Patents Examined by Jeffrey A Brownson
  • Patent number: 9759192
    Abstract: A system and method for braking a wind turbine includes monitoring rotation of the wind turbine generator rotor. A braking torque is applied to reduce the rotational speed of the rotor at a first setpoint rotational speed. The braking torque is proportionally increased as the rotational speed of the rotor increases beyond the first detected setpoint rotational speed up to a maximum braking torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thomas Franklin Perley, Brandon Shane Gerber, Aaron Yarbrough
  • Patent number: 9638062
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a bearing. A bearing support includes a first wall that extends between the first and second ends and is operatively supported by the bearing at a first end. An engine case is secured to the second end radially outward of the first end. A flexible support is provided by a second wall integral with and extending transversely from the first wall. The second wall has a first flange and a gear train component is secured to the first flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Todd A. Davis
  • Patent number: 9610644
    Abstract: A turbine component is formed of at least a plurality of adjacent turbine subcomponents. Each turbine component has a mate face secured to the mate face of an opposed turbine subcomponent. A wedge member is positioned between the mate faces of the turbine subcomponents, and a braze material between outer faces of the wedge and the mate faces of each of the turbine subcomponents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Andy Turko, Tracy A. Propheter-Hinckley
  • Patent number: 9506369
    Abstract: An arrangement for heating and cooling a turbine casing of a gas turbine engine, the arrangement comprising an inboard duct, adjacent to an inboard surface of the turbine casing, an outboard facing wall of the inboard duct having a plurality of impingement holes opening towards the inboard surface of the casing, through which temperature control fluid can pass from within the inboard duct to impinge upon the inboard surface of the turbine casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: John H. Boswell, Ian Tibbott
  • Patent number: 9441615
    Abstract: A fluid power-generating system operatively disposed between a first support and a second support, the system characterized by an absence of a centrally disposed rotor member, and including a machine capable of acting as a motor and as a generator, the machine coupled to the first support; a flexible wing(s) having an arcuate shape, a distal end coupled to the machine and a proximal end coupled to the second support, for catching and passing a flowing fluid; a tensioned balancing system coupled to the supports for stabilizing operation of the power-generating system; and a rigid strut(s) disposed between each flexible wing and the balancing system for supporting each flexible wing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: BitFury Group
    Inventor: Valerii Nebesnyi
  • Patent number: 9416665
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine component includes a wall having first and second wall surfaces, a cooling hole extending through the wall and a convexity. The cooling hole includes an inlet located at the first wall surface, an outlet located at the second wall surface, a metering section extending downstream from the inlet and a diffusing section extending from the metering section to the outlet. The diffusing section includes a first lobe diverging longitudinally and laterally from the metering section and a second lobe adjacent the first lobe and diverging longitudinally and laterally from the metering section. The convexity is located near the outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: JinQuan Xu, Glenn Levasseur
  • Patent number: 9404172
    Abstract: A coating is described for an airfoil blade component. The coating comprises a cermet material and has, when applied to the rotor blade, a compressive residual stress greater than about 60 ksi. In another embodiment, the compressive residual stress of the coating is in the range of approximately 90-110 ksi.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Patrick Louis Clavette, Jun Shi, Aaron T. Nardi
  • Patent number: 9388708
    Abstract: A turbocharger (1) with variable turbine geometry (VTG), having a blade bearing ring (6), which has a multiplicity of guide blades (7), and which has a stop (25) at least for adjusting the minimum throughflow through the nozzle cross sections formed by the guide blades (7), wherein the stop (25) has a fixing peg (32) on which a deformable, arched adjusting section (26) is arranged. Since the stop is formed as a deformable component which can be fixed in the guide grate, it is possible after the assembly of the guide grate to rework said stop in a simple manner in order to precisely set the required stop position, since said stop is not integrally connected to the guide grate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventors: Leif Heidingsfelder, Thomas Ramb
  • Patent number: 9371777
    Abstract: Solutions for efficiently filtering air for a machine are disclosed. In one embodiment, a filter element for a filter assembly of a rotary machine is provided. The filter element includes: a first set of pleats, each pleat including a first tip radius and a first spacing; and a second set of pleats, each pleat including a second tip radius and a second spacing, wherein the first and second set of pleats are positioned upon a continuous filter media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: BHA Altair, LLC
    Inventors: Paul Sherwood Bryant, Hongyi Zhou
  • Patent number: 9341192
    Abstract: A fan assembly for a computing device is disclosed. The fan assembly can include an impeller having a number of blades and a motor for turning the blades. The motor can turn the blades via a magnetic interaction between the impeller and the motor. A fluid dynamic thrust bearing can be used to control a position of the impeller relative to the motor. In particular, the impeller can be configured to rotate around an axis and the thrust bearing can be used to control movement of the impeller in a direction aligned with the rotational axis. In one embodiment, the thrust bearing can be configured to stabilize the impeller when vibratory forces act upon the fan assembly. More particularly, parameters associated with the thrust bearing can be selected to counteract vibratory forces emitted by a speaker system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony Joseph Aiello, Jesse T. Dybenko, Brett W. Degner
  • Patent number: 9334755
    Abstract: An airfoil component for a gas turbine engine includes an airfoil extending from a platform. At least one of the airfoil and the platform includes a cooling passage defined by a surface. A chevron-shaped trip strip extends from the surface into the cooling passage at a trip strip height along a length. The trip strip height varies along the length. A turbine vane for a gas turbine engine includes inner and outer platforms. A cooling passage is provided in the inner platform. The cooling passage is provided by first and second radially extending legs spaced circumferentially apart from one another and joined to one another by a circumferential passage. A pair of airfoils extend radially from the same inner platform. A trip strip extends from the surface into the circumferential passage at a trip strip height along a length. The trip strip height varying along the length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sarah Riley, Mark A. Boeke, Jeffrey J. DeGray, Shawn J. Gregg
  • Patent number: 9322391
    Abstract: A housing for a wind turbine includes a plurality of spine members with a central rib and opposed channels. Frame members are attached to adjacent spine members. The housing includes divergent frame members having a pair of longitudinal members which are inserted into channels of a spine member. The housing includes central support members, each central support member is attached to a divergent frame member. Each of the central support members is attached near the center of one of the divergent frame members. The housing also includes outer plates, each outer plate attached to and between adjacent spine members. Channels face in the opposite direction from adjacent channels on the spines. An inner shroud is attached to the spine members. Air passages are created underneath the arcuate outer plates. A cowling is attached to the end plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: SKYWOLF WIND TURBINE CORP.
    Inventor: Gerald E. Brock
  • Patent number: 9302765
    Abstract: A bladed rotor comprises a rotor body 2 carrying blades 6, whose pitch can be varied by means of a pitch input shaft 10. The pitch input shaft 10 drives the respective blade 6 about a spanwise axis X of the blade through a harmonic drive reduction gear 14. The harmonic drive reduction gear 14 comprises a wave generator 16 which is fixed for rotation on the pitch input shaft 10 and a flex spline which meshes with a circular spline 20 and is secured to the blade 6.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Stewart T. Thornton, Paul Simms, Colin W R McFarlane
  • Patent number: 9297272
    Abstract: A fan rotor includes a rotor body with at least one slot receiving a fan blade. The fan blade has an outer surface, at least at some areas, formed of a first material and an airfoil extending from a dovetail. The dovetail is received in the slot. A spacer is positioned radially inwardly of the dovetail biasing the fan blade against the slot. The spacer includes a grounding element, which is in contact with a portion of the dovetail formed of a second material that is more electrically conductive than the first material. The grounding element is in contact with a rotating element that rotates with the rotor. The rotating element is formed of a third material. The first material is less electrically conductive than the third material. The grounding and rotating elements form a ground path from the portion of the dovetail into the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Lee Drozdenko, Allan R. Penda
  • Patent number: 9260784
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a component, in particular a blade for a gas turbine, wherein a main body (2) is provided, to which a running-in layer (6) is applied, which can be worn away at least partially during operation to form an accurately fitting surface (11), wherein the running-in layer is applied by kinetic cold-gas compacting, and a component, in particular a blade for a gas turbine, comprising a main body, to which a running-in layer is applied, which can be worn away at least partially during operation to form an accurately fitting surface, wherein the running-in layer is a porous layer made of a Ti alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: MTU Aero Engines GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Jakimov, Stefan Schneiderbanger, Manuel Hertter
  • Patent number: 9255566
    Abstract: A sectional blade for a wind turbine, the blade extending lengthwise between a tip and a root where the blade is attachable to a hub of a wind turbine, crosswise between a leading edge and a trailing edge, and thickness wise between a windward and a leeward outer surface. The sectional blade comprises a first blade portion and a second blade portion. The blade portions are formed as separate components and arranged to extend lengthwise in opposite directions from a junction where the blade portions join. The blade forms, in a cross section perpendicular to the lengthwise direction and through the junction, a maximum thickness location between the leading and trailing edges, the maximum thickness location being where the distance between the windward and leeward outer surfaces is larger than at any other location in this cross section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventor: Paul Hibbard
  • Patent number: 9255488
    Abstract: A sealing arrangement for sealing a gap (22) between two adjacent, thermally loaded components (14, 14?) of a thermal machine, especially a turbomachine or gas turbine, includes a seal (25) which is supported in a recess (23) which extends transversely to the gap (22) and traverses said gap (22). An efficient and simple improvement of the sealing arrangement is made by the seal (25) being formed at least partially of a shape memory alloy in such a way that, when a pre-specified temperature limit is exceeded, the seal changes its sealing behavior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: ALSTOM TECHNOLOGY LTD.
    Inventors: Jaroslaw Leszek Szwedowicz, Stefan Irmisch, Alexey Mozharov
  • Patent number: 9249670
    Abstract: A component includes a substrate having an outer surface, an inner surface and a tip. The inner surface defines at least one hollow, interior space. The outer surface defines one or more grooves, where each groove extends at least partially along the outer surface of the substrate and has a base. The component further includes a coating disposed over at least a portion of the outer surface of the substrate. The coating includes at least a structural coating that extends over the groove(s), such that the groove(s) and the structural coating together define one or more channels for cooling the component. The tip comprises a tip cap enclosing the hollow, interior space(s), and a tip rim disposed at a radially outer end of the substrate. The tip rim at least partially defines at least one discharge channel in fluid communication with at least one cooling channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Ronald Scott Bunker
  • Patent number: 9239040
    Abstract: An assembly configuration between a wind turbine rotor blade and a rotor hub includes a rotor hub having one or more pitch bearings, with each pitch bearing having an outer diameter race and an inner diameter race. Rotor blades are affixed to the respective pitch bearing rings, with the rotor blades having a root end with an outer diameter. An adaptor is configured between the root end and the pitch bearing, with the adaptor affixed to the inner diameter race and the root end affixed to the adaptor. The adaptor defines a mounting surface for the root end radially inward of the pitch bearing such that the root end outer diameter is less than the diameter of the inner diameter race.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Jay F. Leonard
  • Patent number: 9217436
    Abstract: An impeller fan assembly that includes a housing, a stator, a rotor having a hub and an annular array of non-stationary blades extending from the hub, at least two spaced apart bearings mounted to the stator, and a pump in fluid communication with the bearings to provide fluid to the bearings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: GE AVIATION SYSTEMS LLC
    Inventors: Sukeyuki Kobayashi, Frank Leslie Sincox, III, Richard George Hext, III