US 11,885,241 B1
Turbine nozzle assembly with stress relief structure for mounting rail
Lauren Elizabeth Rogers, Greenville, SC (US); William Scott Zemitis, Simpsonville, SC (US); and Kristen Barbara Coletti, Simpsonville, SC (US)
Assigned to General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US)
Filed by General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US)
Filed on Jul. 28, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/876,221.
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. F01D 9/04 (2006.01); F01D 11/00 (2006.01); F01D 5/14 (2006.01)
CPC F01D 9/041 (2013.01) [F01D 5/14 (2013.01); F01D 5/147 (2013.01); F01D 9/042 (2013.01); F01D 11/005 (2013.01); F05D 2240/128 (2013.01); F05D 2260/30 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A turbine nozzle assembly, comprising:
at least one airfoil;
an outer endwall coupled to a radial outer end of the at least one airfoil;
a mounting rail coupled to the outer endwall, the mounting rail extending at least partially radially outward from the outer endwall and at least partially circumferentially along the outer endwall, the mounting rail having a radial outer surface and a rail thickness; and
a stress relief structure defined in the mounting rail, the stress relief structure including:
an end opening defined in the radial outer surface of the mounting rail;
a slot defined through the rail thickness of the mounting rail and coupled to the end opening; and
an oblong opening defined through the rail thickness of the mounting rail and coupled to a radial inner end of the slot, the oblong opening being arranged asymmetrically in a circumferential direction relative to the slot and including:
a first arced surface at a first end of a longitudinal direction of the oblong opening, and
a second arced surface at a second end of the longitudinal direction opposite the first end, wherein the first arced surface and the second arced surface have different radii of curvature.