초록 ▼

A tool 54 for introducing a paste 74 into voids 44 in an article 12 includes at least one pad having a working surface shaped similarly to the shape of a target region on the article. In one specific embodiment, the tool 54 has first and second pads 56, 60, joined to each other by, for example, a hi

A tool 54 for introducing a paste 74 into voids 44 in an article 12 includes at least one pad having a working surface shaped similarly to the shape of a target region on the article. In one specific embodiment, the tool 54 has first and second pads 56, 60, joined to each other by, for example, a hinge 66 . The pads and hinge are engageable with the article 12 so that each similarly shaped working surface 58, 62, 68 hugs a corresponding target region on the article to urge the paste into the voids. An associated method of concurrently filling voids in an article includes applying a filler material to the article in the vicinity of the voids and urging the filler material concurrently into the multiple voids.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A tool for introducing a paste into voids in an article, the voids being accessible from a surface of the article and residing in a target region of the surface, the tool comprising: at least one pad having a working surface shaped similarly to the shape of the target region and;at least a portio

1. A tool for introducing a paste into voids in an article, the voids being accessible from a surface of the article and residing in a target region of the surface, the tool comprising: at least one pad having a working surface shaped similarly to the shape of the target region and;at least a portion of the tool is configured to engage the article at the target region, where the article is a gas turbine engine blade or vane having an airfoil, with a suction surface, a pressure surface and a leading edge connecting the suction surface to the pressure surface, and wherein the at least one pad has a first working surface shaped similarly to a suction surface target region and a second working surface shaped similarly to a pressure surface target region. 2. The tool of claim 1 comprising a first pad and a second pad, the pads being joined to each other and engageable with the article so that each similarly shaped working surface hugs the corresponding target region to urge the paste into the voids. 3. The tool of claim 2 wherein the pads are joined to each other by a hinge. 4. The tool of claim 3 wherein the pads and the joint form a monolithic unit. 5. The tool of claim 2 wherein the suction surface and pressure surface are spaced from each other by a separation distance and the tool has a relaxed state in which the pads are spaced from each other by a distance less than the separation distance. 6. The tool of claim 2 wherein the suction surface pad and pressure surface pad are connected to each other by a hinge that includes a hinge working surface shaped similarly to a target region on the airfoil that urges paste into voids in a leading edge target region of the airfoil. 7. The tool of claim 2 wherein the pads are displaceable relative to each other and positionable in a disengaged position relative to the article and in an engaged position relative to the article, wherein in the engaged position the similarly shaped surfaces hug the corresponding target regions to urge the paste into the voids. 8. The tool of claim 2 wherein the pads are made of a material flexible enough to conform to the surface shape of the target regions and stiff enough to urge the paste into the voids. 9. The tool of claim 8 wherein the pads are made of RTV 668 Silicon Rubber. 10. The tool of claim 8 wherein the pads have a Durometer hardness of between about 55 and 62 on the Shore A scale. 11. The tool of claim 2 wherein one of the pads is secured to a base and the other of the pads includes a handle. 12. The tool of claim 2 wherein the voids are coolant holes that extend from the suction and pressure surfaces to an airfoil internal cavity, and wherein: the first pad is a pressure surface pad having a working surface shaped similarly to the airfoil pressure surface;the second pad is a suction surface pad having a working surface shaped similarly to the airfoil suction surface, the suction surface pad being joined to the pressure surface pad by a hinge;the pads are displaceable relative to each other and positionable in a disengaged position relative to the airfoil and in an engaged position relative to the airfoil;wherein in the engaged position the working surfaces hug the suction and pressure surfaces to urge the paste into the voids. 13. The tool of claim 12 wherein leading edge coolant holes extend through the leading edge and wherein in the engaged position a working surface of the hinge hugs the leading edge of the airfoil to urge the paste into the leading edge holes. 14. The tool of claim 1 wherein the voids are holes that penetrate through a wall in the article. 15. The tool of claim 14 wherein the holes are coolant holes. 16. The tool of claim 1 wherein the working surface is an interior surface. 17. The tool of claim 1 wherein the target region is substantially the entire surface of the article and the shaped surface is shaped to conform to that entire surface.