Patents by Inventor David J. Thomas

David J. Thomas 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).

  • TURBINE BLADE WITH ATTACHMENT-SUPPORTED PLATFORM FOR COMPOSITE MATERIAL CONSTRUCTION
    Publication number: 20190330990
    Abstract: A turbine blade of ceramic matrix composite material construction adapted for use in a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The turbine blade includes a root, an airfoil, and a platform. The root is adapted to attach the turbine blade to a disk. The airfoil is shaped to interact with hot gasses moving through the gas path of a gas turbine engine and cause rotation of the turbine blade when the turbine blade is used in a gas turbine engine. The platform is arranged between the root and the airfoil and is shaped to block gasses from the gas path migrating toward the root when the turbine blade is used in a gas turbine engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Publication date: October 31, 2019
    Inventors: Aaron D. Sippel, Daniel K. Vetters, Ted J. Freeman, David J. Thomas
  • Turbine shroud with sealing features
    Patent number: 10458263
    Abstract: A segmented turbine shroud for positioning radially outside of blades of a turbine rotor includes a carrier, a blade track, and retainers. The blade track is mounted onto the retainers, and the retainers are attached to the carrier to support the blade track radially outside of the blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc., Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Aaron D. Sippel, Ted J. Freeman, David J. Thomas
  • Turbine blade with ceramic matrix composite material construction
    Patent number: 10443409
    Abstract: A turbine blade of ceramic matrix composite material construction adapted for use in a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The turbine blade includes a root, an airfoil, and a platform. The root is adapted to attach the turbine blade to a disk. The airfoil is shaped to interact with hot gasses moving through the gas path of a gas turbine engine and cause rotation of the turbine blade when the turbine blade is used in a gas turbine engine. The platform is arranged between the root and the airfoil and is shaped to block gasses from the gas path migrating toward the root when the turbine blade is used in a gas turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc., Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Aaron D. Sippel, Daniel K. Vetters, Ted J. Freeman, David J. Thomas
  • Seal for a gas turbine engine assembly
    Patent number: 10443419
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine assembly includes a seal formed by the interface between first and second support components. The support components are each formed to include a notch. Adjacent notches cooperate to form a space when assembled. A seal member is located in the space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc., Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: David J. Thomas, John A. Weaver, Ted J. Freeman
  • Turbine wheel assembly with ceramic matrix composite components
    Patent number: 10428661
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a turbine section having static turbine vane rings and turbine wheel assemblies. The vane rings are arranged to direct combustion products toward blades included in the turbine wheel assemblies to cause the turbine wheel assemblies to rotate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignees: Roll-Royce North American Technologies Inc., Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: David J. Thomas, Ted J. Freeman, Aaron D. Sippel, Daniel K. Vetters
  • Vane assembly for a gas turbine engine
    Patent number: 10408084
    Abstract: A vane assembly for a gas turbine engine is disclosed herein. The vane assembly includes an inner platform, an outer platform, and a ceramic-containing airfoil that extends from the inner platform to the outer platform. The ceramic-containing airfoil is manufactured to have radially discontinuous ribs spaced radially apart from one another between the inner platform and the outer platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc., Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: David J. Thomas, Ted J. Freeman, Jeffrey A. Walston, Andrew J. Lazur
  • KEYSTONED BLADE TRACK
    Publication number: 20190242268
    Abstract: A blade track for a gas turbine engine includes a plurality of blade track segments. The blade track segments are arranged circumferentially around a central axis to form the blade track.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2019
    Publication date: August 8, 2019
    Inventors: Daniel K. Vetters, Aaron D. Sippel, David J. Thomas, Andrew J. Eifert, Paul A. Davis, Simon L. Jones, Peter Broadhead, Bruce E. Varney, Jeffrey A. Walston, Steven Hillier
  • Material testing system and method of use
    Patent number: 10371611
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a material testing system for use in testing material strength of various gas turbine engine components. The material testing system provides a load force onto portions of gas turbine engine components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc., Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey A. Walston, David J. Thomas, Ted J. Freeman
  • Full hoop blade track with axially keyed features
    Patent number: 10370985
    Abstract: A turbine shroud for a gas turbine engine includes an annular metallic carrier, a blade track, and a cross-key connection formed between the annular metallic carrier and the ceramic blade track. The cross-key connection locates the ceramic blade track relative to the metallic carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey A. Walston, Aaron D. Sippel, John A. Weaver, David J. Thomas
  • Turbine shroud having ceramic matrix composite seal segment
    Patent number: 10370997
    Abstract: A segmented turbine shroud for radially encasing a rotatable turbine in a gas turbine engine comprising a carrier, a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) seal segment, and an elongated pin. The carrier defines a pin-receiving carrier bore and the CMC seal segment defines a pin-receiving seal segment bore. The elongated pin extends through the carrier bore and the seal segment bore. The pin-receiving carrier bore includes a cantilevered member such that the carrier bore has a length sufficient to effect radial flexion between the carrier bore and the pin received within the carrier bore during operation of the turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignees: ROLLS-ROYCE CORPORATION, ROLLS-ROYCE NORTH AMERICAN TECHNOLOGIES INC., ROLLS-ROYCE HIGH TEMPERATURE COMPOSITES INC.
    Inventors: Daniel Kent Vetters, David J. Thomas, Douglas David Dierksmeier, Jun Shi, Todd Engel
  • Pressure activated seals for a gas turbine engine
    Patent number: 10370994
    Abstract: An assembly for use in a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The assembly includes a first component arranged adjacent to a second component to form a gap therebetween and a pressure activated seal that resists flow through the gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc., Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: David J. Thomas, Joseph P. Lamusga, Ted J. Freeman, Aaron D. Sippel
  • Turbine blade track assembly
    Patent number: 10364693
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine is disclosed with a turbine section having at least one turbine rotor with a plurality of turbine blades, a plurality of blade tracks positioned circumferentially around the turbine blades, at least one dovetail shaped connecting member extending radially outward from each blade track, and a hanger connected to a structural member of the gas turbine engine and configured to releasably couple with the at least one dovetail shaped connecting member of a corresponding blade track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: David J. Thomas, Richard C. Uskert
  • Turbine vane with heat shield
    Patent number: 10358939
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a body and a turbine-vane ring coupled to the body. The turbine-vane ring includes a plurality of turbine-vane assemblies. Each turbine-vane assembly includes a vane unit and a heat shield configured to reduce heat transfer to the vane unit from hot exhaust gases during operation of the gas turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey A. Walston, Aaron D. Sippel, Tara G. Schetzel, David J. Thomas, Jun Shi, Brad D. Belcher
  • Turbine assembly with load pads
    Patent number: 10309257
    Abstract: A turbine shroud for a gas turbine engine includes a carrier and a blade track segment. The carrier is formed to include an inwardly opening blade track channel and the blade track segment is positioned in the blade track channel to couple the blade track segment with the carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc., Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Aaron D. Sippel, Ted J. Freeman, David J. Thomas, Richard C. Uskert, Peter J. Loftus, Andrew J. Lazur
  • TURBINE SHROUD ASSEMBLY WITH SEALS
    Publication number: 20190153886
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine assembly adapted to separate a high pressure zone from a low pressure zone includes a seal configured to block gasses from passing through the interface of two adjacent components. The seal assembly includes a strip seal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2017
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Inventors: Daniel K. Vetters, Jeffrey Walston, David J. Thomas
  • TURBINE SHROUD WITH MOVABLE ATTACHMENT FEATURES
    Publication number: 20190153899
    Abstract: A turbine shroud for positioning radially outside of blades of a turbine rotor includes a carrier, a blade track, and a track attachment system. The blade track is moved radially outwardly into a cavity of the carrier, and the track attachment system is adjusted to block radially inward movement of the blade track out of the cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2019
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Inventors: Aaron D. Sippel, Ted J. Freeman, David J. Thomas, Robert J. Shinavski, Zacheriah A. Cole
  • Patterned abradable coating and methods for the manufacture thereof
    Patent number: 10273192
    Abstract: A ceramic article includes a flexible backing selected from paper, woven fabric, non-woven fabric, polymeric films, metal foils, and combinations thereof. A green ceramic layer is on a first side of the flexible backing, wherein the green ceramic layer includes a ceramic material and a polymeric binder. A major surface of the green ceramic layer includes a pattern of features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin John Bowin Lai, Kang N. Lee, David J. Thomas
  • Insulating coating to permit higher operating temperatures
    Patent number: 10240460
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine component includes an insulating coating that is adhered to a surface of the component that permits the component to operate at higher temperatures with reduced thermal stress. The coating can be selectively applied to one or more portions of a part feature where, in some embodiments, the part feature may include a portion that does not include the coating. The part feature can include recognized features of a component such as an interior surface of a hollow component, a back side of a blade track, a cooling hole passage, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc., Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: David J. Thomas, Ted J. Freeman
  • Fabric seal and assembly for gas turbine engine
    Patent number: 10233764
    Abstract: A vane assembly for a gas turbine engine is disclosed in this paper. The vane assembly includes an inner platform, an outer platform, and a ceramic-containing airfoil. The ceramic-containing airfoil extends from the inner platform to the outer platform. A clamp mechanism couples the inner platform and the outer platform to the ceramic-containing airfoil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc., Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: David J. Thomas, Richard C. Uskert, Thomas D. Nixon
  • VANE ASSEMBLY FOR A GAS TURBINE ENGINE
    Publication number: 20190071993
    Abstract: A vane assembly for a gas turbine engine is disclosed in this paper. The vane assembly includes an inner platform, an outer platform, and a ceramic-containing airfoil. The ceramic-containing airfoil extends between the inner platform and the outer platform. A reinforcement spar extends between the inner platform and the outer platform through a hollow core of the ceramic-containing airfoil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Publication date: March 7, 2019
    Inventors: Ted J. Freeman, Bruce E. Varney, David J. Thomas, Jeffrey A. Walston