Patents Examined by John S Hunter, Jr.
  • Closed loop fan inlet vane anti icing system
    Patent number: 11365647
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine de-icing system includes a heat exchanger. A coolant loop is in fluid communication with the heat exchanger and is configured to circulate a heat transfer fluid. An engine oil loop is in fluid communication with the heat exchanger and is configured to transfer heat to the heat transfer fluid. A gas turbine engine inlet structure has at least one fan inlet guide vane. A spray bar is disposed at least partially in at least one fan inlet guide vane. The spray bar is in fluid communication with the coolant loop. The spray bar is configured to spray the heat transfer fluid onto an inner surface of the at least one fan inlet guide vane to de-ice the fan inlet guide vane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ian T. Marchaj
  • Engine with cooling passage circuit extending through blade, seal, and ceramic vane
    Patent number: 11359503
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a rotor carrying a blade, a ceramic vane adjacent the blade, a seal carried on the rotor adjacent the tip of the ceramic vane, and a cooling passage circuit extending through the blade, the seal, and the ceramic vane. The cooling passage circuit is configured to provide cooling air into the blade, then from the blade into the seal, and then from the seal into the ceramic vane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: AYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Mark F. Zelesky
  • Air turbine starter with decoupler
    Patent number: 11352956
    Abstract: A method and decoupler for disengaging an output member from an engine in a back drive event with a backdrive decoupler. The backdrive decoupler includes a shaft and a retention mechanism selectively coupling the output member to the shaft. In a backdrive event, the decoupler decouples the member from a drive shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: GE Aviation Systems LLC
    Inventors: Eliel Fresco Rodriguez, David Allan Dranschak
  • Turbine engine including a heat exchanger formed in a platform
    Patent number: 11346247
    Abstract: A turbine engine of an aircraft includes: a primary air flow duct; a secondary air flow duct which is located around the primary duct, the secondary duct including a stator including a plurality of blades distributed around a main axis of the turbine engine and inter-blade platforms located between radially internal ends or between radially external ends of two adjacent blades, each platform including a wall partially delimiting the secondary duct; and a fluid circuit which includes a heat exchanger formed by at least one of the platforms. The platform includes a line that has an inlet port of the fluid and a fluid outlet port. The fluid circuit includes a distributor associated with each port of the at least one platform with the rest of the fluid circuit and of which each distributor is axially offset with respect to the platform along the main axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Cedric Zaccardi, Alexandre Bernard Marie Boisson, Christophe Marcel Lucien Perdrigeon, Catherine Pikovsky
  • Gas turbine engine with heat exchanger diagnostics
    Patent number: 11346288
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine has a compressor section and a turbine section. A secondary cooling air includes a first fluid connection to tap cooling air and pass the cooling air through a plurality of tubes, and a second fluid connection for returning air from the tubes back to at least one of the compressor and turbine for cooling. A sensor senses a condition of the cooling air downstream of the tubes and a control compares the sensed condition of the cooling air to an expected condition, and to identify a potential concern in the cooling air system should the sensed condition differ from the expected condition by more than a predetermined amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Frederick M. Schwarz, Nathan Snape
  • Part-span shroud configurations
    Patent number: 11339670
    Abstract: A blade airfoil including a platform, concave pressure sidewall and convex suction sidewall extending axially between corresponding leading and trailing edges and radially between a root and outboard tip. The blade further includes at least one part-span shroud positioned on the airfoil defined by a nominal profile in accordance with at least a portion of Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y and Z set forth in at least one of TABLE I and TABLE II. The Cartesian coordinate values are non-dimensional values of from 0% to 100% convertible to distances by multiplying values by a length of the at least one part-span shroud. X and Y values are connected by continuing arcs to define part-span shroud profile sections at each distance Z along at least a portion of the at least one part-span shroud, profile sections at Z distances being joined with one another to form the nominal profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Neil Devin Ristau, Michael Anthony Wondrasek
  • Blade retainer for gas turbine engine
    Patent number: 11339674
    Abstract: A blade retainer adapted for use in a gas turbine engine is configured to block axial movement of a blade. The blade retainer includes a first brace, a second brace, and a web that extends between the first brace and the second brace. The blade retainer is configured to block axial movement of a root of the blade out of a blade receiver slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Patrick Bailey
  • Power takeoff transmission
    Patent number: 11333076
    Abstract: A power takeoff and gearbox system of a multi-spool gas turbine engine includes a high rotor towershaft operably connected to and driven by a first spool of the gas turbine engine, a first gearbox operably connected to the high rotor towershaft, a low rotor towershaft operably connected to and driven by a second spool of the gas turbine engine, and a second gearbox operably connected to the low rotor towershaft. The high rotor towershaft is located at a first case of the gas turbine engine and the low rotor towershaft is located at a second case of the gas turbine engine axially forward of the first case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Gary D. Roberge
  • Gas turbine and spacer disk for gas turbine
    Patent number: 11326462
    Abstract: A gas turbine spacer disk includes a disk portion, a rim portion, a first fillet, and a second fillet. The disk portion is disposed about a rotational axis. The rim portion is disposed about the disk portion. An outer face of the rim portion defines a plurality grooves extending circumferentially about the rotational axis. The first fillet transitions from the rim portion to a first side of the disk portion. The second fillet transitions from the rim portion to a second side of the disk portion. The plurality of grooves includes a pair of first grooves having a first diameter and a pair of second grooves having a second diameter that is less than the first diameter. A first one of the first grooves overlaps in an axial direction with the first fillet. A second one of the first grooves overlaps in the axial direction with the second fillet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Mechanical Dynamics & Analysis LLC
    Inventor: Fred Thomas Willett, Jr.
  • Inlet bleed heat system for use in a turbine engine
    Patent number: 11319877
    Abstract: An inlet bleed heat (IBH) system for use in a turbine engine including a silencer assembly. The inlet bleed heat (IBH) system includes a feed pipe for delivering compressor discharge air. The feed pipe includes a plurality of orifices along at least a portion of a length of the feed pipe, and each orifice of the plurality of orifices extends through a wall of the feed pipe for allowing the compressor discharge air to exit the feed pipe. The system also includes a heat shielding component that extends across the feed pipe, wherein the heat shielding component is configured to reduce heat transfer between the feed pipe and the silencer assembly of the turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Valery Ivanovich Ponyavin, Bradly Aaron Kippel, Laxmikant Merchant, Hua Zhang, Naveen Parmeshwar
  • Method and apparatus for monitoring a wind turbine
    Patent number: 11313355
    Abstract: A method for monitoring a wind turbine comprises monitoring an acoustic signal and/or a vibrational signal within a tower of the wind turbine, analyzing the signal to identify one or more predetermined characteristic indicative of an event within the tower, recognizing the event has occurred based on the predetermined characteristic and generating an output based on the recognized event. The one or more predetermined characteristic being at least one of: an amplitude of the signal, a duration of the signal, a shape of the signal, one or more frequencies present in the signal and an energy of the signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Johnny Nielsen, Lars Glavind
  • Engine component with film hole
    Patent number: 11313235
    Abstract: An engine component for a gas turbine engine includes a film-cooled substrate having a hot surface facing hot combustion gas and a cooling surface facing a cooling fluid flow. The substrate includes one or more film holes that have a metering section defining a metering diameter and a diffusing section that defines a hooded length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Inventors: Ronald Scott Bunker, Frederick Alan Buck, Robert David Briggs, Gulcharan Singh Brainch, Kevin Robert Feldmann
  • Air density dependent turbine operation
    Patent number: 11300099
    Abstract: A wind turbine controller includes a thrust limiter for controlling the thrust of the blades of wind turbine using an estimate of the air density at the wind turbine. In one embodiment, the controller receives the blade flap load indicating the current load on one of the blades which varies linearly to the air density experienced by the wind turbine. In one embodiment, the controller determines the mean of a plurality of the blade flap load values measured during a predefined time period. Using a transfer function, the controller converts the mean of the blade flap loads to an estimate of the air density at the turbine. Generally, higher air density results in greater loads on the blades while lower air density results in lower loads on the blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Karthik Krishnan Jamuna, Pankaj Dodla
  • Damper groove with strain derivative amplifying pockets
    Patent number: 11274556
    Abstract: The stiffness of a rotor part is varied over its circumference to allow damper rings to effectively work in high speed applications. Circumferentially spaced-apart pockets may be defined in the rotor to create discontinuous strain to increase the force required to lock the damper ring in the groove above the centrifugal force of the ring when the rotor is rotating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Maksim Pankratov, Ignatius Theratil, Tony Chang, Nicola Houle, Vincent Savaria, Daniel Coutu
  • Gas turbine engine induction system, corresponding induction heater and method for inductively heating a component
    Patent number: 11268403
    Abstract: An induction heater is employed with a gas turbine engine in order to heat a static component of the gas turbine engine. The heating of the static component is performed prior to the ignition of the gas turbine engine and during transient conditions. This minimizes thermal differences between the components of the gas turbine engine during transient conditions to thereby increase the life span of the components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Siemens Energy Global GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Harry Chohan, Sébastien Bouffard, Alexandre Malo, Hayden Smith
  • Blisk bonded CMC airfoil having attachment
    Patent number: 11268389
    Abstract: A turbine blade is secured with a turbine disk by a retention assembly. The turbine blade includes a blade stem and the disk includes at least one mount post for mounting of the turbine blade. The retention assembly is secured with the disk by forming a diffusion joint with the disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc., Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Ted J. Freeman, Aaron D. Sippel, Bruce E. Varney
  • Hydraulically powered rotary actuator
    Patent number: 11268547
    Abstract: A hydraulically powered rotary actuator is described including: a hydraulic linear actuator which is moveable in both directions between a retracted position and an extended position; a clutch device which is operable between an engaged condition and a disengaged condition; and a rotary output member; wherein the linear actuator is coupled to the rotary output member by way of the clutch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Inventor: Marcelo Rademacher
  • Casing having a non-axisymmetric composite wall
    Patent number: 11242866
    Abstract: Walls of gas turbine engine casings, fan cases, and methods for forming walls, e.g., fan case walls, are provided. For example, a wall comprises a plurality of composite plies arranged in a ply layup. The wall is annular and circumferentially segmented into a plurality of regions that include at least one first region and at least one second region. The ply layup in the first and second regions is different such that the ply layup is non-axisymmetric. An exemplary fan case comprises an annular inner shell, a filler layer, an annular back sheet, and an annular outer layer. The back sheet is circumferentially segmented into a plurality of regions, including at least one first region and at least one second region, and comprises a plurality of composite plies arranged in a ply layup that is different in the first and second regions such that the ply layup is non-axisymmetric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Manoj Kumar Jain, Nagamohan Govinahalli Prabhakar, Scott Roger Finn
  • Radial shaft device for controlling the pitch of fan blades of a turbine engine having an un-ducted fan
    Patent number: 11225317
    Abstract: A device for controlling pitch of fan blades of a turbine engine including an un-ducted fan, the device including: at least one set of fan blades of adjustable pitch, the set being constrained to rotate with a rotary ring centered on a longitudinal axis and mechanically connected to a turbine rotor, each blade of the set being mounted on a blade root support that is pivotally mounted on the rotary ring; and at least one radial control shaft adjusting pitch of at least two adjacent blades of the set, the control shaft being constrained to rotate with the rotary ring and being configured to pivot about an axis of the shaft, being coupled to the blade root supports of the at least two blades of the set to adjust their pitch via a transmission system including eccentrics connected together by at least one connecting rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Tewfik Boudebiza, Olivier Belmonte, Gilles Alain Marie Charier, Emmanuel Pierre Dimitri Patsouris, Pierre-Alain Jean Philippe Reigner
  • Dimensioning of the skeleton angle of the trailing edge of the arms crossing the by-pass flow of a turbofan
    Patent number: 11221020
    Abstract: A part or an assembly of parts of a splitter stage of a turbofan, including a plurality of obstacles including at least one a blade and at least one arm, and a platform from which the obstacles extend, wherein the arm is defined by a skeleton angle having a trailing value on the trailing edge of between 3° and 15°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Ghislain Maxime Romuald Madiot, Jean Bertucchi, Damien Joseph Cellier, Irwin Pierre Robert Kernemp, Aurelien Mazzella