Patents by Inventor Taylor K. Blair

Taylor K. Blair 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: 11976013
    Abstract: An article may include a substrate including a ceramic matrix composite (CMC); a composite coating layer including a first coating material that includes a rare-earth disilicate and a second coating material that includes at least one of a rare-earth monosilicate, a CMAS-resistant material, or a high-temperature dislocating material, where the second coating material forms a substantially continuous phase in the composite coating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventors: Stephanie Gong, Ngunjoh Lawrence Ndamka, Matthew R. Gold, Li Li, Taylor K. Blair, Sunny Chang, Ann Bolcavage
  • Patent number: 11958787
    Abstract: The disclosure describes braze tape coatings and technique to form articles with differing physical properties in different layers or regions of the article. An example method includes forming a braze tape defining at least one layer that includes a first segment and a second segment. A portion of the second segment in the plane is adjacent to a portion of the first segment in a plane of the layer. The method also includes positioning the braze tape on a surface of a substrate, the plane of the layer of the braze tape being parallel to the surface of the substrate. The method also includes heating the braze tape to melt a constituent of at least one of the first coating material and the second coating material to form a densified coating on the surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce High Temperature Composites, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Alexander Sean Golden, Sungbo Shim, Li Li, Taylor K. Blair
  • Patent number: 11952317
    Abstract: An example article includes a substrate and a barrier coating on the substrate. The barrier coating includes a matrix including a rare-earth disilicate extending from an inner interface facing the substrate to an outer surface opposite the inner interface. The barrier coating includes a graded volumetric distribution of rare-earth oxide rich (REO-rich) phase regions in the matrix along a direction from the inner interface to the outer surface. The graded volumetric distribution defines a first volumetric density of the REO-rich phase regions at a first region of the matrix adjacent the outer surface. The graded volumetric distribution defines a second volumetric density of the REO-rich phase regions at a second region of the matrix adjacent the inner surface. The second volumetric density is different from the first volumetric density. An example technique includes forming the barrier coating on the substrate of a component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventors: Ngunjoh Lawrence Ndamka, Li Li, Stephanie Gong, Ann Bolcavage, Taylor K. Blair, Robert Golden
  • Patent number: 11860080
    Abstract: In some examples, a system including a fluid stream monitoring system. The monitoring system includes an illumination device configured to illuminate at least some of particles suspended in a fluid stream; and an imaging device configured to image the illuminated particles at a first image plane that intersects a longitudinal axis of the fluid stream, wherein the illumination device and the imaging device are registered to the fluid stream delivery device in the first image plane, where the first image plane is substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal axis. The system includes processing circuitry configured to determine one or more physical characteristics of the fluid particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventors: Scott Nelson, Taylor K. Blair, John Grubbs, Martyn Anthony Jones, Chris Heason
  • Publication number: 20230249316
    Abstract: Techniques for abrasively blasting (e.g., grit blasting) components, such as ceramic or CMC components. In some examples, based on a comparison of component geometry to a target geometry, a blasting path over the surface of the component may be generated for a selected traverse speed. A computing device may control a blasting device to blast the component according to the generated blasting path with the selected traverse speed. In some examples, based on a comparison of a component geometry to a target geometry, a respective traverse speed for a blasting device relative the component for each section of a plurality of sections over a surface of the component may be generated. A computing device controls the blasting device to blast the component according to the respective traverse speeds relative over a surface of the component to remove material from the surface of the component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2022
    Publication date: August 10, 2023
    Inventors: Taylor K. Blair, Matthew R. Gold, Austin Scherbarth, Gary Pickrell
  • Publication number: 20230212086
    Abstract: In some examples, article used as a component for a turbine engine that operates in a high temperature environment. The article may include: a ceramic or ceramic matrix composite (CMC) substrate; and a coating on the ceramic or the CMC substrate, wherein the coating defines an outer surface of the article. The coating includes a plurality of surface features defining channels on the outer surface of the article. The channels are configured to modify a flow of molten Calcia-Magnesia-Alumina Silicate (CMAS) over the outer surface of the coating in a gas flow over the outer surface of the article to reduce accumulation of the molten CMAS on the outer surface of the article.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2021
    Publication date: July 6, 2023
    Inventors: Taylor K. Blair, Ted J. Freeman, Aaron Sippel
  • Publication number: 20230204490
    Abstract: In some examples, a system including a fluid stream monitoring system. The monitoring system includes an illumination device configured to illuminate at least some of particles suspended in a fluid stream; and an imaging device configured to image the illuminated particles at a first image plane that intersects a longitudinal axis of the fluid stream, wherein the illumination device and the imaging device are registered to the fluid stream delivery device in the first image plane, where the first image plane is substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal axis. The system includes processing circuitry configured to determine one or more physical characteristics of the fluid particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2021
    Publication date: June 29, 2023
    Inventors: Scott Nelson, Taylor K. Blair, John Grubbs, Martyn Anthony Jones, Chris Heason
  • Publication number: 20230192554
    Abstract: An article includes a substrate, an intermediate coating on the substrate, and an environmental barrier coating (EBC) on the intermediate coating. The substrate includes a ceramic, ceramic matrix composite (CMC), or superalloy. The EBC includes a rare earth disilicate. When the intermediate coating is at an initial state, such as prior to exposure to an oxidating environment, the intermediate coating includes a bond coat on the substrate and a reactive layer on the bond coat. The bond coat includes silicon, while the reactive layer includes a rare earth monosilicate or rare earth oxide. In response to oxidation of a portion of the silicon of the bond coat to form silicon dioxide, a portion of the rare earth monosilicate or rare earth oxide of the reactive layer is configured to react with at least a portion of the silicon dioxide to form a converted layer that includes a rare earth disilicate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2021
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Inventor: Taylor K. Blair
  • Patent number: 11655192
    Abstract: An example article includes a substrate and a barrier coating on the substrate extending from an inner interface facing the substrate to an outer surface opposite the inner interface. The barrier coating includes a bulk matrix and a plurality of discrete plugs inset within the bulk matrix and dispersed across the outer surface of the barrier coating. An example technique includes forming the barrier coating on the substrate of a component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Li Li, Jun Shi, Scott Nelson, Taylor K. Blair
  • Patent number: 11619137
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes at least one trap that absorbs or adheres to calcium-magnesium-alumino-silicate (CMAS) entrained in intake air entering the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventor: Taylor K. Blair
  • Patent number: 11512379
    Abstract: In one example, a method for forming a coating system including a bond coat and an environmental barrier coating on a ceramic or CMC substrate, e.g., with an abradable coating on the environmental barrier coating. The method may include depositing a bond coat on a ceramic or ceramic matrix composite (CMC) substrate to form an as-deposited bond coat; heat treating the as-deposited bond coat following the deposition of the as-deposited bond coat on the substrate to form a heat treated bond coat; depositing an environment barrier coating (EBC) layer on the heat treated bond coat to form as deposited EBC layer; and heat treating the as-deposited EBC layer to form a heat treated EBC layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Li Li, Taylor K. Blair, Stephanie Gong
  • Publication number: 20220002857
    Abstract: In one example, a method for forming a coating system including a bond coat and an environmental barrier coating on a ceramic or CMC substrate, e.g., with an abradable coating on the environmental barrier coating. The method may include depositing a bond coat on a ceramic or ceramic matrix composite (CMC) substrate to form an as-deposited bond coat; heat treating the as-deposited bond coat following the deposition of the as-deposited bond coat on the substrate to form a heat treated bond coat; depositing an environment barrier coating (EBC) layer on the heat treated bond coat to form as deposited EBC layer; and heat treating the as-deposited EBC layer to form a heat treated EBC layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2021
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Inventors: Li Li, Taylor K. Blair, Stephanie Gong
  • Patent number: 11092983
    Abstract: An example system includes at least one acoustic sensor and one optical sensor to monitor a thermal spray system controlled by a plurality of control parameters and performing a process associated with a plurality of process outputs. The system includes a computing device including a machine learning module and a control module. The machine learning module is configured to determine, based on at least the plurality of control parameters, an at least one time-dependent acoustic data signal, an at least one image data signal, and the plurality of process outputs, a relationship between the plurality of control parameters and the plurality of process outputs by machine learning. The control module is configured to control the thermal spray system to adjust the plurality of process outputs toward a plurality of respective operating ranges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Cybulsky, Taylor K. Blair, Benjamin Zimmerman, Marshall Louis Sweet, Andrea Marcon
  • Publication number: 20210188723
    Abstract: The disclosure describes braze tape coatings and technique to form articles with differing physical properties in different layers or regions of the article. An example method includes forming a braze tape defining at least one layer that includes a first segment and a second segment. A portion of the second segment in the plane is adjacent to a portion of the first segment in a plane of the layer. The method also includes positioning the braze tape on a surface of a substrate, the plane of the layer of the braze tape being parallel to the surface of the substrate. The method also includes heating the braze tape to melt a constituent of at least one of the first coating material and the second coating material to form a densified coating on the surface of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2020
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Inventors: Robert Alexander Sean Golden, Sungbo Shim, Li Li, Taylor K. Blair
  • Publication number: 20210024424
    Abstract: An example article includes a substrate and a barrier coating on the substrate extending from an inner interface facing the substrate to an outer surface opposite the inner interface. The barrier coating includes a bulk matrix and a plurality of discrete plugs inset within the bulk matrix and dispersed across the outer surface of the barrier coating. An example technique includes forming the barrier coating on the substrate of a component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2019
    Publication date: January 28, 2021
    Inventors: Li Li, Jun Shi, Scott Nelson, Taylor K. Blair
  • Patent number: 10871078
    Abstract: An article for use in a high-temperature environment that includes a substrate including a superalloy material, a ceramic, or a ceramic matrix composite, and an abradable coating on the substrate, the abradable coating including a rare earth silicate and a dislocator phase, the dislocator phase forms one or more distinct phase regions in the abradable coating and comprises at least one of hafnium diboride (HfB2), zirconium diboride (ZrB2), tantalum nitride (TaN or Ta2N), tantalum carbide (Ta2C), titanium diboride (TiB2), zirconium carbide (ZrC), hafnium carbide (HfC), tantalum diboride (TaB2), hafnium nitride (HfN), or niobium carbide (NbC).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventors: Ngunjoh Lawrence Ndamka, Li Li, Stephanie Gong, Sunny Chang, Ann Bolcavage, Taylor K. Blair
  • Patent number: 10851656
    Abstract: An article includes a substrate, a bond coat on the substrate, and a multilayer environmental barrier coating (EBC) on the bond coat. The multilayer EBC includes a first EBC layer defining a first thickness and a second EBC layer defining a second thickness. The first EBC layer includes a first rare earth disilicate and a first concentration of a sintering aid that includes alumina. The second EBC layer includes a second rare earth disilicate and a second concentration of the sintering aid that includes alumina, less than the first concentration of the sintering aid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: Stephanie Gong, Taylor K. Blair, Ngunjoh Lawrence Ndamka, Li Li, Sunny Chang, Ann Bolcavage
  • Patent number: 10724999
    Abstract: An example system includes at least one acoustic sensor configured to generate at least one time-dependent acoustic data signal indicative of an acoustic signal generated by a thermal spray system performing a process possessing a plurality of process attributes, and a computing device including an acoustic data signal processing module configured to receive the at least one time-dependent acoustic data signal, and transform the at least one time-dependent acoustic data signal to a frequency-domain spectrum, wherein each process attribute of the plurality of process attributes is associated with at least one respective frequency band, and a correlation module configured to determine a process attribute of the plurality of process attributes by identifying at least one characteristic of the frequency-domain spectrum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Cybulsky, Raymond J. Sinatra, Matthew R. Gold, Taylor K. Blair, Gary Pickrell, Romesh Batra
  • Patent number: 10695783
    Abstract: An example system includes at least one acoustic sensor configured to generate at least one time-dependent acoustic data signal indicative of an acoustic signal generated by a thermal spray system performing a process associated with a plurality of process attributes. The example system includes a computing device including an acoustic data signal module and a control module. The acoustic data signal processing module may transform the at least one time-dependent acoustic data signal to a frequency-domain spectrum. The control module may determine a process attribute of the plurality of process attributes that deviates from a predetermined operating range by identifying at least one characteristic of the frequency-domain spectrum, selecting at least one component of the thermal spray system based on the process attribute, and controlling the thermal spray system to adjust the process attribute toward the predetermined operating range by sending a control signal to the at least one component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc., Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing
    Inventors: Taylor K. Blair, Michael Cybulsky, Gary Pickrell, Benjamin Zimmerman, Romesh Batra, Matthew R. Gold
  • Publication number: 20200172446
    Abstract: A method may include applying a layer comprising a carbon source on a surface of a substrate including silicon; applying a layer comprising silicon on the layer comprising elemental carbon; and heat treating at least the layer comprising the carbon source to cause carbon from the layer comprising the carbon source to react with at least one of silicon from the substrate or silicon from the layer comprising silicon to form silicon carbide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2019
    Publication date: June 4, 2020
    Inventor: Taylor K. Blair