Patents by Inventor Joshua D. Kovac

Joshua D. Kovac 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).

  • Patent number: 10215044
    Abstract: An interstage seal system (10) for adjusting the position of an interstage seal during operation of a gas turbine engine (14) to increase efficiency of the seal (12) is disclosed. The interstage seal system (10) may include a interstage seal housing (16) formed from a circumferentially extending housing having a seal (12) positioned on a radially inward surface (18) of the interstage seal housing (16). The interstage seal housing (16) may biased radially outward via one or more springs (20) to bias the radially inward surface (18) of the interstage seal housing (16) outwardly. The interstage seal housing (16) may reside in an interstage housing receiving cavity (68). The cavity (68) may be supplied with gases at a higher pressure than on the other side (24) of the seal housing (16) during turbine engine operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: SIEMENS ENERGY, INC.
    Inventors: Jiping Zhang, Patrick M. Pilapil, Yan Yin, Joshua D. Kovac
  • Publication number: 20170145847
    Abstract: An interstage seal system (10) for adjusting the position of an interstage seal during operation of a gas turbine engine (14) to increase efficiency of the seal (12) is disclosed. The interstage seal system (10) may include a interstage seal housing (16) formed from a circumferentially extending housing having a seal (12) positioned on a radially inward surface (18) of the interstage seal housing (16). The interstage seal housing (16) may biased radially outward via one or more springs (20) to bias the radially inward surface (18) of the interstage seal housing (16) outwardly. The interstage seal housing (16) may reside in an interstage housing receiving cavity (68). The cavity (68) may be supplied with gases at a higher pressure than on the other side (24) of the seal housing (16) during turbine engine operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2014
    Publication date: May 25, 2017
    Inventors: Jiping Zhang, Patrick M. Pilapil, Yan Yin, Joshua D. Kovac
  • Patent number: 7857582
    Abstract: A seal assembly (52, 54) for a gas turbine engine (10). The seal assembly (52, 54) includes a first seal member (40) including an abradable structure having at least first and second seal portions (58, 64) radially spaced from each other, and a second seal member (44) including first and second seal surfaces (56, 62) located in facing relationship to the first and second seal portions (58, 64), respectively. The first seal member (40) is formed of a honeycomb structure, and the first seal portion (58) of the first seal member (40) is a thin fin-like structure having a width in the axial direction of the turbine engine (10) that is less than the width of the second seal portion (64) in the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua D. Kovac, Hubertus E. Paprotna
  • Publication number: 20090142189
    Abstract: A seal assembly (52, 54) for a gas turbine engine (10). The seal assembly (52, 54) includes a first seal member (40) including an abradable structure having at least first and second seal portions (58, 64) radially spaced from each other, and a second seal member (44) including first and second seal surfaces (56, 62) located in facing relationship to the first and second seal portions (58, 64), respectively. The first seal member (40) is formed of a honeycomb structure, and the first seal portion (58) of the first seal member (40) is a thin fin-like structure having a width in the axial direction of the turbine engine (10) that is less than the width of the second seal portion (64) in the axial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2009
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Inventors: Joshua D. Kovac, Hubert E. Paprotna
  • Publication number: 20070273104
    Abstract: A seal assembly (52, 54) for a gas turbine engine (10). The seal assembly (52, 54) includes a first seal member (40) including an abradable structure having at least first and second seal portions (58, 64) radially spaced from each other, and a second seal member (44) including first and second seal surfaces (56, 62) located in facing relationship to the first and second seal portions (58, 64), respectively. The first seal member (40) is formed of a honeycomb structure, and the first seal portion (58) of the first seal member (40) is a thin fin-like structure having a width in the axial direction of the turbine engine (10) that is less than the width of the second seal portion (64) in the axial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2006
    Publication date: November 29, 2007
    Inventors: Joshua D. Kovac, Hubert E. Paprotna