Patents Examined by Justin D Seabe
  • Patent number: 11976593
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine including a rotating shaft and a bearing assembly. The bearing assembly is configured to support the rotating shaft. The bearing assembly has a first bearing and a second bearing. The first bearing is configured to support an axial load of the rotating shaft when a forward thrust of the rotating shaft is greater than ten percent. The second bearing is configured to support the axial load of the rotating shaft when a thrust of the rotating shaft is between ten percent forward thrust and ten percent aft thrust, inclusive of the end points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Ravindra Shankar Ganiger, Kudum Shinde, Surender Reddy Bhavanam, Weize Kang
  • Patent number: 11976561
    Abstract: A gas (or steam) turbine is disclosed including: a rotor with at least one array of rotor blades, a stator with a casing and a shroud ring; the shroud ring extends around the array of blades rotor and the casing extends around the shroud ring. The shroud ring has radial size independent from temperature due to its material and is movably coupled with the casing so to allow the casing of the stator to thermally expand and contract during operation of the turbine while maintaining the shroud ring radial size. Also, the rotor thermally expands and contracts during operation of the turbine, and, at working temperature, tip regions of the rotor blades are in close proximity to an inner region of the shroud ring so that clearance is small or zero at working condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Nuovo Pignone Tecnologie—S.R.L.
    Inventors: Antonio Asti, Leonardo Tognarelli, Simone Marchetti, David Gentile, Enrico Federighi
  • Patent number: 11976625
    Abstract: Components are fastened with inserts that are placed into a hole in the component and bonded with an adhesive. A decoupling element is provided on the front face of the insert. This diverts the forces around the highly stressed front face of the inserts. The insert may be of a material with a lower stiffness compared with the adhesive. This arrangement may reduce stress peaks and increase the load capacity of the connection. A tool may be provided that reduces air inclusion between the insert and the component during fitting. The connection arrangement can be used when components of different stiffnesses have to be securely connected to one another. This applies to, among other things, fastening of fibre composite components or mineral components to metal components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: ADC CONNECTION SOLUTIONS GMBH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Heydlauff, Jan Lehmann
  • Patent number: 11976632
    Abstract: A mass damper module (600) for a wind turbine installation comprises: an attachment interface (603a-d) adapted to removably attach the mass damper module to structural lifting parts (303a-d) of a nacelle (300) of the wind turbine installation; and an active tuned mass damper (601) controllable to damp vibration of the wind turbine installation when the mass damper module is so attached to the nacelle and the nacelle is attached to a tower (200) to form the wind turbine installation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventor: Anders Olsen
  • Patent number: 11976564
    Abstract: A rotor assembly includes a first component, a second component, and a splined balance weight. The first component is arranged circumferentially around a central axis. The second component is arranged circumferentially around the central axis. The splined balance weight is located radially between the first component and the second component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Thurston, Jonathan Acker, Eric Engebretsen, Aaron Weishaar
  • Patent number: 11976636
    Abstract: A method of activating an ice removal system of a wind turbine comprises: monitoring the output power of the wind turbine; monitoring an output from an ice sensor provided on the wind turbine indicative of an atmospheric icing condition; and activating the ice-removal system when the output power is below an expected output power and the output from the ice sensor indicates that an atmospheric icing condition has ended.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Karl Gregory, Keld Rasmussen
  • Patent number: 11976591
    Abstract: An air inlet manifold and a gas turbine including the same, capable of preventing transmission of vibration from the gas turbine to the air inlet manifold, while at the same time preventing air leakage, and the air inlet manifold is installed to be spaced apart from the compressor and relatively movable, as the anti-vibration pad in a compressed state is interposed between the air inlet manifold and the compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: DOOSAN ENERBILITY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Young Do Lee
  • Patent number: 11970984
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a propulsor section including a propulsor, a compressor section including a first compressor and a second compressor, a geared architecture, a turbine section including a first turbine and a drive turbine, and a power density of greater than or equal to 4.75 and less than or equal to 5.5 lbf/in3, wherein the power density is a ratio of a thrust provided by the engine to a volume of the turbine section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Frederick M. Schwarz, Daniel Bernard Kupratis
  • Patent number: 11970972
    Abstract: A scupper suitable for a bearing compartment of a gas turbine engine includes a windage blocker in a gutter section upstream of a drain hole, the windage blocker extends from a wall of the gutter section. A method for capturing wept oil in a bearing compartment of a gas turbine engine includes positioning a windage blocker adjacent to a drain hole forming a passage space and increasing a pressure upstream of the windage blocker to generate a vortex downstream of the windage blocker creating an oil re-circulation zone promoting oil drainage into the drain hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: RTX Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew V. Schwendenmann, Todd A. Davis, Ryan Lureau, Reade W. James
  • Patent number: 11971085
    Abstract: A gearbox assembly includes a plurality of planet gears. At least one planet gear of the plurality of planet gears includes a layshaft that supports a first stage planet gear and a second stage planet gear. The at least one planet gear is characterized by a Radial Stage Distance greater than or equal to 30 millimeters and less than or equal to 100 millimeters. The Radial Stage Distance is Rrm1?Rrt2. Rrm1 is a first stage rim inner radius of the first stage planet gear and Rrt2 is a second stage root radius of the second stage planet gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignees: GE AVIO S.R.L., GE AVIATION CZECH S.R.O.
    Inventors: Paolo Mastellone, Leonardo Coviello, Juraj Hrubec
  • Patent number: 11970283
    Abstract: A dual-motor system includes a first motor rotationally coupled to a first drive shaft. The first drive shaft is coupled to a common shaft couplable to a rotationally driveable member. The dual-motor system also includes a second motor rotationally coupled to a second drive shaft. The second drive shaft is coupled to the common shaft. The first motor and the second motor are coaxially aligned with the first drive shaft passing through the second drive shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: Kirk L. Groninga, Daniel B. Robertson
  • Patent number: 11971048
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an impeller comprising: a shroud having a plurality of spiral upper slot units formed therein; a hub located to face the shroud; and a plurality of blades connected to the hub and inserted into the upper slot units to be coupled to the shroud, wherein the blade includes a body portion formed to be inclined to one side and an upper end portion, which is bent upward from the body portion and has a second concave surface formed in one side and a second convex surface formed on the other side thereof, and the upper slot unit includes an upper slot bottom for forming a space in which the upper end portion is inserted; an upper slot wall divided into a first upper slot wall located at the second concave surface side and a second upper slot wall located at the second convex surface side; and a second inclined surface formed to be inclined from the first upper slot wall so as to face the second concave surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Hakkyu Choi, Seungjo Baek, Jeongho Lee
  • Patent number: 11970981
    Abstract: A planetary gear box (and method of assembly), where the gear box includes a sun gear, a plurality of planet gears, a ring gear, a plurality of planet pins, an axially forward carrier plate and an axially rearward carrier plate. Each planet pin is fixed respectively at its axially forward end on the axially forward carrier plate and at its axially rearward end on the axially rearward carrier plate of the planetary gear box. The planet pin is of two-part design and forms a radially outer pin part and a radially inner pin part, which are connected to one another in a manner precluding relative rotation therebetween, wherein the radially outer pin part forms a bearing with the planet gear, and only the radially inner pin part is fixed at its axial ends to the forward and rearward carrier plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE DEUTSCHLAND LTD & CO. KG
    Inventors: Paul Gorenz, Hannes Wuestenberg, Jan Schwarze
  • Patent number: 11971051
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine according to an example of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a propulsor section including a propulsor that delivers flow to a core flowpath and a compressor section including first and second compressors. The core flowpath passes through the first compressor. The core flowpath in the first compressor has an outer diameter relative to the engine longitudinal axis. The outer diameter has a slope angle relative to the axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Lisa I. Brilliant, Becky E. Rose, Yuan Dong, Stanley J. Balamucki
  • Patent number: 11965480
    Abstract: An acoustic monitoring system and method for the health status of an offshore wind turbine and an ocean wave are provided. The acoustic monitoring system includes a first laser transmitter, a second laser transmitter, a telephoto camera provided at a hub, a vibration detection sensor provided on a tower of a wind turbine, and four acoustic detection sensors arranged at an interval of 90° along the circumference of the tower. The first and second laser transmitters are arranged at the bottom of a nacelle of the wind turbine and emit laser lights vertically downward. The first laser transmitter, the second laser transmitter, the telephoto camera, the vibration detection sensor, and the acoustic detection sensors are connected to a data acquisition and conversion module through a transmission module. The acoustic monitoring system combines laser light detection with acoustic signal feature detection to improve stability and safety of the offshore wind turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: OCEAN UNIVERSITY OF CHINA
    Inventors: Sidney Yu Xue, Yuanzhen Cui, Yang Zhang
  • Patent number: 11965516
    Abstract: A compressor system includes a compressor housing including an inlet opening and a diffuser outlet, the compressor housing includes a first recirculation passage extending from the diffuser outlet to a mounting face of the compressor housing. The compressor housing defines a cavity that receives a compressor wheel. An inlet adapter is mounted to the mounting face of the compressor housing and the inlet adapter includes a second recirculation passage in communication with the first recirculation passage in the compressor housing and with a compressor air inlet passage of the inlet adapter. A recirculation valve is mounted to the inlet adapter and is disposed in communication with the second recirculation passage for providing a selective connection of the first recirculation passage to the compressor air inlet passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventor: Jordan Bucklew Schwarz
  • Patent number: 11965523
    Abstract: A fan apparatus has a housing with an enlarged portion defining at least one air intake and an outlet portion defining an outlet port. The outlet port has a greater width and a lesser height. A blower wheel having a plurality of fan blades is supported in the enlarged portion of the housing for rotation about an axis. A driver is connected to the blower wheel to cause rotation of the blower wheel. A flow straightener assembly is located in the outlet portion of the housing. The flow straightener assembly has first and second fins spaced apart from one another and oriented substantially orthogonal to the axis of the blower wheel. Third and fourth fins are located outside of a respective one of the first and second fins, the third and fourth fins being oriented substantially parallel to the axis of the blower wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Patterson Fan Company
    Inventors: Douglas R. Greulich, Warren R. Garrison, Eric A. Trofatter
  • Patent number: 11959399
    Abstract: Blade root receptacle for receiving a blade root of a rotor blade of a turbomachine. The blade root receptacle, for radially bearing in a form-fitting manner on the blade root, has a supporting flank which, in terms of a rotation axis, at least in proportions faces radially inward, wherein the supporting flank is provided with a convexity which, when viewed in an axially perpendicular section, at least in portions has a convex shape and, also when viewed in an axially parallel section, at least in portions has a convex shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: MTU AERO ENGINES AG
    Inventors: Kilian Bayer, David Koch, Susanne Poesl, Markus Zeis, Andreas Hieber, Jens Truebenbach, Dieter Freno, Hermann Nachtigall, Miriam Rimke
  • Patent number: 11959392
    Abstract: A rotor blade is a rotor blade to be attached to a rotor shaft rotatable about an axis, and includes a blade body extending in a radial direction with respect to the axis and having a blade-shaped cross-section orthogonal to the radial direction; a fillet portion provided on a radial outer side of the blade body and having a hollow portion formed therein; a shroud provided on a radial outer side of the fillet portion and extending in a circumferential direction; and a seal fin projecting from the shroud to an outer circumferential side and extending in a direction intersecting the blade body when viewed from the radial direction. A wall thickness on a suction side of the fillet portion is greater than a wall thickness on a pressure side of the fillet portion on a leading edge side of the blade body as demarcated by an intersection portion between the blade body and the seal fin serving as a boundary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Tomohiro Ishida, Toshifumi Kanno, Hikaru Kurosaki
  • Patent number: 11952900
    Abstract: A variable guide vane assembly is provided for a turbine defining a core air flowpath. The variable guide vane assembly includes an airfoil band defining a flowpath surface and a cavity. The variable guide vane assembly further includes an airfoil including a first end extending at least partially into the cavity of the airfoil band and an opposite second end, the airfoil extending generally along an axis between the first end and the second end and being moveable generally about the axis relative to the airfoil band. The variable guide vane assembly further includes a sealing element operable to form a seal between the first end of the airfoil and the airfoil band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Alexander Martin Sener, Brian David Keith, David Alan Frey, Jamil Darnell Grant