Joint assembly and a method of using the same

Abstract

A joint assembly has first to third end portions of first to third components and an elongate resilient connection member. The first end portion interconnects with the second in a castellated arrangement. The first and second end portions have repeating arrays of first and second, and third and fourth connection portions. The first connection portion is received inward the third, and its first location feature being aligned with a third location feature of the third forming a first cavity portion, and the second connection portion axially distal surface abutting against that of the fourth, with a second location feature of the second connection portion being aligned with a fourth location feature of the fourth connection portion forming a second cavity portion. The first and second cavity portions are aligned forming an annular cavity, with the connection member being receivable within the annular cavity interlocking the first component to the second.

Claims

1. A joint assembly comprising: a first end portion of a first hollow component; a second end portion of a second hollow component; and an elongate resilient connection member, wherein the first end portion interconnects with the second end portion in a castellated arrangement, the castellated arrangement extending around a periphery of the joint assembly, the first end portion comprising a repeating array of first connection portions and second connection portions, each first connection portion comprising a first location feature on an outwardly facing surface of the first end portion, and each second connection portion comprising a second location feature on an axially distally facing surface of the first end portion, the second end portion comprising a repeating array of third connection portions and fourth connection portions, each third connection portion comprising a third location feature on an inwardly facing surface of the second end portion, and each fourth connection portion comprising a fourth location feature on an axially distally facing surface of the second end portion, the first connection portion being slidably received inwardly of the third connection portion, with the first location feature being aligned with the third location feature to form a first cavity portion, the axially distal surface of the second connection portion abutting against the axially distal surface of the fourth connection portion, with the second location feature being aligned with the fourth location feature to form a second cavity portion, the first cavity portions and the second cavity portions being aligned to form a single annular cavity, the connection member being receivable within the single annular cavity to interlock the first component to the second component.

2. The joint assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the outwardly facing surface of the first end portion, and the inwardly facing surface of the second end portion, lie in a plane parallel to an axis of the joint assembly.

3. The joint assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the axially distally facing surface of the first end portion, and the axially distally facing surface of the second end portion, lie in a plane normal to an axis of the joint assembly.

4. The joint assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the castellated arrangement extends partially around the periphery of the joint assembly.

5. The joint assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein a peripheral length of the interconnecting first and second connection portions is equal to a peripheral length of the third and fourth connection portions.

6. The joint assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connection member is helical.

7. The joint assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein for each first connection portion and corresponding third connection portion, an axial overlap length between the first connection portion and the corresponding third connection portion is approximately four to eight times a radial cross-sectional diameter of the annular cavity.

8. The joint assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein for each second connection portion and corresponding fourth connection portion, each of a radial length of the axially distal surface of the second connection portion, and a radial length of the axially distal surface of the corresponding fourth connection portion, is approximately two to five times a radial cross-sectional diameter of the annular cavity.

9. A gas turbine engine fan casing comprising a joint assembly as claimed in claim 1.

10. A method of joining two components using a joint assembly, the joint assembly comprising a first end portion of a first component, a second end portion of a second component, and an elongate, resilient, connection member, the first end portion interconnecting with the second end portion in a castellated arrangement, the first end portion comprising a repeating array of first connection portions and second connection portions, and the second end portion comprising a repeating array of third connection portions and fourth connection portions, the method comprising the steps of: (a) positioning the first end portion of the first component relative to the second end portion of the second component such that corresponding pairs of first and third connection portions, and second and fourth connection portions are aligned with one another; (b) interconnecting the first end portion of the first component with the second end portion of the second component, such that each pair of aligned first and third connection portions form a first cavity portion, and each pair of aligned second and fourth connection portions form a second cavity portion, each of the first and second cavity portions being aligned to form a single annular cavity; and (c) inserting an elongate, resilient connection member into the annular cavity to interlock the first component to the second component.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) There now follows a description of an embodiment of the disclosure, by way of non-limiting example, with reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a partial perspective view of a joint assembly according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a partial sectional view of the interconnected first and third connection portions of the joint assembly of FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a partial sectional view of the interconnected second and fourth connection portions of the joint assembly of FIG. 1;

(5) FIG. 4 shows a partial sectional view of the interconnected first and third connection portions of a joint assembly according to a second embodiment of the invention; and

(6) FIG. 5 shows a partial sectional view of the interconnected second and fourth connection portions of the second embodiment of the joint assembly.

(7) It is noted that the drawings may not be to scale. The drawings are intended to depict only typical aspects of the disclosure, and therefore should not be considered as limiting the scope of the disclosure. In the drawings, like numbering represents like elements between the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(8) Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, a joint assembly according to an embodiment of the disclosure is designated generally by the reference numeral 100. The joint assembly 100 comprises an annular first end portion 112 of a first component 110, an annular second end portion 142 of a second component 140 and an elongate resilient connection member 170. The joint assembly 100 has an axis of revolution 104.

(9) In the embodiment shown in the figures, the first component 110 and the second component 140 form part of a fan casing (not shown) of an aircraft turbofan engine (also not shown). In this arrangement, each of the first component 110 and the second component 140 is formed as a revolute component. In other arrangements, the first component 110 and the second component 140 may have an alternate cross-sectional geometry such as, for example, an elliptical geometry.

(10) In the present embodiment, each of the first component 110 and the second component 140 is formed from a titanium alloy forging. In other embodiments the first component 110 and/or the second component 140 may be formed from another material such as a steel, alloy, an aluminium alloy or a fibre-reinforced composite material.

(11) The connection member 170 is formed from helical flat spring steel wire. In other arrangements, the connection member 170 may be formed from spring steel wire having a circular cross-section.

(12) The first end portion 112 interconnects with the second end portion 142 in a castellated arrangement, with the castellated arrangement extending circumferentially around a periphery 102 of the joint assembly 100. The castellated arrangement extends entirely around the periphery 102 of the joint assembly 100.

(13) The first end portion 112 comprises a repeating array of first connection portions 120 and second connection portions 130. The second end portion 142 comprises a corresponding repeating array of third connection portions 150 and fourth connection portions 160. In the present embodiment, a circumferential length of each of the first connection portions 120 is equal to a circumferential length of each of the second connection portions 130, which in turn is correspondingly equal to a circumferential length of each of the third connection portions 150 and to a circumferential length of each of the fourth connection portions 160.

(14) As shown in FIG. 1, each first connection portion 120 interconnects with a corresponding third connection portion 150, and each second connection portion 130 interconnects with a corresponding fourth connection portion 160.

(15) Each first connection portion 120 comprises a first location feature 122 on a radially outwardly facing surface 114 of the first end portion 112. Each second connection portion 130 comprises a second location feature 132 on an axially distally facing surface 116 of the first end portion 112.

(16) The first location feature 122 is formed as a curved hemispherical groove on the radially outwardly facing surface 114 of the first end portion 112. The second location feature 132 is formed as a curved hemispherical groove on the axially distally facing surface 116 of the first end portion 112.

(17) Each third connection portion 150 comprising a third location feature 152 on a radially inwardly facing surface 144 of the second end portion 142, and each fourth connection portion 160 comprising a fourth location feature 162 on an axially distally facing surface 146 of the second end portion 142.

(18) The third location feature 132 is formed as a curved hemispherical groove on the radially inwardly facing surface 144 of the second end portion 142. The fourth location feature 162 is formed as a curved hemispherical groove on the axially distally facing surface 146 of the second end portion 142.

(19) In this embodiment, each of the radially outwardly facing surface 114 and the radially inwardly facing surface 144 lie in a circumferential plane that is parallel to an axis 104 of the joint assembly 100. In this embodiment, each of the axially distal surface 116 and the axially distal surface 146 lie in a plane normal to an axis 104 of the joint assembly 100

(20) In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the first component 110 has a first wall portion 111 having a thickness of 5 mm. This wall thickness is maintained across the axial extent of the first end portion 112. Similarly, the second component 140 has a second wall portion 141 having a thickness of 5 mm. An axial overlap 124 between each first connection portion 120 and the corresponding third connection portion 150 is 30 mm.

(21) At the second connection portion 130, the thickness of the first end portion 112 increases from that of the first wall portion 111 (i.e. 5 mm in the present embodiment) to 15 mm at the second connection portion 130. Correspondingly, at the fourth connection portion 160 the thickness of the second end portion 142 increases from that of the second wall portion 111 (i.e. 5 mm in the present embodiment) to a radial length 154 having a value of 15 mm at the fourth connection portion 130.

(22) In other arrangements, the thickness of the first and second wall portions, and the first and second end portions, together with the axial and radial overlaps may take alternative values dependent upon loading and structural constraints.

(23) In use, the first end portion 110 of the first component 110 is positioned relative to the second end portion 142 of the second component 140 such that corresponding pairs of first and third connection portions 120,150, and second and fourth connection portions 130, 160 are aligned with one another.

(24) The first connection portion 120 is slidably received radially inwardly of the third connection portion 150, with the first location feature 122 being aligned with the third location feature 152 to form a first cavity portion 126.

(25) The axially distal surface 116 of the second connection portion 130 abuts against the axially distal surface 146 of the fourth connection portion 160, with the second location feature 132 being aligned with the fourth location feature 162 to form a second cavity portion 136.

(26) Each of the first cavity portions 126 and the second cavity portions 136 are circumferentially aligned to form a single annular cavity 174.

(27) The connection member is receivable within the single annular cavity 174 to interlock the first component 110 to the second component 140.

(28) Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, a joint assembly according to a second embodiment of the disclosure is designated generally by the reference numeral 200. Features of the joint assembly 200 which correspond to those of the joint assembly 100 have been given corresponding reference numerals for ease of reference.

(29) The joint assembly 200 comprises an annular first end portion 212 of a first component 210, an annular second end portion 242 of a second component 240 and an elongate resilient connection member 170.

(30) The first end portion 212 interconnects with the second end portion 242 in the same castellated arrangement as that described above in respect of the first embodiment.

(31) Each first connection portion 220 comprises a first location feature 222 on a radially outwardly facing surface 214 of the first end portion 212. Each second connection portion 230 comprises a second location feature 232 on an axially distally facing surface 216 of the first end portion 212.

(32) Each third connection portion 250 comprising a third location feature 252 on a radially inwardly facing surface 244 of the second end portion 242, and each fourth connection portion 260 comprising a fourth location feature 262 on an axially distally facing surface 246 of the second end portion 242.

(33) In this embodiment, each of the radially outwardly facing surface 214 and the radially inwardly facing surface 244 lie in a circumferential plane that is inclined at an acute angle to an axis 104 of the joint assembly 200. The inclination of the circumferential plane may be selected dependent upon the applied loading to which the joint assembly 200 is to be subjected.

(34) In this embodiment, each of the axially distal surface 216 and the axially distal surface 246 are inclined at an acute angle to a plane normal to an axis 104 of the joint assembly 200. The selection of the angle of inclination of the axially distal surfaces 216,246 may be dependent upon the applied loading to which the joint assembly 200 is to be subjected.

(35) The foregoing description of various aspects of the disclosure has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise form disclosed, and obviously, many modifications and variations are possible. Such modifications and variations that may be apparent to a person of skill in the art are included within the scope of the disclosure as defined by the accompanying claims.