Patent ID: 8011882

Claim:
A variable guide vane assembly for a gas turbine engine having a center, the variable guide vane assembly comprising: a plurality of elongated guide vanes disposed radially within the gas turbine engine relative to the center of the gas turbine engine, with at least some of the guide vanes configured such that when the conditions encountered by the guide vanes are positively varied, the angle of the guide vanes will alter, the guide vanes are made of layers of a composite material, with the layers of the composite material arranged in an asymmetric pattern relative to a mid plane of the guide vanes such that the guide vanes have asymmetric mechanical characteristics, and a means for applying radial compression to the guide vanes such that the angle of the guide vanes will alter, wherein the guide vanes each defining side surfaces at opposing ends along the direction of elongation, the radial compression being applied along the entire length of one side surface of each guide vane.