ROTOR BLADE AND METHOD FOR REDUCING TIP RUB LOADING

摘要

An air foil (42) for use in a rotor assembly is disclosed, the airfoil having a tip- cutter (100) located on a sidewall (44) near a tip portion (60). Wherein the tip-cutter (100) ?s capable of removing a portion of an abradable material (32) during a tip rub. In another embodiment an airfoil (42) has a tip-grinder (120) located on the tip portion (60) wherein the tip-grinder (120) capable of removing a portion of an abradable material (32) during a tip rub in another embodiment an airfoil (42) has a tip-rake (110) that facilitates reducing loading induced to said airfoil (42) during tip rubs. A method (300) for reducing tip rub loads in a rotor blade (15) is described comprising the steps of incorporating a tip-cutter (100) having a selected a cutter-profile (102) on a selected location on the blade (15) such that tip-cutter (100) is capable of removing a portion of a static structure (32) during a tip rub such that tip rub loads are facilitated to be reduced.