for the turbine engine (100).

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/715,155, filed on November 1, 2024, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to frame assemblies, particularly, frame assemblies for aircraft engines. BACKGROUND Turbine engines used in aircraft generally include a fan, a compressor section, a combustion section, and a turbine section. A combustor of the combustion section generates combustion gases for driving one or more turbines of the turbine section, and the turbine can be used to drive the fan. A portion of air flowing into the fan flows through the compressor section, a combustion section, and a turbine section as core air, and another portion of the air flowing into the fan bypasses these sections and flows through the turbine engine as bypass air. The compressor section can include one or more compressors, also be driven by the turbine, to compress the core air before the core air flows into the combustor. Composite materials may be used to manufacture various components of the turbine engine, particularly, when the turbine engine is a turbine engine for an aircraft. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Features and advantages of the present disclosure will be apparent from the following description of various exemplary embodiments, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numbers generally indicate identical, functionally similar, and/or structurally similar elements. FIG. 1 is a schematic, cross-sectional view of a turbine engine for an aircraft.FIGS. 2A is a schematic view of a three-dimensional fiber weave pattern.FIG. 2B is a schematic, cross-sectional view of the fiber weave pattern shown in FIG. 2A taken along line 2B-2B in FIG. 2A.FIG. 2C is a schematic, cross-sectional view of a fiber weave pattern shown similar to the fiber weave pattern shown in FIG. 2A, but with a different interlocking fiber pattern.FIG. 2D is a schematic, cross-sectional view of a fiber weave pattern similar to the fiber weave pattern shown in FIG. 2A, but with another interlocking fiber pattern.FIG. 3 is a flow chart of a general process of manufacturing a composite component that may be used in the turbine engine of FIG. 1.FIG. 4 is a schematic aft-looking view of a guide vane structure that may be used in the turbine engine of FIG. 1.FIG. 5 is a schematic view of the guide vane structure in FIG. 4 with a mounting bracket assembly omitted for clarity.FIG. 6 is a schematic, cross-sectional view of a portion of the guide vane structure shown in FIG. 4 taken along line 6-6 in FIG. 4.FIG. 7 is a schematic, cross-sectional view, taken from a perspective similar to that of FIG. 6, of a portion of the guide vane structure having a mounting bracket assembly.FIG. 8 is a schematic, cross-sectional view of an inner portion of the guide vane structure and an inner portion of a mounting bracket assembly.FIG. 9A is a schematic, cross-sectional view of an inner portion of the guide vane structure and an inner portion of a mounting bracket assembly.FIG. 9B is a schematic, cross-sectional view of a portion of the inner portion of the guide vane structure and the inner portion of the mounting bracket assembly shown in FIG. 9A taken along line 9B-9B in FIG. 9A.FIG. 10A is a schematic, cross-sectional view of an outer portion of the guide vane structure and an outer portion of a mounting bracket assembly.FIG. 10B is a schematic, cross-sectional view of a portion of the upper portion of the guide vane structure and the upper portion of the mounting bracket assembly shown in FIG. 10A taken along line 10B-10B in FIG. 10A.FIG. 11 is a schematic, cross-sectional view, taken from a perspective similar to that of FIG. 6, of a portion of the guide vane structure having an alternative mounting bracket assembly.FIG. 12 is a schematic, cross-sectional view, taken from a perspective similar to that of FIG. 6, of a portion of the guide vane structure having an alternative mounting bracket assembly.FIG. 13 is a flow chart of a method of forming a frame assembly.FIG. 14 is a flow chart of another method of forming a frame assembly. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Features, advantages, and embodiments of the present disclosure are set forth or apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description, drawings, and claims. Moreover, the following detailed description is exemplary and intended to provide further explanation without limiting the scope of the disclosure as claimed. Various embodiments are discussed in detail below. While specific embodiments are discussed, this is done for illustration purposes only. A person skilled in the relevant art will recognize that other components and configurations may be used without departing from the present disclosure. As used herein, the terms "first," "second," and "third" may be used interchangeably to distinguish one component from a