Patents Examined by James M. McAleenan
  • Patent number: 6991426
    Abstract: A variable pitch fan, particularly for propulsion, of the type comprising a rotor and at least two stages of stator blade rows positioned upstream and downstream of the rotor, wherein the rotor blades (8) are of the variable pitch type and have a sinusoidal shape, are of the twisted type (1) or of the constant deflection type (2) and the stator blades (25), positioned downstream of the rotor, are of the twisted type. This rotor blade design allows a reduction of both the torque necessary to activate the variable pitch systems (lither actuator system) and the turning moments due to the centrifugal force. The proposed fan can be set in rotation by a conic couple of gears, contained in a gear oil sump positioned downstream the rotor, by means of one power shaft contained inside the stator blade. The variable pitch fan further provides a stator row upstream the rotor which are twisted in a manner that allows increased efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Inventor: Paolo Pietricola
  • Patent number: 6991434
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of producing disc-shaped or ring-shaped components subjected to flow. The components are produced by milling and finish machining downstream of the milling, the component being milled out of a workpiece, and a finish machining medium flowing through the component for the finish machining after the milling. The component is milled out of the workpiece in such a way that milling ridges which are produced run approximately perpendicularly to an aerodynamic direction of flow through the component during operation. The direction of flow of the finish machining medium through the component or the rotor disc therefore runs transversely, preferably perpendicularly, to the milling ridges appearing during the prior milling step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: MTU Aero Engines GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Heinrich, Johann Schnellbach, Hans Zimmermann
  • Patent number: 6942458
    Abstract: An improved variable pitch fan comprising a fan hub, with fan blades extending radially outward from the fan hub and mounted for rotation about respective radially extending axes corresponding to each fan blade. Each fan blade has a blade surface extending perpendicularly to the radially extending axis of the fan blade, each blade surface lying between respective outer edges of the corresponding fan blade and facing rearward. A pitch shifting mechanism is mounted in the hub and interconnects with the fan blades to control the rotational position of each fan blade about the corresponding radially extending axis of the fan blade. The respective outer edges of each fan blade diverge as the fan blade extends further radially outward; and the blade surface of each fan blade has an angle of attack that decreases as the fan blade extends radially outward. Each blade surface has a constant or increasing radius of curvature as the respective fan blade extends further radially outward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Flexxaire Manufacturing Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan E. McCallum, Terry D. Nelson, Murray C. Gerwing
  • Patent number: 6935839
    Abstract: A variable-capacity water pump includes a housing having an impeller mounted on a rotatable shaft. The impeller includes a plurality of vanes pivotally coupled between upper and lower shroud and operatively coupled to a pitch plate. As the pump speed increases in response to increasing engine speed, the pitch plate controls the rotation of the impeller vanes about a fixed rivet from a maximum pitch position, toward a minimum pitch position, thereby lowering pump output according to engine cooling requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: Tesma International Inc.
    Inventor: David Mark Pascoe
  • Patent number: 6932572
    Abstract: The invention is a film cooled article such as a turbine engine blade or vane, having a wall with a hot surface 26 to be film cooled. The hot surface 26 includes a depression 48 featuring a descending flank 52 and an ascending flank 54. Coolant holes 60, which penetrate through the wall, have discharge openings residing on the ascending flank 54. During operation, the depression locally over-accelerates a primary fluid stream F flowing over the ascending flank while coolant jets 70 concurrently issue from the discharge openings. The local over-acceleration of the primary fluid deflects the jets onto the hot surface and spatially constrains the jets thus encouraging them to spread out laterally and coalesce into a laterally continuous, protective coolant film. In one embodiment, the depression 48 is a trough 50. In another embodiment, the depression is a dimple 72.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Atul Kohli, Joel H. Wagner, Andrew S. Aggarwala
  • Patent number: 6910863
    Abstract: A bearing assembly for a gas turbine engine rotor includes a damper bearing configured to support the rotor, a bearing centering sub-assembly configured to position the damper bearing relative to the rotor, and a retainer. The damper bearing includes a frame that defines a bearing bore, an inner race, and an outer race, said inner and outer races within said bearing bore. The bearing centering apparatus sub-assembly includes a plurality of first springs and a plurality of second springs. The retainer is coupled to the bearing housing and is configured to maintain an axial position of the bearing outer race with respect to the support structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ubaldo M. Scardicchio, Michael Slusher
  • Patent number: 6910867
    Abstract: A blade of a wind turbine is presented. This blade is provided with a root section for connecting the blade to the shaft or hub of the turbine. The blade also contains a wind-energy-absorbing profile which is optimized for wind flow. The output of the wind turbine is increased by providing the root section with a member that is designed in such a way that the assembly consisting of the member and the root section can absorb wind energy and will increase the overall efficiency of the wind turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: Stichting Energieonderzoek Centrum Nederland
    Inventor: Gustave Paul Corten
  • Patent number: 6910850
    Abstract: A vacuum pump has a pump case having a gas suction port at an upper part of the pump case and a gas exhaust port at a lower part of the pump case. A stator column extends from a base of the pump case and has an outer circumferential surface. A rotor shaft is rotatably supported in the pump case by the stator column. A spacer is removably integrally connected to the outer circumferential surface of the stator column. The spacer has an outer circumferential surface spaced apart from an inner circumferential surface of the rotor and a through-hole extending form the outer circumferential surface to an inner circumferential surface thereof. A connecting member extends through the through-hole of the spacer and contacts the outer circumferential surface of the stator column to thereby removably integrally connect the spacer to the outer circumferential surface of the stator column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: BOC Edwards Technologies, Limited
    Inventors: Manabu Nonaka, Takashi Kabasawa
  • Patent number: 6908288
    Abstract: Methods for repairing and manufacturing a gas turbine blade, and the gas turbine blade repaired and manufactured with such methods are presented with, for example, the repair method comprising providing a gas turbine blade, the blade comprising a blade tip and a blade body; removing at least one portion of the blade tip; providing at least one freestanding tip insert; and disposing the at least one tip insert onto the gas turbine blade body such that the at least one tip insert replaces the at least one removed portion of the blade tip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Melvin Robert Jackson, Aaron Todd Frost, Shyh-Chin Huang, Charles Gitahi Mukira, Thomas Robert Raber, Raymond Alan White
  • Patent number: 6905309
    Abstract: A method enables a rotor blade for a gas turbine engine to be fabricated. The method comprises forming an airfoil including a first side wall and a second side wall that each extend in radial span between an airfoil root and an airfoil tip, and wherein the first and second side walls are connected at a leading edge and at a trailing edge, and forming a winglet that extends outwardly from at least one of the airfoil first side wall and the airfoil second side wall, such that a radius extends between the winglet and at least one of the airfoil first side wall and the second side wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey Howard Nussbaum, Xin Wei, Tara Chaidez, Michael Macrorie
  • Patent number: 6905306
    Abstract: A mechanical kinetic vacuum pump with a stator (1), a rotor (6, 7) made from an aluminum or magnesium alloy and a rotor (6, 7) and a bearing shaft (3). The shaft (3) and the rotor (6, 7) are connected by a shrink- or screw-fit in a secure permanent connection. The rotor (6, 7) is made by spray forming. The main alloying component in the aluminum or magnesium alloy is silicon which is present in an amount such that the alloy has an expansion coefficient which essentially corresponds to the expansion coefficient of the shaft material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignee: Leybold Vakuum GmbH
    Inventors: Heinrich Engländer, Michael Froitzheim
  • Patent number: 6899517
    Abstract: A method of installing an annular bearing element within a centrifugal pump utilizes a mechanical staking operation. The bearing element locates within a receptacle of a pump stage that is surrounded by a retaining wall. Once the bearing element is located within the retaining wall, the retaining wall is permanently deformed at various points against the bearing element. The bearing element, if of a hard wear resistant metal, may have flats for the circumferentially spaced apart deformations to locate within. The bearing element may be a thrust washer for transmitting downward thrust, or it may be a radial support bearing sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2005
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Farral D. Gay, Terry W. Shafer, B. Lyle Wilson
  • Patent number: 6896485
    Abstract: The present invention provides a gas turbine in which a proper clearance is kept between a rotor blade and a shroud for a long period of time from the operation start, so that damage to the rotor blade is less liable to occur. In a turbine portion of the gas turbine in accordance with the present invention, the rotor blade and the shroud face each other. At the tip end of the rotor blade is formed an abrasive layer, and on the inner peripheral surface of the shroud is formed a heat insulating layer. The abrasive layer is formed of a matrix and many abrasive particles dispersed in the matrix. The abrasive particles include protruding particles protruding from the matrix and embedded particles embedded in the matrix. In initial sliding of the rotor blade and the shroud at the early stage of operation, the inner peripheral surface of the shroud is ground by the protruding particles. After the protruding particles have disappeared, the inner peripheral surface of the shroud is ground by the embedded particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Minoru Ohara, Masahiko Mega
  • Patent number: 6893208
    Abstract: A drainage system for gas turbine supporting cushions or bearings, in particular for the second supporting bearing, consisting of a central shaft (20), surrounded by a series of supporting studs (21), which result, in their turn, with connection to a container housing (22) for studs (21), a sleeve (23) for containing the second supporting bearing of the turbine and a series of pipes (24, 25), respectively for the entry and drainage of the lubrication and cooling oil; the system consists of, in addition, a series of lateral seals (26), provided in positions facing the second supporting bearing, which create a pressure difference which permits the oil to pass under pressure within the drainpipes (25) at a well sustained speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2005
    Assignee: Nuovo Pigone Holdings S.p.A.
    Inventors: Franco Frosini, Andrea Signori
  • Patent number: 6893225
    Abstract: An article made of a metallic material and comprising a body and a body end portion integral with the body, includes a band of the metallic material at the end portion substantially through the entire end portion, the band being under a compressive stress greater than the body. An example of the article is a turbine engine balding member in which the body is the airfoil of the member and the band is disposed at the radially outer tip portion of the airfoil. One method for providing the band includes performing roller deformation on the end portion until a desired amount of compressive stress is developed in the band substantially through the entire end portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David William Crall, Peter John Linko, III
  • Patent number: 6893209
    Abstract: A system for connecting a low-pressure jet to a transition duct in a gas turbine, in which the said low-pressure jets are arranged in sectors of two or three stator blades and are filled on to the ring of the jets. The platforms of the jets are provided with a channel inside which the transition duct is positioned by means of an edge. Furthermore, centering between the transition duct and the ring of the jets is achieved directly using centering means at three or more points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2005
    Assignee: Nuovo Pignone Holding S.p.A.
    Inventors: Franco Frosini, Luciano Mei
  • Patent number: 6893215
    Abstract: The division wall is made up of a plurality of division wall sections forming a passage wall of high temperature gas which are connected in the direction of arrangement of blades to form a wall surface having a roughly circular cross section as a whole, a gas flow restricting structure for preventing high temperature gas from passing through a gap formed at a connecting portion between the division wall sections in the flow direction of the high temperature gas from the opening on the upstream side of the high temperature gas in the gap, or a gas flow restricting structure for preventing the high temperature gas from being embraced in the gap, for example, a sealing member formed into a prism having a T-shape cross section as a whole composed of a plane portion as a sealing portion and a projected portion for filling the gap is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2005
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masamitsu Kuwabara, Yoshiyuki Morii, Yasuoki Tomita, Shunsuke Torii, Shigehiro Shiozaki, Kotaro Ohshima, Tatsuaki Fujikawa, Ryotaro Magoshi, Shinichi Inoue
  • Patent number: 6890147
    Abstract: An easy-fit heat screening device (110) for connecting a cooling pipe (112) and a through-hole (114) formed in a nozzle support ring (116) of a gas turbine, of the type comprising a tubular structure (118) which has an external diameter smaller than a diameter of the through-hole (114) and into which the cooling pipe (112) extends; this tubular structure (118) has at the top a shaped annular end (126) which is inserted inside a groove (130) formed in the through-hole (114).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: Nuovo Pignone Holding S.p.A.
    Inventor: Mario Pecchioli
  • Patent number: 6890146
    Abstract: A friction vacuum pump (1) has at least one turbomolecular pump stage (6, 7) with a molecular pump stage (12, 13, 15) that is subsequently connected on the pressure side (3), and with a transition stage (23) mounted between the turbomolecular pump stage and the molecular pump stage. In order to improve the transition from the turbomolecular zone to the molecular zone, the transition stage has a flow section that is continuously tapered in the tangential by limiting surfaces (27, 28).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: Leybold Vakuum GmbH
    Inventors: Roland Blumenthal, Stephan Hundertmark
  • Patent number: 6890150
    Abstract: A turbine bucket includes an airfoil having a tip shroud, a shank and an entry dovetail; a tip shroud seal projecting radially outwardly from the tip shroud and extending continuously between end edges of the tip shroud in a direction of rotation of the airfoil about a turbine axis; a cutter tooth carried by the tip shroud seal for enlarging a groove in an opposing fixed shroud, the cutter tooth having a center point located with reference to X, Y and Z axes, where the X-axis extends axially in an exhaust flow direction; the Y-axis extends in a direction of rotation of the turbine bucket; and the Z-axis extends radially through the intersection of the X and Y axes; wherein the center point is located about ½ inch along the Y-axis from the X=0 position, and wherein the Z-axis is located 0.517 inches from an outside edge of a seal pin extending along said entry dovetail, as measured in a direction normal to the shank of the bucket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Steven Eric Tomberg