Patents by Inventor Ronald Scott Bunker

Ronald Scott Bunker 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).

  • METHODS FOR REPAIRING FILM HOLES IN A SURFACE
    Publication number: 20170368647
    Abstract: Methods for repairing an airfoil having a damaged region are provided. The method can include removing the damaged portion from the airfoil to form an intermediate component. The damaged portion generally includes an original film hole having an original cross-sectional geometry. Using additive manufacturing, a replacement portion is then applied on the intermediate component to form a repaired component with the replacement portion including a rebuilt film hole having a rebuilt cross-sectional geometry that is different than the original cross-sectional geometry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2016
    Publication date: December 28, 2017
    Inventor: Ronald Scott Bunker
  • COMPONENT FOR A GAS TURBINE ENGINE
    Publication number: 20170362943
    Abstract: A component for a gas turbine engine includes a first region formed substantially of a first CMC material, wherein first region defines a first thermal conductivity. The component further includes a second region formed substantially of a second CMC material, wherein the second region defines a second thermal conductivity. Further, the component defines a thickness and the first region is positioned adjacent to the second region along the thickness, wherein the first thermal conductivity is different than the second thermal conductivity to alert a thermal profile of the component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Publication date: December 21, 2017
    Inventors: Shawn Michael Pearson, Kirk Douglas Gallier, Ronald Scott Bunker
  • ENGINE COMPONENT ASSEMBLY
    Publication number: 20170335693
    Abstract: An engine component assembly includes an engine component having a hot surface in thermal communication with a hot combustion gas flow and a cooling surface in fluid communication with a cooling fluid flow. Multiple, non-linear channels are provided on the cooling surface of the engine component. At least a portion of the cooling fluid flow is orthogonal to an extension axis of the channels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2015
    Publication date: November 23, 2017
    Inventors: Ronald Scott BUNKER, Jonathan Michael RAUSCH, Emily Rosette CLARK
  • AIRFOIL WITH COOLING CIRCUIT
    Publication number: 20170328208
    Abstract: An airfoil for a turbine engine having an engine component including an internal cooling circuit fluidly coupled to a plurality of passages within the outer wall of the engine component where cooling air moves from the internal cooling circuit to an outer surface of the engine component through the passages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2016
    Publication date: November 16, 2017
    Inventor: Ronald Scott Bunker
  • AIRFOIL WITH COOLING CIRCUIT
    Publication number: 20170328209
    Abstract: An airfoil for a turbine engine having an engine component including an air supply circuit coupled to a plurality of passages within the outer wall of the engine component where cooling air moves from the air supply circuit to an outer surface of the engine component through the passages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2016
    Publication date: November 16, 2017
    Inventor: Ronald Scott Bunker
  • ENGINE COMPONENT WALL WITH A COOLING CIRCUIT
    Publication number: 20170328213
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for flowing cooling air through an outer wall of an engine component such as an airfoil. The airfoil having the outer wall can include a skin layer and a porous layer. The skin layer can include a skin cooling circuit for providing the cooling air from an interior of the airfoil to the exterior of the airfoil through the porous layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2016
    Publication date: November 16, 2017
    Inventor: Ronald Scott Bunker
  • AIRFOIL WITH COOLING CIRCUIT
    Publication number: 20170328210
    Abstract: An airfoil for a turbine engine having an engine component including an air supply circuit coupled to a plurality of passages within the outer wall of the engine component where cooling air moves from the air supply circuit to an outer surface of the engine component through the passages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2016
    Publication date: November 16, 2017
    Inventor: Ronald Scott Bunker
  • ENGINE COMPONENT WALL WITH A COOLING CIRCUIT
    Publication number: 20170328212
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for cooling an engine component includes a wall. The wall can include multiple layers. The layers can be different materials and define an interior for the engine component. The layers can include shaped features to define a serial cooling air flow path for providing a flow from the interior to an exterior of the engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2016
    Publication date: November 16, 2017
    Inventor: Ronald Scott Bunker
  • AIRFOIL HAVING COOLING CIRCUIT
    Publication number: 20170328215
    Abstract: An airfoil for a turbine engine having an engine component including an internal cooling circuit fluidly coupled to a plurality of passages within the outer wall of the engine component where cooling air moves from the internal cooling circuit to an outer surface of the engine component through the passages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2016
    Publication date: November 16, 2017
    Inventor: Ronald Scott Bunker
  • ENGINE COMPONENT WALL WITH A COOLING CIRCUIT
    Publication number: 20170328221
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for flowing cooling air through an outer wall of an engine component such as an airfoil. The airfoil having the outer wall can include an opening. A framework can be disposed in the opening adapted to reduce the required flow through the opening to increase the efficiency of the engine and improve cooling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2016
    Publication date: November 16, 2017
    Inventors: Jason Randolph Allen, Ronald Scott Bunker
  • COOLED COMPONENT WITH POROUS SKIN
    Publication number: 20170328207
    Abstract: A turbine component is configured to be cooled by structured porosity cooling. The component includes: a wall; a contiguous porous layer that is part of the wall; a first zone defined in the porous layer such that it has a first structured porosity, and a second zone defined in the layer such that it has a second structured porosity. The first structured porosity is different from the second structured porosity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2016
    Publication date: November 16, 2017
    Inventor: Ronald Scott Bunker
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR COOLING COMPONENTS OF A GAS TURBINE ENGINE
    Publication number: 20170321564
    Abstract: A method for cooling a component of a gas turbine engine includes flowing a cooling airflow through a cooling passage of a turbine rotor blade, wherein the cooling passage includes an inlet and an outlet formed on a blade tip of the turbine rotor blade. The method further includes receiving at least a portion of the cooling airflow exiting the outlet of the cooling passage with an aperture defined in a casing of the gas turbine engine, wherein the casing is spaced from the blade tip along the radial direction. In addition, the method includes providing the cooling airflow received with the aperture defined in the casing to the component of the gas turbine engine through a coolant duct assembly of the gas turbine engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2016
    Publication date: November 9, 2017
    Inventors: Ronald Scott Bunker, Robert Charles Groves, II
  • Methods for the formation and shaping of cooling channels, and related articles of manufacture
    Patent number: 9803939
    Abstract: A method to modify the shape of a channel in a metallic substrate is described. The method includes the step of applying at least one metallic coating on selected portions of an interior surface of the channel, so as to alter the heat transfer characteristics of the channel during passage of a coolant fluid therethrough. Related articles that contain the modified channels are also described, such as gas turbine engine components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Ronald Scott Bunker
  • RADIAL CMC WALL THICKNESS VARIATION FOR STRESS RESPONSE
    Publication number: 20170268345
    Abstract: An airfoil having a radial direction extending away from an engine axis is provided. The airfoil includes an airfoil wall having an airfoil outer surface and an airfoil inner surface, with the airfoil extending radially from a first end to a second end. The airfoil defines a cooling channel interior to the inner surface with a thickness being defined between the airfoil outer surface and the airfoil inner surface. The thickness varies in the radial direction from the first end to the second end along at least one radial cross-section of the airfoil. A turbine nozzle of a turbine engine is also provided, which may include an outer band, an inner band, and the airfoil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2016
    Publication date: September 21, 2017
    Inventors: Robert Charles Groves, II, Kirk Douglas Gallier, Ronald Scott Bunker
  • CASTING WITH FIRST METAL COMPONENTS AND SECOND METAL COMPONENTS
    Publication number: 20170246678
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to casting molds including a casting core comprising a first metal component and a second metal component. In an aspect, the first metal component has a lower melting point than the second metal component. In another aspect, the second metal component surrounds at least a portion of the first metal component and defines a cavity in the casting core when the first metal component is removed and the second metal component is not removed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 29, 2016
    Publication date: August 31, 2017
    Inventors: Ronald Scott BUNKER, Douglas Gerard KONITZER
  • CASTING WITH A SECOND METAL COMPONENT FORMED AROUND A FIRST METAL COMPONENT USING HOT ISOSTACTIC PRESSING
    Publication number: 20170246688
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to casting molds including a casting shell surrounding at least a portion of a casting core comprising a first metal component and a hot isostactic pressed second metal component around the first metal component. In one aspect, the first metal component may have a lower melting point than the second metal component. In another aspect, the second metal component may retain some metal powder grain structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 29, 2016
    Publication date: August 31, 2017
    Inventors: Ronald Scott BUNKER, Douglas Gerard KONITZER
  • CASTING WITH METAL COMPONENTS AND METAL SKIN LAYERS
    Publication number: 20170246677
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to casting molds including a casting core comprising an outer shell mold surrounding at least a portion of a casting core and a casting core comprising a second metal skin layer around a first metal component. In one aspect, at least one portion of the first metal component may be exposed on a surface of the outer shell mold. In another aspect, the outer shell mold may be configured to define a cavity in the casting core when the first metal component is removed and the second metal skin layer is not removed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 29, 2016
    Publication date: August 31, 2017
    Inventors: Ronald Scott BUNKER, Douglas Gerard KONITZER
  • CASTING WITH GRADED CORE COMPONENTS
    Publication number: 20170246679
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to investment casting molds comprising a casting core comprising at least one graded core component, the graded core component comprising at least one graded transition between a first core material and a second core material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 29, 2016
    Publication date: August 31, 2017
    Inventors: Ronald Scott BUNKER, Douglas Gerard KONITZER
  • AIRFOIL HAVING CROSSOVER HOLES
    Publication number: 20170234141
    Abstract: An airfoil for a turbine engine having first and second radially extending cooling chambers separated by a radially extending rib in which rows of crossover holes pass through the rib and fluidly coupling the first and second chambers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2016
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Inventors: Ronald Scott Bunker, Robert David Briggs
  • Riblets For A Flowpath Surface Of A Turbomachine
    Publication number: 20170234134
    Abstract: A component stage for a turbomachine includes a component section. The component section includes a flowpath surface at least partially exposed to a core air flowpath defined by the turbomachine, when the component stage is installed in the turbomachine. The component further includes a plurality of sequentially arranged riblets on the flowpath surface, the plurality of sequentially arranged riblets customized for an anticipated location of the flowpath surface within the turbomachine by defining one or both of a non-uniform geometry or a non-uniform spacing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Inventor: Ronald Scott Bunker