Patents by Inventor Thomas N. Slavens

Thomas N. Slavens 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: 10626730
    Abstract: In a featured embodiment, a gas turbine engine component comprises an airfoil having a leading edge, a trailing edge, and pressure and suction side walls extending from the leading edge to the trailing edge. The airfoil extends from a base to a tip. A shelf is formed in the tip, and extends from the pressure side wall, around the leading edge, to the suction side wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: James T. Auxier, Thomas N. Slavens, Brandon S. Donnell, Yafet Girma
  • Patent number: 10626796
    Abstract: A film-cooled component for a gas turbine engine includes a first surface of the component located at a gas path of a gas turbine engine, a second surface of the component defining a component passage, and a cooling airflow passage extending from the second surface to the first surface to convey a cooling airflow from the passage and emit the cooling airflow at the first surface. The cooling airflow passage is curvilinearly diffused in at least two directions relative to a local gas flow direction in the gas path. A method of cooling a component includes flowing a cooling airflow into an internal component passage of the turbine component, conveying the cooling airflow through a cooling airflow passage, diffusing the cooling airflow in at least two directions along the airflow passage, and emitting the cooling airflow at a gas path surface to cool the gas path surface of the component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Thomas N. Slavens, Carey Clum
  • Patent number: 10612392
    Abstract: A cooling circuit for a gas turbine engine comprises a gas turbine engine component having a first portion connected to a second portion via a curved surface. An inlet is formed in or near one of the first and second portions to receive a cooling air flow. An outlet is formed in or near the other of the first and second portions to direct cooling flow along a surface of the gas turbine engine component. At least one cooling path extends between the inlet and the outlet and has at least one cooling path portion that conforms in shape to the curved surface. A gas turbine engine and a method of forming a cooling circuit for a gas turbine engine are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas N. Slavens, Brooks E. Snyder
  • Patent number: 10563583
    Abstract: A cooling circuit for a gas turbine engine comprises a first wall having a first surface facing a first cavity and a second surface facing away from the first cavity. A second wall is spaced outwardly of the second surface of the first wall to provide at least one second cavity. Cooling fluid is configured to flow from the first cavity and exit to an external surface of the second wall via at least one hole to provide cooling to the external surface. A gas turbine engine and a method of forming a cooling circuit for a gas turbine engine are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas N. Slavens, Brooks E. Snyder
  • Patent number: 10549338
    Abstract: A core for use in casting an internal cooling circuit within a gas turbine engine component, the core including a core body with an outer skin in which a core body additively manufacturing binder is locally eliminated. A method of manufacturing a core for casting a component, including casting a core body for at least partially forming an internal passage architecture of a component; and forming an outer skin on the core body in which a core body binder is locally eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas N. Slavens, James T. Auxier
  • Publication number: 20200025085
    Abstract: A method for applying a coating to a substrate having a plurality of holes. The method comprises: applying a braze material to a substrate having a plurality of holes; heating the substrate to melt the braze material to form a melt; cooling the substrate to solidify the melt to form plugs in the respective holes; applying a coating to the substrate; and further heating the substrate to melt the plugs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2019
    Publication date: January 23, 2020
    Applicant: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin L. Zacchera, Thomas N. Slavens
  • Publication number: 20200011187
    Abstract: A component according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a body, a wall extending inside of the body and a plurality of vortex promoting features arranged in a helical pattern along the wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2019
    Publication date: January 9, 2020
    Inventors: Nicholas M. LoRicco, James Tilsley Auxier, Brooks E. Snyder, Thomas N. Slavens
  • Patent number: 10519802
    Abstract: A vane structure includes a baffle movably mounted within an aperture, the baffle movable to control a cooling flow between a first cooling cavity and a second cooling cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas N. Slavens, Edward F. Pietraszkiewicz, Thomas J. Martin, Mark F. Zelesky, Steven B. Gautschi, Matthew A. Devore, Alexander Staroselsky
  • Patent number: 10494929
    Abstract: An airfoil structure for a gas turbine engine includes an airfoil that includes a suction side cooling circuit with at least two segments that are connected by at least one impingement passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Thomas N. Slavens, Brooks E. Snyder, Andrew D. Burdick
  • Patent number: 10487667
    Abstract: A component for use in a gas turbine engine includes a first section, a second section, and a functionally graded section. The first section is made of a metal material. The second section is made of a ceramic material and/or a ceramic matrix composite material. The functionally graded section is disposed between the first section and the second section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas N. Slavens, Sergey Mironets, Alexander Staroselsky, Brooks E. Snyder, Thomas J. Martin
  • Patent number: 10465607
    Abstract: A method for applying a coating to a substrate having a plurality of holes. The method comprises: applying a braze material to a substrate having a plurality of holes; heating the substrate to melt the braze material to form a melt; cooling the substrate to solidify the melt to form plugs in the respective holes; applying a coating to the substrate; and further heating the substrate to melt the plugs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin L. Zacchera, Thomas N. Slavens
  • Patent number: 10465530
    Abstract: A component according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a body, a wall extending inside of the body and a plurality of vortex promoting features arranged in a helical pattern along the wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Nicholas M. LoRicco, James T. Auxier, Brooks E. Snyder, Thomas N. Slavens
  • Publication number: 20190316474
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine assembly according to an example of the present disclosure includes, among other things, an endwall having a first material composition, an airfoil extending in a radial direction from the endwall, and a cupped contour of a second material composition that is formed on the endwall to define a cooling chamber, the first material composition different than the second material composition. A method of forming an endwall is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2019
    Publication date: October 17, 2019
    Inventors: Dipanjan Saha, Brooks E. Snyder, Thomas N. Slavens
  • Patent number: 10436113
    Abstract: A cooling device for a gas turbine engine component comprises a gas turbine engine component having an upstream channel and a downstream channel that define a cooling flow path. A meter feature includes at least one hole to meter flow from the upstream channel to the downstream channel, and has an upstream side and a downstream side. An exit diffuser extends outwardly from the downstream side of the meter feature to control flow in a desired direction into the downstream channel. A gas turbine engine is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas N. Slavens, Dominic J. Mongillo, Steven Bruce Gautschi, Jaime G. Ghigliotty
  • Patent number: 10436039
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine component includes a structure having a surface configured to be exposed to a hot working fluid. The surface includes a recessed pocket that is circumscribed by an overhang. At least one cooling groove is provided by the overhang.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Brooks E. Snyder, Thomas N. Slavens
  • Patent number: 10434545
    Abstract: A aerodynamic particle separator for an Additive Manufacturing System (AMS) has an air supply device to entrain a mixed powder in an airstream flowing through a housing. Each particle in the mixed powder is imparted with a momentum dependent upon the particle weight and size. Utilizing this momentum characteristic, the heavier particles are capable of crossing streamlines of the airstream at a bend portion of the housing and the lighter particles generally stay within the streamlines. Utilizing this dynamic characteristic, the particles of specific weight ranges are collected through respective offtake holes in the housing and controllably fed to a spreader of the AMS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas J. Martin, Alexander Staroselsky, Sergey Mironets, Thomas N. Slavens, Brooks E. Snyder
  • Patent number: 10415394
    Abstract: A blade for a gas turbine engine includes an airfoil that extends a span from a root to a tip. The airfoil is provided by a first portion near the root and has a metallic alloy. A third portion near the tip has a refractory material. A second portion joins the first and third portions and has a functional graded material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas N. Slavens, Mosheshe Camara-Khary Blake, Timothy J. Jennings, Nicholas M. LoRicco, Sasha M. Moore, Clifford J. Musto
  • Patent number: 10408061
    Abstract: An article includes a body that has a first section and a second section bonded with the first section. The first section is formed with a first material that has a first microstructure and the second section is formed of a second material that has a second, different microstructure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Thomas N. Slavens, Mark Zelesky, Mosheshe Camara-Khary Blake
  • Publication number: 20190271229
    Abstract: One exemplary embodiment of this disclosure relates to a gas turbine engine, including a component having a first portion formed using one of a casting and a forging process, and a second portion formed using an additive manufacturing process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2019
    Publication date: September 5, 2019
    Inventors: Thomas N. Slavens, Mark F. Zelesky
  • Patent number: 10385774
    Abstract: A turbine engine includes a first compressor and a second compressor fluidly parallel to the first compressor. A reverse flow combustor is fluidly connected to the first compressor and the second compressor. A first turbine and a second turbine are fluidly connected in series, and fluidly connected to an output of the reverse flow combustor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Bernard Kupratis, Tania Bhatia Kashyap, Mark F. Zelesky, Arthur W. Utay, Gabriel L. Suciu, Thomas N. Slavens, Kevin L. Rugg, Brian Merry