Patents by Inventor David A. Little
David A. Little has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20100074733Abstract: A seal assembly limits gas leakage from a hot gas path to one or more disc cavities in a gas turbine engine. The seal assembly includes a seal apparatus associated with a blade structure including a row of airfoils. The seal apparatus includes an annular inner shroud associated with adjacent stationary components, a wing member, and a first wing flange. The wing member extends axially from the blade structure toward the annular inner shroud. The first wing flange extends radially outwardly from the wing member toward the annular inner shroud. A plurality of regions including one or more recirculation zones are defined between the blade structure and the annular inner shroud that recirculate working gas therein back toward the hot gas path.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 29, 2009Publication date: March 25, 2010Applicant: SIEMENS ENERGY, INC.Inventor: David A. Little
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Publication number: 20100074734Abstract: A seal assembly that limits gas leakage from a hot gas path to one or more disc cavities in a turbine engine. The seal assembly includes a seal apparatus that limits gas leakage from the hot gas path to a respective one of the disc cavities. The seal apparatus comprises a plurality of blade members rotatable with a blade structure. The blade members are associated with the blade structure and extend toward adjacent stationary components. Each blade member includes a leading edge and a trailing edge, the leading edge of each blade member being located circumferentially in front of the blade member's corresponding trailing edge in a direction of rotation of the turbine rotor. The blade members are arranged such that a space having a component in a circumferential direction is defined between adjacent circumferentially spaced blade members.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 1, 2009Publication date: March 25, 2010Applicant: SIEMENS ENERGY, INC.Inventor: David A. Little
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Publication number: 20090305900Abstract: The present invention relates to the selection of a set of SNP markers for use in genome wide association studies based on linkage disequilibrium mapping. In particular, the invention relates to the fields of pharmacogenomics, diagnostics, patient therapy and the use of genetic haplotype information to predict an individual's longevity, their protection against age-related diseases and/or their response to a particular drug or drugs.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 19, 2006Publication date: December 10, 2009Inventors: Abdelmajid Belouchi, John Verner Raelson, Walter Edward Bradley, Bruno Paquin, Quynh Nguyen-Huu, Pascal Croteau, Rene Allard, Johanne Cousineau, Nouzha Paquin, Paul Van Eerdewegh, Randall David Little, Tim Keith, Jonathan Segal
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Publication number: 20090263243Abstract: A combustion turbine includes a compressor section, a combustion section downstream from the compressor section, and a turbine section downstream from the combustion section. A diffuser section is downstream from the turbine section and has an outer wall, an inner wall, and at least one strut member extending therebetween. The outer wall has at least one first gas passageway therein, the inner wall has at least one second gas passageway therein, and the at least one strut member has at least one third gas passageway therein. The at least one first, second and third gas passageways deliver gas therethrough to assist attachment of a boundary layer to adjacent surfaces of the outer wall, the inner wall, and the at least one strut, respectively.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 21, 2008Publication date: October 22, 2009Applicant: SIEMENS POWER GENERATION, INC.Inventors: David A. Little, Hubertus E. Paprotna, Kevin M. Light
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Publication number: 20090226327Abstract: The gas turbine engine includes a compressor section, a combustion section downstream from the compressor section and a turbine section downstream from the combustion section. The turbine section includes a rotor shaft, a plurality of turbine blades, and a plurality of discs coupling corresponding ones of the plurality of turbine blades to the rotor shaft. Each disc has a plurality of disc cooling fluid passages therein associated with cooling the turbine blades, and a respective thermal shape memory sleeve is in at least some of the disc cooling fluid passages. The thermal shape memory sleeve defines a sleeve throat opening that changes based upon a temperature to adjust a flow of cooling fluid therethrough. Part load efficiency may be increased by supplying only the needed cooling fluid to areas of the blades.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 7, 2008Publication date: September 10, 2009Applicant: SIEMENS POWER GENERATION, INC.Inventors: David A. Little, Hubertus E. Paprotna
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Patent number: 7562880Abstract: A seal usable between two thermally movable components to prevent fluids from mixing. For instance, the seal may be used to seal thermally movable components of a turbine engine that may include, but are not limited to, leading edge shrouds, isolation rings, ring segments, and vane segments. The seal may be formed from a body having a cross-section generally orthogonal to a longitudinal axis and include a first side, a second side generally opposite to the first side, a first end, and a second end generally opposite to the first end. A compliant material may be coupled to the first or second end, or both, and may absorb thermal expansion of the two thermally movable components. The seal may reduce leakage flow paths between the seal and the thermally movable components.Type: GrantFiled: February 9, 2004Date of Patent: July 21, 2009Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.Inventors: Hubertus Edward Paprotna, David A. Little
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Publication number: 20090181380Abstract: The present invention relates to the selection of a set of polymorphism makers for use in genome wide association studies based on linkage disequilibrium mapping. In particular, the invention relates to the fields of pharmacogenomics, diagnostics, patient therapy and the use of genetic haplotype information to predict an individual's susceptibility to IBD (ex: Chrohn's disease) and/or their response to a particular drug or drugs.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2006Publication date: July 16, 2009Inventors: Abdelmajid Belouchi, John Verner Raelson, Walter Edward Bradley, Bruno Paquin, Helene Fournier, Quynh Nguyen-Huu, Pascal Croteau, Rene Allard, Sandie Briand, Paul Van Eerdewegh, Randall David Little, Jonathan Segal, Tim Keith
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Publication number: 20090081658Abstract: The present invention relates to the selection of a set of polymorphism markers for use in genome wide association studies based on linkage disequilibrium mapping. In particular, the invention relates to the fields of pharmacogenomics, diagnostics, patient therapy and the use of genetic haplotype information to predict an individual's susceptibility to Crohn's disease and/or their response to a particular drug or drugs.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 24, 2006Publication date: March 26, 2009Inventors: Abdelmajid Belouchi, John Verner Raelson, Walter Edward Bradley, Bruno Paquin, Helene Fournier, Quynh Nguyen-Huu, Pascal Croteau, Rene Allard, Sophie Debrus, Valerie Serre, Paul Van Eerdewegh, Randall David Little, Tim Keith, Jonathan Segal, Tim Keith
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Publication number: 20080132960Abstract: The present invention relates to a bone plating system and method for fracture fixation of bone. The bone plating system includes a bone plate, at least one locking screw, and at least one non-locking screw. The bone plate has locking holes with threads and non-locking holes. The locking screws have a shaft with a thread for engaging bone and a head with a thread configured and dimensioned to mate with the thread of the locking holes. The non-locking screws have a thread for engaging bone and a non-threaded head. Both the locking and non-locking screws remain seated in their respective holes for substantially as long as the bone plate is implanted. The non-locking screws compress the bone plate against the bone and hold fracture reduction while the locking screws are secured to the plate at a fixed angular relationship. The mixed fixation achieved by this bone plating system and method is particularly useful for treatment of per-articular fractures.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 22, 2008Publication date: June 5, 2008Inventors: Paul C. Weaver, Jeff W. Mast, Keith A. Mayo, Brett R. Bolhofner, David Little
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Publication number: 20080091469Abstract: A system for prescribing a customized medical procedure that is to be performed on an individual patient.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 17, 2006Publication date: April 17, 2008Inventors: Lee Allen, Jeff Jackson, Travis Wilhelmsen, Nathan Pryor, Lou Graham, David A. Little, Kerri M. Sebring
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Publication number: 20080076521Abstract: There is disclosed an electronic gaming system (100) comprising one or more player interfaces (6, 7, 17), and a main video display screen (1). The system enables players to simultaneously play a plurality of reel-type games and to place bets on lines of the games. The system displays a plurality of display windows on the main display screen, each window being associated with a respective one of the simultaneously played games and displaying the reels of that game, each reel displaying reel indicia. The system is configured for any one of the games to enter a feature phase when a feature-triggering event occurs. At the start of the feature phase, all the display windows on the main screen, except the particular display window associated with the feature phase, reduce in size or disappear, while the size of the feature game's display window increases, and the other games are also suspended, until the feature phase is completed.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 24, 2007Publication date: March 27, 2008Inventor: David Little
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Patent number: 7341589Abstract: The present invention relates to a bone plating system and method for fracture fixation of bone. The bone plating system includes a bone plate, at least one locking screw, and at least one non-locking screw. The bone plate has locking holes with threads and non-locking holes. The locking screws have a shaft with a thread for engaging bone and a head with a thread configured and dimensioned to mate with the thread of the locking holes. The non-locking screws have a thread for engaging bone and a non-threaded head. Both the locking and non-locking screws remain seated in their respective holes for substantially as long as the bone plate is implanted. The non-locking screws compress the bone plate against the bone and hold fracture reduction while the locking screws are secured to the plate at a fixed angular relationship. The mixed fixation achieved by this bone plating system and method is particularly useful for treatment of per-articular fractures.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 2003Date of Patent: March 11, 2008Assignee: Synthes (U.S.A.)Inventors: Paul C. Weaver, Jeff W. Mast, Keith A. Mayo, Brett R. Bolhofner, David Little
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Publication number: 20070271898Abstract: A combined cycle power plant (10) that is optimized to reduce total life cycle cost rather than only thermal efficiency. A steam bottoming cycle (16) is fed with exhaust gas (14) from a gas turbine topping cycle (12). The topping cycle incorporates multiple stages of combustion in order to maintain a desired high temperature of the exhaust gas being delivered to the bottoming cycle while at the same time avoiding peak combustion temperatures that would produce undesirable levels of NOx emissions. Accordingly, no post-combustion exhaust gas treatment is needed. In one embodiment, an aspirated compressor (36) provides compressed air to a torus-configured combustion chamber (20) that is integrated with a first stage of vanes (22), and a plurality of stages of in-situ reheat combustion (26, 28) are utilized. In other embodiments, torus-configured combustion chambers may be utilized for more than one of the stages of combustion.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 25, 2006Publication date: November 29, 2007Inventor: David A. Little
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Publication number: 20070084869Abstract: A portable work tray designed to receive objects therein whereby the tray has a leveling assembly operatively connected thereto to allow the tray to be placed in a generally level manner upon engagement with a sloped surface. The tray includes four walls and a bottom with a pair of pivot arms oppositely mounted along two of the walls. Intermediately mounted to the pivot arms distal to walls is a support arm. The support arm has substantially disposed thereon a coating and/or a serrated edge to prevent the tray from traversing down the sloped surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 15, 2005Publication date: April 19, 2007Inventor: David Little
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Publication number: 20070017225Abstract: A transition duct for routing a gas flow from a combustor to the first stage of a turbine section in a combustion turbine engine has an internal passage from an inlet to an outlet that is offset from the inlet in the longitudinal, radial and tangential directions. The offset outlet and the curved internal passage discharge the gas flow toward the first stage blade array at an angle in the tangential direction relative to the longitudinal direction. This angled discharge can be presented directly to the blades, thus avoiding the need for first stage vanes and the associated costs and complexity.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 27, 2005Publication date: January 25, 2007Inventors: Eduardo Bancalari, Jody Wilson, David Little, Joseph Fadok
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Patent number: 7128744Abstract: The present invention relates to a bone plating system and method for fracture fixation of bone. The bone plating system includes a bone plate, at least one locking screw, and at least one non-locking screw. The bone plate has locking holes with threads and non-locking holes. The locking screws have a shaft with a thread for engaging bone and a head with a thread configured and dimensioned to mate with the thread of the locking holes. The non-locking screws have a thread for engaging bone and a non-threaded head. Both the locking and non-locking screws remain seated in their respective holes for substantially as long as the bone plate is implanted. The non-locking screws compress the bone plate against the bone and hold fracture reduction while the locking screws are secured to the plate at a fixed angular relationship. The mixed fixation achieved by this bone plating system and method is particularly useful for treatment of per-articular fractures.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 2003Date of Patent: October 31, 2006Assignee: Synthes (USA)Inventors: Paul C. Weaver, Jeff W. Mast, Keith A. Mayo, Brett R. Bolhofner, David Little
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Patent number: 7096673Abstract: Aspects of the invention relate to methods and assemblies for improving the efficiency of a turbine engine through active management of blade tip clearances. In some designs, a portion of compressor exit air is routed to the rotor and discs of the turbine section. Aspects of the invention relate to treating the compressor exit air in light of the operating conditions of the engine. For instance, under base load or substantially steady state operation, a portion of compressor exit air can be routed to the rotor and discs without reducing the temperature of the compressor exit air. In such case, blade tip clearances will reduce, allowing for improved engine efficiency. Under part load or substantially transient operating conditions, a portion of compressor exit air can be cooled before it is supplied to the rotor and discs. As a result, the blade tip clearances increase, minimizing concerns of blade tip rubbing. Routing of the compressor exit air for cooling and bypass can be controlled by a valve.Type: GrantFiled: October 8, 2003Date of Patent: August 29, 2006Assignee: Siemens Westinghouse Power CorporationInventors: David A. Little, Gerry McQuiggan
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Patent number: 7086233Abstract: Aspects of the invention relate to a turbine engine system and method for actively managing blade tip clearances during part load operation of the engine. Aspects of the invention relate to extracting a portion of the combustion gases from the combustor section of the engine and routing these heated gases to the blade rings or other stationary structure surrounding the turbine blades. Upon exposure to the combustion gases, which can be mixed with compressor exit air, the stationary structure will thermally expand, causing blade tip clearances to increase. Thus, concerns of blade tip rubbing are minimized. Once the engines achieves steady state operation, the flow of the combustion gases to the blade rings can be substantially restricted so that only compressor exit air is supplied to the stationary structure. Consequently, the stationary structure will contract and the blade tip clearances will decrease, thereby increasing the efficiency of the turbine.Type: GrantFiled: November 26, 2003Date of Patent: August 8, 2006Assignee: Siemens Power Generation, Inc.Inventors: Abdullatif Chehab, David A. Little
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Patent number: 7077563Abstract: An apparatus and method for the monitoring and measurement of chemical and/or biological deposition in heat exchangers and other fluid processing vessels. The new and original sensing system includes at least two hollow fluid vessels conductively mounted across a constant heat transfer path. Thin film heat flux sensors are attached to a heat transfer surface of the vessels in order to measure changes in differential heat flux that occur when deposition begins to accumulate in the vessel. In this way, it is shown that differential heat flux measurements can be used to detect and measure the early onset of chemical and/or biological deposition.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2003Date of Patent: July 18, 2006Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Caibin Xiao, David A. Little, Scott M. Boyette
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Publication number: 20060071743Abstract: A circuit breaker includes a housing including a primary cover and a secondary cover having a tab; separable contacts; and an operating mechanism adapted to open and close the separable contacts. The operating mechanism includes a cradle pivotally mounted within the housing, the cradle including a latch, and a latch mechanism within the housing. The latch mechanism is adapted to capture the latch of the cradle when the separable contacts are closed. The operating mechanism also includes a rotary interlock pivotally mounted within the housing and cooperating with the latch mechanism and the tab of the secondary cover to release the latch of the cradle and to trip open the separable contacts when the secondary cover is removed from the primary cover.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 1, 2004Publication date: April 6, 2006Inventors: Douglas Marks, David Parks, Roger Helms, Amelia Stay, David Little