Strut rods for structural guide vanes

Abstract

A reinforced structural guide vane system includes an outer casing; a center body within the outer casing; a plurality of structural guide vanes extending between and connected to the center body and the outer casing; and a plurality of strut rods extended between and connected to the outer casing and to the center body.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A reinforced structural guide vane system comprising:
 an outer casing;   a center body within the outer casing;   a plurality of structural guide vanes extending between and connected to the center body and the outer casing; and   a plurality of strut rods extending between and connected to the outer casing and to the center body.   
     
     
         2 . The reinforced structural guide vane system of  claim 1 , wherein outer ends of the plurality of structural guide vanes are connected to the outer casing at locations close to where outer ends of the plurality of strut rods are connected to the outer casing. 
     
     
         3 . The reinforced structural guide vane system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of structural guide vanes are swept. 
     
     
         4 . The reinforced structural guide vane system of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of structural guide vanes are swept back from the center body to the outer casing. 
     
     
         5 . The reinforced structural guide vane system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of structural guide vanes connect to the plurality of strut rods at the outer casing. 
     
     
         6 . The reinforced structural guide vane system of  claim 1 , wherein the system comprises four strut rods. 
     
     
         7 . The reinforced structural guide vane system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of strut rods connect to the center body to form an H-frame. 
     
     
         8 . The reinforced structural guide vane system of  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of strut rods connect to the center body tangentially. 
     
     
         9 . The reinforced structural guide vane system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of strut rods form a plurality of A-frames. 
     
     
         10 . The reinforced structural guide vane system of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of strut rods form two or three A-frames. 
     
     
         11 . The reinforced structural guide vane system of  claim 1 , wherein the outer casing is a fan case. 
     
     
         12 . A fan exit case comprising:
 an outer casing;   a center body;   a plurality of structural guide vanes extending between and connected to the outer casing and the center body; and   a plurality of strut rods extending between and connected to the outer casing and to the center body, wherein the connections of the plurality of strut rods and plurality of structural guide vanes are closer together at the outer casing than at the center body.   
     
     
         13 . The fan exit case of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of strut rods are connected to the outer casing and to the center body at respective positions to form a plurality of A-frame structures. 
     
     
         14 . The fan exit case of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of strut rods are connected to the outer casing and to the center body at respective positions to form an H-frame structure. 
     
     
         15 . The fan exit case of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of strut rods are connected to the center body tangentially. 
     
     
         16 . The fan exit case of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of strut rods are connected to the outer casing and to the center body with bolts. 
     
     
         17 . The fan exit case of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of structural guide vanes are swept. 
     
     
         18 . The fan exit case of  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of structural guide vanes are swept back from the center body to the outer casing.