Strut assembly for an aircraft engine

Abstract

A strut assembly for a gas turbine engine includes an outer structural case. The outer structural case includes a first mounting pad for mounting a first strut and a second mounting pad for mounting a second strut. The outer structural case further includes a case ligament extending between the first mounting pad and the second mounting pad in a substantially straight direction to reduce an amount of bending stress on the outer structural case.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A strut assembly for a gas turbine engine, the strut assembly comprising:
 an outer structural case comprising
 a first mounting pad for mounting a first strut; 
 a second mounting pad for mounting a second strut; 
 a case ligament extending between the first mounting pad and the second mounting pad, the case ligament extending in a substantially straight direction from the first mounting pad to the second mounting pad, the case ligament defining an inside surface; and 
 a plurality of wedge members, the plurality of wedge members including a first wedge member positioned against the inside surface of the case ligament adjacent to the first mounting pad and extending along the inside surface of the case ligament adjacent to the first mounting pad. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The strut assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first mounting pad, the second mounting pad, and the case ligament are each formed of a composite material. 
     
     
       3. The strut assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the case ligament is formed of a composite material, wherein the composite material forming the case ligament includes a plurality of substantially aligned fibers. 
     
     
       4. The strut assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of substantially aligned fibers extend in a direction from the first mounting pad to the second mounting pad. 
     
     
       5. The strut assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of wedge members further comprises a second wedge member positioned against the inside surface of the case ligament adjacent to the second mounting pad and extending along the inside surface of the case ligament adjacent to the second mounting pad, the first wedge member being separate from the second wedge member. 
     
     
       6. The strut assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of wedge members are non-structural components. 
     
     
       7. The strut assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of wedge members are formed of a composite material, wherein the case ligament is formed of a composite material, wherein the composite material forming the case ligament includes a plurality of substantially aligned fibers extending in a first direction, wherein the composite material forming the wedge members includes a plurality of substantially aligned fibers extending in a second direction, and wherein the first direction is not parallel to the second direction. 
     
     
       8. The strut assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of wedge members are formed of a foam material. 
     
     
       9. The strut assembly of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 an attachment assembly including a bolt having a head and a body, wherein the body extends through the case ligament at a location between the first and second mounting pads and wherein the head is positioned adjacent to and contacting the first wedge member. 
 
     
     
       10. The strut assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first mounting pad extends in a substantially straight direction, wherein the second mounting pad extends in a substantially straight direction, wherein the first mounting pad defines a first angle with the case ligament, wherein the second mounting pad defines a second angle with the case ligament, wherein the first and second angles are less than 180 degrees. 
     
     
       11. The strut assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the first angle is substantially equal to the second angle. 
     
     
       12. The strut assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second mounting pads are formed integrally with the case ligament. 
     
     
       13. A strut assembly for a gas turbine engine defining a circumferential direction, the strut assembly comprising:
 a plurality of struts; and 
 an outer structural case comprising
 a plurality of mounting pads spaced generally along the circumferential direction, each mounting pad having a strut of the plurality of struts mounted thereto, the plurality of mounting pads including a first mounting pad; and 
 a plurality of case ligaments extending between adjacent mounting pads, each case ligament extending in a substantially straight direction between adjacent mounting pads and defining an inside surface, the plurality of case ligaments including a case ligament; and 
 a plurality of wedge members, the plurality of wedge members including a first wedge member positioned against the inside surface of the case ligament adjacent to the first mounting pad and extending along the inside surface of the case ligament adjacent to the first mounting pad. 
 
 
     
     
       14. The strut assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the outer structural case is formed of a composite material. 
     
     
       15. The strut assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of case ligaments are formed of a composite material, wherein the composite material forming the case ligaments includes a plurality of substantially aligned fibers. 
     
     
       16. The strut assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of struts each include a T-shaped flange, wherein the plurality of struts are attached to the plurality of mounting pads using the T-shaped flanges. 
     
     
       17. The strut assembly of  claim 13 , wherein each of the mounting pads extend in a substantially straight direction, wherein each of the mounting pads define an angle with the case ligaments adjacent to the mounting pad, wherein each of the angles defined between the mounting pads and the case ligaments are substantially the same. 
     
     
       18. The strut assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of struts includes between thirteen and twenty-one struts. 
     
     
       19. A gas turbine engine comprising:
 a core turbine engine; and 
 a fan section in flow communication with the core turbine engine, the fan section comprising a strut assembly having an outer structural case, the outer structural case comprising
 a first mounting pad for mounting a first strut; 
 a second mounting pad for mounting a second strut; and 
 a case ligament extending between the first mounting pad and the second mounting pad, the case ligament extending in a substantially straight direction from the first mounting pad to the second mounting pad, the case ligament defining an inside surface; and 
 a plurality of wedge members, the plurality of wedge members including a first wedge member positioned against the inside surface of the case ligament adjacent to the first mounting pad and extending along the inside surface of the case ligament adjacent to the first mounting pad. 
 
 
     
     
       20. The gas turbine engine of  claim 19 , wherein the case ligament is formed of a composite material, wherein the composite material forming the case ligament includes a plurality of substantially aligned fibers extending in a direction from the first mounting pad to the second mounting pad. 
     
     
       21. The gas turbine engine of  claim 19 , wherein the strut assembly is a forward strut assembly of the fan section. 
     
     
       22. The strut assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of struts includes a first strut, wherein the first mounting pad includes a first strut of the plurality of struts mounted thereto, wherein the first wedge member extends between a first end and a second end, and wherein the first end contacts the inner surface of the case ligament and the first strut.