Work piece having self-supporting gusset and method related thereto

{
  "publication_number": "US10549520B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Work piece having self-supporting gusset and method related thereto",
  "abstract": "A structure includes a first body section that has a wall that spans in a vertical direction. The wall has a relatively thin thickness with respect to a length and a width of the wall. A second body section is arranged next to, but spaced apart from, the first body section. A gusset connects the first body section and the second body section. The gusset extends obliquely from the wall of the first body section with respect to the vertical direction such that the gusset is self-supporting. The first body section has a geometry that corresponds to an end-use component exclusive of the gusset.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A structure comprising: a first body section including a wall spanning in a vertical direction and having a relatively thin thickness with respect a length and a width of the wall; a second body section next to, but spaced apart from, the first body section; and a gusset connecting the first body section and the second body section, the gusset extending obliquely from the wall of the first body section with respect to the vertical direction such that the gusset is self-supporting, and the first body section having a geometry corresponding to an airfoil exclusive of the gusset.",
    "2. The structure as recited in claim 1, where the second body section is an airfoil.",
    "3. The structure as recited in claim 1, wherein the gusset extends at an angle of 45°±5° with respect to the vertical direction.",
    "4. The structure as recited in claim 1, wherein the gusset extends at an angle of no greater than 70° with respect to the vertical direction.",
    "5. The structure as recited in claim 1, wherein the gusset includes a first section and a second section oriented perpendicularly to the first section.",
    "6. The structure as recited in claim 5, wherein the first section is directly connected to the first body section and the second section is directly connected to the second body section.",
    "7. The structure as recited in claim 1, wherein the gusset includes a first section and a second section that are connected between each other at an angle of no greater than 140°.",
    "8. The structure as recited in claim 1, wherein the thickness of the wall is 0.15 centimeters or less.",
    "9. The structure as recited in claim 1, wherein the wall extends from a base end to a tip end, and the gusset extends from the tip end.",
    "10. The structure as recited in claim 1, wherein the first body section and the second body section have dissimilar geometries.",
    "11. A structure comprising: a rail; a powder-derived airfoil spanning in a vertical direction from the rail and having a relatively thin thickness with respect a length and a width of the powder-derived airfoil; a powder-derived body section next to, but spaced apart from, the powder-derived airfoil and also spanning in a vertical direction from the rail; and a gusset opposite the rail, the gusset connecting the powder-derived airfoil and the powder-derived body section, and the gusset extending obliquely from the powder-derived airfoil with respect to the vertical direction such that the gusset is self-supporting and resists distortion of the powder-derived airfoil.",
    "12. The structure as recited in claim 11, where the powder-derived body section is an airfoil.",
    "13. The structure as recited in claim 11, wherein the gusset extends at an angle of 45°±5° with respect to the vertical direction.",
    "14. The structure as recited in claim 11, wherein the gusset extends at an angle of no greater than 70° with respect to the vertical direction.",
    "15. The structure as recited in claim 11, wherein the gusset includes a first section and a second section oriented perpendicularly to the first section.",
    "16. The structure as recited in claim 15, wherein the first section is directly connected to the powder-derived airfoil and the second section is directly connected to the powder-derived body section.",
    "17. The structure as recited in claim 11, wherein the gusset includes a first section and a second section that are connected at an angle of no greater than 140°.",
    "18. The structure as recited in claim 11, wherein the powder-derived airfoil extends from a base end at the rail to a tip end, and the gusset extends from the tip end."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "Powder bed additive manufacturing, such as selective laser melting, is used to produce components in a layered manner. For instance, a turbomachine compressor vane structure is one component that can be made by powder bed additive manufacturing. The compressor vane structure may include a rail that supports numerous airfoil vanes. The compressor vane structure is produced in a horizontal orientation, where the airfoil vanes and rail are built layer by layer from a trailing edge side of the vanes up toward a leading edge side of the vanes. A support is built during the fabrication process, and the vanes and rail are fabricated on this underlying support. The support is fused to the trailing edge of the vanes but is not part of the compressor vane structure. The support is therefore later removed.\n\nA powder-derived, non-finished work piece according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes a first body section having a wall spanning in a vertical direction. The wall has a relatively thin thickness with respect a length and a width of the wall. A second body section is located next to, but spaced apart from, the first body section. A gusset connects the first body section and the second body section. The gusset extends obliquely from the wall of the first body section with respect to the vertical direction such that the gusset is self-supporting, and the first body section has a geometry corresponding to an end-use component exclusive of the gusset.\n\nIn a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing examples, the first body section is an airfoil.",
  "cpc": [
    "B33Y 80/00",
    "B29C 64/153",
    "B29C 64/40",
    "F01D 25/285",
    "F04D 29/542",
    "F05D 2230/31",
    "F16B 2200/67",
    "F16B 5/00",
    "Y10T 403/42"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B33Y 80/00",
    "F01D 25/28",
    "F04D 29/54",
    "F16B 5/00"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "United Technologies Corp"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Sergey Mironets",
    "Lyutsia Dautova",
    "Joseph Ott",
    "Christopher F. O'Neill",
    "Robert P. Delisle",
    "Jesse R. Boyer",
    "Agnes Klucha",
    "Louis Porretti"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2016-10-07",
  "publication_date": "2020-02-04",
  "grant_date": "2020-02-04",
  "priority_date": "2012-12-28",
  "application_number": "US-201615287776-A",
  "family_id": "51017365",
  "cited_by_count": 0,
  "citations": [
    "US4097276A",
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    "US8017070B2",
    "US8470234B2",
    "US20110241947A1",
    "US8752609B2",
    "US8703045B2"
  ]
}