Wire, Fiber, Strand Or Fabric Patents (Class 416/230)
  • Patent number: 11885239
    Abstract: The invention relates to a turbomachine rotary-fan blade having a predetermined breaking zone, which extends from the upstream edge along a given length and from the blade-tip edge over a given height. According to the invention, the body is made of a composite material comprising a fibre reinforcement obtained by three-dimensional weaving of warp and weft strands, and a resin matrix in which the fibre reinforcement is embedded, and has, in or in the vicinity of the zone, a discontinuity of at least some of the strands, configured such that the zone partially detaches when there is tangential friction in the thickness direction against the blade-tip edge, the height being less than 3% of the aerodynamic stream height of the blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Guillaume Pascal Jean-Charles Gondre, Thomas Alain De Gaillard, Pierre Jean Faivre D'Arcier
  • Patent number: 11879428
    Abstract: A wind turbine blade includes an elongated blade body extending from a root to a tip with a trailing edge, whereby at least one beam-like reinforcement means is integrated in the blade body adjacent to the trailing edge for reinforcing the region of the trailing edge, with the reinforcement means extending partly over the length of the blade body, wherein the reinforcement means is a pre-casted carbon beam including carbon fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: SIEMENS GAMESA RENEWABLE ENERGY A/S
    Inventors: Lars Hedegaard, Allan Hurup, Jens Jørgen Østergaard Kristensen, Wei Sun
  • Patent number: 11773723
    Abstract: An airfoil includes an airfoil section that has a ceramic airfoil wall that defines a suction side and a pressure side. There is an interior cavity in the airfoil section. A rib spans across the interior cavity and connects the suction side and the pressure side. The rib has a thermal conductance element that is configured to conduct heat away from the suction side and the pressure side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Bryan P. Dube, Michael G. McCaffrey
  • Patent number: 11753949
    Abstract: A fibrous texture intended to form the fibrous reinforcement of a turbomachine blade made of composite material including a fibrous reinforcement densified by a matrix, wherein the fibrous texture includes an area of reduced stiffness including warp yarns or strands made of second fibers having a second elongation at break greater than the first elongation at break, the area of reduced stiffness extending in the longitudinal direction from the stilt area and up to a height less than or equal to 30% of the height of the blade, extending in the transverse direction between a first area and a second area, the first area extending over a first length from a first edge of the texture intended to form a leading edge, and the second area extending over a second length from a second edge of the texture intended to form a trailing edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Guillaume Pascal Jean-Charles Gondre, Clément Pierre Postec
  • Patent number: 11713749
    Abstract: Provided is a lightning protection system for a carbon pultruded blade including a stack of carbon pultruded layers having at least a bottom layer and a top layer, each layer having a first end and a second end; the stack defining a tip-region, a root-region, and a mid-region; at least one lightning conductor extending along the stack from the tip-region to the root-region; and a plurality of electrical connections connecting the stack of layers with the lightning conductor, each end of each layer is electrically connected with the lightning conductor by one of the electrical connections; and each electrical connection that connects one of the ends of the top layer with the lightning conductor is electrically connected with the bottom layer. A carbon pultruded blade is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Inventor: Victor March Nomen
  • Patent number: 11686203
    Abstract: The invention relates to a fibrous texture intended to form the fibrous reinforcement of a turbine engine blade made of composite material, the texture being in a single piece and having a three-dimensional weave between a plurality of first fiber warp yarns or strands extending in a radial direction and a plurality of first fiber weft yarns or strands extending in a chord direction, the texture comprising a blade root portion and a blade airfoil portion extending between the blade root portion and a free end of the fibrous texture. The blade airfoil portion has a reinforced area in the vicinity of the free end of the texture comprising weft yarns or strands made of second fibers different from the first fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Frédéric Jean-Bernard Pouzadoux, Jérémy Guivarc'h, Thomas Alain De Gaillard
  • Patent number: 11555483
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an access arrangement (90) of a wind turbine blade for accessing a hollow space within the blade. The access arrangement (90) comprises an access opening (180) provided in the blade shell member, a cover panel (92) for covering the access opening (180), a sealing member (96) arranged between the cover panel (92) and the blade shell member, and one or more fasteners (98) for releasably fastening the cover panel (92) to the blade shell member. The present invention also relates to a wind turbine blade comprising the access arrangement (90).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: BLADE DYNAMICS LIMITED
    Inventors: Andrea Avaldi, Chris Paul Swatton, Harry George James Fish, Jelmer Cnossen, Manish Mukherjee
  • Patent number: 11512605
    Abstract: The invention relates to an assembly comprising a turbomachine casing (7) and a nozzle made of ceramic matrix composite material having a blade (21), the frontside and backside surfaces of which delimit an internal cavity, and which is connected at its radially external end by a connecting part (31) of the nozzle to the casing (7), said connecting part (31) extending substantially radially outwards, the blade (21) and said connecting part (31) being formed in one piece, said assembly being characterized in that the connecting part (31) is fastened to a first radial wall (51) integral with the casing (7) by fastening means (53).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Matthieu Arnaud Gimat, Lucien Henri Jacques Quennehen, Gilles Gérard Claude Lepretre, Nicolas Paul Tableau
  • Patent number: 11480061
    Abstract: A method may include: in a used metal turbomachine blade including a root including a shank, a platform coupled to the shank and an airfoil coupled to the platform, removing the airfoil, leaving a remaining base including the platform, the shank and the root. The method may also form a radially extending opening through the platform into the shank, and insert a ceramic shank nub extending from a ceramic airfoil into the radially extending opening of the remaining base. The ceramic airfoil is fixedly attached to the remaining base. The method allows reuse of the metal shank while providing the lower cooling requirements of a ceramic airfoil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Matthew Troy Hafner, John McConnell Delvaux, Thomas Raymond Farrell, Markus Feigl
  • Patent number: 11441778
    Abstract: A method of making an ceramic article according to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, among other possible things includes arranging fiber plies into a preform, inserting one or more sacrificial springs to the preform, infiltrating the preform with a matrix material to form an article, and thermally degrading the one or more sacrificial springs to form cooling holes. A ceramic article and a gas turbine engine component are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Michael R. Kracum, David C. Jarmon
  • Patent number: 11441535
    Abstract: Provided is a rotor blade for a wind turbine, with a trailing edge including a trailing edge core having several core elements arranged side by side, and with an inner and an outer laminate, wherein one core element is split into two element parts separated by a slit, whereby, seen in the direction from a blade root to a blade tip, the inner laminate runs into and through the slit and becomes the outer laminate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Inventors: Tina Grooss, Ashish Pawar
  • Patent number: 11421538
    Abstract: A composite aerofoil may include an aerofoil body defining a leading edge and a trailing edge, wherein the body comprises a composite material including a plurality of relatively higher-modulus reinforcement elements, a plurality of relatively tougher polymer-based reinforcement elements, and a matrix material substantially encapsulating the plurality of relatively higher-modulus reinforcement elements and the plurality of relatively tougher polymer-based reinforcement elements. The plurality of relatively higher-modulus reinforcement elements are different from the plurality of relatively tougher polymer-based reinforcement elements. The disclosure also describes techniques for forming composite aerofoils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Heeter, Matthew J. Kappes, Jonathan Michael Rivers, Benedict N. Hodgson
  • Patent number: 11415008
    Abstract: There is disclosed a vane for a gas turbine engine, the vane comprising a three-dimensional weave of composite material. The vane is hollow to define a hollow core, wherein the vane has a maximum thickness (T), and a maximum wall thickness (WT) between an inner surface and an outer surface in a direction normal to the outer surface, wherein WT?0.1T. Also disclosed is a method of manufacturing a composite vane for a gas turbine engine, the method comprising: forming a preform for the vane comprising a three-dimensional weave of composite material; and curing the preform. The preform has an internal hollow region, and the cured vane has a maximum thickness (T), and a maximum wall thickness (WT) between an inner surface and an outer surface in a direction normal to the outer surface, wherein WT?0.1T.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Inventors: Robert C. Backhouse, Christopher D. Jones
  • Patent number: 11408392
    Abstract: A composite material blank (190) comprising an elongate blank body (300) extending between a first end face (312a) and a second end face (312b); said blank body (300) extending in a longitudinal direction, parallel to a longitudinal axis thereof, and having four peripheral sides (341, 342, 343, 344); each said first and second end face (312a, 312b) having edges (361a-364a; 361b-364b) which define a trapezoid shape; wherein the peripheral sides (341, 342, 343, 344) of said blank body (190) connect the edges (361a-364a) of said first end face (312a) with the edges (361b-364b) of said second end face (312b); and wherein said first trapezoid end face (312a) is inverted in relation to said second trapezoid end face (312b). A method of manufacturing a composite blank (190), and a wind turbine blade root insert (105) which may be formed from a blank (190).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Jonathan Smith, James Smith, Robert Ernst, Mark Folsom
  • Patent number: 11280200
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a blade for a gas turbine, in particular of an aircraft engine, which is produced at least in part from ceramic matrix composite with a plurality of superimposed fabric layers, wherein at least one pair of superimposed fabric layers comprises a first fabric layer that has at least one first point of interruption between two mutually facing first edges of this fabric layer, and a second fabric layer that has at least one second point of interruption adjacent to the first point of interruption between two mutually facing second edges of the second fabric layer, this second point being displaced from the first point of interruption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: MTU Aero Engines AG
    Inventor: Alexander Boeck
  • Patent number: 11280202
    Abstract: A rotor blade for a gas turbine engine including an inner ply layer group includes a flared region and an airfoil region, a neck region between the flared region and the airfoil region; and a platform shell that comprises a platform shell root region, a platform shell platform region, and a platform shell neck region between the platform shell root region and the platform shell platform region, the platform shell root region sheathes the flared region, and the platform shell neck region flares outwardly away from the neck region to intersect the platform shell platform region at a platform shell neck region perimeter around an airfoil opening perimeter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Michael G. McCaffrey
  • Patent number: 11247448
    Abstract: In a preferred embodiment, a composite panel with a smooth outer surface, ready for painting with or without addition of primer, may be created by constructing a panel layup assembly upon a mold, the panel layup assembly including a composite panel having a core and a resin formulation, and a release film between the mold and the composite panel, where a smooth release surface of the release film is in contact with the composite panel upon construction; initiating curing of the composite panel at a first temperature within a lowermost ten percent of a curing temperature range of the resin formulation; continuing curing of the composite panel at a second temperature above the lowermost ten percent of the curing temperature range; and completing curing of the composite panel at a third temperature below the second temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: B/E Aerospace, Inc.
    Inventors: George T. Franck, III, Alvin S. Bartolome, Patrick G. Jarvis-Shean
  • Patent number: 11208198
    Abstract: A vane includes a fiber reinforcement having a three-dimensional weaving densified by a matrix, the fiber reinforcement including in a single woven part a root portion and an airfoil portion extending along a longitudinal direction between the root portion and a vane tip portion and along a transverse direction between a leading edge portion and a trailing edge portion. The airfoil portion includes first and second extrados and intrados faces. The fiber reinforcement includes a non-interlinking forming a housing inside the fiber reinforcement, a conformation part being present in the housing. The non-interlinking extends over a non-interlinked area inside the airfoil portion of the fiber reinforcement included between the root portion and the vane tip portion in the longitudinal direction and between the leading edge portion and the trailing edge portion in the transverse direction, the non-interlinking also opening outside the airfoil portion of the fiber reinforcement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Vivien Mickaël Courtier, Dominique Gerhardt Mayhew, Adrien Jacques Philippe Fabre
  • Patent number: 11181093
    Abstract: A rotor blade for a wind turbine is provided. The rotor blade includes a pressure side, a suction side, a leading edge section with a leading edge, and a trailing edge section with a trailing edge. An airflow flows along the surface of the rotor blade from the leading edge section to the trailing edge section and builds up a boundary layer in close proximity to the surface of the rotor blade. The rotor blade includes a noise reduction device for reducing noise which is generated by interaction of the airflow and the rotor blade. The noise reduction device is located within the boundary layer of the rotor blade. The noise reduction device includes a cover and connection device for connecting the cover to the surface of the rotor blade. The cover spans at least over a part of the surface of the rotor blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Inventors: Michael J. Asheim, Kristoffer Ahrens Dickow, Peder Bay Enevoldsen, Alex Loeven, Valerio Lorenzoni, Stefan Oerlemans, Anders Smaerup Olsen, Bodo Richert, Manjinder J. Singh, Sigmund Wenningsted Torgard
  • Patent number: 11181095
    Abstract: A spar cap for a wind turbine blade of a wind turbine, the spar cap including at least one elongated beam is provided. The spar cap includes at least one electrically isolating material cover and at least one electrically conductive material cover, wherein an entire circumference of the beam is enclosed by at least one electrically isolating material cover and the entire circumference of the at least one electrically isolating material cover is enclosed by at least one electrically conductive material cover, whereby the electrically conductive material cover has at least one electrical interface for electrically connecting it to a down conductor of the wind turbine blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Inventor: Donato Girolamo
  • Patent number: 11180999
    Abstract: A method of producing a ceramic matrix composite component. The method includes positioning a first plurality of ceramic matrix composite plies on top of one another, disposing a filler pack on the first plurality of ceramic matrix composite plies, and positioning a second plurality of ceramic matrix composite plies on top of the filler pack. One of the first plurality of ceramic composite plies or the second plurality of ceramic composite plies includes a bend angle, to define an interstice between the plurality of ceramic matrix composite plies with the filler pack disposed in the interstice. The filler pack includes one or more sacrificial fibers disposed therein, that subsequent to removal provide a functional feature, such as a cooling manifold in the filler pack. The method further includes forming one or more channels coupled to the one or more functional features for the flow of a cooling fluid therethrough. A ceramic matrix composite is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Douglas Glenn Decesare, Daniel Gene Dunn, Thomas Earl Dyson
  • Patent number: 11173633
    Abstract: Said preform (3) defining two parts (21, 23) and comprising: a first group (C1) of layers of warp yarns, which is external in the first part, a second group (C2) of layers of warp yarns immediately beneath said first group, and a first group (T1) of layers of weft yarns which is external in the first part. Furthermore, the first group of layers of warp yarns is absent in the second part and the first group of layers of weft yarns (19) extends into the second part, the first group of layers of weft yarns being external in the second part. The yarns of the first weft group have a lower yarn count than the yarns of the second weft group; and/or the yarns of the first warp group have a lower yarn count than the yarns of the second warp group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: PORCHER INDUSTRIES
    Inventors: Jean Vincent Risicato, Patrick Varaniac
  • Patent number: 11168567
    Abstract: A fibrous texture to form the fibrous reinforcement of a turbomachine blade made of composite material, the texture being made in one piece and having a three-dimensional weaving, and includes blade root, blade airfoil and blade support portions. The blade support portion includes a first area extending transversely from a first edge of the texture to form a leading edge and a second area extending transversely from the first area up to a second edge of the texture to form a trailing edge, the first area including warp yarns or strands made of second fibers different from the first fibers, the second fibers having an elongation at break greater than that of the first fibers, the first area having a first volume ratio in yarns or strands made of second fibers strictly greater than a second volume ratio in yarns or strands made of second fibers in the second area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Guillaume Pascal Jean-Charles Gondre, Thomas Alain De Gaillard
  • Patent number: 11168614
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a turbine section including a fan drive turbine, a compressor section driven by the turbine section, a geared architecture driven by the fan drive turbine, and a fan driven by the fan drive turbine via the geared architecture. At least one stage of the turbine section includes an array of rotatable blades and an array of vanes. A ratio of the number of vanes to the number blades is greater than or equal to about 1.55. A mechanical tip rotational Mach number of the blades is configured to be greater than or equal to about 0.5 at an approach speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Bruce L. Morin, David A. Topol, Detlef Korte
  • Patent number: 11143040
    Abstract: A process for manufacturing a composite rotor blade includes manufacturing an oversized root region of a root region of a composite rotor blade; fixturing the CMC blade into a machining fixture at a primary Y and Z axis datum located at an attachment fillet radii of the root region; machining V-notches into the oversized root region to form a Y? and Z? axis datum of a sacrificial datum system in relation to the primary Y and Z axis datum; applying an oversized coating layer over the attachment fillet radii of the root region; fixturing the CMC blade into a machining fixture at the Y? and Z? axis datum of the sacrificial datum system; machining the oversized coating layer to a machined coating layer forming a Y? and Z? axis datum with respect to the Y? and Z? axis datum of the sacrificial datum system; fixturing the CMC blade into a machining fixture at the Y? and Z? axis datum; and machining off the sacrificial datum system removing the V-notches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Michael G. McCaffrey, Karl A. Mentz, Christopher King, Stephen D. Doll, Aurelia Ledbetter
  • Patent number: 11143160
    Abstract: A flexible aeroshell extender piece for an inboard part of a wind turbine blade is described, along with an associated method of manufacture. The flexible aeroshell is formed by first assembling a consolidated aeroshell piece, and then making a series of slits at the trailing edge of the aeroshell piece. Such a construction provides an aeroshell having a relatively flexible trailing edge section, which allows for bending or flexing of the aeroshell trailing edge during wind turbine blade operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: LM WP PATENT HOLDING A/S
    Inventors: Jesper Hasselbalch Garm, Gurli Rask Nielsen, Peter Quiring
  • Patent number: 11136888
    Abstract: An airfoil for a gas turbine engine according to an example of the present disclosure includes, among other things, an airfoil section that extends from a root section. The airfoil section extends between a leading edge and a trailing edge in a chordwise direction and extends between a tip portion and the root section in a radial direction. The airfoil section defines a pressure side and a suction side separated in a thickness direction, and the airfoil section includes a metallic sheath that defines an internal cavity receiving a composite core. The root section defines at least one bore dimensioned to receive a retention pin. At least one damping element is received in the internal cavity and that selectively causes the airfoil section to stiffen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jason Husband, James Glaspey, David A. Welch
  • Patent number: 11111904
    Abstract: Provided is a wind turbine blade for a wind turbine, the wind turbine blade including a support element having first fibers being electrically conductive, and a fiber material having second fibers being electrically conductive, wherein the fiber material has a free portion and an overlapping portion which is at least partially attached and electrically connected to the support element, wherein an extension direction of the second fibers changes along an extension path of the second fibers, wherein a first angle is provided between the second fibers in the overlapping portion and the first fibers, wherein a second angle is provided between the second fibers in the free portion and the first fibers, and wherein the second angle is larger than the first angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Inventors: Thomas Lehrmann Christiansen, Donato Girolamo
  • Patent number: 11105314
    Abstract: Provided is a wind turbine blade for a wind turbine, the wind turbine blade including an electrical conductor extending in a longitudinal direction of the wind turbine blade, and a carbon fiber material being electrically conductive and having a first portion which is arranged beside the electrical conductor, a second portion which is connected to the first portion and is attached and electrically connected to the electrical conductor, and a third portion which is connected to the second portion and at least partially overlaps with the first portion. Due to such an electrical connection between the electrical conductor and the carbon fiber material arcing and, thus, delamination of carbon can be avoided when conducting current of a lightning strike.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Inventors: Thomas Lehrmann Christiansen, Donato Girolamo
  • Patent number: 11073129
    Abstract: The disclosure presents a wind turbine blade and a method of manufacturing a wind turbine blade, wherein the wind turbine blade is manufactured as a composite structure comprising a reinforcement material embedded in a polymer matrix, the method comprising: providing a first blade mould with a first blade shell part having a leading edge, a trailing edge, and a first leading edge glue surface at the leading edge, the first blade mould comprising a first leading edge flange; providing a second blade mould with a second blade shell part having a leading edge, a trailing edge, and a second leading edge glue surface at the leading edge, the second blade mould comprising a second leading edge flange; applying glue to a leading edge glue surface; providing one or more leading edge spacer elements at a leading edge flange; arranging the second blade mould on the first blade mould, such that the one or more leading edge spacer elements are arranged between the first leading edge flange and the second leading edge fla
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: LM WIND POWER US TECHNOLOGY APS
    Inventor: Karsten Schibsbye
  • Patent number: 11035239
    Abstract: A ceramic matrix composite turbine nozzle includes a primary outer nozzle platform; a primary inner nozzle platform; and an airfoil-shaped body extending between the primary inner and primary outer nozzle platforms. The body includes core plies defining a cavity; composite wrap plies circumscribing the core plies and defining an airfoil shape; a secondary outer nozzle platform in contact with the primary outer nozzle platform; and a secondary inner nozzle platform in contact with the primary inner nozzle platform. Each composite wrap ply has two layers of unidirectional fibers oriented transverse to each other and has first and second longitudinal edges. The first and second longitudinal edges are cut into fingers, which are folded in a transverse direction away from a turbine nozzle longitudinal axis and are interleaved between platform plies to define the secondary inner nozzle platform and the secondary outer nozzle platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Peter de Diego, John Ellington Greene, Matthew Troy Hafner, David Randall Hobart, James Joseph Murray, III
  • Patent number: 11015461
    Abstract: Composite hollow blade and an associated method of forming the composite hollow blade are disclosed. The method includes forming a core by fabricating a grid core structure based on a plurality of design parameters, where the grid core includes a plurality of first reinforcing components disposed in a first curable matrix material. The method further includes forming an outer layer including a plurality of second reinforcing components disposed in a second curable matrix material. Further, the method includes coupling the core to the outer layer and curing the core and the outer layer to form the composite hollow blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Viswanadha Gupta Sakala, Douglas Duane Ward, Ming Xie
  • Patent number: 10982658
    Abstract: Method and equipment for repairing the roots of wind turbine blades, by drilling on the root of the blade, and through the ring thereof, radial bore holes located in positions that radially match the axial threaded blind holes of the ring; grinding and drilling the axial threaded blind holes to remove the thread, and to achieve the extension of the ground axial holes until they reach the matching radial bore hole; introducing, into each radial bore hole, a pin provided with a threaded diametral passage aligned with a threaded axial hole of the ring; screwing bolts into the axial threaded blind holes and threaded diametral passages, for fastening the blade to the hub of the wind turbine. The equipment has a support that can be fastened to the reinforcement ring and a head for carrying radial and axial drilling tools.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: EMPRENDING BUSINESS, S.L.L.
    Inventor: Emmanuel Garcia de la Pena Razquin
  • Patent number: 10968757
    Abstract: A method of mounting a metal blade root to a composite propeller blade body includes inserting a connection portion of the blade body into a bore formed in the blade root, wherein the connection portion comprises at least one depression formed in an outer surface thereof, and applying pressure to the outer surface of the blade root to cause it to deform and engage with the depressions, thereby mechanically coupling the blade root to the propeller blade body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: RATIER-FIGEAC SAS
    Inventor: Christian Fages
  • Patent number: 10908048
    Abstract: A machine health monitoring method may include receiving vibration data indicating vibration of a machine or a component of the machine, determining damage to the machine or the component for each of a plurality of load cycles based on the vibration data, determining the time rate of change of the damage to the machine or the component over the plurality of load cycles, and determining a damage rate based on the time rate of change of the damage to the machine or the component relative to a baseline damage rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: KCF TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Jacob J. Loverich, Jeremy E. Frank, David R. Kraige
  • Patent number: 10865649
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine that includes a fan blade having a tip, a root, a pressure side, a suction side, a trailing edge and a leading edge, the fan blade including a laminate body defined by a plurality of plies comprising reinforcement fibres, wherein an angle of the fibres in the plies from the trailing edge to the leading edge at the suction side and/or the pressure side of the blade are arranged such that the laminate body is unbalanced so that, during rotation of the fan blade, the fan blade deforms such that a centre of mass of the blade rotates about a centre of rotation of the fan so as to move the centre of mass towards a balanced position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: Matthew Thomas
  • Patent number: 10794393
    Abstract: An impeller includes a hub and a plurality of blade plates. The hub includes a hub body and a plurality of installation portions disposed on the hub body. Each blade plate includes a plurality of fan blades and a folding portion. The folding portion is connected to one end of each fan blade. The folding portions are respectively installed at the installation portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: Pegatron Corporation
    Inventors: Chao-Kai Huang, Tzu-Ming Yang, Yu- Hao Chiu, Ming-Yang Hsiao
  • Patent number: 10744683
    Abstract: A method of producing a wind turbine rotor blade For that purpose metal particles, metal powder or metal chips are mixed into a matrix used to produce the rotor blade. Inductive heating of the matrix with the metal particles, metal powder or metal chips is then effected to harden the matrix in at least one portion of the wind turbine rotor blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Wobben Properties GmbH
    Inventors: Benjamin Theile, Alexander Hoffmann
  • Patent number: 10697465
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing impellers is described. The method provides for manufacturing a plurality of tubular components, each tubular component forming an inner passage, which is shaped as one of the flow passages of the final impeller. The tubular components are assembled together forming a semi-finished impeller. The semi-finished impeller is provided with annular cavities extending around the rotation axis of the impeller and gaps between adjacent tubular components. The gaps and cavities are filled with metal powder and the semi-finished impeller is subject to hot isostatic pressing, to densify the metal powder and form a monolithic final impeller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Nuovo Pignone SRL
    Inventors: Paolo Mola, Gabriele Masi, Mihirkumar Pravinbhai Patel, Leonardo Tognarelli, Federico Iozzelli
  • Patent number: 10690113
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a wind turbine blade. The wind turbine blade comprises a load carrying structure made of a fibre-reinforced polymer material. The load carrying structure comprises a plurality of stacked fibre layers or fibre mats in a thickness of the load carrying structure. The plurality of said stacked fibre layers or fibre mats are made of hybrid material comprising both carbon fibres and glass fibres and having a carbon fibre ratio. The carbon fibre ratio is defined as a volume of the carbon fibres divided by a total volume of the glass fibres and carbon fibres. At least a number of said stacked fibre layers or fibre mats have different carbon fibre ratios such that the carbon fibre ratio of fibre material varies through the thickness of the load carrying structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: LM WP PATENT HOLDING A/S
    Inventors: Lars Nielsen, Klavs Jespersen
  • Patent number: 10641281
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a fan mounting a first group of blades and a second group of blades. The first group of blades and the second group of blades share a profile shape. The first group of blades have a first laminate composition, and the second group of blades have a second laminate composition, distinct from the first laminate composition. A frequency of a vibratory mode of the first group of blades is offset from a frequency of a vibratory mode of the second group of blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Larry Foster, Myron L. Klein
  • Patent number: 10563524
    Abstract: A ceramic matrix composite (CMC) turbine blade includes a root region, a narrowed neck region extending from the root region, and a hub region extending from the narrowed neck region. At least one central CMC ply extending from the root region is interwoven with at least one insert extending toward the narrowed neck region from the hub region. A method of forming a CMC turbine blade includes interweaving at least one central CMC ply extending from the root region with at least one insert extending toward the narrowed neck region from the hub region. The CMC turbine blade includes a root region, a narrowed neck region extending from the root region, and a hub region extending from the narrowed neck region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Jacob John Kittleson, Peter De Diego
  • Patent number: 10533533
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a method of manufacturing a modular rotor blade for a wind turbine. The method includes providing a plurality of resin systems for manufacturing a plurality of blade components for the modular rotor blade. Each of the resin systems includes at least one of a thermoset material or a thermoplastic material, optionally a fiber reinforcement material, and at least one additive. Thus, the method includes determining a resin system for each of the blade components based on a location and/or function of each blade component in the rotor blade. In addition, the method includes forming each of the blade components of the rotor blade from one of the plurality of resin systems and securing each of the blade components together to form the modular rotor blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Christopher Daniel Caruso, Aaron A. Yarbrough, Daniel Alan Hynum, James Robert Tobin
  • Patent number: 10428791
    Abstract: A rotor blade of a wind turbine. The rotor blade comprises at least one rotor-blade inner portion, having a region connecting to the rotor-blade hub, and at least one rotor-blade outer portion, having a rotor-blade tip, the rotor-blade inner portion and the rotor-blade outer portion each being made substantially of a fibre-reinforced plastic, and the rotor-blade inner portion and the rotor-blade outer portion being connected to each other by a connecting device. The connecting device in this case comprises an inner insert that is at least partially wrapped in the fibre-reinforced plastic of the rotor-blade inner portion, an outer insert that is at least partially incorporated in the fibre-reinforced plastic of the rotor-blade outer portion, the inner insert and the outer insert being connected to each other via a connecting element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: Wobben Properties GmbH
    Inventor: Falk Spieth
  • Patent number: 10400612
    Abstract: An airfoil and a method of manufacturing an airfoil may be provided, where the airfoil comprises a core and a shell. The core comprises core ceramic fibers extending along a span of the airfoil. The shell surrounds the core and includes shell ceramic fibers. Substantially all of the core ceramic fibers are arranged in a radial direction. The airfoil may also be a ceramic matrix composite formed by infiltrating the core and the shell with a matrix material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Ted Freeman, Todd Engel, Adam Chamberlain, Aaron Sippel, Sean Landwehr
  • Patent number: 10385869
    Abstract: A composite component comprising a plurality of plies. A first set of pins extend in a direction transverse to the plies and a second set of pins extend in a direction transverse to the plies. The pins of the first set are made of a different material to the pins of the second set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Beene M'Membe, Mehdi Yasaee, Stephen Hallett, Ivana Partridge
  • Patent number: 10358929
    Abstract: An airfoil includes a core with a first Young's Modulus; and an outer section at least partially surrounding the core with a second Young's Modulus, wherein the first Young's Modulus is higher than the second Young's Modulus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Michael G. McCaffrey, Greg C. Ojard, Kevin L. Rugg
  • Patent number: 10352296
    Abstract: Provided is a rotor blade that may include a first layer having first plurality of fibers oriented at first angle of about 20 to 30 degrees relative to a long axis of the rotor blade, a second plurality of fibers oriented at a second angle of about 60 to 75 degrees relative to the first plurality of fibers, and a third plurality of fibers oriented at a third angle of about ?60 to about ?75 degrees relative to the second plurality of fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: WEI7 LLC
    Inventor: Kyle K. Wetzel
  • Patent number: 10330075
    Abstract: The invention provides a wind turbine blade having a Radar Absorbing Material (RAM) and a lightning protection system arranged for guaranteeing the performance of the lightning protection system and the integrity of the RAM. The lightning protection system has lightning receptors located at a tip region and one or two down-conductors disposed inside of the wind turbine blade for driving lightning current to ground. The RAM covers the entire wind turbine blade except the tip region and has at least a functional layer and a reflector layer connected to the one or two down conductors by means of auxiliary cables.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: SIEMENS GAMESA RENEWABLE ENERGY INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY, S.L
    Inventors: Victor March Nomen, Juan Madoz Zabalegui
  • Patent number: 10309369
    Abstract: A wind turbine blade for a wind turbine is a shell structure of a fibre-reinforced composite and comprises a root region and an airfoil region. The root region has ring-shaped cross section and comprises a plurality of elongated bushings 7 with an inner thread 22 and embedded interspaced in the fibre-reinforced polymer so as to substantially follow the circumference of the root region and allow access from the outside to the inner threads. Each fastening member 7 is provided with a notch 60? in the periphery 11 thereof. A rod-shaped locking element 61 passes through the notch 60? in engagement therewith. The locking element 61 is fixedly and tightly fitting arranged in a through-going circular bore 65 extending through the wall of the root region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: LM WP PATENT HOLDING A/S
    Inventors: Martin Dahl, Bjarne Krab Mortensen, Benjamin Hornblow