Patent ID: 8608424

Claim:
A turbomachine comprising: a housing having an inner surface; a compressor arranged within the housing; a turbine arranged within the housing and operatively coupled to the compressor; a rotary member including a plurality of blade members configured as part of one of the compressor and the turbine, each of the plurality of blade members including a base portion and a tip portion, the tip portion including at least one projection; a honeycomb seal member mounted to the inner surface of the housing adjacent the rotary member, the honeycomb seal member having a contoured surface including a deformation zone formed by contact between only a portion of the projection of each of the plurality of blade members and the honeycombed seal member, the deformation zone including an inlet zone and an outlet zone, the inlet zone receiving an air flow from an upstream end of the one of the compressor and the turbine and the outlet zone being configured and disposed to pass the air flow toward a downstream end of the one of the compressor and the turbine, the inlet zone being spaced a first distance from the tip portion of each of the plurality of blade members and the outlet zone being spaced a second distance from the tip portion of each of the plurality of blade members, the second distance being less than the first distance such that the air flow passing from the deformation zone is substantially streamlined.