Having Brace Means Bridging Cavity Patents (Class 416/233)
  • Patent number: 11959397
    Abstract: An airfoil includes an airfoil section that has an airfoil wall that defines an arced leading end, a trailing end, and first and second sides that join the arced leading end and the trailing end. The first and second sides span in a longitudinal direction between first and second ends. The airfoil wall circumscribes an internal core cavity. There is an arced rib in the internal core cavity. A cooling passage network is embedded in the airfoil wall between inner and outer portions of the airfoil wall. The cooling passage network has a trailing edge and an arced leading edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Allan N. Arisi, Tracy A. Propheter-Hinckley
  • Patent number: 11905847
    Abstract: An airfoil includes an airfoil wall that has a span between first and second radial ends and that defines leading and trailing edges, pressure and suction sides each joining the leading and trailing edges, and an internal cavity. The internal cavity is divided into at least first and second sub-cavities extending over the span. The first sub-cavity defines a venturi tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jonas Banhos, James T. Roach, Cheng Gao
  • Patent number: 11773821
    Abstract: A method for assembling a component, such as a wind turbine blade, includes providing a first element of the component and providing a second element of the component. An alignment member is inserted at a predefined position in one of the first or second elements, the alignment member having a predefined shape. The alignment member is positioned within a receiver portion of the other of the first or second elements along a joining portion, and the first and second elements are then joined. During the joining process, the alignment member aligns along a longitudinal axis of at least one of the first or second elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: LM Wind Power A/S
    Inventors: Peter Hansen, Hans Minnee
  • Patent number: 11761421
    Abstract: A wind turbine blade having a spar cap and a shear web system is described. The spar cap comprises a pultruded strip of fibrous reinforcing material with a first datum feature visible at a surface of the pultruded strip. The shear web system comprises a second datum feature, wherein the first datum feature of the spar cap is aligned with the second datum feature of the shear web system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventor: Sean Keohan
  • Patent number: 11674496
    Abstract: A wind turbine rotor blade is bonded together at the leading and trailing edges, and including a shear web or webs (the main vertical stiffening member that runs the span of the rotor blade) as an integral part, sharing the inner and outer skins of one or both sides of the blade. The integrated shear web(s) is made into the skin shell, and is an uninterrupted, continuous extension of the shell laminate that is joined to the shell component/components without requiring a secondary bond of any sort. The laminates in the shell and the shear web(s) may differ or be the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: TPI Composites, Inc.
    Inventor: Zachary Brekenfeld
  • Patent number: 11667087
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a wind turbine blade and a method for its manufacture. A lower shell part and an upper shell part are provided, each shell part having a leading edge and a trailing edge. A first shear web and a second shear web for connecting an inner surface of the lower shell part with an inner surface of the upper shell part are provided. The first shear web and the second shear web are connected by a first distance member in a chordwise direction. The first distance member is arranged for accommodating a variable chordwise distance between said first shear web and said second shear web. The first shear web and the second shear web are placed in the lower shell part and the upper shell part is mounted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignees: LM Wind Power A/S, LM Wind Power R & D (Holland) B.V., LM Wind Power Blades (India)Private Limited
    Inventors: Michael Wenani Nielsen, Pavel Zhuravlov, Suresh Babu Gangavaram Pandarinath
  • Patent number: 11629600
    Abstract: An airfoil member having a root end, a tip end, a leading edge, and a trailing edge, the airfoil member including an upper skin; a lower skin; and a support network having a plurality of interconnected support members in a lattice arrangement and/or a reticulated arrangement, the support network being configured to provide tailored characteristics of the airfoil member. Also provided are methods and systems for repairing an airfoil member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Nissen, Jared M. Paulson, Thomas S. Chiang
  • Patent number: 11591920
    Abstract: A vane arc segment includes an airfoil piece that defines first and second platforms and a airfoil section that extends between the first and second platforms. The airfoil section has a trailing edge, a leading edge, a pressure side, and a suction side. The platforms each define first and second circumferential mate faces, forward and aft sides, a gaspath side, a non-gaspath side, and a radial flange that projects from the non-gaspath side. Each radial flange extends continuously and includes a first leg portion that extends adjacent the trailing edge, a second leg portion that extends from the first leg portion and curves around the suction side, and a third leg portion that extends from the second leg portion toward the forward side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jon E. Sobanski, Kathryn S. Read
  • Patent number: 11492908
    Abstract: A turbine rotor blade root is additively manufactured and includes a shank having a radially extending chamber defined therein. A blade mount is at a radial inner end of the shank. The blade mount has a hollow interior defined therein with the hollow interior in fluid communication with the radially extending chamber. A lattice support structure is disposed within the hollow interior of the blade mount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Zachary John Snider
  • Patent number: 11365636
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture corresponding to a fan blade with intrinsic damping characteristics are disclosed. An example fan blade comprises an exterior body including a first side and a second side; a first hairpin structure coupled to the first side of the exterior body and the second side of the exterior body; and a second hairpin structure coupled to the first side and the second side, the first hairpin structure in contact with the second hairpin structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ravindra Shankar Ganiger, Viswanadha Gupta Sakala, Nicholas Joseph Kray, Ambika Shivamurthy, Kirti Arvind Petkar
  • Patent number: 11365635
    Abstract: A fiber-reinforced component for use in a gas turbine engine includes a fiber sleeve forming a cooling channel and a plurality of fiber plies enclosing the fiber sleeve, with the plurality of fiber plies forming first and second walls separated by the fiber sleeve. The fiber-reinforced component further includes a matrix material between fibers of the fiber sleeve and the plurality of fiber plies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Kathryn S. Read, Andrew J. Lazur, Thomas E. Clark
  • Patent number: 11339665
    Abstract: The present embodiments set forth a blade including an airfoil, the airfoil including a tip cap, a pressure sidewall and a suction sidewall extending axially between corresponding leading and trailing edges and radially between the base and the tip cap. The blade, including the airfoil and base, being formed in at least two airfoil parts, each of the two airfoil parts including contacting edges engaging each other respective contacting edges, the contacting edges defining a joint for preloading each of the at least two parts with each other and with the base. The at least two airfoil parts forming the airfoil being retained to each other by an interference fit at the joint. The interference fit providing frictional damping of vibrations in the blade during blade operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Andrew Clifford Hart, Jing Li, Suryarghya Chakrabarti, James Tyson Balkcum, III, Markus Feigl
  • Patent number: 11319815
    Abstract: A bladed rotor system includes first and second sets of blades with respective airfoils each having at least one internal cavity. The airfoils of both the first and second sets of blades have identical outer shapes defined by an outer surface of an outer wall of the respective airfoils. The airfoils of the first set of blades are distinguished from the airfoils of the second set of blades by a geometry and/or position of at the least one internal cavity, which is unique to blades of a given set. The natural frequency of a blade of the first set differs from the natural frequency of a blade of the second set by a predetermined amount. The blades of the first set and the second set are alternately arranged in a periodic fashion in said circumferential row, to provide a frequency mistuning to stabilize flutter of the blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Siemens Energy Global GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Daniel M. Eshak, Susanne Kamenzky, Daniel Vöhringer, Stefan Schmitt, Heinrich Stüer, Yuekun Zhou, Samuel R. Miller, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11319933
    Abstract: A rotor blade for a wind turbine comprising: an internal blade cavity defined by two opposing internal surfaces of two shells of the rotor blade; a receptor block forming part of a lightning protection system and disposed within the internal blade cavity; and a centralising device that spaces the receptor block from the two opposing internal surfaces of the shells such that the receptor block lies centrally within the internal blade cavity. The receptor block is therefore in a desired position for installing receptors for lightning discharge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventor: Chris Sutton
  • Patent number: 11274653
    Abstract: Provided is a protective cover system including a first protective cover and a second protective cover, both include a polymer and being pre-formed into a curved shape so as to accommodate at least a part of a wind turbine blade to be protected, each of the first and second protective covers has a tip end and a root end, wherein the first protective cover includes a first overlap portion at the root end, and the second protective cover includes a second overlap portion at the tip end, wherein the shape of the first overlap portion is substantially complementary to the shape of the second overlap portion such that when overlapping the first and second overlap portions, the resulting cross section of the overlapped overlap portions substantially corresponds to the cross sections of the first or second protective covers outside the overlap portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: SIEMENS GAMESA RENEWABLE ENERGY A/S
    Inventors: Kasper Koops Kratmann, Jason Stege
  • Patent number: 11236619
    Abstract: An airfoil for a gas turbine engine according to an example of the present disclosure includes, among other things, an airfoil body extending between leading and trailing edges in a chordwise direction and extending from a root section in a spanwise direction, and the airfoil body defining pressure and suction sides separated in a thickness direction. The airfoil body defines a recessed region extending inwardly from at least one of the pressure and suction sides, and the airfoil body includes one or more ribs that define a plurality of pockets within a perimeter of the recessed region. A plurality of cover skins is welded to the airfoil body along the one or more ribs to enclose respective ones of the plurality of pockets. The plurality of cover skins formed from a common cover having a perimeter that is dimensioned to mate with the perimeter of the recess. A method of forming a gas turbine engine component is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daniel A. Bales, Michael DuPont, Eric W. Malmborg
  • Patent number: 11208955
    Abstract: A case for a gas turbine engine includes a case wall and a boss that extends from the case wall. The boss includes a perimeter step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Chris J. Niggemeier, Lifang Yuan
  • Patent number: 11168566
    Abstract: The invention relates to a turbine blade which comprises at least one cavity that is defined by a wall with one or more surface discontinuities which preferably are selected from elevations, depressions and undercuts and preferably change at least one eigenmode of the blade. The blade may suitably be produced by a generative production method such as selective laser melting (SLM).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: MTU AERO ENGINES AG
    Inventors: Juergen Kraus, Hermann Klingels, Manfred Feldmann
  • Patent number: 11143036
    Abstract: A turbine blade includes an airfoil body having an outer tip and a platform; and a part-span shroud positioned between the outer tip and the platform of the airfoil body. The part-span shroud has a first opening extending through the airfoil body and having a first inner surface. The airfoil body includes a second opening extending radially from the first opening and having a second inner surface. A first elongated vibration-damping element is disposed in the first opening, and a second elongated vibration-damping element disposed radially in the second opening. The second elongated vibration-damping element includes a free radially outer end and a radially inner end coupled to the first elongated vibration-damping element. The first elongated vibration-damping element frictionally damps vibration, and the second elongated vibration-damping element damps vibration using impact within the second opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: James Zhang, Michael Anthony Wondrasek, John McConnell Delvaux
  • Patent number: 10907618
    Abstract: A wind turbine blade includes a protective cover attached along the blade by a layer of adhesive. The adhesive is a general purpose adhesive, and the adhesive forms a joint or sealing between an outer edge of the cover section of the blade and the surface of the blade so that the outer edge is covered by the adhesive and so that the joint forms an oblique surface from the outer edge to the surface of the blade. The joint has a first height at the outer edge and a second height at the position where it ends at the surface of the blade. The second height is smaller than the first height and smaller than 0.2 millimetres, and the joint is integrally formed with the layer of adhesive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: POLYTECH A/S
    Inventors: Mads Kirkegaard, Thomas Gliese
  • Patent number: 10830249
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing closed impellers with internal cavities. Impellers that are manufactured according to the method have a smaller mass and enable a higher operating efficiency to be attained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: ATLAS COPCO AIRPOWER, NAAMLOZE VENNOOTSCHAP
    Inventor: Aleksandr Pulnikov
  • Patent number: 10830060
    Abstract: An apparatus for cooling an engine component such as a turbine engine airfoil, including a wall bounding an interior extending axially between a leading edge and a trailing edge and radially between a root and a tip. A cooling circuit it located within the interior of the airfoil can include a flow enhancer permitting a volume of fluid, such as air, to pass around the flow enhancer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Emily Rosette Clark, Julienne LaChance, William Robb Stewart, Todd Garrett Wetzel
  • Patent number: 10808541
    Abstract: An airfoil includes an airfoil body portion that has a pressure side and a suction side. A recessed area in the airfoil body portion is located on one of the pressure side or the suction side. At least one rib divides the recessed area into at least one geometric shape. A cover encloses the recessed area and includes at least one pedestal that engages a distal end of at least one rib. A weld extends through the cover and a portion of at least one rib. The weld spans a width of the distal end of at least one rib.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daniel A. Bales, Eric W. Malmborg
  • Patent number: 10724376
    Abstract: A blade and a turbomachine engine having the blade are disclosed. The blade includes an airfoil having a root portion, a tip portion, and a plurality of fins integrally coupled to the root portion. The plurality of fins is disposed along a thickness of the airfoil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Nicholas Joseph Kray, Nitesh Jain, Nagashiresha Gontla, Narendra Digamber Joshi, Paul Gerard Marsland, Wayne Allen Spence
  • Patent number: 10641098
    Abstract: A fan blade includes first and second portions that are secured to one another and provide a cavity. The first and second portions form an exterior airfoil surface that extends in a radial direction from a root to a tip and in a chord-wise direction from a leading edge to a trailing edge. Radial ribs extend in a radial direction from the root toward the tip and are spaced apart from one another in the chord-wise direction. First and second angled ribs intersect one another at a first apex. The radial ribs intersect at least one of the first and second angled ribs. The first and second angled ribs are at an angle relative to one of the radial ribs. The angle is in a range of 45°+/?30°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Eric W. Malmborg, Michael A. Weisse
  • Patent number: 10633990
    Abstract: A vane strut assembly is disclosed, The vane strut assembly may include a first panel, a second panel, and a coupling mechanism that couples the first panel and the second panel to one another. The coupling mechanism may include a first fitting that is attached to the first panel, a second fitting that is attached to the second panel, and a cable disposed between the first fitting and the second fitting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Anders C. Olson, Nicholas W. Kantany
  • Patent number: 10612395
    Abstract: An air cooled component for a gas turbine engine including a first wall and a second wall having opposing inner surfaces to define a gap therebetween, and a lattice of intersecting elongate ribs extending longitudinally along the first and second walls and transversely between the inner surfaces of the first and second walls to provide a plurality of cells. One or more portions of the ribs include an aperture to provide a flow path between adjacent cells so that the cells are in fluid communication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: Matthew D Tucker, Simon L Jones
  • Patent number: 10465555
    Abstract: An airfoil for an axial flow machine includes: an airfoil body extending in a radial direction; a platform (an end wall) provided at an end portion of the airfoil body in the radial direction, the end wall being formed into a plate shape as a wall of a channel in which the airfoil body is installed and which supports the airfoil body; and at least one convex portion formed so as to protrude from a back surface of the platform in a direction away from the airfoil body. The convex portion is formed integrally with a portion for generating a node of a primary vibration mode when an edge portion of the platform vibrates as a free end of the primary vibration mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: IHI Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuto Ogawara, Takahiro Shimada
  • Patent number: 10458333
    Abstract: A case for a gas turbine engine includes a case wall and a boss that extends from the case wall. The boss includes a perimeter step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Chris J. Niggemeier, Lifang Yuan
  • Patent number: 10400625
    Abstract: The invention relates to a blade of a low-pressure compressor of an axial turbine engine. The blade comprises a vane in which a cavity is formed. The vane has a leading edge and a trailing edge, an intrados surface and an extrados surface which extend from the leading edge to the trailing edge, an outer casing which forms the intrados surface and the extrados surface and which delimits the cavity. The blade further comprises closed foam, such as a polymethacrylic foam, which blocks the cavity in order to isolate it from the environment of the blade. The blade further has a three-dimensional lattice which is formed in the cavity and which is integral with the vane of the blade. This barrier protects from chemical attacks and the introduction of impurities. The invention also relates to a production method for a hollow turbine engine blade which is filled with foam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Safran Aero Boosters SA
    Inventor: Jean-Francois Cortequisse
  • Patent number: 10399275
    Abstract: A system and method for manufacturing at least a portion of a wind turbine blade is described. The invention relates to a method for ensuring a minimum bond line height between wind turbine blade components, through the use of adhesive spacer elements. The adhesive spacer elements are positioned between the blade components prior to bonding, and act to define a buffer or space between the bonding surfaces of the respective blade components, such that the adhesive bond line height between components can be effectively guaranteed without the need for accurate alignment and positioning techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: LM WP PATENT HOLDING A/S
    Inventors: Lars Nielsen, Jesper Hasselbalch Garm
  • Patent number: 10260372
    Abstract: A vibration damping assembly and a method of damping vibration in a gas turbine engine are disclosed. The vibration damping assembly includes a strut configured to couple a fan case and turbine engine case of a turbine engine, a strut cavity disposed within the strut, and vibration damping media disposed in the strut cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Carl Brian Klinetob, William Richard Ganoe, Jr., Thomas B. Hyatt, Jason Leroux, Douglas J. Morgan
  • Patent number: 10184447
    Abstract: The invention is related to a rotor blade for the generation of electrical power. The rotor blade transforms the kinetic energy of a fluid, into rotational movement of a mechanical shaft. The shape of the rotor blade is characterized in that, along an axis, it is longitudinally bound by a root (a) and a tip (b), which are connected through multiples curved segments, called neutral sectional axes [Eni]. All [Eni] generate a continuous or discontinuous curvature called Primary Neutral Axis [En]. The point corresponding to a leading edge and a trailing edge, configure an airfoil [PAij]. The curvature of the blade (e) has an arch of length L, and is defined by the neutral sectional axes [Eni]. The blade (e) is defined by at least one continuous curved section called primary neutral axis [En] having a length [Ln]. The blade's shape has a variable cross section along the Primary Neutral Axis [En].
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana
    Inventors: César Nieto Londoño, Juan Guillermo García Navarro, Julián Sierra Pérez
  • Patent number: 10060266
    Abstract: Hollow fan blades for gas turbine engines are disclosed. The hollow fan blades include a body having a convex side and a concave side wherein the convex side has a cavity formed therein. The cavity is covered by two covers including an inner cover that may be adhered to the body of the fan blade assembly and an outer cover that may be adhered to the inner cover and/or the body of the fan blade assembly. The covers may be made of titanium, more than two covers may be employed and more than one cavity may be employed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: James Cosby, Michael A. Weisse, Kwan Hui
  • Patent number: 10001014
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the invention include turbine buckets and systems employing such buckets. Various particular embodiments include a turbine bucket having: an airfoil having: a suction side; a pressure side opposing the suction side; a leading edge spanning between the pressure side and the suction side; and a trailing edge opposing the leading edge and spanning between the pressure side and the suction side; and a base connected with a first end of the airfoil along the suction side, pressure side, trailing edge and the leading edge, the base including a non-axisymmetric contour proximate a junction between the base and the airfoil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Mark Steven Honkomp, Xiaoyong Fu, Paul Kendall Smith, Jalindar Appa Walunj
  • Patent number: 9932960
    Abstract: A rotor blade (5) of a wind turbine, which has a profile (1-4) having an upper side (suction side) (7) and an underside (pressure side) (8). The profile (1-4) includes a camber line (21, 25) and a chord (18) between a leading edge (10) and a trailing edge (11) of the profile (1-4). The profile (1-4) has a relative profile thickness of more than 45%. At least one vortex generator (50, 50?, 50?, 50??) is disposed, in the region of the profile (1-4), on the suction side (7) of the rotor blade (5). The profile (1-4) is provided with a blunt trailing edge. And, The thickness of the trailing edge is between 15% and 70% of the chord length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Senvion GmbH
    Inventors: Marc Petsche, Christoph Matthias Korjahn
  • Patent number: 9926789
    Abstract: A flow splitting baffle for separating a main cooling flow through an inner channel of a component includes a tubular structure defining a tubular cavity and having a longitudinal axis. The flow splitting baffle also includes an inner ring coupled to the tubular structure and extending away from the tubular structure along a plane that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The flow splitting baffle also includes an outer ring parallel to the plane, positioned a first distance from the tubular structure, extending away from the tubular structure and positioned a second distance from the inner ring. The flow splitting baffle also includes a strut perpendicular to the plane, extending from the inner ring to the outer ring and coupled to the inner ring and the outer ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Benjamin F. Hagan, Ryan Alan Waite, Dominic J. Mongillo
  • Patent number: 9850763
    Abstract: An article is disclosed including a manifold, an article wall, a post-impingement cavity and a plurality of post-impingement partitions. The manifold includes an impingement wall defining a plenum and a plurality of impingement apertures. The article wall includes a plurality of external apertures. The post-impingement cavity is disposed between the manifold and the article wall, and is arranged to receive a fluid from the plenum through the plurality of impingement apertures and exhaust the fluid through the plurality of external apertures. The plurality of post-impingement partitions divide the post-impingement cavity into a plurality of sub-cavities, and hermetically separate the plurality of sub-cavities from one another. The impingement wall, article wall and plurality of post-impingement partitions are integrally formed as a single, continuous article. The article may be an airfoil component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Gary Michael Itzel, Jeffrey Clarence Jones
  • Patent number: 9523283
    Abstract: In a turbine vane and a gas turbine, an outer shroud is fixed to one end of a vane body formed in a hollow shape, an inner shroud is fixed to the other end thereof, and a partition plate is fixed to the inner portions of the vane body, the outer shroud, and the inner shroud, so that a cavity is formed so as to be continuous between the partition plate and the group of the vane body, the outer shroud, and the inner shroud. Then, the vane body, the outer shroud, and the inner shroud are provided with a plurality of cooling holes, and the partition plate is provided with a plurality of penetration holes. Accordingly, since the vane structure or the end wall structure is evenly cooled, a deformation or damage may be suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Hideyuki Uechi, Tomoko Morikawa, Satoshi Hada
  • Patent number: 9453418
    Abstract: A hollow article includes a metallic hollow article formed from a having a first major surface, an internal cavity with an opening in the first major surface, and a socket around the opening; a cover of composite material received in the socket and covering the opening; and a filler material of foam in the internal cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Kwan Hui, Michael A. Weisse, Darin S. Lussier, Hillary Anne Huttenhower
  • Patent number: 9404369
    Abstract: An airfoil includes an airfoil body that defines a longitudinal axis. The airfoil body includes a leading edge and a trailing edge and a first side wall and a second side wall that is spaced apart from the first side wall to define a camber line there between. The first side wall and the second side wall join the leading edge and the trailing edge and at least partially define a cavity in the airfoil body. Multiple ribs extend longitudinally in the cavity and are laterally spaced apart from each other relative to the longitudinal axis. In at least one plane that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, each of the ribs connects the first side wall and the second side wall along respective minimum distance directions that are perpendicular to the camber line. At least two of the respective minimum distance directions are non-parallel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Tracy A. Propheter-Hinckley, Benjamin T. Fisk, Steven Taffet, Gregory M. Dolansky, Anita L. Tracy
  • Patent number: 9394793
    Abstract: A turbomachine airfoil element has an airfoil. The airfoil has an inboard end, an outboard end, a leading edge, a trailing edge, a pressure side, and a suction side. A span between the inboard and an outboard end is 1.4-1.6 inch. A chord length at 50% span is 0.9-1.4 inch. At least three of the following resonance frequencies are present. A first mode resonance frequency is 2591.5±10% Hz. A second mode resonance frequency is 4675.2±10% Hz. A third mode resonance frequency is 7892.9±10% Hz. A fourth mode resonance frequency is 10098.2±10% Hz. A fifth mode resonance frequency is 14808.2±10% Hz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Bryan C. Atkins, Robert J. Esteve, Richard A. Lomenzo, Jr., David P. Houston
  • Patent number: 9359902
    Abstract: A turbine airfoil usable in a turbine engine and having at least one ambient air cooling system is disclosed. At least a portion of the cooling system may include one or more cooling channels configured to receive ambient air at about atmospheric pressure. The ambient air cooling system may have a tip static pressure to ambient pressure ratio of at least 0.5, and in at least one embodiment, may include a tip static pressure to ambient pressure ratio of between about 0.5 and about 3.0. The cooling system may also be configured such that an under root slot chamber in the root is large to minimize supply air velocity. One or more cooling channels of the ambient air cooling system may terminate at an outlet at the tip such that the outlet is aligned with inner surfaces forming the at least one cooling channel in the airfoil to facilitate high mass flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Christian X. Campbell, Jr., John J. Marra, Jan H. Marsh
  • Patent number: 9188102
    Abstract: A wind blade with a self-supporting structural framework, having multiple chord-wise members and one or more span-wise members is provided. Each of the multiple chord-wise members and the one or more span-wise members have an aerodynamic contour. The wind blade also comprises a fabric skin located over the self-supporting structural framework in a tensioned state to generate an aerodynamic surface, wherein the fabric skin is attached via multiple tensioning members to both the chord wise members and span wise members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sriram Krishnamurthy, Wendy Wen-Ling Lin, Suresh Subramanian, Subbareddy Daggumati, Udit Kulmi, Prakash Kashiram Jadhav, Vasan Churchill Srinivasan Chandrasekaran
  • Patent number: 9057276
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine blade (20), including: an airfoil (24) including a pressure side exterior surface (34), a suction side exterior surface (36), and a first rib (130) spanning between the pressure side exterior surface and the suction side exterior surface. The airfoil (24) is twisted from a base end (30) of the airfoil to a tip end (32) of the airfoil. The first rib is twisted from a base end of the first rib to a tip end of the first rib. The pressure side exterior surface, the suction side exterior surface, and the first rib are cast as a monolith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Ching-Pang Lee
  • Fan
    Patent number: 8961109
    Abstract: A fan includes a frame, rotor supported by this frame and having a central hub and a number of blades and a drive mechanism for rotatably driving the rotor, in addition to a ring to which the end zones of the blades are connected. The ring is assembled from two part-rings of the same form which each include a circular strip of sheet material, the free ends of which are mutually connected to form the outer surface of a truncated cone, and a third part-ring which mutually connects the inner edges of the first two part-rings. The end zones of the blades are connected to the third part-ring. The ring has a diameter of more than about 1.50 m. The number of blades amounts to at least eight. The blades are hollow and include a framework structure which is provided with a skin connected thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Bronswerk Heat Transfer B.V.
    Inventor: Augustinus Wilhelmus Maria Bertels
  • Patent number: 8956105
    Abstract: A turbine vane for a gas turbine engine may include a composite airfoil structure. The composite airfoil structure may have an opening. The turbine vane may include a spar. The spar may have a body, which may be disposed within the opening. A standoff structure may be disposed within the opening. In some non-limiting embodiments, a cooling air gap may be defined between the body and an internal surface of the composite airfoil structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard C. Uskert, Ted Joseph Freeman, David J. Thomas
  • Patent number: 8944773
    Abstract: An airfoil comprises an airfoil body with an internal cavity and inner and outer covers. The airfoil body defines a first major surface of the airfoil, and a rib extends along the internal cavity. The inner cover is bonded to the airfoil body over the internal cavity, and includes a coupling element extending along the internal cavity in cooperative engagement with the rib. The outer cover is bonded to the airfoil body over the inner cover, and defines a second major surface of the airfoil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Michael A. Weisse
  • Patent number: 8926289
    Abstract: An airfoil includes a blade having a pocket recess therein and one or more features disposed within the pocket recess. The one or more features are configured to disrupt pressure oscillations within the pocket recess. In another embodiment, a blade is disclosed having a first wall and a second wall. The first wall is disposed on a suction side of the blade and the second wall is disposed on a pressure side of the blade. The second wall is connected to the first wall at a leading edge of the blade. Together the first wall and the second wall form a portion of a pocket recess and the pocket recess is disposed asymmetrically with respect to a camber line of the blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Loc Quang Duong, Xiaolan Hu, Nagamany Thayalakhandan, Gao Yang
  • Publication number: 20150003991
    Abstract: Rotor blades include an inner portion and a modular extension attached to the inner portion that form a new span length for the rotor blade. The modular extension includes one or more spanwise support elements connecting to the inner portion and extending in a spanwise direction, a plurality of cross-sectional ribs disposed along a length of the one or more spanwise support elements, and, a modular extension shell surrounding the modular extension supported by the plurality of cross-sectional ribs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Bharat Sampathkumaran Bagepalli, Bradley Graham Moore, Mohamad Babar Sultan, Jessica Elizabeth Cohn, Jessica Leigh Kadlec, William Arthur Flodder