Patents Examined by Craig Kim
  • Patent number: 11408337
    Abstract: An aircraft pylon including a heat exchange device having a heat exchanger which includes a first circuit portion ducting a flow of hot air tapped off an engine of the aircraft and a second circuit portion ducting a flow of cold air, the first and second circuit portions of the heat exchanger being coaxial, separated by at least one partition forming an exchange surface, and positioned, at least partially, in the primary structure of the pylon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Airbus Operations (S.A.S.)
    Inventors: Jean Geliot, Adeline Soulie
  • Patent number: 11402099
    Abstract: A lean burn combustor includes a plurality of lean burn fuel injectors, each including a fuel feed arm and a lean burn fuel injector head with a lean burn fuel injector head tip, wherein the lean burn fuel injector head tip has a lean burn fuel injector head tip diameter, the lean burn fuel injector head including a pilot fuel injector and a main fuel injector, the main fuel injector being arranged coaxially and radially outwards of the pilot fuel injector; and a combustor chamber extending along an axial direction for a length and including a radially inner annular wall, a radially outer annular wall, and a meter panel defining the size and shape of the combustor chamber, wherein the combustor chamber includes primary and secondary combustion zones. A ratio of the combustor chamber length to the lean burn fuel injector head tip diameter is less than 5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignees: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC, ROLLS-ROYCE DEUTSCHLAND LTD & CO KG
    Inventors: Luca Tentorio, Imon-Kalyan Bagchi
  • Patent number: 11402098
    Abstract: A gas turbine combustor is equipped with a nozzle in which an air ejection passage extending along an axis and having an open distal end, and a fuel supply passage extending along the axis and having an open distal end are formed; swirling vanes provided around the nozzle so as to be twisted around the axis of the nozzle; an inner cylinder surrounding an outer periphery of the nozzle and the swirling vanes, and in which compressed air flows through an inside of the inner cylinder toward a downstream side; an outer cylinder which defines an inversion flow path, which inverts the compressed air on an outer periphery of the inner cylinder and introduces the compressed air to the inside of the inner cylinder, between the inner and outer cylinders; and an air introduction pipe having one end connected to a space on an upstream side of the compressed air from the inversion flow path, and the other end connected to the air ejection passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Kei Inoue, Kenji Miyamoto, Kenta Taniguchi, Satoshi Tanimura
  • Patent number: 11391211
    Abstract: A turbine engine includes a compressor section, a combustion section, a turbine section, and an exhaust section in serial flow order and together defining a core air flowpath; a fuel delivery system for providing a flow of fuel to the combustion section; and a waste heat recovery system. The waste heat recovery system includes a heat source exchanger in thermal communication with the turbine section, the exhaust section, or both; a heat sink exchanger in thermal communication with the fuel delivery system, the core air flowpath, or both; a thermal transfer bus including a thermal transfer fluid and extending from the heat source exchanger to the heat sink exchanger; and a pump in fluid communication with the thermal transfer bus downstream of the heat source exchanger and upstream of the heat sink exchanger for increasing a temperature and a pressure of the thermal transfer fluid in the thermal transfer bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Justin Paul Smith, Brandon Wayne Miller, Thomas Helmut Ripplinger
  • Patent number: 11384938
    Abstract: To provide a burner that makes it possible to reduce error displacement of the distal end position of a burner main body when the burner main body is inserted. A burner (161) includes: a burner main body (162); a plurality of driving cylinders (163) that are disposed parallel to a direction of an axis line in which the burner main body (162) moves, and drive movement of the burner main body (162); a connecting member that connects the burner main body (162) and the plurality of driving cylinders (163); and a fitting member (170) that is provided between the burner main body (162) and the connecting member, and constrains relative movement in the direction of the axis line (X) and permits relative movement in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the axis line (X).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI POWER, LTD.
    Inventors: Kohei Matsuo, Keisuke Matsuo, Shinya Hamasaki
  • Patent number: 11365648
    Abstract: A fan drive gear system for a turbofan engine is disclosed and includes a gear assembly and a front center body. The front center body is an annular case that supports the gear assembly. The front center body includes a passage portion that defines a portion of a core flow path, a forward flange configured for attachment to a first case structure forward of the front center body, and a gutter portion disposed on a radially inner side of the front center body for collecting lubricant exhausted from the geared assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Brian P. Cigal, Todd A. Davis
  • Patent number: 11346242
    Abstract: A first cylinder is configured to receive a gas turbine. A second cylinder surrounds an outer circumference of the first cylinder. Retainers extend from the second cylinder towards the first cylinder. Each of the retainers includes a central stalk that extends from the second cylinder towards the first cylinder and a branches extending radially from the central stalk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Inventor: William Maxwell
  • Patent number: 11346290
    Abstract: A control system for limiting a power turbine torque of a gas turbine engine is disclosed. In various embodiments, the control system includes an engine control module configured to output an effector command signal to a gas generator of the gas turbine engine; a power turbine governor module configured to output to the engine control module a power turbine torque request signal; and a power turbine torque limiter module configured to output to the power turbine governor module a power turbine speed rate signal to limit a power turbine speed overshoot of the gas turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Chaohong Cai, Richard P. Meisner, Timothy J. Crowley, David Lei Ma
  • Patent number: 11346244
    Abstract: A thermal management system includes a heat exchanger defining a confined volume for thermal transfer between a first flow within a first passage and a second flow within a second passage. A first conduit outside the confined volume communicates the first flow to the first passage of the heat exchanger. A thermal transfer augmenter is attached to the first conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Gary D. Roberge
  • Patent number: 11346289
    Abstract: A turbofan engine has an engine case and a gaspath through the engine case. A fan has a circumferential array of fan blades. The engine further has a compressor, a combustor, a gas generating turbine, and a low pressure turbine section. A speed reduction mechanism couples the low pressure turbine section to the fan. A bypass area ratio is greater than about 6.0. The low pressure turbine section airfoil count to bypass area ratio is below about 170.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Paul R. Adams, Frederick M. Schwarz, Shankar S. Magge, Joseph B. Staubach, Wesley K. Lord, Gabriel L. Suciu
  • Patent number: 11339970
    Abstract: A lean burn combustor includes a plurality of lean burn fuel injectors, each including a fuel feed arm and a lean burn fuel injector head with a lean burn fuel injector head tip, wherein the lean burn fuel injector head tip has a lean burn fuel injector head tip diameter, the lean burn fuel injector head including a pilot fuel injector and a main fuel injector, the main fuel injector being arranged coaxially and radially outwards of the pilot fuel injector; and a combustor chamber extending along an axial direction for a length and including a radially inner annular wall, a radially outer annular wall, and a meter panel defining the size and shape of the combustor chamber, wherein the combustor chamber includes primary and secondary combustion zones. A ratio of the combustor chamber length to the lean burn fuel injector head tip diameter is less than 5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignees: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC, ROLLS-ROYCE DEUTSCHLAND LTD & CO KG
    Inventors: Luca Tentorio, Imon-Kalyan Bagchi
  • Patent number: 11339713
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine for an aircraft includes an engine core including a turbine, a compressor, a core shaft, and a core exhaust nozzle, the core exhaust nozzle having a core exhaust nozzle pressure ratio calculated using total pressure at the core nozzle exit; a fan including a plurality of fan blades; and a nacelle surrounding the fan and the engine core and defining a bypass duct, the bypass duct including a bypass exhaust nozzle, the bypass exhaust nozzle having a bypass exhaust nozzle pressure ratio calculated using total pressure at the bypass nozzle exit; wherein a bypass to core ratio of: bypass ? ? exhaust ? ? nozzle ? ? pressure ? ? ratio core ? ? exhaust ? ? nozzle ? ? pressure ? ? ratio is configured to be in the range from 1.1 to 2.0 under aircraft cruise conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Richard G Stretton, Michael C Willmot, Nicholas Grech
  • Patent number: 11338930
    Abstract: A nacelle of an aircraft turbofan engine including an air inlet upstream from the engine, a median section configured to surround a fan of the engine and delimited on the outside by a fan cowl supported by a fan housing to which it is attached at the upstream portion, a downstream section delimiting an annular flow path in which the air is configured to flow and housing thrust reversal devices, the thrust reversal approach including a movable cowl associated with at least one actuator for moving the movable cowl between a direct jet position, in which it provides the aerodynamic continuity of the nacelle and an indirect jet position in which it opens up a passage in the nacelle by uncovering cascade vanes arranged around this flow path that receive the cold air flow to return it towards the outside and forwards, the cascade vanes being attached to the movable cowl.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Safran Nacelles
    Inventors: Loïc Grall, Mélody Seriset, Alexis Heau, Benjamin Brebion, Olivier Kerbler
  • Patent number: 11326520
    Abstract: A heat exchange apparatus cools air supplied from a compressor to a turbine and includes a shell housing; a heat exchanger coupled to an outer surface of the shell housing and configured to cool air passing through an air channel of the heat exchanger using a coolant passing through a coolant channel; a flow guide installed in the shell housing and connected to the air channel of the heat exchanger in order to pass the cooled air into the shell housing, the flow guide having a distal end spaced apart from an inner surface of the shell housing; and at least one air discharge port installed through a sidewall of the shell housing to communicate with the air channel via the flow guide. The heat exchanger is a printed board type including a first plate and a second plate and is formed by alternately stacking the first and second plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Inventors: Jaecheol Kim, Jeongkil Kim, Kihoon Yang
  • Patent number: 11325716
    Abstract: A nacelle inlet may comprise a lip skin and a bulkhead mounted to the lip skin. The lip skin may define an orifice. The bulkhead may comprise a forward face, a first flange extending axially from an outer circumference of the forward face, and a ventilation groove formed in the forward face. The ventilation groove may be circumferentially aligned with the orifice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: ROHR, INC.
    Inventors: Daniel Kroeger, Delbert N Hermosura
  • Patent number: 11326552
    Abstract: An exhaust nozzle of a gas turbine engine includes: a nozzle wall, a centerbody arranged in a flow channel, and two struts connecting the centerbody to the wall. One of the struts is connected to the wall by a coupling arrangement that includes two first brackets and a third bracket, the brackets being spaced in an axial direction and being connected either directly to the wall or to a sliding element that is arranged in a displaceable manner in the wall. The brackets each have a first, highest stiffness in a first direction and smaller stiffnesses in a second and third direction. The brackets are oriented such that with the two first brackets, the first direction is aligned with a circumferential direction of the nozzle and that with the third bracket, the first direction is aligned with the axial direction of the nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE DEUTSCHLAND LTD & CO KG
    Inventor: Predrag Todorovic
  • Patent number: 11326519
    Abstract: A frame for a heat engine, the frame including an inner wall extended from an inlet end to an outlet end, the inner wall forming at least in part a core flowpath, the inner wall comprising a plenum formed between an outer portion of the inner wall and an inner portion of the inner wall, wherein a cavity is formed inward of the inner portion of the inner wall, and wherein the inner wall includes a first plenum opening providing fluid communication between the cavity and the plenum, and wherein the inner wall comprises a second plenum opening providing fluid communication between the plenum and the core flowpath.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Matti Veikko Kalevi Makela, Emilio Eramo, Christopher Lloyd McKenzie, Apostolos Pavlos Karafillis
  • Patent number: 11319896
    Abstract: There is disclosed an exhaust nozzle for a gas turbine engine, the exhaust nozzle comprising a frame extending along a longitudinal axis. The exhaust nozzle comprises a convergent petal pivotably attached at a convergent pivot point to the frame and extending axially downstream and radially inward from the frame, a follower roller fixed to the convergent petal on a radially outer side of the convergent petal, and a cam defining a working surface configured to engage the follower roller to react a force from the convergent petal. The cam is movable along a travel in an axial direction to actuate radial movement of the follower roller to pivot the convergent petal. The cam defines a concave working surface such that a contact angle between the follower roller and the cam varies along the travel to thereby vary a radial component of the force reacted by the cam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventor: Jack F. Colebrooke
  • Patent number: 11319832
    Abstract: A variable exhaust nozzle for use with a gas turbine engine includes an outer shroud and an inner plug that can move relative to the outer shroud. The relative movement of the inner plug and the outer shroud changes the shape of the variable exhaust nozzle from one that converges in area to one that converges and then diverges in area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Sanderson, David L. Sutterfield, Bryan H. Lerg
  • Patent number: 11313251
    Abstract: An anterior part of a nacelle of an aircraft propulsion unit. A rigidifying frame annular about a longitudinal axis of extension of the nacelle is at the rear end of the anterior part. An annular shield is in front of the rigidifying frame and connects an internal peripheral edge of the rigidifying frame to an internal structure. The shield has a portion extending towards the external panel beyond the internal peripheral edge of the rigidifying frame, the portion forming a non-zero angle with respect to the rigidifying frame to form a free space with respect to the rigidifying frame behind the portion. The shield can thus deform in the event of an impact of a foreign object entering through the air inlet lip, without the rigidifying frame itself being deformed, thereby absorbing all or some of the impact energy. A nacelle can have such an anterior part, and an aircraft can have such a nacelle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Airbus Operations (S.A.S.)
    Inventors: Alain Porte, Julien Sentier, Clément Breton