Patents by Inventor Thomas Fauner

Thomas Fauner 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).

  • Publication number: 20240131596
    Abstract: A fluid flow apparatus configured to provide a flow of fluid with particular flow profiles to a process chamber of an additive manufacturing apparatus is provided. The fluid flow apparatus includes a plurality of openings forming a first flow region, a second flow region, a third flow region, and a fourth flow region in adjacent arrangement along an axis in the process chamber between the build platform and the laser window. A controller is configured to execute instructions that perform operations that include flowing, via the second flow region, the flow of fluid along a second distance along the axis at a second velocity range between approximately 1.0 meters per second (m/s) and 6.0 m/s, and flowing, via the fourth flow region, another flow of fluid along a fourth distance along the axis at a fourth velocity range between approximately 0.1 m/s and 4.5 m/s.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2023
    Publication date: April 25, 2024
    Inventors: Benedikt Roidl, Thomas Fauner, Peter Pontiller-Schymura
  • Patent number: 11872627
    Abstract: A fluid flow apparatus configured to provide a flow of fluid with particular flow profiles to a process chamber of an additive manufacturing apparatus is provided. The fluid flow apparatus includes a plurality of openings forming a first flow region, a second flow region, a third flow region, and a fourth flow region in adjacent arrangement along an axis in the process chamber between the build platform and the laser window. A controller is configured to execute instructions that perform operations that include flowing, via the second flow region, the flow of fluid along a second distance along the axis at a second velocity range between approximately 1.0 meters per second (m/s) and 6.0 m/s, and flowing, via the fourth flow region, another flow of fluid along a fourth distance along the axis at a fourth velocity range between approximately 0.1 m/s and 4.5 m/s.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignees: GE Additive Germany GmbH, Concept laser GmbH
    Inventors: Benedikt Roidl, Thomas Fauner, Peter Pontiller-Schymura
  • Publication number: 20220379382
    Abstract: A fluid flow apparatus configured to provide a flow of fluid with particular flow profiles to a process chamber of an additive manufacturing apparatus is provided. The fluid flow apparatus includes a plurality of openings forming a first flow region, a second flow region, a third flow region, and a fourth flow region in adjacent arrangement along an axis in the process chamber between the build platform and the laser window. A controller is configured to execute instructions that perform operations that include flowing, via the second flow region, the flow of fluid along a second distance along the axis at a second velocity range between approximately 1.0 meters per second (m/s) and 6.0 m/s, and flowing, via the fourth flow region, another flow of fluid along a fourth distance along the axis at a fourth velocity range between approximately 0.1 m/s and 4.5 m/s.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2021
    Publication date: December 1, 2022
    Inventors: Benedikt Roidl, Thomas Fauner, Peter Pontiller-Schymura
  • Patent number: 11230930
    Abstract: A cooling assembly comprises a cooling cavity disposed inside of a turbine assembly. The cooling cavity is configured to direct cooling air inside a body of the turbine assembly. The cooling assembly comprises a cross-bank fluidly coupled with the cooling cavity and positioned to direct at least some of the cooling air out of the cooling cavity and outside of the body. The cross-bank comprises plural pins having first ends coupled with a first side interior surface of the body and opposite second ends coupled with a second side interior surface of the body. The cross-bank also includes a cross-bar connecting the pins. The cross-bar extends between the pins such that the cross-bar has a first end coupled with an exterior surface of a first pin of the pins and an opposite second end coupled with an exterior surface of a second pin of the pins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Florian Hoefler, Thomas Fauner
  • Publication number: 20210102466
    Abstract: A cooling assembly comprises a cooling cavity disposed inside of a turbine assembly. The cooling cavity is configured to direct cooling air inside a body of the turbine assembly. The cooling assembly comprises a cross-bank fluidly coupled with the cooling cavity and positioned to direct at least some of the cooling air out of the cooling cavity and outside of the body. The cross-bank comprises plural pins having first ends coupled with a first side interior surface of the body and opposite second ends coupled with a second side interior surface of the body. The cross-bank also includes a cross-bar connecting the pins. The cross-bar extends between the pins such that the cross-bar has a first end coupled with an exterior surface of a first pin of the pins and an opposite second end coupled with an exterior surface of a second pin of the pins.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2017
    Publication date: April 8, 2021
    Inventors: Florian HOEFLER, Thomas FAUNER
  • Patent number: 10738700
    Abstract: An assembly comprises a first cooling cavity disposed within one or more of a turbine assembly or a combustion chamber of an engine. The first cooling cavity directs cooling air within the one or more of the turbine assembly or the combustion chamber. The assembly comprises a second cooling cavity also disposed within the one or more of the turbine assembly or the combustion chamber. The second cooling cavity receives at least some of the cooling air from the first cooling cavity. A forward facing step nozzle forms a channel that fluidly couples the first cooling cavity with the second cooling cavity. The step nozzle includes steps having elongated first sides and narrow second sides. The elongated first sides of the steps protrude into the channel such that a cross-sectional area of the channel of the step nozzle at the steps is smaller than a cross-sectional area of the channel of the step nozzle outside of the steps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Thomas Fauner, Florian Hoefler, Jorge Alejandro Carretero Benignos
  • Publication number: 20180135519
    Abstract: An assembly comprises a first cooling cavity disposed within one or more of a turbine assembly or a combustion chamber of an engine. The first cooling cavity directs cooling air within the one or more of the turbine assembly or the combustion chamber. The assembly comprises a second cooling cavity also disposed within the one or more of the turbine assembly or the combustion chamber. The second cooling cavity receives at least some of the cooling air from the first cooling cavity. A forward facing step nozzle forms a channel that fluidly couples the first cooling cavity with the second cooling cavity. The step nozzle includes steps having elongated first sides and narrow second sides. The elongated first sides of the steps protrude into the channel such that a cross-sectional area of the channel of the step nozzle at the steps is smaller than a cross-sectional area of the channel of the step nozzle outside of the steps.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2016
    Publication date: May 17, 2018
    Inventors: Thomas Fauner, Florian Hoefler, Jorge Alejandro Carretero Benignos