Patents Assigned to Rolls-Royce
  • Patent number: 11982235
    Abstract: Disclosed is a fuel system for a gas turbine engine having a core exhaust and a combustion section. The system comprises a fuel pump for fluid communication with a fuel reservoir; a driving turbine for driving the fuel pump; and an air feed to drive the driving turbine, the air feed being fluidly connectable to the core exhaust of the gas turbine engine. Also disclosed is a fuel system comprising: a fuel pump for fluid communication with a fuel reservoir; a fuel line from the fuel pump for fluid communication with the combustion section of the gas turbine engine; and an air feed to a heat exchanger, the air feed being fluidly connectable to the core exhaust of the gas turbine engine, wherein the fuel line is in thermal communication with the air feed within a heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventor: Jonathan E. Holt
  • Patent number: 11982239
    Abstract: A bleed air control system is configured to vary the air pressure at the inlet of a gas turbine engine. The bleed air control system includes a first gas turbine engine configured to provide bleed air, a second gas turbine engine acting as an auxiliary power unit, and a bleed air control system configured to selectively provide bleed air from the first gas turbine engine to the second gas turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy Unton, Kirk C. Lefort, Paul K. Johnson, Andrew J. Eifert
  • Patent number: 11984762
    Abstract: An example stator tube assembly includes a hollow body defining a cavity and having a longitudinal length and a radial thickness. The hollow body is configured to be disposed within a stator housing and to separate the cavity from a stator cavity within the stator housing. The hollow body comprises a first radial thickness along a first portion of its longitudinal length and a second radial thickness along a second portion of its longitudinal length, the second radial thickness being greater than the first radial thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Electrical Norway AS
    Inventors: Jørg Høyland, Roar Furuhaug, Tina Skare Pryde, Torbjørn Moi
  • Patent number: 11982230
    Abstract: A thermal management system for an aircraft comprises a first gas turbine engine, a first thermal bus, a first heat exchanger, and a chiller. The first thermal bus comprises a first heat transfer fluid, with the first heat transfer fluid being in fluid communication, in a closed loop flow sequence, between the first gas turbine engine, the first heat exchanger, and the chiller. Waste heat energy generated by the first gas turbine engine, is transferred to the first heat transfer fluid. The chiller is configured to lower a temperature of the first heat transfer fluid prior to the first heat transfer fluid being circulated through the gas turbine engine. The first heat exchanger is configured to transfer the waste heat energy from the first heat transfer fluid to a dissipation medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Paul R Davies, David A Jones, Alexander T Joyce, Richard G Mochrie
  • Patent number: 11982193
    Abstract: A vane adjustment assembly includes a plurality of vanes, an annular ring coupled to the vanes, and a ring adjustment assembly. The ring adjustment assembly includes a first inclined plate and a second inclined plate, the first inclined plate having an inclined surface facing a first inclined surface of the second inclined plate. A roller pin is coupled to a second inclined surface of the second inclined plate opposite the first inclined surface. The second inclined plate is adjustable in the circumferential direction such that the inclined surface of the first inclined plate and the first inclined surface of the second inclined plate slide against each other during adjustment of the second inclined plate so as to adjust an axial position and a circumferential position of the roller pin relative to the annular ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan Humes, Andrew Eifert, Paulo Bazan
  • Patent number: 11982012
    Abstract: A method of electropolishing an internal passageway of a component, wherein the passageway has an inlet and an outlet; including: providing an electrode assembly including a flexible electrode, a shuttle and a guide cable extending between the flexible electrode and the shuttle; inserting the shuttle into the inlet; causing fluid to flow through the passageway to transport the shuttle through the passageway from the inlet towards the outlet; pulling the guide cable through the passageway to position the electrode in the passageway adjacent to a region of the passageway to be polished; and electropolishing the passageway using the electrode while moving the electrode within the passageway. Also, an electrode assembly for electropolishing an internal passageway of a component, including: a flexible electrode, a shuttle, and a guide cable extending between the flexible electrode and the shuttle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: Daniel Clark
  • Patent number: 11980938
    Abstract: In some examples, systems and techniques for repairing or otherwise forming a blade of a bladed disk. In one example, a method including positioning a shield member around a perimeter of a partial blade extending from a rotor disk of a bladed disk, the shield member being positioned adjacent to a build surface of the partial blade; and depositing, with the shield member around the perimeter of the partial blade, a material on the build surface using an additive manufacturing technique to form a repaired portion on the build surface of the partial blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventors: Scott Nelson, Martyn Anthony Jones, Quinlan Yee Shuck, Peter E. Daum, Nathaniel Ashburn
  • Publication number: 20240151154
    Abstract: A rotary assembly for driving spool rotation includes a rotor and a flow modifier. The rotor is mechanically coupled to a spool of a gas turbine engine. The flow modifier receives flow from and/or direct flow to the rotor. The rotary assembly permits relative movement between the rotor and the flow modifier to move between: a turbine configuration wherein the rotor receives air from an external air source to drive the spool to rotate; and a compressor configuration wherein the rotor is driven to rotate by the spool and to receive and compress air from the gas turbine engine, and discharge the compressed air for supply to the airframe system. The rotary assembly also includes controller to control relative movement between the rotor and the flow modifier through a range of turbine positions of the turbine configuration to vary a torque applied to the rotor for driving the spool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2023
    Publication date: May 9, 2024
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Christopher A MURRAY, Nicholas HOWARTH
  • Publication number: 20240150029
    Abstract: An inner cowl arrangement for a gas turbine engine includes a first hinge and a second hinge pivotally connecting a first cowl member and a second cowl member, respectively, to a mounting structure. The inner cowl arrangement further includes a latch detachably securing the first and second cowl members. At least one of the first hinge, the second hinge, and the latch includes a pressure relief component that deforms or breaks when an applied load on the pressure relief component due to a pressure within an engine core is greater a normal operating load, causing at least one of the first cowl member and the second cowl member to move relative to the engine core, and forming an opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2023
    Publication date: May 9, 2024
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventor: James G STARLEY
  • Publication number: 20240149472
    Abstract: A micromanipulator for mounting on the end of a macromanipulator, the micromanipulator comprising: a connection plate with a at least a first and second motor connected to a rigidly mounted base section, a first rotational section connected to the base section about a pivotable axis, the first rotational section being further connected to a slider rod which is connected to the first motor, and a second rotational section connected to the first rotational section about a pivotable axis, the second rotational section being further connected to a slider rod which is connected to the second motor and wherein the rotational joints between the base section and first joint section and the rotational joint between the first and second rotational sections are offset by 90°.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2023
    Publication date: May 9, 2024
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: Dragos A. AXINTE, Erhui SUN, Andres A. GAMEROS MADRIGAL, Abdelkhalick MOHAMMAD, Tianyi ZENG, Max B. KEEDWELL, Josue Israel CAMACHO ARREGUIN
  • Patent number: 11976564
    Abstract: A rotor assembly includes a first component, a second component, and a splined balance weight. The first component is arranged circumferentially around a central axis. The second component is arranged circumferentially around the central axis. The splined balance weight is located radially between the first component and the second component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Thurston, Jonathan Acker, Eric Engebretsen, Aaron Weishaar
  • Patent number: 11976569
    Abstract: In general, techniques are described for fused filament fabrication of abradable coatings. An additive manufacturing system comprising a substrate defining a major surface, a filament delivery device, and a computing device may be configured to perform various aspects of the techniques. The computing device may be configured to control the filament delivery device to deposit a filament on the substrate, the filament including a powder and a binder, wherein the binder is configured to be substantially removed from the filament and the powder includes a metal or alloy configured to be sintered to form an abradable layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Quinlan Yee Shuck, Scott Nelson, Raymond Ruiwen Xu, Brandon David Ribic, Matthew R. Gold
  • Patent number: 11976611
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine for an aircraft comprises, in axial flow sequence, a compressor module, a combustor module, and a turbine module, with a first electric machine being rotationally connected to the turbine module. The first electrical machine is configured to generate a maximum electrical power PEM1 (W), and the gas turbine engine is configured to generate a maximum dry thrust T (N); and a ratio S of: S = ( Maximum ? Electrical ? Power ? Generated = P E ? M ? 1 ) ( Maximum ? Dry ? Thrust = T ) is in a range of between 2.0 and 10.0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Paul R Davies, Gareth E Moore, Stephen M Husband, David R Trainer, David P Scothern, Luke George
  • Patent number: 11975611
    Abstract: A power electronics converter may include a converter commutation cell having a power circuit and a gate driver circuit. The power circuit includes at least one power semiconductor switching element and at least one capacitor. Each power semiconductor switching element is included in a power semiconductor prepackage, each prepackage including one or more power semiconductor switching elements embedded in a solid insulating material, each power semiconductor switching element having at least three terminals including a gate terminal. The gate driver circuit is electrically connected to and configured to provide switching signals to the gate terminal of each of the at least one power semiconductor switching element. A peak rated power output of the power electronics converter is greater than 25 kW and a value of a converter parameter ? is greater than or equal to 0.5 PV/FH.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG
    Inventors: Uwe Waltrich, Stanley Buchert, Marco Bohlländer, Claus Müller
  • Patent number: 11979069
    Abstract: The coil winding has an electrical conductor for an electrical machine and includes at least two layers. The electrical conductor, following its longitudinal extension, runs inwardly wound in a first of the at least two layers, and then extends to a second of the at least two layers and runs outwardly wound in the second layer. The electrical machine includes at least one such coil winding. The hybrid electric aircraft is in particular an airplane and includes such an electrical machine and/or at least one such coil winding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG
    Inventors: Matthias Böhm, Mykhaylo Filipenko, Thomas Gleixner, Peter Gröppel, Marc Lessmann
  • Patent number: 11976013
    Abstract: An article may include a substrate including a ceramic matrix composite (CMC); a composite coating layer including a first coating material that includes a rare-earth disilicate and a second coating material that includes at least one of a rare-earth monosilicate, a CMAS-resistant material, or a high-temperature dislocating material, where the second coating material forms a substantially continuous phase in the composite coating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventors: Stephanie Gong, Ngunjoh Lawrence Ndamka, Matthew R. Gold, Li Li, Taylor K. Blair, Sunny Chang, Ann Bolcavage
  • Patent number: 11977131
    Abstract: In some examples, an electrical power system includes a solid state power converter including a first set of switches on a source side of the solid state power converter and a second set of switches on a load side of the solid state power converter. The electrical power system also includes a power source connected to the source side of the solid state power converter and also includes a differential bus connected to the load side of the solid state power converter. The electrical power system further includes a controller configured to receive a first signal indicating a current at the source side and receive a second signal indicating a current at the load side. The controller is further configured to detect, based on a time derivative of the first signal and a time derivative of the second signal, a fault in the electrical power system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc., Rolls-Royce Singapore Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Yu Yang, Chandana Jayampathi Gajanayake, David Loder, Amit Kumar Gupta
  • Publication number: 20240141792
    Abstract: A fan blade includes an aerofoil portion including a leading edge extending from a root to a tip and defining a blade span therebetween. A leading edge thickness is defined as a thickness of a cross-section at a given radius at a location along a camber line that is 9% of the total length of the camber line from the leading edge. For cross-sections through the aerofoil portion at radii between 50% and 70% of the blade span from a root radius, the leading edge thickness includes a first maximum value. For cross-sections through the aerofoil portion at radii greater than 70% of the blade span from the root radius, the leading edge thickness includes a second maximum value that is between 105% and 125% of the first maximum value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2023
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Michael BARTHOLOMEW, David HIGGINBOTTOM
  • Publication number: 20240139892
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method of manufacturing a turbomachinery component for a gas turbine engine, comprising: receiving an ideal design of the turbomachinery component, the turbomachinery component comprising: an aerofoil portion comprising an aerofoil surface and having an ideal aerofoil wall thickness; and a platform portion comprising a platform surface coterminous with the aerofoil surface, the platform portion having an ideal radial platform thickness along a radial direction; determining an intermediate design of the turbomachinery component comprising an intermediate platform portion having an intermediate platform surface and an intermediate radial platform thickness which is greater than the ideal radial platform thickness; forming, by an investment casting process, an intermediate turbomachinery component based on the intermediate design, wherein the intermediate turbomachinery component comprises at least one detectable reference feature formed by an internal core element during the in
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2023
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: Christopher NEALE
  • Publication number: 20240141795
    Abstract: Described herein is a flow splitter for a gas turbine engine, the flow splitter comprising a leading edge, wherein the radial and/or axial position of the leading edge varies circumferentially around the flow splitter, such that the leading edge is non-axisymmetric. Also described is a method of manufacture of a flow splitter and an engine comprising a flow splitter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2023
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: Samuel P. LEE