Patents Examined by Rene Ford
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Patent number: 10267229Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes an inner annular combustor radially inboard of an outer annular combustor. An outer variable turbine vane array is downstream of the outer annular combustor and an inner variable turbine vane array downstream of the inner annular combustor.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2014Date of Patent: April 23, 2019Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Daniel B. Kupratis, Howard K. Gregory
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Patent number: 10247105Abstract: An air turbine starter includes a transfer tube having a lubrication inlet and a lubrication outlet configured to allow fluid to flow therethrough. A valve is positioned within the transfer tube including a spring. The spring is configured to selectively allow fluid flow within the transfer tube based on fluid pressure differential across the valve. The spring can have three positions: a first position configured to prevent flow within the transfer tube, an intermediate position configured to allow free flow of fluid within the transfer tube, and a compressed positioned to prevent flow to the lubrication outlet.Type: GrantFiled: January 8, 2016Date of Patent: April 2, 2019Assignee: Hamilton Sundstand CorporationInventors: Matthew A. Slayter, Jeff A. Brown, Benjamin T. Harder
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Patent number: 10240561Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes an aerodynamic track fairing adjacent to a convergent-divergent nozzle, the aerodynamic track fairing including a localized curvature along an outside edge. The aerodynamic track fairing is configured to offset a circumferential pressure gradient otherwise introduced in part by a transition between the convergent-divergent nozzle with the aerodynamic track fairing.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2014Date of Patent: March 26, 2019Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventor: Mark Zsurka
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Patent number: 10233867Abstract: The system (10) provides a modulator ring (54) secured adjacent an exhaust end (56) of an inner wall of a by-pass fan air duct (40) and secured adjacent a convergent nozzle section (38) of the engine wherein flow of by-pass fan air (42) and core engine air (18) converge within an exhaust nozzle (34), The modulator ring (54) may be actuated to extend beyond the exhaust end (56) of the duct (40) to decrease air passage (62) forcing more air into the core engine (14) for greater thrust from the core engine (14) with minimal loss of thrust from the by-pass fan air (42). The modulator ring (54) stay alternatively rotate to uncover trailing-edge slots in the exhaust end (56) of the duct to also modulate flow rates of by-pass fan air (42) into the convergent nozzle section (38).Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2014Date of Patent: March 19, 2019Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventor: Jeffrey A. Lovett
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Patent number: 10215414Abstract: A gas turbine system include a first body including a central passage extending from a mixing region to a central outlet at a first downstream end portion of the first body, a fuel outlet in the mixing region, an oxidant outlet in the mixing region, and an outer passage including a first passage extending in a downstream direction toward the first downstream end portion and a second passage extending in an upstream direction from the first downstream end portion into the mixing region.Type: GrantFiled: April 22, 2015Date of Patent: February 26, 2019Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Jeffrey Michael Martini, Gregory Allen Boardman, Bassam Sabry Mohammad Abd El-Nabi, Gerardo Antonio Salazar-Lois
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Patent number: 10190775Abstract: A combustor is equipped with a burner case, and a base plate spreading from a downstream end of the burner case in a radial direction. The base plate defines a purging air space at an upstream side of the base plate. The combustor includes a purging air flow passage configured to inject purging air in the purging air space to a downstream side relative to the base plate. An outflow opening of the purging air flow passage is defined within at least one of a radial range from an inner circumferential surface of the burner case and an axial range from the downstream end of the burner case.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 2015Date of Patent: January 29, 2019Assignee: MITSUBISHI HITACHI POWER SYSTEMS, LTD.Inventors: Kotaro Miyauchi, Koichi Nishida, Shinji Akamatsu, Keijiro Saito, Satoshi Takiguchi, Toshihiko Saito
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Patent number: 10180256Abstract: A combustion chamber for a turbine engine, including an annular end wall provided with injection systems each centered on a respective axis and each having an upstream end forming a bushing for receiving a head of a fuel injector, and an annular shroud covering the end wall and including injector ports respectively arranged facing the injection systems, wherein the annular shroud includes air intake ports separate from the injector ports, and the bushing of each injection system crosses the corresponding injector port and includes at its upstream end a collar having a free end remote from the axis of the injection system by a first distance greater than a second distance separating a rim of the injector port from the axis.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2014Date of Patent: January 15, 2019Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINESInventors: Matthieu Francois Rullaud, Romain Nicolas Lunel, Thomas Olivier Marie Noel
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Patent number: 10168051Abstract: A combustor assembly for a gas turbine engine is provided. The combustor assembly generally includes an annular dome and a liner. The liner at least partially defines a combustion chamber and includes the forward end received within a slot defined by the annular dome. A mounting assembly attaches the forward end of the liner to the annular dome. The mounting assembly includes a pin extending through the slot and the forward end of the annular dome. The mounting assembly also includes a grommet positioned in an opening in the forward end of the liner. The grommet is also positioned around the pin to protect the liner during operation of the gas turbine engine.Type: GrantFiled: September 2, 2015Date of Patent: January 1, 2019Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Nicholas John Bloom, Michael Alan Stieg, Brian Christopher Towle
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Patent number: 10167814Abstract: A turbine engine nozzle having confluent streams, the nozzle including a core cowl arranged around an annular central body and co-operating therewith to define a core annular channel for passing a flow of a core stream, the core stream on entry into the nozzle possessing an azimuth component driving residual gyratory movement of the core stream in two opposite gyratory flow directions corresponding to two operating speeds of the engine, the core cowl having an annular upstream portion that is extended downstream by an annular terminal portion having longitudinal cuts forming a plurality of flaps that overlap radially in pairs via their respective side edges in such a manner that, for each flap, one of the two side edges of the flap is positioned internally relative to the corresponding side edge of one of the adjacent flaps, while the other side edge of the flap is positioned externally relative to the corresponding side edge of the other adjacent flap.Type: GrantFiled: September 16, 2014Date of Patent: January 1, 2019Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINESInventors: Romain Ferrier, Alexandre Couilleaux, Jackie Raymond Julien Prouteau, Nicolas Sirvin
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Patent number: 10161316Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure are directed to an engine of an aircraft. The engine may include a first fan configured to output a first air flow, a second fan configured to receive a first portion of the first air flow and output a second air flow, a core configured to receive a first portion of the second air flow and generate a first stream, and at least one valve configured to assume one of at least three states in association with a generation of a second stream and a third stream based on at least one of the first air flow and the second air flow.Type: GrantFiled: April 13, 2015Date of Patent: December 25, 2018Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Daniel B. Kupratis, Christopher J. Hanlon, Walter A. Ledwith, Jr.
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Patent number: 10145303Abstract: The present invention discloses a novel apparatus and methods for augmenting the power of a gas turbine engine, improving gas turbine engine operation, and reducing the response time necessary to meet changing demands of a power plant. Improvements in power augmentation and engine operation include additional heated compressed air injection, steam injection, water recovery, exhaust tempering, fuel heating, and stored heated air injection.Type: GrantFiled: August 18, 2014Date of Patent: December 4, 2018Assignee: POWERPHASE LLCInventor: Robert J. Kraft
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Patent number: 10145335Abstract: An example thrust reverser of a gas turbine engine is configured to connect to an aircraft wing via a pylon via one or more thrust reverser mounts located adjacent to a top circumferential apex of the engine according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a first cowl moveable between a stowed position and a deployed position relative to a second cowl. The first cowl in the deployed position configured to permit thrust to be redirected from an engine to slow the engine. The first cowl forming a portion of a substantially annular encasement of the engine. The first cowl directly interfaces with second cowl of the encasement at a cowl interface position that is more than 18 degrees circumferentially offset from the top circumferential apex when the first cowl is in the stowed position.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2012Date of Patent: December 4, 2018Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Robert L. Gukeisen, Claude Mercier, Robert E. Malecki
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Patent number: 10125634Abstract: A combustor assembly alignment system comprises an alignment plate comprising a plurality of alignment plate holes that align with a plurality of combustor assembly flange holes, an alignment plate securement system configured to secure the alignment plate to a combustor assembly flange by passing through a first alignment plate hole of the alignment plate and a first combustor assembly flange hole of the combustor assembly flange, and an alignment tube that extends away from the alignment plate, wherein a hollow interior of the alignment tube aligns with a second combustor assembly flange hole when the alignment plate is secured to the combustor assembly flange.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2015Date of Patent: November 13, 2018Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Thomas Michael Merlau, Stuart Craig Hanson, Sandra Beverly Kolvick, Thomas Alan Mogle, II, Loy Milton Miller, Jr.
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Patent number: 10119477Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes low and high spools constructed and arranged to rotate about an engine axis. The low spool drives at least one leading stage of a fan section and the high spool drives an aft stage of the fan section. The aft stage may generally include a bypass duct for controllably flowing a bypass stream directly from the leading stage and controllably and/or selectively into an auxiliary flowpath and/or into a second flowpath both located radially outward from a core flowpath.Type: GrantFiled: January 20, 2015Date of Patent: November 6, 2018Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Christopher J. Hanlon, Daniel B. Kupratis, Walter A. Ledwith
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Patent number: 10094333Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a fan duct, an inner fixed structure, and a thrust reverser assembly. The inner fixed structure forms an inner diameter of the fan duct and encloses a core compartment. The thrust reverser assembly includes a linkage assembly mounted to the inner fixed structure within the fan duct. The linkage assembly is adapted to act as a ventilation system that allows for communication between the fan duct and the core compartment.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2014Date of Patent: October 9, 2018Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Federico Papa, Pilar Del Carmen Vivar
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Patent number: 10094282Abstract: A spinner for a fan assembly of a gas turbine engine, a method of fabricating a spinner for a fan assembly of a gas turbine engine, and a gas turbine engine are disclosed. The fan section may include a nosecap. The spinner may include a forward end, an aft end, and a return flange associated with the forward end. The return flange may include a forward flange extending forward towards the nosecap and an aft flange extending aft towards the aft end.Type: GrantFiled: April 22, 2015Date of Patent: October 9, 2018Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Colin J. Kling, Darin S. Lussier
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Patent number: 10094564Abstract: A combustor for a gas turbine engine including a combustor shell, a heat shield mounted to the combustor shell spaced-apart from the combustor shell to define an air gap therebetween, a core dilution passageway extending through the combustor shell and the heat shield, and a sub-chamber disposed within the air gap in fluid communication with the core dilution passageway. The sub-chamber is separated from a remainder of the air gap by at least one intermediate rail projecting across the air gap and forming an outer boundary of a peripheral area of the core dilution passageway. Impingement holes are formed through the combustor shell and in fluid communication with the sub-chamber. A method of cooling an area surrounding a dilution hole in a combustor is also presented.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2015Date of Patent: October 9, 2018Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.Inventor: Larry Lebel
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Patent number: 10077741Abstract: An example turbomachine assembly includes a plurality of fuel spraybars spaced about a turbine exhaust inner case of the turbomachine. At least one fuel injector assembly is associated with each of the fuel spraybars. The at least one fuel injector assembly may include a fuel nozzle having a fuel delivery conduit. The at least one fuel injector assembly includes a seal member that is biased away from the fuel nozzle in a direction. The fuel nozzle is configured to limit movement of the seal member in the direction.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2012Date of Patent: September 18, 2018Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventor: William J. Cuva
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Patent number: 10072845Abstract: An aft heat shield for a fuel nozzle tip includes: an annular shield wall; an annular shield flange extending radially outward from an aft end of the shield wall; an annular baffle flange surrounding the conical section, and disposed such that an axial gap is defined between the shield flange and the baffle flange, the baffle flange including a radially outer rim extending axially forward therefrom; and a plurality of impingement cooling holes passing through the baffle flange and oriented to as to direct air flow towards the shield wall.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2013Date of Patent: September 11, 2018Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Joshua Tyler Mook, Michael Anthony Benjamin, David Richard Barnhart, Sean James Henderson, Ramon Martinez, Neerav Atul Patel, Mark Richard Shaw
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Patent number: 10060389Abstract: A nozzle effective exit area control system is created with a convergent-divergent nozzle with a divergent portion of the nozzle having a wall at a predetermined angle of at least 12° from the freestream direction. Disturbance generators are located substantially symmetrically oppositely on the wall to induce flow separation from the wall with the predetermined wall angle inducing flow separation to extend upstream from each disturbance generator substantially to a throat of the nozzle pressurizing the wall and reducing the effective area of the jet flow at the nozzle exit.Type: GrantFiled: August 3, 2015Date of Patent: August 28, 2018Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Chad M. Winkler, Andrew J. Dorgan, Eric L. Werner