초록 ▼

A variable geometry vane for use in a turbine engine. The vane can be radially mounted in a shroud ring while outside the turbine engine. The shroud and vane assembly can then be mounted to an engine hub without disassembly of the shroud, eliminating the need for a split ring shroud. Once located su

A variable geometry vane for use in a turbine engine. The vane can be radially mounted in a shroud ring while outside the turbine engine. The shroud and vane assembly can then be mounted to an engine hub without disassembly of the shroud, eliminating the need for a split ring shroud. Once located surrounding the hub, vanes are slid radially inward until a radially inward vane button engages a hole within the hub. Vanes are locked in place using clips slid into slots within the shroud. The clips are retained in place using an adjacent engine part bolted to the face of the shroud. Once in place within the engine, vanes are attached to a control arm for airflow adjustment.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A variable geometry vane and shroud ring for use in a turbine engine comprising;at least one vane rotatably held within radial oriented holes in said shroud; said vane having a first radial outer position within said radial oriented holes in said shroud; said vane having a second radial inner pos

1. A variable geometry vane and shroud ring for use in a turbine engine comprising;at least one vane rotatably held within radial oriented holes in said shroud; said vane having a first radial outer position within said radial oriented holes in said shroud; said vane having a second radial inner position; said vane including an airfoil section; said shroud comprising a single-piece ring disposed radially outward from said airfoil section; and said shroud including a slidable clip engaging a portion of said vane to hold said vane in said second position. 2. The variable geometry vane and shroud ring of claim 1, wherein said shroud includes a removable adjacent part to retain said clip.3. The variable geometry vane and shroud ring of claim 1, wherein said shroud includes a face with a slot therein and wherein at least one of said clips slides into said slot to engage said portion of said vane.4. A variable geometry vane and shroud ring for use in a turbine engine, comprising:at least one vane slidably and rotatably held within radial oriented holes in said shroud; said vane having a first radial outer position within said radial oriented holes in said shroud; said vane having a second radial inner position; and said shroud including a slidable clip engaging a portion of said vane to hold said vane against sliding in a radial direction, holding said vane in said second position, wherein said shroud includes a face with an axial slot therein and wherein at least one of said clips slides into said axial slot to engage said portion of said vane, and wherein said face further includes indentions adjacent to said axial slot to aid in the removal of said vane. 5. The variable geometry vane and shroud ring of claim 4, wherein removal of the clip allows said vane to be slid from said second position to said first position.6. The variable geometry vane and shroud ring of claim 5, wherein said vane includes an airfoil section, and said shroud ring includes a plurality of radial slots wherein each of said radial slots is adapted for receiving a portion of said airfoil section when said vane is moved from said second position to said first position.7. The variable geometry vane and shroud ring of claim 6, wherein said vane includes a shroud button radially outwardly from and adjacent to said airfoil section.8. The variable geometry vane and shroud ring of claim 4, wherein said clip comprises a non-threaded fastener.9. A variable geometry vane assembly directing flow of air in a turbine engine, said variable geometry vane assembly comprising;a shroud adjacent an exterior portion of said engine; a hub centrally located in said engine; at least one vane slidably and rotatably held within radial oriented holes in said shroud; said vane having an axis and said vane rotatable about said axis; said vane including a necked down portion contained within said radial oriented holes in said shroud; a slidable clip in an axial slot through said shroud, said clip engaging a portion of said necked down portion to hold said vane against sliding in the radial direction; and an adjacent part attached to said shroud to prevent sliding of said clip, wherein said shroud includes at least one indention adjacent said clip to facilitate removal of said clip to release said vane for radial movement. 10. The variable geometry vane assembly of claim 9, wherein said shroud includes at least one radial slot near a radial inner edge thereof, said at least one radial slot providing clearance for an airfoil portion of said vane when said vane is slid to a radial outermost position.11. The variable geometry vane assembly of claim 9, wherein said vane includes an airfoil section including a hub button on a radially innermost portion of said airfoil section, and wherein said hub button fits into a hole in said hub when said vane is slid to a radial innermost position.12. The variable geometry vane assembly of claim 9, wherein said shroud forms a ring surrounding said hub and an airfoil section of said at least one vane.13. The variable geometry vane assembly of claim 9, wherein said vane includes a shoulder adjacent to said necked down portion such that said shoulder rests against said clip.14. A variable geometry vane assembly directing the flow of air in a turbine engine, said variable geometry vane assembly comprising;a shroud ring adjacent an exterior portion of said engine; a hub centrally located in said engine; at least one vane slidably and rotatably held within radial oriented holes in said shroud ring; said vane having a first radial outer position within said radial oriented holes in said shroud ring; said vane having a second radial inner position adjacent said hub; and a slidable clip engaging a portion of said vane to hold said vane against sliding in the radial direction to hold said vane in said second position, wherein said clip is located in an axial slot passing through a face on said shroud ring, wherein said face on said shroud ring includes indentions adjacent to said axial slot to facilitate removal of said clip. 15. The variable geometry vane assembly of claim 14, wherein an adjacent part attached to said shroud ring prevents sliding of said slidable clip.16. The variable geometry vane assembly of claim 14, wherein said vane comprises a necked down portion disposed within said shroud ring, and said clip comprises a flat section, a pair of arm extensions, and a pocket disposed between said pair of arm extensions, said pocket sized to hold said necked down portion.17. The variable geometry vane assembly of claim 16, wherein said vane includes an airfoil section disposed radially inward from said necked down portion, and wherein a portion of said airfoil section is contained within a radial slot when said vane is in said first position.18. The variable geometry vane assembly of claim 17, wherein said shroud ring surrounds said hub.19. The variable geometry vane assembly of claim 14, wherein the vane includes a hub button and wherein said hub button fits into a hole in said hub when said vane is in said second position.20. The variable geometry vane assembly of claim 14, wherein said vane includes a shroud button radially outwardly from and adjacent to an airfoil and wherein said shroud button blends with a surface of said shroud ring.21. A variable geometry vane assembly directing the flow of air in a turbine engine, said variable geometry vane assembly comprising;a shroud adjacent an exterior portion of said engine, said shroud having an axial face and a plurality of axial slots within said axial face of said shroud; a hub centrally located in said engine; a plurality of vanes slidably and rotatably held within radial oriented holes in said shroud; said vanes each having an axis and each of said vanes adapted for controlled rotation about said axis; said vanes each including a necked down portion contained within said radial oriented holes in said shroud; a plurality of slidable clips in said axial slots through said shroud, said clips engaging said necked down portion to hold each said vane against sliding in the radial direction; a retention member attached to said shroud to prevent sliding of said clips; and said shroud including indentions adjacent to each said axial slot to facilitate removal of said clips. 22. A turbine engine comprising:a variable geometry vane assembly directing flow of air in said turbine engine, said variable geometry vane assembly comprising; a single-piece shroud ring adjacent an exterior portion of said engine; a hub centrally located in said engine; at least one vane rotatably held within radial oriented holes in said shroud ring, said vane including an airfoil section; said vane having a first radial outer position within said radial oriented holes in said shroud; said vane having a second radial inner position adjacent said hub; and a slidable clip engaging a portion of said vane to prevent said vane sliding in the radial direction and to hold said vane in said second position, wherein said shroud ring includes a plurality of radial slots, each of said radial slots adapted for radially receiving a portion of said airfoil section when said vane is moved from said second position to said first position. 23. The turbine engine of claim 22, wherein:said vane includes a hub button disposed radially inward from said airfoil section; and said hub includes a plurality of hub holes, each of said hub holes adapted for receiving said hub button. 24. A method of assembling a variable geometry vane stator for use in a turbine engine having a shroud ring including the steps of:radially outwardly sliding a plurality of vanes into a single-piece shroud ring having a plurality of spaced radial holes to receive said vanes to form a vane assembly; further radially outwardly sliding at least one of said plurality of vanes until an airfoil portion of said vane is received in a radial slot on a radially inner portion of said shroud ring; positioning said vane assembly so that it encircles a hub having a plurality of hub holes; sliding each of said plurality of vanes radially inwardly until a portion of each vane is received in one of said plurality of hub holes in said hub; and sliding a clip into each of a plurality of axial slots in an axial face of said shroud ring, thereby radially retaining each of said plurality of vanes between said shroud ring and said hub. 25. The method of claim 24, further comprising attaching an adjacent part to said shroud ring to retain said clips in said axial slots.26. The method of claim 24, wherein each of said plurality of vanes is rotatably held between said shroud ring and said hub.27. An assembly, comprising:a single-piece shroud having a plurality of radially oriented holes and a corresponding plurality of radial slots; a hub disposed radially inward from said shroud, said hub having a plurality of hub holes; and a plurality of vanes rotatably retained between said shroud and said hub, each of said vanes having a vane axis, wherein: each of said vanes comprises a shaft portion disposed within said shroud, a shroud button radially inward from said shaft portion, an airfoil section radially inward from said shroud button, and a hub button radially inward from said airfoil section, each of said radial slots is adapted for radially receiving a portion of said airfoil section when said vane is moved from a radial inner position to a radial outer position, and each of said hub holes is adapted for radially receiving said hub button when each of said vanes is moved from said radial outer position to said radial inner position. 28. The assembly of claim 27, further comprising:a plurality of clips adapted for radially retaining said plurality of vanes, and each of said clips further adapted for allowing controlled rotation of each of said vanes about said vane axis. 29. The assembly of claim 28, wherein said shroud includes an axial face and a plurality of axial slots in said axial face, each of said axial slots adapted for receiving one of said clips.30. The assembly of claim 28, wherein said shroud further includes at least one indention within said axial face, and said at least one indention is disposed adjacent each of said axial slots.31. The assembly of claim 28, wherein said shroud further includes a pair of indentions, said pair of indentions disposed adjacent each other and on opposing sides of each of said axial slots.32. The assembly of claim 30, wherein said at least one indention is adapted for removal of said clip from said axial slot.33. The assembly of claim 31, wherein said pair of indentions are adapted for receiving a pair of needle-nose pliers for removal of each of said clips.34. The assembly of claim 28, wherein each of said clips comprises a non-threaded fastener.35. The assembly of claim 28, wherein each of said clips includes a flat section, a pair of arm extensions, and a pocket disposed between said pair of arm extensions.36. The assembly of claim 34, wherein each of said clips is planar, said pair of arm extensions are parallel to each other, and said pocket is U-shaped.37. The assembly of claim 35, wherein each of said vanes further comprises a necked down portion disposed between said shaft portion and said shroud button, and wherein said pocket is sized to receive said necked down portion.38. The assembly of claim 35, wherein said clip and said vane are adapted such that said vane rides on said flat section when said vane rotates about said vane axis.39. A method of assembling a variable geometry vane stator for use in a turbine engine, comprising:a) providing an annular single-piece shroud and a hub, said shroud having a plurality of axial slots and a corresponding plurality of radial slots, and said hub having a corresponding plurality of hub holes; b) providing a plurality of vanes, each of said vanes having a shaft portion, an airfoil section disposed radially inward from said shaft portion, and a hub button disposed radially inward from said airfoil section; c) sliding said shaft portion of each of said plurality of vanes radially outwardly into said shroud, thereby providing a vane assembly, wherein a portion of said airfoil section is received within each of said radial slots; d) positioning said vane assembly around said hub; e) sliding each of said plurality of vanes radially inwardly such that each of said hub buttons is received within a corresponding one of said hub holes; and f) sliding a clip into each of said axial slots thereby radially retaining each of said plurality of vanes between said shroud and said hub, wherein each of said vanes has a vane axis and each of said vanes is adapted for controlled rotation about said vane axis. 40. The method of claim 39, wherein said axial slots are circumferentially arranged on an axial face of said shroud, and the method further comprises:g) affixing an adjacent part to said axial face, thereby retaining said clip within said shroud. 41. The method of claim 40, wherein each of said vanes further comprises a necked down portion disposed between said shaft portion and said airfoil section, each of said clips includes a flat section, a pair of arm extensions, and a U-shaped pocket disposed between said pair of arm extensions, and wherein said step f) comprises sliding said clip such that said necked down portion is retained within said pocket.