Patents Examined by Hermes Rodriguez
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Patent number: 6190123Abstract: The object of the invention is to provide a method of operating a simply constructed centrifugal compressor equipped, in the region of the rear wall of the compressor impeller, with no sealing elements in the separating gap between the compressor impeller and the compressor casing, which method increases the service life of the centrifugal compressor. An appliance for carrying out the method is also to be made available. In accordance with the invention, this is achieved by introducing a cooling medium into the separating gap downstream of the leakage flow of the working medium and by finally removing this again after the cooling process has taken place. For this purpose, at least one supply duct for a gaseous cooling medium, the duct penetrating the compressor casing, opening into the separating gap in the region of the rear wall of the compressor impeller and directed onto the rear wall, and at least one removal duct for the cooling medium are arranged in the compressor casing.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 1999Date of Patent: February 20, 2001Assignee: Asea Brown Boverti AGInventors: Dirk Wunderwald, Martin Thiele
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Patent number: 6190129Abstract: A gas turbine engine rotor blade 18 includes a dovetail 22 and integral airfoil 24. The airfoil includes a pair of sidewalls 28,30 extending between leading and trailing edges 32,34, and longitudinally between a root 36 and tip 38. The sidewalls are spaced laterally apart to define a flow channel 40 for channeling cooling air through the airfoil. The tip includes a floor 48 atop the flow channel, and a pair of ribs 50,52 laterally offset from respective sidewalls. The ribs are longitudinally tapered for increasing cooling conduction thereof.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 1998Date of Patent: February 20, 2001Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Jeffrey C. Mayer, Gary C. Liotta, John H. Starkweather, Antonio C. Gominho
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Patent number: 6186739Abstract: The invention is about an improved support for a cooling fan. The support has a seat for receiving a fan. A plurality of L-shaped arms are securely formed and substantially extend out from the seat, and provided with a first portion parallel to the seat and a second portion rectangular to the seat. A flange is securely formed on the top of the second portions of the arms. The flange is able to conduct air flow and lower the turbulence of air flow in the vicinity of the periphery of the fan so as to enhance the efficiency of the fan. The flange also integrates the supporting plates, so that even only two diagonal supporting plates are fastened by screws to a frame, the rest of the supporting plates are fastened accordingly and can not vibrate any more.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 1999Date of Patent: February 13, 2001Inventor: Hsin-Mao Hsieh
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Patent number: 6183202Abstract: A rotor blade having a dovetail is mounted in a complementary slot in a rotor disk, with radially engaging outer and inner pressure faces, respectively. Relief grooves are provided for reducing stiffness at contact edges between the pressure faces to reduce peak stress thereat.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 1999Date of Patent: February 6, 2001Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventor: Todd J. Ganshaw
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Patent number: 6183193Abstract: A Tangential On-Board Injection (TOBI) nozzle or a Radial On-Board Injection (ROBI) nozzle with adjustable flow area in a gas turbine engine for directing a cooling air flow into a rotor assembly of the turbine is disclosed. The TOBI or ROBI nozzle is a unitary cast structure including a plurality of tangentially angled cooling air passages, a number of the passages being cast-closed. After a flow test is conducted using the TOBI or ROBI nozzle, one or more of the cast-closed passages may be selectively machined open if the mass flow of the TOBI or ROBI nozzle does not satisfy the design point. Therefore, the structure of the TOBI or ROBI nozzle is easily fabricated using a casting process with low manufacturing costs while the optimum cooling air flow is achieved by adjusting the total flow area of the TOBI or ROBI nozzle before it is installed to the gas turbine engine.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 1999Date of Patent: February 6, 2001Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.Inventors: David Frederick Glasspoole, Yvan Schraenen
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Patent number: 6179564Abstract: A portable electric fan is provided. The portable electric fan includes a handle constructed of a case in the form of a hollow column, having one end through which one or more power supplying batteries are installed, a motor connected to the electrode of the battery for providing a rotational driving force, a fan which is installed on a rotating shaft of the motor and is rotatably driven, a protecting member enclosing the fan rotated by the motor, and a cord attached to some part of the protecting member. Therefore, the portable electric fan can be operated, while hanging around some part of a user's body such as the neck. Accordingly, it is possible to freely use both hands. Also, it is possible to safely produce air movement since a protecting member enclosing the fan is formed.Type: GrantFiled: April 9, 1999Date of Patent: January 30, 2001Inventor: Bae-sig Park
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Patent number: 6178868Abstract: A system by which the air exhausted from either end of a pneumatic cylinder is directed, by an arrangement of control valves, to external surge tanks of appropriate volume where it is compressed to produce a deceleration effect at the end of each stroke before being released to the atmosphere.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 1999Date of Patent: January 30, 2001Assignee: Denis Comact Chicoutimi, Inc.Inventors: Andr{acute over (e)} Gagnon, Gilles Harvey
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Patent number: 6179556Abstract: An industrial turbine assembly comprises a plurality of rotating blade portions in a spaced relation with a stationary shroud. The rotating blade includes a root section, an airfoil having a pressure sidewall and a suction sidewall defining an outer periphery and a tip portion having a tip cap. An offset squealer is disposed on the tip cap. The offset squealer is positioned inward from the outer periphery of the rotating blade. The offset squealer increases the flow resistance and reduces the flow of hot gas flow leakage for a given pressure differential across the blade tip portion so as to improve overall turbine efficiency.Type: GrantFiled: June 1, 1999Date of Patent: January 30, 2001Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventor: Ronald Scott Bunker
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Patent number: 6179566Abstract: The invention includes a blower wheel assembly and method characterized by a steel hub with protruding lugs that mate with a corresponding array of holes in a backplate of the assembly. The lugs are riveted or otherwise deformed to upset the lug material, thereby permanently and securely attaching the hub to the backplate. The lugs may be formed on the hub by a machining process. The holes in the backplate may have stress relief portions to avoid stress concentrations in corners of the holes.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 1999Date of Patent: January 30, 2001Assignee: Beckett Air IncorporatedInventors: Joseph H. Andulics, Gregory R. Nagy
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Patent number: 6179567Abstract: A turbine blade (18) for a gas turbine engine includes a machining datum and support tool interface (52). The datum and interface feature is a frustoconical depression residing in a blade outer shroud (36) and ideally aligned with an airfoil stacking line (40). The blade has a prefinished state in which the depression has a prefinished depth and a finished state in which the depression has a finished depth. The finished depth is smaller than the prefinished depth, but is nevertheless sufficient to act as a support feature during manufacturing operations. The utility of the depression, as both a datum and as a support feature, survives the original manufacturing operations so that the depression is useful for post-manufacturing inspection and repair.Type: GrantFiled: August 18, 1999Date of Patent: January 30, 2001Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Bruce A. Stauffer, Gilbert B. Wilcox
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Patent number: 6179560Abstract: The invention is a turbomachinery module (10) whose forwardmost vanes, which are the most damage susceptible vanes in the module, are easily removable and replaceable without substantial disassembly of the module. The module includes a case (12) and a forwardmost array (1V) of vanes. Each vane (34) of the forwardmost array has an axially proximal and distal end (90, 92) relative to the forward end (16) of the case. The distal end of each vane has a foot (102) that abuts but is not connected to a vane guide (32) on the case. The proximal end of each vane has an attachment bracket (110) that can be secured to or disengaged from a vane support (28) on the case. Vane removal is accomplished by disengaging the attachment bracket (110) from the vane support (28) and withdrawing the vane through the forward end of the case. The invention improves upon conventional turbine modules in which the forwardmost vane array is removable only from the aft end of the case after the module has been substantially disassembled.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 1998Date of Patent: January 30, 2001Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Konstantino Kouris, John A Leogrande
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Patent number: 6179553Abstract: Multiple stage centrifugal pumps have a plurality of rotors arranged on a drive shaft are shown. At least one rotor is formed as a hollow shaft which is rotatably journalled on the drive shaft and which rotates with a speed of rotation n2 which is different from the speed of rotation n1 of the drive shaft. The hollow shaft is driven by a mechanical converter which takes up mechanical power from the drive shaft in the housing and gives it off at a different speed of rotation n2 to the hollow shaft in such a manner that the speed of rotation of a rotor of the first stage is lower in order to produce a lower NPSHR value for the multiple stage pump.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 1999Date of Patent: January 30, 2001Assignee: Sulzer Weise GmbHInventor: Siegfried Liegat
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Patent number: 6174129Abstract: A turbo-machine having a means for attaching the blade ring to the casing at a plurality of alternative radial positions to provide for a plurality of alternative clocking angles for a stage of stationary airfoils. The blade ring is provided with a plurality of notches that may selectively be aligned with a pin inserted through the casing. By rotating the blade ring so that a selected notch aligns with the pin, a selected clocking position may be achieved. Assembly with a different clocking angle is achieved by aligning the pin with a different notch. The notches may be provided at any location around the blade ring so long as they are separated by a radial distance which is a non-integer multiple of the segment angle.Type: GrantFiled: January 7, 1999Date of Patent: January 16, 2001Assignee: Siemens Westinghouse Power CorporationInventors: Stefan Mazzola, Kent Goran Hultgren
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Patent number: 6164906Abstract: A regulating valve for engines operated by a medium under pressure, in particular compressed air operated engines, in order to regulate the flow of compressed air to the engine to provide a substantially constant revolution rate at varying load, the regulating valve being provided with a valve body for controlling the momentary volume flow through the regulating valve.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 1999Date of Patent: December 26, 2000Assignee: Adevus Teknik ABInventors: Lars Norberg, Hans Aiderborn
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Patent number: 6164915Abstract: The anti-vibration suspension device includes at least three diagonal bars each articulated on the transmission box and on the structure by a rigid lever supporting a damping weight itself articulated to at least pivot on this structure, and, for each diagonal bar, a tension bar also articulated on the transmission box and on the structure, the corresponding lever being articulated to the structure being articulated to at least pivot on the lower end part of the corresponding tension bar, which is flexible in tension.Type: GrantFiled: April 22, 1999Date of Patent: December 26, 2000Assignee: EurocopterInventor: Nicolas Certain
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Patent number: 6164908Abstract: A gas turbine first-stage stator blade sealing structure for preventing the sealing air from leaking from the inside even if the blade falls or inclines due to thermal stress. A rear flange (12) of a first-stage stator blade (31) is formed in an arcuate shape having a straight rib (10). A stator blade support ring (13) contacts the straight rib (10) to form a sealing face. When the rear flange (12) and the stator blade support ring (13) fall or incline relative to each other due to thermal stress during operation, the upper end or lower end of the rib (10) contacts linearly with the face of the stator blade support ring (13) so that no clearance is established to inhibit leakage of the sealing air. In the prior art, where the horizontal rib (10) is absent, an arcuate clearance is established between the stator blade support ring (13) and the rear flange (12) as the support ring (13) inclines, and thus sealing air is allowed to leak from the inside to the gas passages.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 1999Date of Patent: December 26, 2000Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Miki Nishida, Taku Ichiryu, Koichi Akagi, Hiroki Shibata, Tadakazu Sakaguchi
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Patent number: 6164187Abstract: A spring brake actuator (10), with a first spring brake chamber (76) filled with compressed air and a second spring brake chamber (78) housing a large-force compression spring (82), includes an elastomeric diaphragm (74) having a centrally-disposed aperture (90) separating the first and second spring brake chambers (76 and 78). The elastomeric diaphragm (74) is compressed at a peripheral edge (138) between housing sections (66, 68) and at a collar (140), which is adjacent the centrally-disposed aperture (90), between a ring-shaped retainer (142) and at least one of an actuator rod, a pressure plate (92), and an annular recess (144) in a pressure plate (92). In one embodiment, the retainer (142) includes an annular channel (154) having an inner rim (150), an outer rim (152), and a base (156). Evenly-spaced flanges (146) radiate axially from, and are separated by slots (148) on, the inner rim (150).Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 1998Date of Patent: December 26, 2000Assignee: Holland Neway International, Inc.Inventor: Steven M. Stojic
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Patent number: 6162013Abstract: An arrangement to regulate the flow of steam extracted intermediately from a steam turbine and to induce a steam flow, between separate turbine parts, in a direction that is essentially axial with respect to the rotational direction of the turbine rotor. The steam turbine consists of two turbine parts separated by a partition wall and has an intermediate steam extraction outlet located between the first turbine part and the partition wall. Steam may pass between the two turbine parts through a passage, within the partition wall, having an externally controlled valve used to regulate the steam flow. The valve is configured to reduce the external force needed to control its position. Together, the valve and passage are configured to minimize the pressure loss and turbulence of the steam flow as it passes between the two turbine parts so that the steam flow pressure on the second turbine part is maximized.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 1998Date of Patent: December 19, 2000Assignee: ABB Stal ABInventor: Lars Kallberg
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Patent number: 6162017Abstract: A stand alone blood pump which can be used with different types of oxygenators or extra corporeal circuits during surgery. After use the pump is easily detachable from its drive motor to enable a new blood pump to be mounted for the next operation. The pump impeller includes vanes at the base which extend at an angle to the plane of rotation and smoothly merge along a common plane with a plurality of helical fingers respectively. The width of the helical fingers gradually diminishes from the vanes to their extremities which are angularly spaced from each other at the pump inlet. The helical fingers flow the blood helically about the impeller axis to the vanes which then centrifugally flow the blood to the pump outlet tangentially of the pump housing.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 1999Date of Patent: December 19, 2000Assignee: Cardiovascular Innovations LLCInventor: Donald A. Raible
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Patent number: 6158326Abstract: In order that in a unit, which consists of an electric motor and a machine driven by the electric motor, a mounting support of the electric motor and the machine which is inexpensive and saves mounting space be achieved by simple means, the drive shaft (4) of the electric motor (1) and the supporting axle (10) of the machine (2) are separately designed and a three-ring bearing (11) including an intermediate eccentric ring (13) is arranged on the supporting axle (10), wherein the intermediate ring (13) is positively and/or operatively connected to the drive shaft (4).Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 1999Date of Patent: December 12, 2000Assignees: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG, FAG Automobiltechnik AGInventors: Jochen Burgdorf, Heinrich Hofmann