Patent ID: 8851855

Claim:
A composite turbomachine blade comprising: a composite material including reinforcing fibres in a matrix material, the turbomachine blade comprising: an aerofoil portion, a shank portion and a root portion, the aerofoil portion having a tip remote from the shank portion, a leading edge, a trailing edge, a pressure surface extending from the leading edge to the trailing edge and a suction surface extending from the leading edge to the trailing edge, the composite turbomachine blade also having a protective member arranged in the region of the leading edge of the aerofoil portion of the turbomachine blade, the protective member being adhesively bonded to the composite material in the region of the leading edge of the aerofoil portion of the composite turbomachine blade, the protective member extending around the leading edge of the aerofoil portion, the protective member having portions adhesively bonded to the pressure surface and suction surface of the aerofoil portion, the protective member having an end nearest to and spaced apart from the root portion of the composite turbomachine blade, the protective member having at least one projection extending from the protective member towards the root portion of the composite turbomachine blade, the at least one projection extending from an end of the protective member nearest the root portion of the composite turbomachine blade towards the root portion of the composite turbomachine blade, the at least one projection not extending around the leading edge of the composite turbomachine blade and not extending around the trailing edge of the composite turbomachine blade, wherein the at least one projection extends onto the shank portion of the composite turbomachine blade, whereby the at least one projection reduces local peak stress levels in the composite material, the adhesive and the protective member and increases high cycle fatigue strength of the composite material, the adhesive and the protective member.