US 11,852,021 B2
Variable vane and method for operating same
Kevin Knechtel, Amston, CT (US); Kenneth P. Clark, Glastonbury, CT (US); and Stephen A. Hakenjos, Colchester, CT (US)
Assigned to RTX CORPORATION, Farmington, CT (US)
Filed by Raytheon Technologies Corporation, Farmington, CT (US)
Filed on Jul. 11, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/861,931.
Application 17/861,931 is a continuation of application No. 17/140,604, filed on Jan. 4, 2021, granted, now 11,384,656.
Prior Publication US 2022/0341343 A1, Oct. 27, 2022
Int. Cl. F01D 17/16 (2006.01); F02C 9/22 (2006.01); F02C 7/06 (2006.01)
CPC F01D 17/162 (2013.01) [F01D 17/167 (2013.01); F02C 7/06 (2013.01); F02C 9/22 (2013.01); F05D 2240/50 (2013.01); F05D 2260/56 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A variable vane for rotational equipment having an axial centerline, the variable vane including a pressure side and a suction side opposite the pressure side, the variable vane comprising:
a first vane portion including a first forward axial end and a first aft axial end, the first aft axial end is formed by a vane surface of the first vane portion which extends from a first edge of the first aft axial end to a second edge of the first aft axial end, the first edge is disposed on the pressure side and axially forward of the second edge, the second edge is disposed on the suction side, and the vane surface forms a recess of the first vane portion; and
a second vane portion axially adjacent the first vane portion, the second vane portion including a second vane body and a trunnion,
the second vane body extending radially between an inner radial end and an outer radial end, the second vane body extending axially between a second forward axial end and a second aft axial end, the second vane body including a first face disposed at the pressure side and a second face disposed at the suction side, each of the first face and the second face extending from the second forward axial end to the second aft axial end, the second vane body having a thickness between the first face and the second face, the thickness determined at a location of maximum thickness between the first face and the second face, and
the trunnion including a trunnion axis, a button, and a trunnion portion, the button including an outer perimeter, a button radius, a first button portion, and a second button portion, the outer perimeter surrounding the trunnion axis, the button radius extending between the outer perimeter and the trunnion axis, the button radius greater than two times the thickness, the first button portion spaced from the trunnion axis and forming a first portion of the outer perimeter, the first button portion fixedly in contact with the outer radial end, the second button portion coincident with the trunnion axis and forming a second portion of the outer perimeter, the trunnion portion fixedly mounted to the second button portion at the trunnion axis, the trunnion portion projecting radially outward from the button, the trunnion configured for rotation about the trunnion axis so as to rotate the second vane portion from a first rotational position to a second rotational position relative to the trunnion axis
wherein with the second vane portion in the first rotational position, the second forward axial end is located within the recess and axially forward of the first aft axial end.
 
8. A gas turbine engine having an axial centerline, the gas turbine engine comprising:
a variable vane assembly comprising a plurality of variable vanes disposed about the axial centerline, each variable vane of the plurality of variable vanes comprising:
a first vane portion including a first forward axial end and a first aft axial end; and
a second vane portion axially adjacent the first vane portion, the second vane portion including a second vane body and a first trunnion,
the second vane body extending radially between a first radial end and a second radial end, the second vane body extending axially between a second forward axial end and a second aft axial end, the second vane body including a first face and a second face opposite the first face, the first face and the second face extending from the second forward axial end to the second aft axial end, and
the first trunnion including a first trunnion axis, a first button, and a first trunnion portion, the first button fixedly mounted to the first radial end with the first radial end spaced from the first trunnion axis, the first button including a first outer perimeter and a first button radius, the first outer perimeter surrounding the first trunnion axis, the first button radius extending between the first outer perimeter and the first trunnion axis, the first trunnion portion projecting outward from the first button, the first trunnion configured for rotation about the first trunnion axis so as to rotate the second vane portion from an open position of the second vane portion to a closed position of the second vane portion relative to the first trunnion axis;
wherein each variable vane of the plurality of variable vanes includes a chord length extending from the first forward axial end to the second aft axial end, and rotation of the second vane portion from the open position to the closed position increases the chord length.
 
15. A gas turbine engine having an axial centerline, the gas turbine engine comprising:
a variable vane assembly comprising a plurality of variable vanes disposed about the axial centerline, each variable vane of the plurality of variable vanes comprising:
a first vane portion including a first forward axial end and a first aft axial end; and
a second vane portion axially adjacent the first vane portion, the second vane portion including a second vane body, a first trunnion, and a second trunnion,
the second vane body extending radially between a first radial end and a second radial end, the second vane body extending axially between a second forward axial end and a second aft axial end, the second vane body including a first face and a second face opposite the first face, the first face and the second face extending from the second forward axial end to the second aft axial end,
the first trunnion including a first trunnion axis, a first button, and a first trunnion portion, the first button fixedly mounted to the first radial end with the first radial end spaced from the first trunnion axis, the first button including a first outer perimeter and a first button radius, the first outer perimeter surrounding the first trunnion axis, the first button radius extending between the first outer perimeter and the first trunnion axis, the first trunnion portion projecting outward from the first button, the first trunnion configured for rotation about the first trunnion axis so as to rotate the second vane portion from an open position of the second vane portion to a closed position of the second vane portion relative to the first trunnion axis, and
the second trunnion including a second trunnion axis, a second button fixedly in contact fixed the second radial end, and a second trunnion portion, the second button including a second outer perimeter and a second button radius, the second button radius different than the first button radius;
wherein the second forward axial end is configured to have an axial displacement which varies along a radial length of the second vane portion between the first radial end and the second radial end, as the second vane portion rotates from the open position to the closed position.