Patents by Inventor Leonard A. Bach

Leonard A. Bach 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: 9670790
    Abstract: A turbine vane for a gas turbine engine has an inner platform, an outer platform, at least one airfoil extending between the inner and outer platforms, and a tab radially extending inward from a front side of the inner platform. The tab contains a mounting aperture and an identification aperture that identifies an engine in which the turbine vane may be installed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Russell J. Bergman, Leonard A. Bach
  • Patent number: 9021816
    Abstract: A turbine vane for a gas turbine engine includes inner and outer platforms joined by a radially extending airfoil. The airfoil includes leading and trailing edges joined by spaced apart pressure and suction sides to provide an exterior airfoil surface. The airfoil includes an airfoil cooling passage. A platform cooling passage is arranged within at least one of the inner and outer platforms. The platform cooling passage includes multiple cooling regions with one of the cooling regions arranged beneath the airfoil cooling passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Russell J. Bergman, Leonard A. Bach, Brandon W. Spangler
  • Patent number: 8794640
    Abstract: A sealing system for sealing a gap between a first body and a second body includes a first seal having a first portion adapted to be attached to the first body and a second portion extending into the gap. The sealing system also includes a second seal. The second seal has a first portion adapted to be attached to the second body and a second portion extending across the gap. The second portion of the first seal and the second portion of the second seal are adjacent and overlapping with each other to seal the gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Russell J. Bergman, James P. Chrisikos, Leonard A. Bach
  • Publication number: 20140000285
    Abstract: A turbine vane for a gas turbine engine includes inner and outer platforms joined by a radially extending airfoil. The airfoil includes leading and trailing edges joined by spaced apart pressure and suction sides to provide an exterior airfoil surface. The airfoil includes an airfoil cooling passage. A platform cooling passage is arranged within at least one of the inner and outer platforms. The platform cooling passage includes multiple cooling regions with one of the cooling regions arranged beneath the airfoil cooling passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2012
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Inventors: Russell J. Bergman, Leonard A. Bach, Brandon W. Spangler
  • Patent number: 8360716
    Abstract: A nozzle segment for a gas turbine engine includes a flange which extends from a vane platform, the flange includes a hollow cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Russell J. Bergman, Stephen J. Yea, Leonard A. Bach, Joseph W. Bridges, Jr., Lawrence J. Willey, Brandon W. Spangler
  • Patent number: 8354197
    Abstract: A fuel cell stack (30) includes an integrated end plate assembly having a current collector (40) secured adjacent and end cell (36) of the stack, a pressure plate (42) secured adjacent the current collector (40), and a backbone (60) secured within a backbone-support plane (44) defined within the plate (42). Tie rod ends (62, 64, 66, 68) of the backbone (60) extend over a gap (84) defined between the backbone-support plane (44) and a deflection plane (50) defined within the pressure plate (42) so that the tie rod ends deflect within the gap (84) upon tightening of tie rods (78, 80). Deflection of the backbone enables the backbone (60) to permit limited expansion of the fuel cell stack (30) during operation, and the backbone (60) has adequate flexural strength to prohibit expansion of the stack (30) beyond operating dynamic limits of the stack (30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: UTC Fuel Cells, LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey G. Lake, Leonard A. Bach, Pedro Inigo, Evan C. Rege, Chris Vargas, Stephen P Victor
  • Publication number: 20110233876
    Abstract: A sealing system for sealing a gap between a first body and a second body includes a first seal having a first portion adapted to be attached to the first body and a second portion extending into the gap. The sealing system also includes a second seal. The second seal has a first portion adapted to be attached to the second body and a second portion extending across the gap. The second portion of the first seal and the second portion of the second seal are adjacent and overlapping with each other to seal the gap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2010
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Inventors: Russell J. Bergman, James P. Chrisikos, Leonard A. Bach
  • Publication number: 20110236199
    Abstract: A nozzle segment for a gas turbine engine includes a flange which extends from a vane platform, the flange includes a hollow cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2010
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Inventors: Russell J. Bergman, Stephen J. Yee, Leonard A. Bach, Joseph W. Bridges, JR., Lawrence J. Willey, Brandon W. Spangler
  • Publication number: 20100167156
    Abstract: A fuel cell stack (30) includes an integrated end plate assembly having a current collector (40) secured adjacent and end cell (36) of the stack, a pressure plate (42) secured adjacent the current collector (40), and a backbone (60) secured within a backbone-support plane (44) defined within the plate (42). Tie rod ends (62, 64, 66, 68) of the backbone (60) extend over a gap (84) defined between the backbone-support plane (44) and a deflection plane (50) defined within the pressure plate (42) so that the tie rod ends deflect within the gap (84) upon tightening of tie rods (78, 80). Deflection of the backbone enables the backbone (60) to permit limited expansion of the fuel cell stack (30) during operation, and the backbone (60) has adequate flexural strength to prohibit expansion of the stack (30) beyond operating dynamic limits of the stack (30).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2006
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Inventors: Jeffrey G. Lake, Leonard A. Bach, Pedro Inigo, Evan C. Rege, Chris Vargas, Stephen P. Victor
  • Patent number: 6797421
    Abstract: A keep warm system for a fuel cell, power plant (10), typically of the PEM type, prevents freeze-sensitive portions of the power plant, such as the cell stack assembly (CSA) (12) and the water management system (28, 30), from freezing under extreme cold external temperatures, during extended storage (CSA shut-down) periods. Pre-stored and pressurized fuel, typically hydrogen (25), normally used to fuel the anode (16) of the CSA, is used as fuel for a catalytic oxidation reaction at a catalytic burner (66) to produce heated gas that convectively passes in heat exchange relation with the freeze sensitive portions (12, 28, 30) of the power plant (10). The convective flow of the heated gases induces the air flow to the burner (66), obviating the need for parasitic electrical loads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: UTC Fuel Cells, LLC
    Inventors: Richard J. Assarabowski, William T. Unkert, Leonard A. Bach, Albert P. Grasso, Benoit Charles Olsommer
  • Publication number: 20030134168
    Abstract: A keep-warm system for a fuel cell power plant (10), typically of the proton exchange membrane (PEM) type. The keep-warm system prevents freeze-sensitive portions of the power plant, such as the cell stack assembly (CSA) (12) and the water management system (28, 30), from freezing under extreme cold external temperatures, during extended storage (CSA shut-down) periods of 7 days or more. The system uses pre-stored and pressurized fuel, typically hydrogen (25), normally used to fuel the anode (16) of the CSA, as fuel for a catalytic oxidation reaction at a catalytic burner (66). The hydrogen or other suitable fuel, is catalytically reacted with an oxidant, such as air (22), to produce heated gas that convectively passes in heat exchange relation with the freeze sensitive portions (12, 28, 30) of the power plant (10). The heat of the reacted hydrogen and air, typically 200°-700° F.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2002
    Publication date: July 17, 2003
    Inventors: Richard J. Assarabowski, William T. Unkert, Leonard A. Bach, Albert P. Grasso, Benoit Charles Olsommer