US 12,276,205 B2
Damper element with flexible legs for vibration dampening system for turbine blade
Zachary John Snider, Pelzer, SC (US)
Assigned to GE Infrastructure Technology LLC, Greenville, SC (US)
Filed by GE Infrastructure Technology LLC, Greenville, SC (US)
Filed on Jun. 29, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/343,953.
Prior Publication US 2025/0003342 A1, Jan. 2, 2025
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. F01D 5/26 (2006.01)
CPC F01D 5/26 (2013.01) [F05D 2260/96 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A damper element for a vibration dampening system in a body opening in a rotating blade in a turbine, the damper element comprising:
a head member having an at least partially ramped surface; and
a plurality of flexible legs extending from the head member around and parallel to a center axis of the damper element, and wherein the plurality of flexible legs and the head member have a same first outer diameter relative to the center axis at least where the plurality of legs extends from the head member, wherein:
each flexible leg includes a body section having an end section, the end section having, relative to the center axis, an outer end surface and an inner end surface,
the head member and, collectively, the body sections of the plurality of flexible legs have the first outer diameter from the head member to the end sections of the plurality of flexible legs,
the outer end surfaces of the end sections of the plurality of flexible legs collectively define a second outer diameter that is larger than the first outer diameter,
the inner end surfaces of the plurality of flexible legs are configured to receive the at least partially ramped surface of a head member of an adjacent identical damper element, and
the damper element is configured such that, under influence of a centrifugal force at higher than a predefined rotational speed, the head member of the adjacent identical damper element forces the outer end surfaces of the plurality of flexible legs into frictional engagement with an inner surface of the body opening to dampen vibration.