Patents Examined by Christopher R Legendre
  • Frangible gas turbine engine airfoil with layup change
    Patent number: 11149558
    Abstract: An airfoil including a plurality of composite plies extending from a leading edge to a trailing edge and between a tip and a root. The airfoil further includes a frangible airfoil portion at the tip extending between the leading edge and the trailing edge and extending between the tip and a frangible line along a span including a first plurality of composite plies. Each of the first plurality of composite plies includes fibers oriented at least partially along a chordwise direction, a thickness direction, or both. The airfoil further includes a residual airfoil portion extending from the frangible line to the root along the span including a second plurality of composite plies. The second plurality of composite plies includes at least one composite ply with fibers oriented along the span. Further, the residual airfoil portion meets the frangible airfoil portion at the frangible line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nitesh Jain, Nicholas Joseph Kray, Kishore Budumuru
  • Sliding ceramic matrix composite vane assembly for gas turbine engines
    Patent number: 11149568
    Abstract: A turbine vane assembly adapted for use in a gas turbine engine includes a support strut and a vane. The support strut is made of metallic materials. The vane is made of composite materials and is arranged around the support strut to insulate the metallic materials of the support strut during use of the turbine vane assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce High Temperature Composites Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Whittle, Michael G. Abbott, Austin R. Warmuth
  • Method and system to supply oil to a multi-film oil damper
    Patent number: 11125110
    Abstract: A multi-film oil damper has an annular damper cavity defined within a housing between a radially outward wall, a first radially extending side wall and a second radially extending side wall. Nested damper rings are disposed within the annular damper cavity for defining squeeze film annuli therebetween. The squeeze film annuli are fluidly connected in parallel to an inlet gallery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Thomas Veitch, David Beamish, Philippe Bonniere
  • Electric heating for turbomachinery clearance control
    Patent number: 11111809
    Abstract: A clearance control system for a gas turbine engine may comprise a rotor blade, an outer structure disposed radially outward from the rotor blade, and a heating element configured to cause the outer structure to be heated in response to electric current being supplied to the heating element, wherein a gap between the rotor blade and the outer structure is at least one of increased, decreased, and maintained in response to the outer structure being heated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Neil Terwilliger, Christopher J. Hanlon, Patrick D Couture, Coy Bruce Wood
  • Propeller fan, air-conditioning apparatus and ventilator
    Patent number: 11098734
    Abstract: A propeller fan includes a boss on a rotation axis, and a blade at an outer circumferential portion of the boss. The blade includes a leading edge and a trailing edge. The blade includes a first area, a first sub-area located inward of the first area, and a second sub-area located outward of the first area. The first area includes a notch formed in the trailing edge. Each of the first sub-area and the second sub-area include plural notches formed in the trailing edge. The notch in the first area is larger than each of the plural notches in each of the first sub-area and the second sub-area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Seiji Nakashima, Takuya Teramoto, Katsuyuki Yamamoto, Yusuke Adachi
  • Rotor assembly for gas turbine engines
    Patent number: 11092020
    Abstract: A rotor assembly for a gas turbine engine includes, among other things, a rotatable hub that has a metallic main body that extends along a longitudinal axis, and that has an array of annular flanges that extend about an outer periphery of the main body to define an array of annular channels along the longitudinal axis. Each of the annular channels receives a composite reinforcement member that extends about the outer periphery of the hub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jason Husband, James Glaspey, Aaron John Pepin
  • Seal and bearing assembly with bearing outer portion defining seal static portion
    Patent number: 11085330
    Abstract: A seal and bearing assembly having a bearing received within a housing. The bearing is disposed radially outwardly of a shaft and having an inner portion and an outer portion. The outer portion has a protrusion extending at least in an axial direction. An outer diameter of the outer portion is sized to provide a radial gap between the outer diameter and the housing section. The gap receives a film of lubricant for damping movements of the bearing relative to the housing section. A sealing member has a rotating portion configured for rotation with the shaft radially spaced apart from a static portion defined by the protrusion of the bearing outer portion. There is also disclosed a method of operating such an assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Maksim Pankratov, Kenneth Parkman
  • High pressure compressor for an engine
    Patent number: 11085453
    Abstract: An engine, having a first, second, third and fourth quasi-stage, each with a stator and a downstream rotor, wherein a particular blade/vane solidity in the center section is in the first quasi-stage, at least 1.04 and at most 1.16 for the stator and at least 1.46 and at most 1.67 for the rotor; in the second quasi-stage, at least 1.13 and at most 1.32 for the stator and at least 1.32 and at most 1.61 for the rotor; in the third quasi-stage, at least 1.20 and at most 1.39 for the stator and at least 1.16 and at most 1.41 for the rotor; in the fourth quasi-stage, at least 1.37 and at most 1.63 for the stator and at least 1.15 and at most 1.41 for the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: MTU Aero Engines AG
    Inventors: Harsimar Sahota, Alexander Halcoussis, Sergio Elorza Gomez
  • Adjustable floating oil channel for gas turbine engine gear drive
    Patent number: 11073044
    Abstract: A turbine is operably connected to drive a compressor, and to drive a fan through a gear drive. A number of intermediate gears connecting an output shaft of the turbine to a fan drive shaft for the fan. An oil channel collects oil thrown outwardly of the gear drive. A bearing support mounts bearings supporting the fan drive shaft. The oil channel and the bearing support each include mating faces that are bolted together by a plurality of bolts. The bolts extend through oil channel holes in the mating face of the oil channel. The oil channel holes have one dimension which closely receives the bolts and another dimension which is larger than an outer diameter of the extending portion of the bolts, such that the bolts may adjust radially within the oil channel holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Enzo DiBenedetto
  • Centrifugal debris pre-separator for turbine engine oil filter
    Patent number: 11073053
    Abstract: A fluid filtration assembly (FFA) includes a housing having a thickness defined between an internal surface and an external surface, the housing receiving a filter and defining an outer annular flow passage between an outer surface of the filter and the internal surface of the housing; an inlet pipe communicates with the FFA and injects a fluid into the housing to impart a centrifugal force; an outlet pipe communicates with the FFA and discharges the fluid from the housing; and a collection area disposed towards an end of the outer annular flow passage collects particulate matter from the fluid; wherein a width of the outer annular flow passage increases towards the collection area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: David Allen Stachowiak
  • Wind aeolipile
    Patent number: 11073128
    Abstract: Described herein is essentially a high-efficiency, hybrid fluid-aeolipile. In operation, this hybrid device is placed in the stream of a moving fluid, preferably air. Energy is extracted from the fluid stream by directing a portion of the stream through and, optionally, around the device. As the fluid-flow moves through the device, it is directed into nozzles. These nozzles, which are free to pivot in a cyclical manner, employ the established phenomenon of “nozzle-effect” to accelerate the velocity of the air-flow passing through them, which is ultimately ejected from each nozzle tip, producing thrust. This thrust, amplified by nozzle-effect, drives the nozzles to pivot around a shared axis. The wind energy, thereby converted into cyclical motion, that may be used to perform useful work, is converted with greater efficiency, than is possible in conventional blade-type wind turbines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: Tennessee Technological University
    Inventors: Charles William Van Neste, David Wenzhong Gao
  • CMC blade with monolithic ceramic platform and dovetail
    Patent number: 11021971
    Abstract: A blade for a gas turbine engine includes a fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composite structure that provides an airfoil with an exposed exterior airfoil surface and a refractory structure that provides at least an outer portion of a root secured relative to the airfoil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: John E. Holowczak, Michael G. McCaffrey
  • Unmanned aerial vehicle including mounting structure for propeller
    Patent number: 11021231
    Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle includes a housing, a wireless communication circuit, a navigation circuit, a plurality of propulsion systems, and a propeller. At least one of the plurality of propulsion systems includes a motor, and a construction disposed to the motor. The construction includes a first side, a second side facing the motor in a direction opposite to the first side, a shaft inserting hole disposed to the second side, and a latching protrusion and a latching groove that are extended sequentially inside the shaft inserting hole. The propeller is fastened to the construction, and includes a hub coupled to the first side of the construction, a fixing shaft that protrudes in a direction of the construction that is inserted to the shaft inserting hole of the construction, and at least one protrusion on an outer circumferential surface of the fixing shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seung-Chul Baek, Jaeho Kang, Yeonggyu Yoon, Min-Woo Yoo, Min-Sung Lee
  • Low pressure ratio fan engine having a dimensional relationship between inlet and fan size
    Patent number: 11015550
    Abstract: According to an example embodiment, a gas turbine engine assembly includes, among other things, a fan section including a fan, the fan including a plurality of fan blades, a diameter of the fan having a dimension D that is based on a dimension of the fan blades, each fan blade having a leading edge, and a forward most portion on the leading edges of the fan blades in a first reference plane, a turbine section including a high pressure turbine and a low pressure turbine, the low pressure turbine driving the fan, a nacelle including an inlet portion forward of the fan, a forward edge on the inlet portion in a second reference plane, and a length of the inlet portion having a dimension L measured along an engine axis between the first reference plane and the second reference plane. A dimensional relationship of L/D is no more than 0.45.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wesley K. Lord, Robert E. Malecki, Yuan J. Qiu, Becky E. Rose, Jonathan Gilson
  • Turbine blade tip wall cooling
    Patent number: 11008873
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine blade according to an example of the present disclosure includes a blade including internal walls defining a blade cooling passage and a tip section at a radially outer end of the blade. The tip section includes a pocket protruding into the tip section from a radially outermost end of the tip section to a pocket floor. The blade further includes a pocket wall defined between the pocket floor and the radially outermost end of the tip section and including a tapered wall cooling passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Anton G. Banks, Lane Mikal Thornton
  • Vertical-axis wind turbine
    Patent number: 11009006
    Abstract: A wind turbine may include a discoidal chassis and at least one vane disposed on the discoidal chassis. The discoidal chassis can rotate about a central axis. The discoidal chassis has a first outermost surface with a pitch angle between the central axis and another axis orthogonal to the central axis. The vane is disposed on the first outermost surface. The vane has a concave surface to assist in rotation of the discoidal chassis about the central axis by harnessing wind energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Inventor: David Favela
  • Composite material casing of stiffening shape
    Patent number: 10995634
    Abstract: A gas turbine casing made of composite material, the casing presenting an axisymmetric shape and including, in an axial direction: an upstream flange; a retention zone presenting thickness greater than the remainder of the casing; and a downstream flange. The casing presents, in section on a plane defined by the axial direction and by a radial direction, a profile including at least first and second inclined portions that are inclined relative to each other and relative to the axis of the casing. The first and second inclined portions meet at a point situated between the retention zone and one of the flanges, this point corresponding to the vertex of an angle formed by the first and second inclined portions. The distance between the vertex of the angle and the mean radius of the casing lies in the range 1.5% and 4% of the mean radius of the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Cédric Zaccardi, Mathilde Anaëlle Mélissia Saurat
  • Turbocharger and engine system
    Patent number: 10954818
    Abstract: A turbocharger includes: a rotating shaft which extends along an axis; a turbine wheel which is provided on one end side of the rotating shaft; a compressor wheel which is provided on the other end side of the rotating shaft; a rolling bearing which includes an inner race fixed to an outer circumferential surface of the rotating shaft, an outer race surrounding the inner race from an outside in a radial direction, and rolling bodies arranged between the inner race and the outer race and rotatably supports the rotating shaft around the axis; a housing which covers the rolling bearing from an outer circumferential side with a gap between the housing and an outer circumferential surface of the rolling bearing; and a plurality of lubricating oil supply lines through which lubricating oil is supplied to different locations in the housing at different state quantities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES ENGINE & TURBOCHARGER, LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshitomo Noda, Motoki Ebisu, Hiroshi Suzuki
  • Airfoil
    Patent number: 10947989
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods and systems for an airfoil of a gas turbine engine. An airfoil of a gas turbine engine may comprise an airfoil body having a body contact surface, and an airfoil edge coupled to the body contact surface, wherein at least one of the airfoil body or airfoil edge comprises a fiber metal laminate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Andrew Pope
  • Seal configuration to prevent rotor lock
    Patent number: 10934875
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to gas turbine engine and seal configurations, and components for a gas turbine engine. In one embodiment, a seal for a gas turbine engine includes a rotary seal element, the rotary seal element configured to rotate during operation of a gas turbine engine, and a stationary seal element having an annular seal surface. The stationary seal element includes a first area of the annular seal surface configured to engage with the rotary seal element, and the stationary seal element includes a second area of the annular seal surface configured to provide reduced resistance to the rotary seal element during a flight windmilling event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Allison Zywiak, Graham R. Philbrick