Abstract: A gas turbine engine comprising a fan section, a compressor, a combustor and a turbine, includes a nacelle having an inner nacelle surface defining an inlet duct designed to reduce an inlet duct area of the inlet duct to increase acoustic attenuation. The gas turbine engine also includes a spinner, disposed forward of the fan section, that includes features to increase acoustic attenuation. In one embodiment of the present invention, the nacelle includes a nacelle contoured surface protruding radially inward from the inner nacelle surface to reduce the inlet duct area. In a further embodiment of the present invention, the spinner includes a spinner contoured surface for reducing the inlet duct area. In other embodiments, the nacelle and/or the spinner include an inflatable bladder, a SMA actuator, a fluidic actuator, or a combination thereof, selectively activated to increase acoustic attenuation during certain conditions of an aircraft.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 7, 2010
Date of Patent:
October 16, 2012
Assignee:
United Technologies Corporation
Inventors:
Dilip Prasad, Jinzhang Feng, Jayant S. Sabnis
Abstract: An assembly (20) for controlling movement of an automatically moveable door panel (22) includes a sensor (30, 32, 34) positioned on at least one of a door panel (22) or a door frame member (24, 26). The sensitive portion provides an indication of when an object is in contact with or in very close proximity to a sensitive portion. A sensitive portion is established over an area of the door or door frame member at which an object may become caught during automated door movement. A disclosed example includes using an electromechanical film as a sensor so that the sensitive portion is responsive to pressure applied by the object on the sensitive portion. Another disclosed example includes a field effect sensor that generates an electric field that is at least partially interrupted when an object contacts or comes in very close proximity to the sensitive portion.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
September 12, 2006
Date of Patent:
October 9, 2012
Assignee:
Otis Elevator Company
Inventors:
Pei-Yuan Peng, Jaime A. Rivera, Atsushi Yamada, Takashi Saiki
Abstract: A rotor blade for a gas turbine engine having an edge buttress having an aperture. A method of reducing rotor blade weight includes removing material from within a truss area bounded by a platform section, an internal airfoil cooling passage, and an underplatform fillet.
Abstract: A mobile surface drying apparatus includes a vacuum and blower assembly. The vacuum and blower assembly includes a vacuum head and a blower head. The vacuum head suctions moisture through an inlet of the vacuum and blower assembly, and the blower head communicates airflow through an outlet of the vacuum and blower assembly.
Abstract: A cold spray nozzle assembly includes a venturi having converging and diverging portions interconnected at a throat. An air supply conduit is in communication with the venturi for supplying a carrier gas to the converging portion. A powder feed tube is in communication with the venturi for supplying a powder material. An adjustment member is arranged within the venturi and is axially moveable relative thereto between multiple positions. The multiple positions respectively provide multiple different areas or throat clearances including a desired area between the adjustment member and the venturi or throat clearance. As a result, the adjustment member can be axially positioned to achieve desired gas pressures, deposition rates, and accommodate machining tolerances and component wear based upon the selected area. A retention member maintains the adjustment member in the desired position during operation of the cold spray nozzle assembly.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 12, 2007
Date of Patent:
October 9, 2012
Assignee:
Doben Limited
Inventors:
Mohammad Karimi Esfahani, Daniel P. Vanderzwet
Abstract: A nacelle assembly for a turbine engine has a cowl for a turbine engine. The cowl has a first surface spaced from a second surface. The second surface defines defining a bypass flow passage. A flow volume is spaced between the first surface and the second surface. A plurality of holes are disposed on the cowl. Each of the plurality of holes are configured to alter local air pressure about one of the first surface and the second surface of the cowl. The plurality of holes are in communication with the flow volume.
Abstract: A system and method to detect uncrushable metallic pieces hidden inside a mineral load directly inside a transport device to a primary crusher includes a directionally adjustable radar having at least one device with electromagnetic wave emitter/receiver antennas, a portal through which the transport device passes, a spectral generator/analyzer connected to the antenna devices that generates the electromagnetic waves and analyzes the echoes of the electromagnetic waves that interact with the mineral load, and a computational device that includes a digital signal processor connected to the spectral generator/analyzer.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
September 10, 2010
Date of Patent:
October 9, 2012
Assignee:
Technologia Integral S.A.
Inventors:
Gastón Guillermo Martinez Godoy, Pedro Daniel Pedraza Segovia, Miguel Jesús Calderon Maldonado
Abstract: A turbine engine includes a plurality of variable fan inlet guide vanes. Where the turbine engine is a tip turbine engine, the variable fan inlet guide vanes permit the ability to control engine stability even though the fan-turbine rotor assembly is directly coupled to the axial compressor at a fixed rate. The fan inlet guide vanes may be actuated from an inner diameter of the fan inlet guide vanes.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 7, 2011
Date of Patent:
October 2, 2012
Assignee:
United Technologies Corporation
Inventors:
Gabriel L. Suciu, Brian Merry, James W. Norris, Steven J. Sirica
Abstract: A method is disclosed of assembling an epicyclic gear train comprising providing a carrier that includes spaced apart walls and circumferentially spaced mounts interconnecting the walls in a one-piece unitary structure. Spaced apart apertures are provided between the mounts at an outer circumference of the carrier. Gear pockets are provided between the walls and mounts extending to the apertures, and a central opening is provided in at least one of the walls. An intermediate gear is inserted through the central opening. The intermediate gear moves radially into the gear pocket to extend through the aperture. A baffle is inserted into the carrier in a space between the walls. A sun gear is inserted through the central opening to intermesh with the intermediate gear.
Abstract: A variable fan nozzle for use in a gas turbine engine includes a nozzle section, such as an inflatable bladder, associated with a fan bypass passage for conveying a bypass airflow. The nozzle section has an internal fluid pressure that is selectively variable to influence the bypass airflow.
Abstract: The present invention relates to a way of reducing the amount of energy required to partially compress a refrigerant in a compressor operating in a rapidly cycled unloaded mode. A valve on a suction line is closed when the compressor moves to the unloaded condition. In this manner, the amount of energy required to partially compress the refrigerant in the compressor, at the unloaded condition, is dramatically reduced.
Abstract: A knuckle includes a spindle to support a wheel and upper and lower bosses extending inwardly of the spindle. The lower boss includes a tie rod arm mount interface. A tie rod arm is received within the tie rod arm mount interface and a steer arm is positioned on an opposite side of the knuckle from the tie rod arm. The steer arm is fixed to the tie rod arm and includes an input mount interface to receive steering input to turn a wheel. The steer arm and tie rod arm are attached to each other with at least one fastener, or can be integrally formed together as a single-piece component.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 1, 2010
Date of Patent:
October 2, 2012
Assignee:
ArvinMeritor Technology, LLC
Inventors:
Tomaz D. Varela, Malcolm Green, Xinyu Wen, Kou Yang
Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a fan section, a gear arrangement configured to drive the fan section, a compressor section and a turbine section. The compressor section includes a low pressure compressor section and a high pressure compressor section. The turbine section is configured to drive compressor section and the gear arrangement. An overall pressure ratio, which is provided by a combination of a pressure ratio across said low pressure compressor section and a pressure ratio across said high pressure compressor section, is greater than about 35. The pressure ratio across the low pressure compressor section is between about 3 and about 8 whereas the pressure ratio across the high pressure compressor section is between about 7 and about 15.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 13, 2012
Date of Patent:
October 2, 2012
Assignee:
United Technologies Corporation
Inventors:
Karl L. Hasel, Joseph B. Staubach, Brian D. Merry, Gabriel L. Suciu, Christopher M. Dye
Abstract: A bottle assembly has a bottle for storing a fluid, such as a cosmetic fluid. An applicator for applying the fluid is configured to be insertable and removable from the bottle along a path. A sealing body, or assembly, which may include one or more seals, is configured to continue to seal the bottle when the cap is removed.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 20, 2011
Date of Patent:
September 25, 2012
Assignee:
Group One Limited
Inventors:
Fredric Goldstein, Robert Murray Barto, Jr.
Abstract: An elevator door guide (16) includes at least one elevator door guide member (30, 32) having a first channel (18) and a second channel (64) each for at least partially establishing a direction of door movement. The first channel (18) is open in a first direction (24) and the second channel (64) is open in a second direction (66). In one example, the channel (18) at least partially establishes a direction of door movement and a passage (26) extends through the elevator door guide (16) in a direction (28) that is transverse to the direction of door movement.
Abstract: An elastomeric spherical bearing includes a multiple of shims, at least two of which have different thicknesses. In one exemplary embodiment, each of the shims has a different thickness with an essentially equivalent stress on each shim.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 26, 2008
Date of Patent:
September 25, 2012
Assignee:
Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation
Inventors:
Robert Cunningham, Francis Edward Byrnes
Abstract: An example core nacelle for a gas turbine engine includes a core cowl positioned adjacent an inner duct boundary of a fan bypass passage and having a pocket and an airfoil received within the pocket. The airfoil is moveable between a first position and a second position to adjust a discharge airflow cross-sectional area of the gas turbine engine.
Abstract: A turbofan engine (10) includes a fan variable area nozzle (FVAN) (50) which effectively changes the physical area and geometry within a fan bypass flow path (40) to manipulate the pressure ratio of the bypass flow. The FVAN generally includes a multitude of aerodynamically shaped inserts (52) circumferentially located about the core nacelle (12). The FVAN at a fully stowed position (takeoff/landing) takes up a minimum of area within the fan bypass flow path to effectively maximize the fan nozzle exit area (44) while in the fully deployed position (cruise) takes up a maximum of area within the bypass flow path to effectively minimize the fan nozzle exit area. By separately adjusting each of the multiple of inserts relative the other inserts the FVAN provides an asymmetrical fan nozzle exit area to selectively vector the fan bypass flow.
Abstract: A beverage system includes a pump that draws a set amount of a flavored concentrate into a mixing chamber (28) for mixing with water to form a beverage. A pump head (46) includes a piston opening that receives a piston (48) and a water port that defines a water flow path. A housing (62) includes an integral water port (40). Water from a water source flows along a water line and into the integral water port (40) of the housing (62). The water flows through the water port (40) of the pump head (46) and into the mixing chamber (28) to form the beverage.