Patents Represented by Attorney Stephen G. Mican
  • Patent number: 8299883
    Abstract: An inductive electrical device comprises multiple laminations, each lamination comprising: a generally planar electrically nonconductive substrate that has a central axis normal to its plane, a first surface and a second surface; at least one electrically conductive layer pattern along the first surface in the form of a narrow strip that starts from a first point displaced from the central axis and extends along the first surface about the central axis through a first angle of rotation to a second point; a least one electrically conductive layer pattern along the second surface in the form of a narrow strip that starts from the second point and extends along the second surface about the central axis through a second angle of rotation to at least the first point; an electrically conductive coupling region passing through the substrate proximate the second point that couples the electrically conductive layer pattern along the first surface to the electrically conductive layer pattern along the second surface; w
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Shin Katsumata, Stephen George Mican
  • Patent number: 8245494
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine comprises: a combustor with an aft end exhaust nozzle that discharges along an axis of the combustor; an eductor with a housing that circumscribes the combustor that has a sideward eductor inlet that intakes generally normal to the combustor axis and an aft end eductor outlet that circumscribes the combustor exhaust nozzle and exhausts along the combustor axis; and an eductor distribution shield mounted within the eductor housing between the eductor inlet and the combustor with a deflection surface that deflects the intake of the eductor inlet around the combustor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Brian C. DeDe, David Lau, Nagamany Thayalakhandan
  • Patent number: 8246825
    Abstract: A filter assembly for filtering particulate contaminants from a fluid comprises: a generally cylindrical filter unit with one end closed and the other end open; a filter head comprising a generally cylindrical sleeve extending generally horizontally an open end for receiving the open end of the filter unit with that has a vent port aligned with a vertical axis through an upper portion of the sleeve and a drain port aligned with the vertical axis extending through a lower portion of the sleeve; and a coupling for securing the open end of the filter unit to the filter head to seal the sleeve vent and drain ports; wherein loosening the coupling allows the filter unit to slide away from the filter head sufficiently to establish fluid communication between the sleeve vent and drain ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy P. Walgren, Paul E. Honkanen
  • Patent number: 8246294
    Abstract: An overspeed protection system for a gas turbine engine comprises: a plurality of engine speed sensors that generate engine speed signals; and a plurality of engine overspeed detection channels, each channel comprising an overspeed detector that receives and generates an overspeed signal when it detects the engine speed signal exceeding a selected value of overspeed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Ronald H. Rosenfield, Wayne T. Tran, Charles Spatafore
  • Patent number: 8206259
    Abstract: A rotary actuator comprises a rotatable output ring with a generally denticulate inner surface region and an output ring axis of rotation; a pair of stationary rings, each with a generally denticulate inner surface region and a stationary ring axis, each located on a different end of the output ring with the stationary ring axes in general alignment with the output ring axis; a generally cylindrical planet comprising distal outer regions that each have outer surfaces for supporting the planet, a generally denticulate central outer surface region that engages the denticulate inner surface region of the output ring, and generally denticulate intermediate outer surface regions that each engage the denticulate inner surface region of a respective one of the stationary rings, and a planet axis of rotation that is generally parallel to the output ring axis; and a pair of generally cylindrical planet carriers, each having a carrier axis of rotation in general alignment with the output ring axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventor: David J. Lang
  • Patent number: 8193818
    Abstract: A method of detecting partial corona discharge in a targeted circuit of an electrical apparatus, comprises the steps of: wrapping a Rogowski coil around a leg of the targeted circuit to produce a Rogowski coil signal that represents electrical current rate of change in the leg of the targeted circuit; coupling the Rogowski coil signal to a three-dimensional display device that may represent the dimension of time, the dimension of amplitude as a function of a time, and the dimension of duration of amplitude as a function of time in successive periods of that have a preselected duration; monitoring the display device to detect deviations of the duration of amplitude as a function of time from a normal waveform in the leg of the targeted circuit; and correlating ones of the detected deviations of the duration of amplitude as a function of time from a normal waveform that exceed a preselected deviation level as indicative of partial corona discharge within the targeted circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: John Horowy, Neal D. Clements
  • Patent number: 8182248
    Abstract: A vane pump comprises: a drive shaft that passes through the pump frame; a rotor coupled to the drive shaft that has multiple vanes and rotates within the pump frame in an axial direction about an axis of rotation with an outer rotor surface that has a radius that extends from the axis of rotation; a cam ring within the pump frame that circumscribes the rotor and vanes with a cam ring inner surface; multiple radial tilting pad bearings that support the cam ring; a bearing support ring coupled to the pump frame that generally circumscribes the cam ring and mounts the radial tilting pad bearings; side plates that radially extend from the drive shaft to the pump frame to enclose the rotor and the cam ring with at least one side plate having an inlet port and an outlet port; and means for initiating rotation of the cam ring from rest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventor: John E. Cygnor
  • Patent number: 8148867
    Abstract: A permanent magnet machine (PMM) has a generally cylindrical permanent magnet (PM) rotor that has multiple PM rotor poles arranged around a rotor axis of rotation; and a stator with two generally cylindrical and concentric yokes, an inner yoke proximate the PM rotor with associated multiple inner poles and inner armature windings suitable for multiphase alternating current operation that form a PMM magnetic flux circuit, an outer yoke with associated multiple outer poles and outer control windings suitable for connection to a direct current source, with distal ends of the outer poles in contact with the inner yoke to form an external magnetic flux circuit that diverts magnetic flux from the PMM magnetic flux circuit; wherein application of increasing direct current to the outer windings results in increased magnetic reluctance of the external magnetic flux circuit, thereby causing the external magnetic flux circuit to divert less magnetic flux from the PMM magnetic flux circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Jacek F. Gieras, Gregory I. Rozman, Andreas C. Koenig
  • Patent number: 8148842
    Abstract: An improved EPGS with an integrated electrical system architecture uses SPDAs with localised power converters to provide the necessary types of power to their respective electrical loads so that a single type of primary power bus may be used to connect its PDAs to respective SPDAs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventor: Josef Maier
  • Patent number: 8147208
    Abstract: An impeller with an axial inlet in relation to an impeller axis for pressurizing a fluid has: a nose section that has a nose section central hub and multiple nose vane sections, each nose vane section extending from a leading edge to a generally radial nose section interface plane; a tail section that has a tail section central hub and multiple tail vane sections, each tail vane section extending from a generally radial tail section interface plane to a vane tip; a coupling that joins the nose section central hub to the tail section central hub and aligns each one of the nose vane sections with a corresponding one of the tail vane sections with an axial gap between the radial nose section interface plane and the radial tail section interface plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Behzad Hagshenas, Anthony C. Jones
  • Patent number: 8134331
    Abstract: A method of generating and controlling power for an alternating current (AC) motor by means of at least one controlled permanent magnet machine (PMM) with a permanent magnet (PM) rotor and a stator with a magnetic flux diverter circuit for controlling the output of the PMM, comprises the steps of: rotating the PM rotor at a velocity sufficient to develop a high frequency alternating current (HFAC) power output from the stator; transforming the HFAC output to produce a variable low frequency alternating current (AC) motor control output for the motor; sensing desired motor control parameters; generating a control signal responsive to the sensed parameters; and applying the control signal to the magnetic flux diverter circuit to control the motor control output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory I. Rozman, Vietson M. Nguyen, Jacek F. Gieras
  • Patent number: 8111062
    Abstract: A speed sensor assembly comprises: a driveshaft with a driveshaft axis, a sensing portion of the driveshaft having an axial bore along the driveshaft axis and multiple axial slots radially spaced around the sensing portion that penetrate through the driveshaft into the axial bore; and at least one electromagnetic sensor with a magnetic circuit proximate the sensing portion of the driveshaft; wherein rotation of the driveshaft causes the slots in the sensing portion to sequentially pass through the magnetic circuit of the electromagnetic sensor, thereby causing a change in the reluctance of its magnetic circuit that induces the electromagnetic sensor to generate an output signal that is representative of the rotational speed of the driveshaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy M. Hollman, Olivier J. Lamicq, Kevin K. Taft
  • Patent number: 8066481
    Abstract: A method of balancing a ram air turbine that has a turbine shaft with a turbine shaft axis, a rotor attached to the shaft, rotor blades attached to the rotor that move between a fine pitch and coarse pitch position, a spring-loaded governor for controlling the position of the blades that has its springing retained by a stationary outer spring seat and a movable inner yoke plate that slides on the turbine shaft and whose position determines blade pitch, comprises the steps of: pulling the yoke plate toward the spring seat to displace the yoke plate toward the spring seat sufficiently to cause the rotor blades to assume a desired degree of pitch; spinning the turbine shaft at a desired rotational speed; balancing the rotor to minimize vibration of the rotor with the desired rotor blade pitch and turbine shaft speed; and releasing the pull of the yoke plate toward the spring seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventor: David G. Bannon
  • Patent number: 8066096
    Abstract: An inlet silencer for an air inlet in a housing, which housing contains a source of high frequency noise radiated by an air intake for the source of high frequency noise, comprises: a plenum that extends longitudinally within the housing that couples the air inlet in an upstream region of the plenum to the air intake for the source of high frequency noise in a downstream region of the plenum; a partition that extends laterally within the plenum between the upstream region of the plenum and the downstream region of the plenum; at least one channel that penetrates longitudinally through the partition that has a gap across its inner surface that approximates one wavelength of at least one fundamental frequency of high frequency noise that the source of high frequency noise generates; and acoustic damping material that lines the inner surface of the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Jay M. Francisco, Jack V. Vitale
  • Patent number: 8056417
    Abstract: A method of detecting and monitoring torsional oscillation in a mechanical coupling between a prime mover and a multiphase alternating current (AC) electrical generator, comprises the steps of: detecting in at least one received signal variations that are indicative of changes in the rotational speed of the electrical generator; extracting information from the detected variations that are indicative of torsional oscillation to produce a torsional oscillation signal that has information relating to at least the amplitude of the torsional oscillation; and monitoring the torsional oscillation signal to determine the presence and severity of the torsional oscillation in the mechanical coupling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Albert L Markunas, Vijay K Maddali
  • Patent number: 8056615
    Abstract: An evaporative compact high intensity cooler (ECHIC) for transferring heat from a heat source along a heat conduction surface of the heat source with a two-phase coolant, comprises a flow passage labyrinth of flow passages with short conduction paths interrupted by coolant columns that all radiate from at least one coolant supply passage and offer the coolant expanding volume as the coolant evaporates due to absorbing heat within the flow passages from the heat conduction surface to maintain nearly isobaric conditions for the coolant to maintain relatively constant temperature throughout the ECHIC as it absorbs heat from the heat source and limit boundary layer formation within the flow passages to improve heat transfer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventor: Robert Scott Downing
  • Patent number: 8052384
    Abstract: A centrifugal pump with a volute and at least one stage with an associated impeller and removable diffuser assembly comprises: multiple diffuser segments, each diffuser segment comprising a central passage from an inner curvilinear surface to an outer curvilinear surface and a curvilinear leading engagement surface between a leading end of its curvilinear inner surface and its curvilinear outer surface; multiple curvilinear volute mounting surfaces within the volute, each curvilinear mounting surface receiving a corresponding diffuser segment to mount the diffuser segments in a generally annular pattern about the impeller to form the removable diffuser assembly, with the curvilinear inner surface of each diffuser segment proximate an outer periphery of the impeller and the curvilinear leading engagement surface of each diffuser segment engaging a trailing portion of the curvilinear outer surface of an adjacent one of the diffuser segments; and a volute connecting passage within the volute for coupling the cen
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Michael R. Blewett, Adrian L. Stoicescu
  • Patent number: 8015667
    Abstract: A method of adjusting a hinged linkage that has at least one linear actuator coupled to it, wherein one end of the actuator couples to the linkage and another end fastens to a stationary mounting by way of a rod with a threaded end that mates with a threaded aperture in a ferrule nut that has a threaded section passing through an aperture in the stationary mounting, comprises the steps of: extending the actuator to open the linkage; placing at least one elastic element with a desired force constant over the threaded section of the ferrule nut; threading an adjustment nut onto the threaded section of the ferrule nut with a desired gap between the adjustment nut and the stationary mounting; retracting the actuator to close the linkage; and rotating the adjustment nut and the ferrule nut together to compress the elastic element against the stationary mounting; extending the actuator to open the linkage; and rotating the adjustment nut to compress the elastic element against the stationary mounting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventor: Brett Colin Bonner
  • Patent number: 7987683
    Abstract: A cooling system with a compression cooling cycle for a working fluid that passes an expendable fluid through a warm side heat exchanger for the cooling system to cause the expendable fluid to vaporise and thus absorb heat from the working fluid by way of latent heat or enthalpy of vaporisation and then running the vaporised expendable through a turbine that drives a compressor for the cooling system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventor: Michael J. Andres
  • Patent number: 7904229
    Abstract: A method of determining lubrication oil consumption in a gas turbine engine that has an engine operating cycle interval comprising a starting phase, a running phase and a shutdown phase, comprises the steps of: measuring lubrication oil level upon initialization of the starting phase of each engine operating cycle interval; comparing the starting phase measured lubrication oil level during the starting phase with a starting phase baseline lubrication measurement; recording the starting phase lubrication oil level measurement; determining average engine lubrication oil consumption rate during the complete engine operating cycle interval by dividing the difference between the starting phase lubrication oil measurement and the baseline lubrication oil measurement; and repeating these steps for each subsequent engine operating cycle interval; wherein the starting phase baseline lubrication oil level measurement is initially a predetermined lubrication oil level and then the previous starting phase lubrication oil
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Rhonda D. Walthall, Walter E. Ainslie, Michael E. Mehrer, William K. Dornfeld, David R. Adair