Patents by Inventor Robin Charles KENNEA

Robin Charles KENNEA 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: 9934885
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine 10 is provided with electrical harness rafts 200 comprising electrical conductors embedded in a rigid composite material. The rafts 200 are used to transport electrical signals (which may be, for example power and/or control signals) around a gas turbine engine. Rafts 200 may be connected together and to other components using flexible cables, that may help to accommodate relative movement of the rafts 200, for example through vibration. The rafts 200 are lighter, more compact, and more convenient to handle than conventional electrical harnesses. The rafts 200 may provide a convenient and secure mounting surface for other components/systems of a gas turbine engine, such as EECs and/or fluid pipes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Paul Broughton, Robin Charles Kennea
  • Patent number: 9826575
    Abstract: An electrical raft assembly for a gas turbine engine is provided. The raft assembly comprises a rigid electrical raft formed of a rigid material that includes an electrical system comprising electrical conductors embedded in the rigid material. The raft assembly further comprises an engine component that is mounted to the electrical raft. The electrical raft includes one or more integral cooling passages which guide a coolant fluid through the raft to cool the engine component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Michael Christopher Willmot, Paul Broughton, Richard Peace, Gary Alan Skinner, Robin Charles Kennea
  • Patent number: 9730275
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine 10 comprises at least one rigid raft assembly that has a fluid passageway 210 at least partially embedded therein. The fluid passageway 210 is at least a part of a fluid system. In addition to the fluid passageway 210, the rigid raft assembly 200 also has at least a part of another system. For example, the rigid raft assembly may also include electrical conductors 252, which are part of an electrical system. The rigid raft assembly 200 may be lighter, easier to assemble, more robust and more compact than conventional solutions for providing systems to gas turbine engines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Paul Broughton, Richard Peace, Gary Alan Skinner, Robin Charles Kennea
  • Patent number: 9730274
    Abstract: An electrical raft 200 comprising electrical conductors 252 embedded in a rigid material are provided to a gas turbine engine. The raft 200 is used to transport electrical signals (which may be, for example power and/or control signals) around a gas turbine engine. The electrical raft 200 has an electrical connector 700 embedded therein which is used to connect the electrical raft to an electrical unit, such as an EEC of a gas turbine engine The electrical connector 700 is resiliently biased so as to ensure a reliable electrical connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Paul Broughton, Richard Peace, Gary Alan Skinner, Michael Christopher Willmot, Robin Charles Kennea
  • Patent number: 9713202
    Abstract: The present invention provides a gas turbine engine part which has a primary purpose in the engine which is structural and/or aerodynamic. The part is formed of rigid composite material, and has an electrical system comprising electrical conductors permanently embedded in the composite material. This provides advantages in terms of weight, complexity, and build time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Paul Broughton, Richard Peace, Gary Alan Skinner, Robin Charles Kennea
  • Patent number: 9699833
    Abstract: An electrical assembly 600 comprising an electrical raft 200 and an electronic unit 300 is provided to a gas turbine engine 10. The electrical raft 200 has electrical conductors 252 embedded in a rigid material 220, which may be a rigid composite material. The electrical conductors 252 are in electrical contact with the electronic unit 300. When the electronic unit 300 is installed, at least a part 310 of it forms a part of a gas-washed surface of the engine 10. The electronic unit 300 is then easily accessible from the engine 10, and potentially complex and/or heavy access doors/panels may not be required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Paul Broughton, Richard Peace, Gary Alan Skinner, Robin Charles Kennea
  • Patent number: 9456472
    Abstract: The present invention provides a rigid raft formed of rigid composite material. The raft has an electrical system and/or a fluid system embedded therein. The raft further has a tank for containing liquid integrally formed therewith. The tank can be formed of the rigid composite material. The tank can be for a gas turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Justin Dalton, Paul Broughton, Richard Peace, Gary Alan Skinner, Robin Charles Kennea
  • Patent number: 9426843
    Abstract: An electrical raft (200) is provided that has electrical conductors (252) embedded in a rigid material (220). The electrical raft is provided with an electrical connector (700). The electrical connector (700) is mounted in the electrical raft (200) at a mounting angle (730). The mounting angle is set such that the electrical conductors (252) can be connected to the electrical connector without having to turn through an angle or a radius of curvature that would subject them to excessive bending stress. Similarly, the mounting angle means that any conductors (766) that may be connected to the electrical connector (700) do not have to turn through an angle or a radius of curvature that would subject them to excessive bending stress. Furthermore, mounting the electrical connector (700) at the mounting angle (730) may allow the assembled electrical raft (200) to be more compact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Michael Christopher Willmot, Matthew Peter Fitt, Philip Summerfield, Paul Broughton, Richard Peace, Gary Alan Skinner, Robin Charles Kennea
  • Patent number: 9426844
    Abstract: An electrical raft 200 is provided that has electrical conductors 252 embedded in a rigid material 220. The electrical raft 200 may have other embedded components, such as embedded fluid pipes 210. The electrical raft 200 is provided with a raft map 400 that indicates the location and/or path of components embedded in the electrical raft 200. The raft map 400 can be used to identify the positions of the embedded components, and may also be provided with active elements, such as LEDs, which may be used to indicate an operating state of the systems/components embedded in the electrical raft 200. The raft map 400 may be useful in assembly, repair and fault diagnosis, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: Paul Broughton, Richard Peace, Gary Alan Skinner, Robin Charles Kennea, Michael Christopher Willmot, Philip Summerfield
  • Patent number: 9338830
    Abstract: A raft assembly for a gas turbine engine is provided. The raft assembly includes a rigid raft formed of a rigid material that has an electrical system and/or a fluid system embedded therein. The raft assembly further includes one or more clamps for mounting tubular members to the raft. The or each clamp has a first clamp block and a second clamp block which, in use, clamp together to grip a tubular member between the blocks. The first block is fixed to the raft. The or each clamp further has a fastener operatively extending between the blocks. The fastener is tightenable to apply a clamping load between the blocks, and releasable to remove the clamping load such that the second block can be moved relative to the first block to allow the tubular member to be received between or removed from between the blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Paul Broughton, Richard Peace, Gary Alan Skinner, Robin Charles Kennea
  • Patent number: 9204497
    Abstract: An electrical assembly including electrical raft having electrical conductors embedded in a rigid material is provided. The electrical assembly has an electrically conductive screen layer. The electrically conductive screen layer provides electromagnetic protection to the electrical conductors. The electrically conductive screen layer is electrically connected to a mounting fixture, which in turn may be electrically connected to an apparatus on which the electrical assembly may be mounted. The electrical raft is used to transport electrical signals (which may be, for example power and/or control signals), for example around a gas turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: Michael Christopher Willmot, John Philip Richardson, Jason Watkiss, Paul Broughton, Richard Peace, Gary Alan Skinner, Robin Charles Kennea
  • Publication number: 20130298566
    Abstract: An electrical raft 200 is provided that has electrical conductors 252 embedded in a rigid material 220. The electrical raft 200 may have other embedded components, such as embedded fluid pipes 210. The electrical raft 200 is provided with a raft map 400 that indicates the location and/or path of components embedded in the electrical raft 200. The raft map 400 can be used to identify the positions of the embedded components, and may also be provided with active elements, such as LEDs, which may be used to indicate an operating state of the systems/components embedded in the electrical raft 200. The raft map 400 may be useful in assembly, repair and fault diagnosis, for example.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Inventors: Paul BROUGHTON, Richard PEACE, Gary Alan SKINNER, Robin Charles KENNEA, Michael Christopher WILLMOT, Philip SUMMERFIELD