Patents Examined by Woody A Lee, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11879442
    Abstract: Provided is a seal arranged about a tower aperture of a wind turbine nacelle, which seal includes an annular channel shaped to contain a liquid, and an annular lip extending downwards into the annular channel, which annular channel and annular lip are mounted at opposite sides of a gap between the nacelle and a wind turbine tower; and further including a volume of liquid in the annular channel, which liquid volume is sufficient to immerse the annular lip about its lower circumference to prevent a passage of air between nacelle interior and nacelle exterior. A seal maintenance arrangement including such a seal and a device for replenishing the liquid in the annular channel is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Inventor: Jorge Cortaire Apesteguia
  • Patent number: 11879468
    Abstract: A control method for a centrifugal compressor and an air conditioning system. The control method for the centrifugal compressor includes: S100, when an inlet opening of the centrifugal compressor is below a first preset value, shutting down a drive motor of the centrifugal compressor; or S200, when the inlet opening of the centrifugal compressor is not below the first preset value, performing the following operations in a preset order: decreasing the inlet opening of the centrifugal compressor, and increasing a rotate speed of the centrifugal compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kai Deng, Vishnu Sishtla, Jun Cao, Yuchang Shac
  • Patent number: 11879351
    Abstract: An assembly for a gas turbine engine according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a metallic damper including a first contact surface and a gas turbine engine component. The gas turbine engine component includes a main body extending in a first direction between a gaspath surface and a second contact surface. The first and second contact surfaces oppose each other along an interface extending in a second direction. The first and second contact surfaces are dimensioned to contact each other along the interface in a hot assembly state. The main body is established by a composite including fibers in a matrix material. At least some of the fibers are arranged to establish a plurality of cooling passages aligned with the interface relative to the second direction. A method of damping for a gas turbine engine is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Russell Kim, James T. Roach
  • Patent number: 11879348
    Abstract: A bearing assembly installed within a turbocharger housing between a turbine wheel and a compressor impeller mounted for rotation together on a turbocharger shaft may include a journal bearing disposed on a corresponding portion of the turbocharger shaft, a thrust bearing having a thrust bearing surface, and a bearing carrier. The bearing carrier may include a carrier body, a carrier body bore extending axially through the carrier body and receiving the journal bearing therein, and a thrust bearing seat on the exterior of the carrier body facing the turbine wheel. The thrust bearing seat may have a complimentary shape to the thrust bearing surface of the thrust bearing, the thrust bearing disposed between the carrier body and the turbine wheel and engaging the thrust bearing seat. The bearing assembly may further include an anti-thrust bearing surface facing the compressor impeller, and an anti-thrust bearing mounted to the anti-thrust bearing surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Progress Rail Locomotive Inc.
    Inventor: Gary R. Svihla
  • Patent number: 11873762
    Abstract: A heat shield assembly adapted for use with gas turbine engines, airframes, and aircraft includes a carrier and a heat-shield tile. The carrier is adapted to couple to the gas turbine engine, airframe, or aircraft. The heat-shield tile includes material different than the carrier and is arranged to cover the carrier to protect the carrier from high-temperature gases surrounding the heat shield assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Scott Nelson, Quinlan Y. Shuck, Ted J. Freeman, Timothy Fuesting, Jonathan McCrory
  • Patent number: 11873822
    Abstract: A centrifugal compressor includes a rotary shaft having a plurality of impellers and a casing having an intermediate discharge port. The casing has a plurality of diaphragms, an external casing, a return flow path that guides a flow direction of a working fluid to an inner side in a radial direction, and an intermediate scroll that guides part of the working fluid discharged from the impeller in an intermediate stage to the intermediate discharge port. The intermediate scroll has a scroll flow path formed on a second side in the axial direction with respect to the return flow path, and an introduction portion connecting the return flow path and the scroll flow path, and an outer flow path forming surface of the scroll flow path is formed by a casing inner peripheral surface facing an inner side of the external casing in the radial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES COMPRESSOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akihiro Nakaniwa, Jo Masutani, Shinichiro Tokuyama, Yoshiaki Shoji
  • Patent number: 11852120
    Abstract: A method of adjusting at least one rotor blade of a wind turbine which includes the steps of receiving a command for adjustment of the rotor blade at an adjustment speed, ascertaining a current moment of inertia of the rotor blade and acceleration of the rotor blade until reaching the adjustment speed, wherein the acceleration until reaching the adjustment speed is limited in dependence on the ascertained moment of inertia. A system and a wind turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Wobben Properties GmbH
    Inventors: Ulf Schaper, Lukas Wernicke, Kai-Uwe Wegner
  • Patent number: 11852150
    Abstract: A heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVACR) system includes a compressor with a gas bearing supplied with compressed gas and a controller. The controller is configured to determine an inlet pressure and outlet pressure of the gas bearing, determine a maximum speed limit based on the inlet pressure and the outlet pressure, and prevent the compressor from operating at a speed that is greater than the maximum speed limit. A method of controlling a compressor includes calculating a maximum speed limit based on an inlet pressure and an outlet pressure of the gas bearing. The method also includes in response to determining that a speed setting is greater than the maximum speed limit, adjusting operation of the compressor such that a speed of the compressor is at or below the maximum speed limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Jacob T. Helgerson, Jay H. Johnson
  • Patent number: 11846298
    Abstract: Provided is a vacuum pump regarding which compression can be improved at low costs. Included is a plurality of Siegbahn exhaust mechanisms in which a helical groove is provided to a stator disc. The Siegbahn exhaust mechanisms are provided on both faces of an upstream side and a downstream side of the stator disc. An end portion of the helical groove provided on the upstream side and a start portion of the helical groove provided on the downstream side are situated at least partially overlapping in a circumferential direction. A width of a channel of a switchback portion of the upstream side and the downstream side is equivalent or less than a depth of a channel of the Siegbahn exhaust mechanisms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: Edwards Japan Limited
    Inventors: Haruki Suzuki, Takashi Kabasawa
  • Patent number: 11846204
    Abstract: A ceramic matrix composite blade includes a central core surrounded by an outer profile, the central core comprising layers of unidirectional layup having two dimension and three dimension fiber weaves; the outer profile comprises a biased weave layup that radiates toward a leading edge and a trailing edge of the blade; wherein the biased weave layup includes fibers that extend proximate an attachment region of the blade radially and axially along an airfoil portion of the blade toward the leading edge and trailing edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: RTX Corporation
    Inventor: Michael G. McCaffrey
  • Patent number: 11840939
    Abstract: A turbine engine includes a compressor section, a combustion section, and a turbine section. Fuel combusted in the combustion section drive stages of airfoils in the turbine section to drive the compressor section. The airfoils can include a geometry near or at the trailing edge with a linear portion provided between the pressure side and a first curved portion, to reduce shock generated in the wake of the airfoils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Rathakrishnan Bhaskaran, Thomas W. Vandeputte
  • Patent number: 11835057
    Abstract: An impeller of a centrifugal compressor is an impeller 5 of a centrifugal compressor, that is, a compressor impeller 5 and includes a hub, at least one airfoil portion erected on a hub surface of the hub, and a first fillet. The at least one airfoil portion has a trailing edge configured such that a distance between the trailing edge and an axis of the centrifugal compressor increases with increasing distance from a back surface of the hub. The first fillet is formed on a radially outer side of an outer peripheral surface of a back plate portion forming a back surface portion of the hub. The first fillet connects the outer peripheral surface of the back plate portion and the trailing edge of the at least one airfoil portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES ENGINE & TURBOCHARGER, LTD.
    Inventors: Yutaka Fujita, Nobuhito Oka
  • Patent number: 11834954
    Abstract: A gas turbine is provided, the gas turbine engine including a turbomachine having an inlet splitter defining in part an inlet to a working gas flowpath and a fan duct splitter defining in part an inlet to a fan duct flowpath. The gas turbine engine also includes a primary fan driven by the turbomachine defining a primary fan tip radius R1, a primary fan hub radius R2, and a primary fan specific thrust rating TP; and a secondary fan downstream of the primary fan and driven by the turbomachine, the secondary fan defining a secondary fan tip radius R3, a secondary fan hub radius R4, and a secondary fan specific thrust rating TS; wherein the gas turbine engine defines an Effective Bypass Area, and wherein a ratio of R1 to R3 equals R 1 R 3 = ( E ? F ? P ) ? ( 1 - RqR Sec . - Fan 2 ) ( 1 - RqR Prim . - Fan 2 ) ? ( T P T S ) ? ( E ? B ? A ) .
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David Marion Ostdiek, William Joseph Solomon
  • Patent number: 11834166
    Abstract: A device for self-balancing a rotating part, such as a propeller, along a given axis is disclosed. The propeller 102 coupled to, a drive shaft with freedom for linear movement along longitudinal axis L-L; at least one pair of levers 614/616, comprising a first lever 614-1/616-1 and a second lever 614-2/616-2, that are pivotally mounted on mounting plate 606 at two diametrically opposite points 618; and at least one pair of weights 622 fixed at external ends of the levers 614/616. inner ends of levers 614/616 are operatively coupled to the propeller 102 such that when propeller 102 undergoes a linear movement in any direction along the longitudinal, axis L-L due to unbalance, inner ends of levers are, moved to cause the weights 622 to move to provide a balancing force to neutralize the unbalance in the propeller. An embodiment with only one pair of levers is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Inventor: Ankit Mehta
  • Patent number: 11835058
    Abstract: An impeller includes: a disk-shaped hub centered on an axis; and a plurality of blades arranged in a circumferential direction and protruding from a surface of the hub facing one side in a direction of the axis. In a cross-sectional view including a blade height direction which is a direction away from the hub toward a tip of each blade, the blade has a recessed surface curved convexly toward a rear side in a rotational direction. In the cross-sectional view, when a distance between an imaginary line connecting a tip-side edge and a hub-side edge of the blade and a midspan of the blade along a direction perpendicular to the imaginary line is defined as a recess amount, the blade has a portion where the recess amount increases from a leading edge side to a trailing edge side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES MARINE MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hironori Honda, Nao Taniguchi, Fumito Hiratani, Isao Tomita, Tetsuya Matsuo, Taiyo Shirakawa
  • Patent number: 11821439
    Abstract: A liquid cooling heat exchange apparatus comprising a water block set and pump unit is provided. The water block set has a water block cover having an inlet port, cover diversion channel, cover diversion opening, cover outlet through hole and outlet port, surge directing plate having a plate cover end, and water block. The pump unit has a rotor housing having an impeller cavity comprising an inlet and outlet. The inlet and outlet ports and the cover diversion opening is at a same side, the cover outlet through hole is at an opposite side. During operation, working fluid is sucked via the inlet port, pass the cover diversion channel covered by the plate cover end, through the cover diversion opening and impeller cavity inlet, through the impeller cavity, and outlet, and cover outlet through hole, and through the water block, before exiting through the outlet port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Cooler Master Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shui-fa Tsai
  • Patent number: 11821339
    Abstract: A turbocharger includes: a mixed flow turbine including a turbine wheel; a turbine housing configured to house the turbine wheel, including a gas passage extending toward a leading edge of a blade of the turbine wheel; and nozzle vanes arranged in the gas passage in the circumferential direction of the turbine wheel, mutually adjacent two of the nozzle vanes forming a throat therebetween. Each nozzle vane is twisted with respect to a trailing edge of the nozzle vane as a twist center such that a width of the throat becomes narrower on the shroud side than on the hub side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: IHI Corporation
    Inventors: Isao Morita, Richard Morrison, Stephen Spence
  • Patent number: 11815017
    Abstract: A fan blade platform assembly includes a pressure side platform half that includes a first attachment wall, a first gas path wall, and a first connecting wall attached to both the first attachment wall and the first gas path wall. A suction side platform half includes a second attachment wall, a second gas path wall, and a second connecting wall attached to both the second attachment wall and the second gas path wall. A seal engages the pressure side platform half and the suction side platform half.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventor: Arun K. Theertham
  • Patent number: 11814981
    Abstract: A rotor blade 32 includes a blade body 33 which has a negative-pressure surface 33a and a positive-pressure surface 33b extending in a blade height direction Z, and a platform 35 which is connected to an end portion of the blade body 33 in the blade height direction Z and extends in a circumferential direction Dc. In an end surface 35a of the platform 35 facing an axial direction Da, a convex portion 51 protruding in the axial direction Da and a concave portion 52 recessed in the axial direction Da are formed on an end surface 35a of the platform 35 facing the upstream side Dau. When viewed in the blade height direction Z, the convex portion 51 and the concave portion 52 are alternately formed in the circumferential direction Dc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES COMPRESSOR CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takuro Koda
  • Patent number: 11808245
    Abstract: A runner for a hydraulic machine comprising a band, a crown, a plurality of blades extending between the crown and the band, wherein the runner comprises a plurality of runner segments which together define the runner, each runner segment comprising a band portion, a crown portion and a blade, which portions are integrally formed with one another, each runner segment being attachable to another segment at a band joining edge and a crown joining edge, wherein the band joining edge and the crown joining edge are each spaced apart from the blade of the segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: GE Renewable Technologies
    Inventors: Antoine Vaichere, Erwan Gwenaƫl Pein, Sylvain Gaudion