Patents by Inventor Francis Bobie

Francis Bobie 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).

  • Rotor blade and method of fabricating same
    Patent number: 7527477
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a rotor blade is provided. The method includes providing a rotor blade that includes a tip shroud having a portion of increased cross-sectional thickness relative to adjacent portions of the tip shroud. The increased cross-sectional thickness section extends across substantially an entire circumferential width of the tip shroud. The increased cross-sectional thickness section defines a pair of opposite interlock surfaces that each form a portion of a respective side of the pair of opposite tip shroud sides used for interlocking the tip shrouds of two adjacent rotor blades on the rotor. The method also includes removing a portion of the increased cross-sectional thickness section between the pair of opposite tip shroud sides to facilitate enhancing the efficiency of the rotor blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Brian Norton, Francis Bobie, John Heyward, Dwayne Burnett
  • ROTOR BLADE
    Publication number: 20090097979
    Abstract: A rotor blade may include a tip shroud having at least one seal tooth disposed at an angle that may be relative to the engine centerline when in an assembled condition, the leading edge of the tip shroud and/or the trailing edge of the tip shroud.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2007
    Publication date: April 16, 2009
    Inventors: Omer Duane Erdmann, D. Keith Patrick, Dustin Alfred Placke, John Peter Heyward, Francis Bobie
  • ROTOR BLADE AND METHOD OF FABRICATING SAME
    Publication number: 20080025841
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a rotor blade is provided. The method includes providing a rotor blade that includes a tip shroud having a portion of increased cross-sectional thickness relative to adjacent portions of the tip shroud. The increased cross-sectional thickness section extends across substantially an entire circumferential width of the tip shroud. The increased cross-sectional thickness section defines a pair of opposite interlock surfaces that each form a portion of a respective side of the pair of opposite tip shroud sides used for interlocking the tip shrouds of two adjacent rotor blades on the rotor. The method also includes removing a portion of the increased cross-sectional thickness section between the pair of opposite tip shroud sides to facilitate enhancing the efficiency of the rotor blade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2006
    Publication date: January 31, 2008
    Inventors: Brian Norton, Dwayne Burnett, Francis Bobie, John Heyward
  • Turbine blade and method of fabricating same
    Publication number: 20060280610
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a turbine blade includes casting at least one turbine blade that includes a blade tip shroud and at least one seal tooth coupled to the blade tip shroud, and removing at least a portion of the turbine blade such that a radially outer surface of the blade tip shroud has at least two substantially flat surfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2005
    Publication date: December 14, 2006
    Inventors: John Heyward, Michael Beverley, Francis Bobie