Individually Pivoted Vanes Patents (Class 415/160)
  • Patent number: 10677148
    Abstract: A variable displacement exhaust turbocharger is provided with a plurality of nozzle vanes that are rotatably supported by a nozzle mount, a drive ring that is interlocked with an actuator and fits to a guide part of the nozzle mount, a lever plate having one end coupled to the drive ring and the other end coupled to the nozzle vane, and a variable nozzle mechanism that varies the vane angle of the nozzle vane by rotating the drive ring. A bulge suppressing portion is provided for absorbing bulging occurring on an outer peripheral surface of the guide part, the bulging being caused by the press-fitting of a nail pin into a press-fitting hole in a direction slightly toward the rotational axis with respect to the guide section and following the axial direction of the nozzle mount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES ENGINE & TURBOCHARGER, LTD.
    Inventors: Naoto Tashiro, Yasuaki Jinnai, Hiroyuki Arimizu
  • Patent number: 10605254
    Abstract: A bearing element for at least one adjustable guide vane of a turbomachine, in particular an aircraft engine, is provided. The bearing element comprising a porous matrix made of carbon and/or graphite and at least one metallic phase or a metal salt that is at least partially arranged inside the pores of the matrix, so that what results is a metal-infiltrated or a metal-salt-infiltrated material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE DEUTSCHLAND LTD & CO KG
    Inventors: Bjorn Ulrichsohn, Susanne Schruefer, Karl Schreiber
  • Patent number: 10590904
    Abstract: A vane body of a guide vane includes a leading edge, and a trailing edge which is located closer to a runner than the leading edge, when located radially outside the runner. A projection extending in a direction from the trailing edge toward the leading edge is provided on an internal-diameter side blade face of the vane body, at least in any one of one side area of the internal-diameter side blade face and the other side area thereof in an axial direction of a guide vane rotation shaft, the internal-diameter side blade face being disposed on a side of the runner. The projection has a projection rear end of an arcuate shape, which projection rear end is formed to extend along a rotation trajectory which is drawn by the trailing edge when the vane body is rotated about the guide vane rotation shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Madoka Narikawa, Hideyuki Kawajiri, Norio Ohtake, Koichi Kubo, Toshifumi Kurokawa, Nobuaki Noda
  • Patent number: 10563513
    Abstract: An inlet guide vane is disclosed. The inlet guide vane includes a strut and a flap having a radial length in a radial direction. The flap includes a radially inner portion having a first angular orientation with respect to the strut, a radially outer portion having a second angular orientation with respect to the strut, and a transition portion intermediate the radially inner portion and the radially outer portion, wherein the first angular orientation transitions to the second angular orientation along a portion of the radial length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Georgi Kalitzin, Gorazd Medic
  • Patent number: 10557371
    Abstract: A variable vane assembly for a gas turbine engine includes a case having a bore and a recess. The case provides a first portion of a flow path surface. A vane includes a journal that extends along an axis from a vane end and received in the bore. An insert is arranged in the recess and provides a second portion of the flow path surface adjacent to the first flow path surface. The insert includes a pocket that slidably receives the vane end. The vane end is configured to move axially relative to the insert.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Jose E. Ruberte Sanchez
  • Patent number: 10539024
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine airflow member is disclosed having spherical interface shapes at a tip end and a hub end. In one embodiment, the airflow member is a fan blade. The spherical interface shapes can be convex or concave. In one form, the tip end spherical shape is axially shifted aft relative to a hub end. The tip end can include relatively little forward portion in an expanding flow path with predominant portion of the tip end in a contracting flow path. Such a configuration can occur with a midpoint and trailing edge located in the contracting flow path. A center of gravity of a swept airflow member having spherical end shape can be located on a pivot axis of the airflow member. Divot depressions can be provided to permit concave flow path shapes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Roy D. Fulayter, Daniel K. Vetters, Bronwyn Power
  • Patent number: 10526911
    Abstract: A synchronization ring for a variable vane assembly of a gas turbine engine may include a first ring portion and a second ring portion. The first ring portion and the second ring portion may be detachably coupled together to jointly define a plurality of cylindrical bores circumferentially distributed around the synchronization ring and extending radially through the synchronization ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: William S. Pratt, David Maliniak, Christopher St. Mary
  • Patent number: 10527060
    Abstract: Variable stator vane assemblies and stator vanes thereof having a local swept leading edge are provided. The variable stator vane comprises an airfoil disposed between spaced apart inner and outer buttons centered about a rotational axis. The inner and outer buttons each have a button forward edge portion. The airfoil includes leading and trailing edges, pressure and suction sides, and a root and a tip. The leading edge, at least a portion of which extends forward of the buttons, includes a local forward sweep at the root, thereby forming a locally swept root of the leading edge thereat. The button forward edge portion of the inner button is substantially vertically aligned with the locally swept leading edge root. Methods are also provided for minimizing endwall leakage in the variable stator vane assembly using the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Bruce David Reynolds, Timothy Gentry, Richard David Conner
  • Patent number: 10518395
    Abstract: A cuff-blade attachment bushing removal tool system includes an alignment plate comprising alignment holes defined through the alignment plate in a pattern of a plurality of bushing holes of a blade root, a bladder plate connected to the alignment plate, and a bladder positioned on the bladder plate such that a gap is formed between the bladder and the alignment plate to receive a blade root to align the alignment holes and the bushing holes of the blade root, wherein the bladder is transitionable between an uninflated position where the blade root can be inserted into the gap and an inflated position where the blade root is clamped between the bladder and the alignment plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Scott O. Smith, Sven R. Lofstrom, Philip Petering
  • Patent number: 10508660
    Abstract: An apparatus and method of controlling the position of a variable vane in a compressor and a kit for adding such apparatus to the compressor are disclosed. The vane is coupled to a unison ring, a cam is secured to a torque tube, a cam follower is secured to the unison ring. The cam follower is secured such that a wall of the cam follower is in contact with the cam. Rotation of the torque tube causes movement of the cam, and movement of the cam moves the cam follower, thereby moving the unison ring and the variable vane coupled thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Hall, Russell White, Jonathan Acker, Lyle Helvie
  • Patent number: 10502077
    Abstract: A vane retainer for a gas turbine engine includes a retainer body, an inner surface of the retainer body to engage complimentary threads of a mating component, and a plurality of castellations located at an end of the retainer body for engagement with complementary installation tool features during installation of the vane retainer to the mating component. A gas turbine engine includes a combustor and a plurality of vane assemblies in fluid communication with the combustor. Each vane assembly includes a vane having an airfoil portion and a vane stem extending from the airfoil portion. The vane stem is inserted into a bushing. A vane retainer is engaged with the bushing and includes a retainer body, an inner surface of the retainer body to engage complimentary threads of the bushing, and a plurality of castellations located at an end of the retainer body for engagement with complementary installation tool features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Edward Torres
  • Patent number: 10393146
    Abstract: A flexible metal foil can be fixed on the inside part of a variable pitch vane control ring of a turbojet compressor, so as to close all through holes in which lever pins and their surrounding bushes are housed. As a result, the foil can retain the shank of the bush if the bush breaks. The use of such foil does not impose the development of a new model of control ring and its impact on the mass is small enough so that it does not affect engine performances. Therefore it avoids problems related to the breakage of bushes without having to make major changes to the existing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Olivier Bazot, Jérémy Philippe Pierre Edynak
  • Patent number: 10364827
    Abstract: An adjustable guide vane ring of a turbomachine having an inner ring, the guide vanes of which each have a radially inner vane disk with disk thickness increasing in the direction of flow and acting as a bearing pin; a guide vane, as well as an inner ring for such a guide vane ring, as well as a turbomachine are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: MTU Aero Engines AG
    Inventors: Werner Humhauser, Hermann Klingels
  • Patent number: 10287902
    Abstract: A variable stator vane includes airfoil mounted to a button centered about a rotational axis and having cylindrical portion supporting airfoil and a button undercut extending away from cylindrical portion and radially inwardly from circumference of cylindrical portion. Conical portion of button circumscribed about conical axis of revolution extends away from cylindrical portion. Conical axis of revolution may be tilted with respect to and may intersect rotational axis. Airfoil may include airfoil overhang extending radially outwardly beyond circular trailing edge of button. Variable stator vane may include airfoil disposed between spaced apart outer and inner buttons centered about a rotational axis, inner button having a cylindrical portion supporting airfoil and circumscribed about rotational axis, and button undercut extending away from cylindrical portion and radially inwardly from a circumference of cylindrical portion with respect to rotational axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Wojciech Sak, Timothy William Taylor, Walter Glen Crosby, IV
  • Patent number: 10240518
    Abstract: A variable-geometry turbocharger (1) with a vane lever (11) that provides a stop function at full open position of the guide vanes (8). The integrated vane-open stop controls the full open position of the VTG mechanism. A vane lever (11) preferably has an integrated protrusion (50) that functions as a vane-open stop that contacts an adjacent vane lever (11), an integrated bolt (56), or the upper vane ring (16) at the full open position to regulate maximum exhaust gas flow to the turbine wheel (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventors: Vahidin Alajbegovic, Daniel J. Van Saun, Robert S. Lerosen, Daniel N. Ward
  • Patent number: 10240519
    Abstract: At least one of a variable turbine geometry and a variable compressor geometry for an exhaust gas turbocharger may include a housing including a first housing wall and a blade bearing ring having at least one guide blade rotatably mounted thereon. A control lever may be included for adjusting the at least one guide blade between a closing position and an opening position. An actuating shaft may be connected to the control lever in a rotationally fixed manner along a rotation axis. The actuating shaft may be rotatably mounted on the housing via a passage opening disposed in the first housing wall. The actuating shaft may directly support itself on the first housing wall in the passage opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: BMTS Technology GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Anatolij Martens, Volkhard Ammon
  • Patent number: 10221711
    Abstract: In an integrated strut and turbine vane nozzle (ISV) configuration, lug/slot or tag/groove arrangements may be provided between an interturbine duct (ITD) of the ISV and a vane ring of the ISV such that struts of the ITD and associated vanes are angularly positioned to form integrated strut-vane airfoils, reducing mismatch at the integration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Vincent Paradis, John Walter Pietrobon, Richard L. Bouchard
  • Patent number: 10215047
    Abstract: An actuator includes a pump including a first cavity and a diaphragm coupled in flow communication with the first cavity. The diaphragm is configured to pressurize a fluid contained in the first cavity. The pump further includes a first valve coupled in flow communication with the first cavity. The first valve is configured to release fluid from the first cavity when the first cavity is pressurized. The actuator also includes a piston assembly operatively coupled to the pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thomas Ory Moniz, Joseph George Rose, Robert Joseph Orlando, Chenyu Jack Chou
  • Patent number: 10145264
    Abstract: An example variable vane actuation system of a gas turbine engine includes, among other things, an actuation ring, a plurality of variable vanes circumferentially disposed about an engine axis, a plurality of vane arms configured to actuate the plurality of variable vanes, and a plurality of press fit members coupling the vane arms to the actuation ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: James F. McGuire, II
  • Patent number: 10094391
    Abstract: A compressor housing includes an intake port, a scroll, and a shroud. The shroud includes a shroud surface facing the impeller, a sliding member in an annular shape, and a sliding-member fixing portion in an annular shape. An inner circumferential surface of the sliding member defines the shroud surface. The sliding-member fixing portion includes contact portions that are configured to such that an inner circumferential surface of the sliding-member fixing portion and an outer circumferential surface of the sliding member at least partially come into contact with each other. The sliding member is fastened to the sliding-member fixing portion at the contact portions by the fastening members. The sliding member is fastened by the fastening members configured to extend through the sliding-member fixing portion. The fastening members are fastened from an outer circumferential surface of the sliding-member fixing portion to the sliding member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomoki Miyoshi, Tomoyuki Isogai, Koichi Yonezawa
  • Patent number: 10066668
    Abstract: The present invention provides a split inner ring for an adjustable guide blade arrangement, having a ring segment arrangement with at least two ring segments (1, 2) and a bearing bush arrangement with at least one bearing bush (5) for mounting an adjustable guide blade (4) of the guide blade arrangement, in which a ring segment and another ring segment of the ring segment arrangement can be joined together by the bearing bush arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: MTU AERO ENGINES AG
    Inventor: Georg Zotz
  • Patent number: 10046424
    Abstract: Methods are provided for improving performance of a gas turbine engine comprising a component having a rotor mounted in a rotor casing and having rotor blades. A tip sweep is applied to a leading edge of one or more rotor blades each having a pressure sidewall and a circumferentially opposing suction sidewall extending in a radial direction between a root and a tip and in an axial direction between the leading edge and a trailing edge. One or more blade geometric design parameters are adjusted. A rotor casing treatment is applied to the rotor casing over at least one of the one or more rotor blades. The applying and adjusting steps are performed during design of the rotor and cause a measured stall margin to substantially match a required stall margin with an increase in efficiency of the component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Bruce David Reynolds, John A. Gunaraj, Timothy Gentry
  • Patent number: 10030576
    Abstract: A bottom surface of a housing recess of a turbine housing includes a close attachment portion in a continuous annular land shape, which is located radially outside a fitting recess. The close attachment portion is closely attached to a portion radially outside first support holes in a surface of a shroud ring opposite from its facing surface, by a fastening force of attachment bolts. The first support holes in the shroud ring communicate with an outlet side of a turbine impeller through a connection path and a cutout.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: IHI Corporation
    Inventors: Takafumi Ueda, Akira Iwakami, Yoshinari Yoshida, Naoki Tokue, Masaru Nishioka, Mikito Ishii
  • Patent number: 10024186
    Abstract: A variable stator vane for a compressor guide vane is provided. The vane includes a blade and a pivot. The pivot includes an internal pivot element and a pivot cap. The blade and the internal pivot element are each made from a composite material. At least one contact surface of the pivot cap is metallic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventors: Stephane Pierre Roger Hennequin, Julien Prevost, Ziyad Karmy
  • Patent number: 10018069
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes vane assemblies having a vane lever arm with an inclined profile. The inclined profile may engage with a complementary end of a vane shaft to locate, retain, and prevent rotation of the vane shaft and vane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Christopher Osborne, Adam Nicholas Hart
  • Patent number: 10006374
    Abstract: An engine that has, in axial flow series, booster compressor, core compressor, combustion equipment, core turbine, and low-pressure turbine. Core turbine drives core compressor via an interconnecting high-pressure shaft. Low-pressure turbine drives booster compressor via an interconnecting low-pressure shaft. Low-pressure turbine also drives external load having a defined speed characteristic that dictates speed of the low-pressure turbine and booster compressor. Booster compressor has one or more rows of variable stator vanes. The method includes: scheduling variation in the angle of variable stator vanes as a function of speed of the booster compressor wherein the vanes open as booster compressor speed increases; measuring or setting one or more operational parameters which are determinative of temperature at entry to core turbine; and biasing scheduling of angle variation of variable stator vanes as a function of operational parameter(s) to reduce variation in temperature at entry to core turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Alasdair Gardner, Arthur Laurence Rowe, Mark David Taylor, Nicholas Howarth
  • Patent number: 10006355
    Abstract: An object is to provide a variable-geometry exhaust turbine whereby it is possible to prevent deformation and damage to a nozzle support under a high temperature. A variable-geometry exhaust turbine includes: a nozzle mount, a nozzle support including a first end portion joined to the first surface of the nozzle mount, a nozzle plate including the first surface joined to the second end portion of the nozzle support 6 and supported so as to face the nozzle mount at a distance, and the opposite second surface facing an exhaust—as channel through which exhaust gas flows, and a plurality of nozzle vanes supported rotatably between the nozzle mount and the nozzle plate. The nozzle support is capable of tilting along a radial direction so as to absorb a relative displacement in the radial direction between the nozzle mount and the nozzle plate due to thermal expansion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Noriyuki Hayashi, Takamitsu Himeno, Takashi Arai, Yukihide Nagayo, Mitsuru Aiba, Takao Yokoyama, Toru Hoshi, Hiroyuki Arimizu, Toshio Sakon
  • Patent number: 9988926
    Abstract: An exemplary variable vane actuation system includes, among other things, a vane arm with a vane stem contact surface and a radially outward facing surface. The vane stem contact surface is to contact a vane stem of a variable vane and thereby actuate the variable vane about a radially extending axis. The vane stem contact surface is angled relative to both the radially extending axis and the radially outward facing surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Eugene C. Gasmen, Bernard W. Pudvah, Christopher St. Mary, Stanley Wiecko
  • Patent number: 9988975
    Abstract: An exhaust-gas turbocharger (1) having a turbine (2) which has a turbine wheel (3) surrounded by an inflow duct (4), and having a VTG cartridge (5), which VTG cartridge has a disk (6) and a vane bearing ring (7), which delimit the inflow duct (4), and which VTG cartridge has a multiplicity of vanes (8) which are arranged in the inflow duct (4) and which are mounted in the vane bearing ring (7) by way of rotatable vane shafts (9), which vane shafts are connected to vane levers (10), the lever heads (11) of which engage into associated grooves (12) in an adjusting ring (13) which surrounds the vane bearing ring (7) on the outside. At least one min-flow stop (25, 26) has, on an outer surface (31), a laser-cut portion (32).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventor: Dietmar Metz
  • Patent number: 9981739
    Abstract: A structure (10) for aircrafts, includes a part (20) including a metal leading edge (30), the leading edge (30) being covered by a coating (40) having a thickness which is less than or equal to ten micrometers and having a hardness higher than six hundred in the Vickers hardness test (HV). According to a mode of embodiment, the coating (40) is a multilayer stainless steel coating consisting of a superposition of layers with a low nitrogen gradient and layers with a high nitrogen gradient, the layers having a thickness essentially equal to a micrometer. An aircraft including such a structure is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignees: AIRBUS GROUP SAS, EUROCOPTER
    Inventors: Benjamin Luiset, Thomas Navarre, Patrick Boschet, Alain Billard
  • Patent number: 9976438
    Abstract: A stator vane adjusting device of a gas turbine having a plurality of stator vanes each swivellable about a radial axis and arranged in at least one radial plane, as well as at least one stator vane adjusting ring which is connected to the respective stator vanes and rotatable in the circumferential direction by means of an actuating device, where the stator vane adjusting ring is braced on a centrally arranged casing in the radial direction by means of several spacers distributed about the circumference and mounted on the stator vane adjusting ring, characterized in that a bush on which the spacer is mounted is fastened to the stator vane adjusting ring for each spacer, the bush being made from a plastic material with a high thermal expansion coefficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Detschland Ltd & Co KG
    Inventor: Thomas Klauke
  • Patent number: 9970314
    Abstract: An inner ring for forming a guide blade ring for a turbomachine is disclosed, composed of at least two one-part ring segments having a plurality of openings, closed on the peripheral side, for accommodating journal bearings on the blade side, the outer diameter of the inner ring being at least 12 times larger than its height. Also disclosed are a guide blade ring having this type of inner ring and a turbomachine having this type of guide blade ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: MTU Aero Engines GmbH
    Inventor: Frank Stiehler
  • Patent number: 9932988
    Abstract: A variable area vane arrangement includes a stator vane, a bushing and a vane platform with an aperture. The stator vane rotates about an axis, and includes a shaft that extends along the axis into the aperture. The bushing is connected to the shaft, and is arranged within the aperture between the vane platform and the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: David Maliniak, Nathan F. Champion, Kenneth A. Frisk
  • Patent number: 9915267
    Abstract: A fan structure comprising a base, a fan inlet funnel coupled to the base, the fan inlet funnel having an inner surface for conducting air flow into a fan inlet and an outer surface and a plurality of external ribs coupled to the outer surface of the fan inlet funnel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: Air Distribution Technologies IP, LLC
    Inventor: Timothy A. Schrand
  • Patent number: 9915158
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a vane arrangement with a vane carrier, an array of rocking first stage vanes, and an array of frame segments for axially receiving aft ends of a combustor transition pieces. The frame segments comprise an I-beam with an upper horizontal element, a lower horizontal element, a vertical web, a radially outer fixation to the vane carrier, and an arm extending from the lower horizontal element in axial direction below the inner rim segment for supporting the inner platform of the vane and for sealing a gap between the inner platform and the lower horizontal element. Besides the vane arrangement the disclosure relates to a method for assembly of such an arrangement as well as to a gas turbine comprising such a vane arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: ANSALDO ENERGIA SWITZERLAND AG
    Inventors: Frank Graf, Hans-Christian Mathews, Fabien Fleuriot, Urs Benz
  • Patent number: 9909435
    Abstract: An apparatus for sealing a gap between a stator vane platform including a seal slot, and a rotatable stator vane including a shaft connected to a vane end. The apparatus includes a substantially flat, semi-annular seal body, a first tab and a second tab. The seal body extends circumferentially between a first body end and a second body end, and radially between a radial inner body side and a radial outer body side. The inner body side wraps partially around the shaft, and the outer body side mates with the seal slot. The first tab extends axially from the first body end, and the second tab extends axially from the second body end. The first tab and the second tab engage the vane end and cause the seal body to move within the seal slot during rotation of the stator vane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Tracy A. Propheter-Hinckley
  • Patent number: 9896957
    Abstract: An exhaust-gas turbocharger (1) having a turbine (2) which has a turbine wheel (3) surrounded by an inflow duct (4), and having a VTG cartridge (5), which VTG cartridge has a disc (6) and a vane bearing ring (7), which delimit the inflow duct (4), and which VTG cartridge has a multiplicity of vanes (8) which are arranged in the inflow duct (4) and which are mounted in the vane bearing ring (7) by way of rotatable vane shafts (9), which vane shafts are connected to vane levers (10), the lever heads (11) of which engage into associated grooves (12) in an adjusting ring (13) which surrounds the vane bearing ring (7) on the outside; and having a radial bearing between the adjusting ring (13) and the vane bearing ring (7). Two min-flow stops (25, 26) are arranged, with a selectable angular spacing (?) with respect to one another, on the vane bearing ring (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventor: Dietmar Metz
  • Patent number: 9890795
    Abstract: A cooling fan structure includes a housing, a multistage fan wheel, and a stator-blade unit set. The housing is integrally formed and includes a first and a second frame, and a connecting spacer set connected to between the first and the second frame to define an open space therebetween. The multistage fan wheel is located in the housing and has a hub, around which a group of first and a group of second rotor blades are formed and axially spaced to define a bladeless zone on the hub between the first and the second rotor blades. The stator-blade unit set includes a first and a second stator-blade unit, which are assembled into the open space of the housing to circumferentially close the open space. The stator-blade unit set is exchangeable according to different high impedance systems to achieve different levels of high static pressure without increasing any mold-making cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Asia Vital Components Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Bor-Haw Chang, Chung-Shu Wang
  • Patent number: 9890793
    Abstract: A vane for a variable diffuser includes a body with an inlet end and an outlet end, a leading surface extending from the inlet end to the outlet end, a trailing surface opposite the leading surface and extending from the inlet end to the outlet end, a first surface extending from the inlet end to the outlet end, and a second surface opposite the first surface and extending from the inlet end to the outlet end. The vane further includes a first cavity on the first surface of the vane adjacent the inlet end, a second cavity on the first surface of the vane adjacent the outlet end, a third cavity on the second surface of the vane adjacent the inlet end, and a fourth cavity on the second surface of the vane adjacent the outlet end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Craig M. Beers, Murtuza Lokhandwalla, Kevin M. Rankin, David A. Dorman, Seth E. Rosen, John M. Beck, Paul E. Hamel, Clarence J. Wytas, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9856744
    Abstract: A variable geometry turbocharger includes a vane pack having rotatable vanes constrained by a pair of vane rings connected by a plurality of spacer connectors. The spacer connectors can include a spacer body for maintaining a minimum spacing between the vane rings. The spacer connectors are configured for bayonet mounting to at least one of the vane rings. To that end, the spacer connectors can include shaft portions extending from opposing sides of the spacer body. A plurality of transverse protrusions can extend outwardly from each shaft portion. Each shaft portion can be received in a respective in a vane ring. The spacer connectors can be rotated such that the transverse protrusions are offset from aperture portions that allow passage of the transverse portions, thereby retaining the vane rings in place in spaced relation. Such a system avoids close tolerances, press fits, expensive bolted joints or weld processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventor: George E. Heddy, III
  • Patent number: 9835045
    Abstract: An exhaust gas turbocharger may include a turbine housing and a turbine wheel. The turbine wheel may include a first quantity of a plurality of moving blades. The turbine wheel may be rotatable relative to the turbine housing about a turbine wheel center of rotation and have a turbine wheel radius. A variable turbine geometry may include a blade bearing ring on which a second quantity of a plurality of guide blades are rotatably mounted in each case about a guide blade center of rotation. The plurality of guide blades may be adjustable between a closed position, in which a flow cross section between the guide blades for an exhaust gas to flow through is at a minimum, and an opened position, in which the flow cross section is at a maximum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Bosch Mahle Turbo Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Jochen Laubender, Marcus Schneider
  • Patent number: 9784178
    Abstract: A variable displacement exhaust turbocharger is provided with a plurality of nozzle vanes that are rotatably supported by a nozzle mount, a drive ring that is interlocked with an actuator and fits to a guide part of the nozzle mount, a lever plate having one end coupled to the drive ring and the other end coupled to the nozzle vane, and a variable nozzle mechanism that varies the vane angle of the nozzle vane by rotating the drive ring. A bulge suppressing portion is provided for absorbing bulging occurring on an outer peripheral surface of the guide part, the bulging being caused by the press-fitting of a nail pin into a press-fitting hole in a direction slightly toward the rotational axis with respect to the guide section and following the axial direction of the nozzle mount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Naoto Tashiro, Yasuaki Jinnai, Hiroyuki Arimizu
  • Patent number: 9784285
    Abstract: Variable stator vane assemblies and stator vanes thereof having a local swept leading edge are provided. The variable stator vane comprises an airfoil disposed between spaced apart inner and outer buttons centered about a rotational axis. The inner and outer buttons each have a button forward edge portion. The airfoil includes leading and trailing edges, pressure and suction sides, and a root and a tip. The leading edge includes a local forward sweep at the root, a local aft sweep at the tip, or both, thereby forming a locally swept leading edge thereat. The button forward edge portion of one or both of the inner and outer buttons is substantially coextensive with the locally swept leading edge. Methods are also provided for minimizing endwall leakage in the variable stator vane assembly using the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Bruce David Reynolds, Timothy Gentry, Richard David Conner
  • Patent number: 9771939
    Abstract: It is intended to achieve weight reduction and production reduction of a nozzle mount for pivotably supporting a drive ring constituting a variable nozzle mechanism, and is characterized by: providing on an end face of a guide part 5a a nail pin 20 having a flange portion and being positioned so as to hold a drive ring 3 of a variable nozzle mechanism 100 to the guide part 5a of a nozzle mount 5 in the thrust direction, and setting the thrust-directional width of the drive ring 3 smaller than the width of the guide part 5a, and providing an adjusting member 20c between the flange portion of the nail pin 20 and the end face of the guide part 5a to adjust a distance between the side face of the nozzle mount and the flange portion of the nail pin 20.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Naoto Tashiro, Yasuaki Jinnai, Hiroyuki Arimizu
  • Patent number: 9695822
    Abstract: A turbocharger is provided herein. The turbocharger includes a housing and an adjustable core at least partially circumferentially surrounded by the housing, the adjustable core having a turbine rotor coupled to a compressor rotor via a shaft. The turbocharger further includes an adjustment mechanism coupled to the adjustable core configured to adjust an axial position of the housing relative to the adjustable core in response to adjustment commands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: James Douglas Ervin, August Thomas Vaught
  • Patent number: 9611751
    Abstract: A number of variations may include a product comprising: a vane lever comprising a first end; a second end; a top surface; and a bottom surface; and an opening defined by an inner surface which extends through the top surface and the bottom surface of the second end, and wherein at least a portion of the inner surface comprises a non-cylindrical, multi-lobed shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventors: John Zagone, Eli Morgan, Greg Williams
  • Patent number: 9587557
    Abstract: A vane pack for a VTG turbocharger is provided. The vane pack includes a plurality of vanes pivotably positioned between an inner surface of an upper vane ring and an inner surface of a lower vane ring. Clearances are defined between opposing cheek surfaces of the vanes and the inner surfaces of the vane rings. The vane pack is configured to minimize these clearances by applying an abradable coating is to the inner surface of the upper vane ring, the inner surface of the lower vane ring and/or cheek surface(s) of one or more of the vanes. In this way, an essentially zero clearance can be established without interfering with the proper function of the vanes. As a result, there can be gains in efficiency. Further wearing of the abradable coating may occur during turbocharger operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventors: Luke Barron, Steve Birnie, Alan Wint
  • Patent number: 9556882
    Abstract: A turbocharger (15) with variable turbine geometry, having a blade bearing ring arrangement (1) which has a blade bearing ring (2) and a disk (3) which is fixed to the blade bearing ring (2) so as to create a flow duct (4), having guide blades (5?) mounted in the blade bearing ring (2), and having a spacer device (5) which is arranged between the blade bearing ring (2) and the disk (3) so as to set a defined width (B) of the flow duct (4). The spacer device (5) is formed as an inlet guide grate (6) which has movable inlet guide blades (8) which are arranged in each case on a spacer pin (7) which is fixed with its first end (7A) to the blade bearing ring (2). Also, a method for producing a blade bearing ring arrangement (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventor: Leif Heidingsfelder
  • Patent number: 9533485
    Abstract: A variable vane assembly for a gas turbine engine compressor and method of manufacturing same is described. A plurality of projections the inner and/or outer shroud which protruded into the annular gas path such as to ensure that a radial clearance gap, defined between the projections and a vane airfoil overhang portion, remains substantially constant throughout a substantial portion of the vane pivot arc of the variable vane. The method includes forming one cavities within the shroud, the cavities isolated from the annular gas path and disposed radially beneath at least each of the projections, and providing one or more structural reinforcing elements within the cavities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Andrew R. Marshall, David Menheere
  • Patent number: 9534501
    Abstract: An inlet guide vane assembly is disclosed, which comprises: a housing, configured with a first penetration part and a plurality of first grooves; at least one fixing ring, each configured with a second penetration part and a plurality of second grooves; at least one rotary ring, each configured with a third penetration part and a plurality of sliding chutes, wherein the first, the second and the third penetration parts are arranged in communication with one another; a plurality of vane units, each vane unit is composed of a vane, a linkage and a sliding block; and at least one driving unit, for driving one vane of the plural vanes to swing, thus driving the rotary ring to rotate simultaneously, bringing along the other vanes to swing, enabling the sliding blocks to slide inside corresponding sliding chutes, and consequently flipping the vane from a first state to a second state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Kuo-Shu Hung, Jenn-Chyi Chung, Chung-Che Liu