Gas turbine engine sheet metal vane

Abstract

A gas turbine engine stator vane has a sheet metal body with a pressure surface and a suction surface extending chordwise from a leading edge to a trailing edge. The sheet metal body has opposed pressure and suction side trailing end portions that meet at a joint upstream from the trailing edge of the airfoil. The pressure and suction surfaces of the sheet metal body are parallel to one another between the joint and the trailing edge, thereby forming a straight non-tapering trailing edge section from the joint to the trailing edge of the airfoil.

1 . A gas turbine engine stator vane comprising a hollow airfoil having a sheet metal body with a pressure surface and a suction surface extending chordwise from a leading edge to a trailing edge, the sheet metal body having opposed pressure and suction side trailing end portions that meet at a joint upstream from the trailing edge of the airfoil, the pressure and suction surfaces of the sheet metal body being substantially parallel to one another between said joint and said trailing edge, thereby forming a straight non-tapering trailing edge section from the joint to the trailing edge of the airfoil. 
     
     
         2 . The stator vane defined in  claim 1 , wherein said straight trailing edge section has a constant wall thickness. 
     
     
         3 . The stator vane defined in  claim 1 , wherein said sheet metal body comprises a pressure side sheet and a suction side sheet, said pressure side sheet and said suction side sheet being in face to face contact along the extent of the straight trailing edge section. 
     
     
         4 . The stator vane defined in  claim 1 , wherein said straight trailing edge section is formed from a single sheet. 
     
     
         5 . The stator vane defined in  claim 1 , wherein said sheet metal body comprises a pressure side sheet and a suction side sheet, the suction side sheet having a greater chord dimension than said pressure side sheet and extending chordwise beyond the joint, the straight trailing edge section of the airfoil being formed by the portion of the suction side sheet extending beyond the joint. 
     
     
         6 . The stator vane defined in  claim 1 , wherein the joint is a lap joint. 
     
     
         7 . The stator vane defined in  claim 6 , wherein the lap joint comprises a resistance weld. 
     
     
         8 . A gas turbine engine stator vane comprising a pressure side sheet and a suction side sheet joined together to define an airfoil having a leading edge and a trailing edge, said pressure side sheet and said suction side sheet having a trailing end joint which is spaced chordwise from the trailing edge of the airfoil, at least one of the pressure and suction side sheets extending chordwise beyond said trailing edge joint and defining a straight trailing edge section having parallel suction and pressure surfaces. 
     
     
         9 . The gas turbine engine stator vane defined in  claim 8 , wherein only said suction side sheet extends chordwise beyond the trailing edge joint to define said straight trailing edge section of the airfoil. 
     
     
         10 . The gas turbine engine stator vane defined in  claim 8 , wherein said straight trailing edge section is weldless. 
     
     
         11 . The gas turbine engine stator vane defined in  claim 8 , wherein said straight trailing edge section has a constant wall thickness in a chordwise direction. 
     
     
         12 . The gas turbine engine stator vane defined in  claim 8 , wherein the trailing end joint is a lap joint provided between opposed inner facing surfaces of the pressure and suction side sheets. 
     
     
         13 . The gas turbine engine stator vane defined in  claim 8 , wherein said pressure side sheet and said suction side sheet are in face-to-face contact along the extent of the straight trailing edge section. 
     
     
         14 . The gas turbine engine stator vane defined in  claim 12 , wherein the lap joint includes a resistance weld.