Patents Examined by Eric A Lange
  • Patent number: 11959400
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a fan rotor with variable pitch blades, comprising a rotor disc, equipped at its periphery with a plurality of rotary fasteners (16), each fastener (16) comprising a cell (17) for receiving the root (150) of a blade (15).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Vincent Joudon, Régis Eugène Henri Servant
  • Patent number: 11952916
    Abstract: A coating for a blade root/disk interface includes a layer of soft metal matrix, and a solid lubricant distributed through the soft metal matrix. Examples of materials include CuAl as the soft metal matrix and MoS2 as the solid lubricant, although others are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: RTX Corporation
    Inventors: Pantcho P. Stoyanov, Kelly M. Harrington, Thomas D. Kasprow
  • Patent number: 11925755
    Abstract: A respiration therapy appliance having a fan for generating a respiratory air flow for carrying out respiration therapy. The fan comprises at least one rotatable fan impeller having a plurality of blade elements which are arranged on a support disk. The blade elements and/or the support disk have at least one cutout.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: LOEWENSTEIN MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY S.A.
    Inventor: Angela Gerlach
  • Patent number: 11927195
    Abstract: A sealing device includes a sealing main body surrounding a rotor shaft rotating about an axis from an outer periphery side. The sealing main body includes an inside surface facing an outside surface of the rotor shaft with clearance and a plurality of hole parts formed recessed to an outer side in a radial direction from the inside surface and arrayed in a circumferential direction of the inside surface and in a direction of the axis. The hole parts have an inner peripheral wall in which a spiral groove extending twisting toward the outer side in a radial direction is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Motomu Asahara, Naoto Omura, Makoto Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 11920498
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a compressor comprising a rotor defining a radial direction and a circumferential direction, the rotor including a slot; a first blade and a second blade disposed in the slot, the first blade including a first platform and a first dovetail, the second blade including a second platform and a second dovetail; and a hollow block disposed circumferentially between the first blade and the second blade in the slot, the hollow block including: a platform interface portion to interface with the first platform and the second platform, the platform interface portion including a central opening defined by a circumferential face of the platform interface portion; and a hollow dovetail interface portion to couple the first dovetail and the second dovetail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Arvind N
  • Patent number: 11920500
    Abstract: A passive flow modulation device for a machine defining an axial direction and a radial direction, the passive flow modulation device including: a first ring with a first coefficient of thermal expansion; a second ring disposed coaxially with the first ring and positioned at least partially inward of the first ring along the radial direction, spaced from the first ring along the axial direction, or both, the first ring, the second ring, or both defining at least in part one or more passages, the second ring with a second coefficient of thermal expansion that is less than the first coefficient of thermal expansion to passively modulate a size of the one or more passages during operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Steven Douglas Johnson, Yu-Liang Lin, Craig Alan Gonyou, Scott Alan Schimmels, Jeffrey Douglas Rambo, Brian Gregg Feie
  • Patent number: 11898462
    Abstract: An impeller for a centrifugal compressor, the impeller rotatable about a central axis, has: an outer hub body including a first material and extending around the central axis, the outer hub body defining a gaspath face extending from an inlet to an outlet, the gaspath face extending radially away from the central axis from the inlet to the outlet; blades protruding from the gaspath face and circumferentially distributed around the central axis; and an inner hub body extending around the central axis, the inner hub body secured to the outer hub body, the outer hub body axially overlapping and extending around the inner hub body, the inner hub body made of a second material being more cold dwell resistant than the first material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventor: Farid Abrari
  • Patent number: 11898492
    Abstract: Provided are fluid exchange apparatuses and methods of exchanging fluids between streams. Exemplary fluid exchange apparatus includes a first interleaved pathway with a plurality of first passages, and a second interleaved pathway with a plurality of second passages, in which the plurality of first passages and the plurality of second passages interleave with one another. Exemplary methods include directing a first fluid through a first interleaved pathway of a fluid exchange apparatus and directing a second fluid through a second interleaved pathway of a fluid exchange apparatus. The first fluid may flow from an upstream portion of a first duct into the first interleaved pathway and may discharge into a downstream portion of the second duct. The second fluid may flow from an upstream portion of the second duct into the second interleaved pathway and may discharge into a downstream portion of the first duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Jeffrey Douglas Rambo
  • Patent number: 11887571
    Abstract: Acoustic structures for a gas turbine engine are disclosed. In various embodiments, the acoustic structures comprise a panel in the form of a cellular structure having a plurality of cells; and a housing configured to house the cellular structure, the housing including a first rail configured for attachment to a static structure within the gas turbine engine and a second rail configured for attachment to the static structure. In various embodiments, the acoustic structures comprise a liner in the form of a non-segmented or two-piece structure configured to extend about the inner barrel of a nacelle structure. The disclosed panels and liners are configured to maximize the operational area of the acoustic structures by eliminating obstructions from adjacent flow paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventor: Anthony R. Bifulco
  • Patent number: 11873822
    Abstract: A centrifugal compressor includes a rotary shaft having a plurality of impellers and a casing having an intermediate discharge port. The casing has a plurality of diaphragms, an external casing, a return flow path that guides a flow direction of a working fluid to an inner side in a radial direction, and an intermediate scroll that guides part of the working fluid discharged from the impeller in an intermediate stage to the intermediate discharge port. The intermediate scroll has a scroll flow path formed on a second side in the axial direction with respect to the return flow path, and an introduction portion connecting the return flow path and the scroll flow path, and an outer flow path forming surface of the scroll flow path is formed by a casing inner peripheral surface facing an inner side of the external casing in the radial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES COMPRESSOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akihiro Nakaniwa, Jo Masutani, Shinichiro Tokuyama, Yoshiaki Shoji
  • Patent number: 11852120
    Abstract: A method of adjusting at least one rotor blade of a wind turbine which includes the steps of receiving a command for adjustment of the rotor blade at an adjustment speed, ascertaining a current moment of inertia of the rotor blade and acceleration of the rotor blade until reaching the adjustment speed, wherein the acceleration until reaching the adjustment speed is limited in dependence on the ascertained moment of inertia. A system and a wind turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Wobben Properties GmbH
    Inventors: Ulf Schaper, Lukas Wernicke, Kai-Uwe Wegner
  • Patent number: 11814981
    Abstract: A rotor blade 32 includes a blade body 33 which has a negative-pressure surface 33a and a positive-pressure surface 33b extending in a blade height direction Z, and a platform 35 which is connected to an end portion of the blade body 33 in the blade height direction Z and extends in a circumferential direction Dc. In an end surface 35a of the platform 35 facing an axial direction Da, a convex portion 51 protruding in the axial direction Da and a concave portion 52 recessed in the axial direction Da are formed on an end surface 35a of the platform 35 facing the upstream side Dau. When viewed in the blade height direction Z, the convex portion 51 and the concave portion 52 are alternately formed in the circumferential direction Dc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES COMPRESSOR CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takuro Koda
  • Patent number: 11802535
    Abstract: Power can be efficiently generated in accordance with the amount of water in a channel by including: a first headrace channel positioned on an upstream side; a second headrace channel positioned on a downstream side; a water wheel on a most downstream side of the first headrace channel and the second headrace channel, the water wheel having a rotation shaft in a direction orthogonally intersecting with a water flow; a lateral movement apparatus that enables the second headrace channel to be moved in an upstream direction or a downstream direction; and a vertical movement apparatus that enables the water wheel to be moved in a vertical direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: ELIS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Soichi Sasaki, Jun Kuwahara
  • Patent number: 11802485
    Abstract: A propulsor fan array having reduced noise emission is disclosed. The propulsor fan array includes a plurality of propulsor fans that collectively generate thrust. Each of the propulsor fans include a blade fan having a plurality of blades. The plurality of blades are tensioned at tips of the plurality of blade fans such that a pitch of the blades during thrust generation is substantially the same as a pitch of the blades at rest. By tensioning the tips of the blades, an angle of the blades is maintained during operation of the propulsor fan thereby reducing noise that may result from changes in the angle of the blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Whisper Aero Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Douglass Moore, Ian Andreas Villa, Devon Jedamski, Xiaofan Fei
  • Patent number: 11795821
    Abstract: A rotor for an aircraft engine, has: a hub extending circumferentially about a central axis, the hub having a bore, a gaspath-facing surface located radially outwardly of the bore relative to the central axis, a first face extending from the bore to the gaspath-facing surface, and a second face opposite the first face and extending from the bore to the gaspath-facing surface; blades circumferentially distributed about the central axis, the blades protruding away from the gaspath-facing surface of the hub; and a crack mitigator located on the first face, the crack mitigator extending circumferentially relative to the central axis, the crack mitigator extending axially from a baseline surface of the first face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventor: Dikran Mangardich
  • Patent number: 11781432
    Abstract: An assembly for a gas turbine engine according to an example of the present disclosure includes at least one platform having a main body extending between a first mate face and a second mate face to establish a gas path surface. The main body has an internal passage extending circumferentially between a first opening along the first mate face and a second opening along the second mate face relative to an assembly axis. A perimeter of the first mate face establishes a first area, a perimeter of the second opening establishes a second area, and the second area is greater than the first area. An airfoil section extends radially from the at least one platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kathryn S. Read, Raymond Surace
  • Patent number: 11746756
    Abstract: A method of operating a wind turbine during a service, wherein the wind turbine comprises at least one rotor-nacelle assembly, the or each rotor-nacelle assembly comprising a rotor; the method comprising: detecting that a service is to be or is being carried out on the wind turbine; and, on detecting that a service is to be or is being carried out on the wind turbine, reducing an operating level of the or each rotor-nacelle assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Søren Dalsgaard, Torben Ladegaard Baun, Keld Hammerum, Torben Petersen
  • Patent number: 11746795
    Abstract: A centrifugal pump device has at least one impeller (16), a circulation connection between a delivery side (22) of the at least one impeller (16) and a suction side (20) of the at least one impeller (16), and a valve arrangement (30, 46) in said circulation connection (44, 54). The valve arrangement (30, 46) has a first valve mode providing a pressure dependent shut-off valve (46) in the circulation connection. The valve arrangement (30, 46) allows a change between the first valve mode and at least one further valve mode. The at least one further valve mode provides at least one fixed closing degree of the circulation connection (44, 54).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: GRUNDFOS HOLDING A/S
    Inventors: Alessandro Iacoponi, Riccardo Dal Canto
  • Patent number: 11713693
    Abstract: A turbine vane includes an airfoil that extends from an inner diameter to an outer diameter, and from a leading edge to a trailing edge. The turbine vane includes an inner platform coupled to the airfoil at the inner diameter. The turbine vane includes a cooling system defined in the airfoil including a first conduit in proximity to the leading edge to cool the leading edge and a second conduit to cool the trailing edge. The first conduit has an inlet at the outer diameter to receive a cooling fluid and an outlet portion that is defined at least partially through the inner platform. The first conduit includes a plurality of cooling features that extend from a first surface of the first conduit, and the first surface of the first conduit is opposite the leading edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Steven Whitaker, Daniel C. Crites, Mark C. Morris, Ardeshir Riahi
  • Patent number: 11708148
    Abstract: The invention relates to a blade pivot with adjustable orientation for a turbomachine fan hub, comprising: a stud having a fastener configured to retain a blade root and coupling means for the transmission of a twist torque; a ball bearing for taking centrifugal forces having an inner ring and an outer ring; a first clamping nut intended to be screwed on an inner thread of the hub to ensure clamping of the outer ring of the ball bearing; a rolling-element bearing for taking transverse forces having an inner ring and a smooth outer ring; a locking ring mounted between these two inner rings to provide for them a respective transverse support; an anti-rupture sleeve carrying the inner ring of the rolling-element bearing for taking transverse forces and the terminal end of which is extended transversely beyond the outer ring of this bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Paul Ghislain Albert Levisse, Olivier Belmonte, Vincent François Georges Millier