Cantilever Blade Patents (Class 416/238)
  • Patent number: 11585319
    Abstract: Improvements relating to wind turbine blade manufacture 5 A method of making a wind turbine blade is described. The method involves providing a blade shell having an inner surface defining a mounting region and positioning a web in the mounting region. One or more web restraining devices are used to secure the position of the web in the mounting region. Each restraining device has a first portion attached to the web and a second portion attached to the inner surface of the blade shell. The 10 restraining devices are configured to prevent movement of the web in a first plane substantially parallel to the mounting region and to permit movement of the web in a second plane substantially perpendicular to the mounting region. The method further comprises moving the web in the second plane away from the mounting region and performing one or more preparatory operations on the mounting region with the web 15 moved away from the mounting region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Robert Charles Preston, Sean Keohan, Andrew Hedges
  • Patent number: 11144272
    Abstract: A display method of a fan display apparatus includes detecting a present display section of a blade portion of the fan display apparatus; acquiring the image data to be displayed; determining whether the present display section and the previous display section are the same; changing a present display mode of the display elements, if the present display section and the previous display section are not the same; displaying the image data according to the changed display mode. A fan display apparatus and a fan display video wall system are also provided. The present disclosure makes the three-dimensional sense of the visual stronger; the visual effect is shocking and the experience is great; create a completely new 3D advertising solution; and at the same time, the installation method is flexible and can be installed in shopping malls, convenience stores, newspaper booths and other places.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignees: SHENZHEN FRIDA LCD CO., LTD, SHENZHEN FAN DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD
    Inventors: Zhuang Li, Li Li
  • Patent number: 11052982
    Abstract: A blade member includes a leading edge, a trailing edge, and a blade body extending therebetween. The blade member also includes a dovetail, a transition region, and a transition relief. The dovetail includes a dovetail chord line extending between an axially forward face of the dovetail and an axially aft face of the dovetail. The dovetail chord line has a dovetail chord length. The transition region is formed between the blade body and the dovetail. The blade body and the transition region form a blade body transition chord line at the interface of the blade body and the transition region which has a blade body transition chord length. The transition relief includes a geometric relief in at least one of a forward and an aft end of the transition region and the dovetail. The dovetail chord length is less than the blade body transition chord length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nicholas Joseph Kray, Stefaan Guido Van Nieuwenhove, Peggy Lynn Baehmann
  • Patent number: 11002292
    Abstract: A propeller fan includes a boss and a blade. The boss rotates about an axis. The blade is provided at an outer periphery of the boss. The blade has a first region in a radial direction. In the first region, a blade chord center line shifts downstream toward an outer peripheral side. In a cylindrical cross section about an axis, a cross-sectional shape of the blade at least in the first region is an airfoil shape. When a cross section taken along the blade chord center line and projected onto a plane including the axis is viewed, the blade chord center line is a curve having a convex on a downstream side in an entire region in the radial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Seiji Nakashima, Yasuaki Kato, Wahei Shingu, Hiroaki Murakami
  • Patent number: 10794192
    Abstract: An airfoil for a turbine engine includes an airfoil having pressure and suction sides extending in a radial direction from a 0% span position at an inner flow path location to a 100% span position at an airfoil tip. The airfoil has a curve corresponding to a relationship between a trailing edge sweep angle and a span position. The trailing edge sweep angle is in a range of 0° to 10° in a range of 10-20% span position. The trailing edge sweep angle is in a range of the trailing edge sweep angle is positive from 0% span to at least 95% span.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Edward J. Gallagher, Byron R. Monzon, Ling Liu, Linda S. Li, Darryl Whitlow, Barry M. Ford
  • Patent number: 10612556
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a blade edge of at least one blade of an air-conveying wheel with an axial-side blade edge contour which extends from a blade leading edge to a blade trailing edge along a curve, wherein the blade edge contour has at least one front section which adjoins the blade leading edge in the radial direction, a rear section which adjoins the blade trailing edge in the radial direction, and a central section which lies between the front section and the rear section. The blade edge contour has an S-shaped curve progression in the central section in a lateral cross-sectional view, thus increasing an axial height of the blade in the direction of the blade trailing edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: ebm-papst Mulfingen GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Daniel Conrad, Christian Pfaff
  • Patent number: 9957973
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a subsonic rotor and/or stator blade profile of an axial turbomachine compressor, such as a turbojet. The blade comprises a leading edge with an S-shaped lateral profile in its mid-plane. Specifically, the profile includes, from its inner end to the outer end, a first convex portion including the foremost point of the blade, and a second concave portion including the rearmost area of the blade. This profile enables the fluid flow between 20% and 80% of the blade's length to be redistributed. This so-called “sweep” profile increases the performance of the stage with such blades because it reduces blade tip vortex losses as well as secondary losses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Safran Aero Boosters SA
    Inventor: Vasiliki Iliopoulou
  • Patent number: 9920741
    Abstract: A swept wind turbine blade (20) includes a blade body (24) extending along a length between a root (26) and a tip (28) of the blade (20). A pitch axis (36) extends through the root (26) of the blade (20). A reference line (48) defines a deviation from the pitch axis (36) and corresponds to a swept shape of the blade (20) along its length. The reference line (48) has a zero sweep at the root (26), a zero slope at the root (26), and a positive curvature (66) along a segment within 25% of the length from the root (26) to the tip (28) of the blade (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: John M. Obrecht, Lasse Gilling, Henrik Fredslund Hansen, Scott J. Johnson, Ryan A. Sievers
  • Patent number: 9816521
    Abstract: A blade of a propeller fan includes a blade root portion, a front edge portion, a blade tip end portion, a rear edge portion, a blade rear edge portion, and an outer edge portion. A blade surface of the blade has an inner region including the blade root portion, an outer region including the blade rear end portion, and a coupling portion extending from a front end portion located close to the blade tip end portion to a rear end portion located close to the rear edge portion and coupling the inner region and the outer region to each other such that a side of a positive pressure surface of the blade surface is projecting and a side of a negative pressure surface of the blade surface is recessed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yui Kumon, Masaki Ohtsuka
  • Patent number: 9726190
    Abstract: A propeller fan includes a boss hub portion and a blade including a front edge portion, a rear edge portion, and an outer edge portion. The outer edge portion has a front outer edge portion, a rear outer edge portion, and a connection portion connecting the front outer edge portion and the rear outer edge portion to each other. In a plan view of the blade along a central axis, a maximum radius R1max of the outer edge portion in a portion corresponding to the front outer edge portion and a maximum radius R2max of the outer edge portion in a portion corresponding to the rear outer edge portion satisfy a condition of R1max>R2max. With such a construction, a propeller fan which generates wind less in pressure fluctuation and is capable of sending comfortable wind and achieving lowering in noise is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yui Kumon, Masaki Ohtsuka
  • Patent number: 9677404
    Abstract: A one-block bladed disk includes blades, a leading edges of which has sweep and dihedral angles, both strongly variable and increasingly large upon approaching a connection to a hub to improve mechanical strength of the whole and obtain good distribution of gas flow over the height of the blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventors: Didier Merville, Lucie Galons, Vincent Perrot, Hanna Reiss
  • Patent number: 9605686
    Abstract: A leading edge of a blade has a first curved portion provided with a leading-edge rearmost point, and a trailing edge of the blade has a second curved portion located on the inner circumferential side of the trailing edge and a third curved portion located on the outer circumferential side of the blade on the trailing edge. The third curved portion has a trailing-edge foremost point, and the second curved portion has a trailing-edge rearmost point. The trailing edge and a first concentric circle, which is one of concentric circles having as their center an axis of rotation and passes through the leading-edge rearmost point, intersect each other at a first intersection. The first intersection is located between the trailing-edge rearmost point and the trailing-edge foremost point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Shingo Hamada, Seiji Nakashima, Takashi Ikeda, Takahide Tadokoro, Takuya Kodama, Takashi Kobayashi, Hiroshi Yoshikawa, Hiroaki Makino
  • Patent number: 9435207
    Abstract: A blade for a blade row of a turbomachine having wired sections, in particular a blade of a compressor rotor blade, as well as a method for wiring sections of such a blade, is disclosed. Sections of a blade are wired in such a way that a first central component of a second section is selected according to at least one central component of a first section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: MTU Aero Engines GmbH
    Inventors: Sergio Elorza Gomez, Peter Eibelshaeuser
  • Patent number: 9163517
    Abstract: An airfoil for a turbine engine includes pressure and suction sides that extend in a radial direction from a 0% span position at an inner flow path location to a 100% span position at an airfoil tip. The airfoil has a relationship between a stacking offset and a span position that is at least a third order polynomial curve that includes at least one positive and negative slope. The positive slope crosses an initial axial stacking offset that corresponds to the 0% span position at a zero-crossing position. A first axial stacking offset X1 is provided from the zero-crossing position to a negative-most value on the curve. A second axial stacking offset X2 is provided from the zero-crossing position to a positive-most value on the curve. A ratio of the second to first axial stacking offset X2/X1 is between 1.5 and 2.0 or less than 1.4.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Edward J. Gallagher, Byron R. Monzon, Ling Liu, Linda S. Li, Darryl Whitlow, Barry M. Ford
  • Patent number: 9140127
    Abstract: An airfoil of a turbine engine includes pressure and suction sides that extend in a radial direction from a 0% span position at an inner flow path location to a 100% span position at an airfoil tip. The airfoil has a relationship between a tangential stacking offset and a span position that is at least a third order polynomial curve that includes at least one positive and negative slope. The positive slope leans toward the suction side and the negative slope leans toward the pressure side. An initial slope starting at the 0% span position is either zero or positive. The first critical point is in the range of 5-15% span.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Edward J. Gallagher, Byron R. Monzon, Ling Liu, Linda S. Li, Darryl Whitlow, Barry M. Ford
  • Publication number: 20150118059
    Abstract: A turbomachine rotor blade including a blade root and a blade tip spaced apart by a blade height, including at least one intermediate segment between the blade root and the blade tip that presents forward sweep over at least 50% of the blade height, and a distal segment with backward sweep between the intermediate segment and the blade tip, the distal segment also presenting a positive tangential angle of inclination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2013
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Applicant: SNECMA
    Inventors: Vincent Perrot, Julien Cointe, Jean-Francois Rios
  • Patent number: 9011099
    Abstract: An HVLS fan system uses STOL technology for airfoils and angle of attack thus optimizing air movement efficiency and reducing drag. The HVLS fan system includes wingtip fence end caps to the airfoils for improving efficiency by reducing drag. The HVLS fan system also includes an interconnection of the airfoils to a securing plate thus providing a failsafe and reduced potential for damage or injury resulting from failure of the connection between the airfoil array and a drive unit such as an electric motor and associated gearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: SkyBlade Fan Company
    Inventors: John D. Wortman, Jonathon M. Jones, Ivan Russell
  • Patent number: 8961124
    Abstract: An axial fan is provided. The axial fan includes a hub, an impeller having a plurality of blades mounted on an outer peripheral surface of the hub, and a housing surrounding the impeller. Each of the blades has a front edge angle (?) within a range of ?8° to ?20°, a mounting angle (?) within a range of 36° to 50°, and a twisted angle (?) within a range of 10°±2°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Minebea Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takako Fukuda, Masaki Ogushi, Yoichi Kawai, Naoya Ohki
  • Publication number: 20150050137
    Abstract: A blade (1) for a tail anti-torque device of a helicopter, said device comprising a ducted rotor (13). The blade (1) has an assembly of sections, a leading edge (2) and a trailing edge (3); a stacking line (4) of the profiles extending at a distance lying in the range 25% to 50% of the chord (C). The stacking line (4) presents a shape that is curved having successively from the root (5) to the end (6) of the blade a back sweep, a forward sweep, and a last back sweep; and a chord (C) that becomes larger going towards the end (6) of the blade (1) over at least the end profile (1a).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2014
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Inventors: Marc GERVAIS, Benoit GRESLE, Sebastein FINCK, Laurent SUDRE
  • Patent number: 8915717
    Abstract: The impeller wheel is rotatably supported about a central axis and has a hub on which vanes are arranged. The vane has across its radial length at least similar profiled sections, viewed in cylindrical section through the vane. The radial outermost profiled section which is positioned on a cylindrical enveloping surface of the impeller wheel has a greater displacement relative to the neighboring profiled section than this neighboring profiled section to its neighboring profiled section. The impeller wheel can also be provided on the radial outer edge with at least one projecting flow element whose axial height has a maximum in the area of the leading edge and of the trailing edge of the vane. The impeller wheels, while having a simple constructive configuration, provide a great noise reduction in operation of the ventilator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Ziehl-Abegg AG
    Inventors: Michael Stephan, Ralf Neumeier, Volker Kress
  • Patent number: 8894376
    Abstract: Certain embodiments of the present disclosure include a system having a turbomachine including a plurality of turbomachine blades coupled to a rotor, wherein each turbomachine blade has a blade base portion and a flared blade tip portion flared relative to the blade base portion. Additionally, a trailing edge of each turbomachine blade extends along a common plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Christopher Michael Penny, Ross James Gustafson
  • Publication number: 20140341749
    Abstract: A turbine engine blade comprising an airfoil extending axially between a leading edge and a trailing edge and extending radially between a root and a tip. The leading edge of the airfoil presents a sweep angle that is positive and that increases continuously from the root to a first radial height of the airfoil situated in the range 20% to 40% of the total radial height of the airfoil as measured from the root to the tip, and decreases continuously from this first radial height of the airfoil to the tip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2012
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Applicant: SNECMA
    Inventors: Vincent Paul Gabriel Perrot, Damien Cellier, Alicia Lise, Julia Dufresne, Philippe Pierre Marcel Marie Pelletrau, Jean-Francois Antoine Christian Rios, Laurent Christophe Francis Villaines
  • Patent number: 8851851
    Abstract: Large diameter axial Super Low Noise flow fans and commercial air cooled apparatuses incorporating such fans are provided. The large diameter axial flow fan is mounted on the air cooled apparatus for generating an axial air flow in the air cooled apparatus for accomplishing the cooling. The fan has a diameter of at least four feet. The fan has plurality of blades. Each blade includes a leading edge opposite a trailing edge. The entire of the leading edge of each of the blades is linear and forward swept, and each blade includes a metallic outer surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Moore Fans LLC
    Inventor: John D. Moore
  • Patent number: 8814523
    Abstract: In at least one implementation, a method of making a turbine blade may include providing a preform having a hollow cross-section, hydroforming the preform to form a turbine blade body comprising a shell that includes a continuous hollow portion along its interior, and providing a mounting portion attached to the body to mount the turbine blade to a hub. In one or more implementations of the method, the mounting portion may be provided during the step of hydroforming the preform and the mounting portion may be formed from the same preform as the turbine blade body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Vari-Form, Inc.
    Inventors: Martin L. Bliss, Trevor M. Clark, Jose U. Coelho, Timothy R. Flint, Blair J. Longhouse
  • Patent number: 8807951
    Abstract: A blade for a gas turbine engine, according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a platform and an airfoil that extends from the platform. The airfoil extends in span between a root and a tip region and in chord between a leading edge and a trailing edge. A sweep angle is defined at the leading edge and a dihedral angle is defined relative to the chord of the airfoil. The sweep angle and the dihedral angle are localized at the tip region and extend over a distance of the airfoil equivalent to about 10% to about 40% of the span.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Jody Kirchner, Yuan Dong, Sanjay S. Hingorani
  • Patent number: 8747067
    Abstract: A trillium wind turbine has an electricity-generating nacelle and swept-back, complexly-curved blades. Each blade has a main blade, a trailing edge blade, and a diversion blade. Wind is directed down the length of the blade and exits the tip. The main blade resembles a portion of a cylinder in form, the cylinder being twisted to change the angle of attack, thereby adding more lift throughout the length of the blade. The trailing edge and diversion blades are pitched relative to the wind and produce lift. Additionally, wind hitting the diversion blade is diverted behind the blade. Because the surface area and volume of the blade are larger near the nacelle and smaller at the tip, the air that travels along the blade increases in velocity as it travels producing more thrust/lift. The turbine also automatically faces into the wind without the need for sensors or positioning motors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Inventor: Reno Barban
  • Patent number: 8747072
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an improved first stage airfoil for a compressor blade having a unique chord length (CD) stagger angle (?) and camber angle (??). The stagger angle (?) and camber angle (??) provide improved aerodynamics while the chord length (CD) provides for reduced airfoil weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Marco Micheli, Wolfgang Kappis
  • Patent number: 8708660
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an improved second stage airfoil for a compressor blade having a unique chord length (CD) stagger angle (?) and camber angle (??). The stagger angle (?) and camber angle (??) provide improved aerodynamics while the chord length (CD) provides for reduced airfoil weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd
    Inventors: Marco Micheli, Wolfgang Kappis
  • Patent number: 8702394
    Abstract: An air boost device such as a turbocharger, wherein the compressor wheel thereof is re-designed to permit die inserts (20), which occupy the air passage and define the blades (4, 5) during a process of forming a wax pattern (21) of a compressor wheel, to be pulled without being impeded by the blades. This modified blade design enables the automated production of wax patterns (21) using simplified tooling. The compressor wheel improves low cycle fatigue, withstands high temperatures and temperature changes, and permits operation at high boost pressure ratio while, on the other hand, having low weight, low inertial drag, and high responsiveness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: BorgWarner, Inc.
    Inventors: David Decker, Stephen I. Roby
  • Publication number: 20140093383
    Abstract: A wind turbine includes a rotor having a hub and at least one blade having a torsionally rigid root, an inboard section, and an outboard section. The inboard section has a forward sweep relative to an elastic axis of the blade and the outboard section has an aft sweep.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2008
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Inventor: Kyle Kristopher Wetzel
  • Patent number: 8678769
    Abstract: A compressor impeller and a method of manufacturing the compressor impeller. The magnesium alloy compressor impeller as a die-cast part comprises a hub shaft part, a hub disk part having a hub surface extending from the hub shaft part in the radial direction, and a plurality of vane parts disposed on the hub surface. The impeller can be manufactured by a die-cast method in which a magnesium alloy heated to a liquidus temperature or higher is supplied into molds with cavities corresponding to the shape of the impeller for a filling time of 1 sec. or shorter, a pressure of 20 MPa or higher is applied to the magnesium alloy in the cavities, and the pressurized state is maintained for a time of 1 sec. or longer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignees: Hitachi Metals Precision, Ltd., Hitachi Metals, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Kubota, Hirokazu Itoh, Mikio Sasaki
  • Patent number: 8647051
    Abstract: An impeller for a centrifugal fan includes a hub, impeller blades, and struts for supporting the blades in a circumferential array spaced apart from the hub. The number of struts can equal the number of blades, each strut extended from the hub to support two blades while each blade is supported by one strut nearer to its leading edge and another strut nearer to its trailing edge. Another arrangement features two struts per blade, with one of the struts coupled to the hub and a given blade, and the other strut coupled between the given blade and an adjacent blade. The struts are recessed inwardly from the leading and trailing edges to promote smoother air flow. The blades and struts are provided with aerodynamic thickness profiles to further improve air flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: The Bergquist Torrington Company
    Inventors: John F. O'Connor, Jan Najman, Michael C. Brauer
  • Patent number: 8602729
    Abstract: A stage of a steam turbine, having a rotor extending along a longitudinal axis, has a fixed stage and a movable stage arranged successively along a flow channel for feeding steam in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis; the fixed stage has an inner ring coaxial with the longitudinal axis, and a number of stator blades arranged radially about the inner ring; each stator blade is fixed to an annular top portion of the inner ring, which has a top surface facing the flow channel and crosswise to the longitudinal axis; and the movable stage has a number of rotor blades arranged radially about the rotor and fixed to the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Ansaldo Energia S.p.A.
    Inventors: Mauro Maccio', Stefano Cecchi, Francesco Malavasi
  • Patent number: 8506255
    Abstract: A rotor blade of a wind power installation in which the rotor blade, in particular in the central region of the rotor, the so-called main board, has a lift-drag ratio which in the region of about ±2° from the optimum pitch angle has a lift-drag ratio value of more than 80%, preferably 90% and more of the maximum value of the lift-drag ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Inventor: Aloys Wobben
  • Patent number: 8480372
    Abstract: A system including an airfoil portion of an unshrouded turbine bucket, which includes a pressure-side surface and suction-side surface each extending from a root surface to a tip surface and joined at a leading edge and a trailing edge, the pressure-side surface having a generally concave shape and the suction-side surface having a generally convex shape; the airfoil portion having an increasing stagger angle in a span-wise direction from the root surface to the tip surface and an increasingly loaded suction-side surface as the suction-side surface approaches the tip surface and the tip surface approaches the leading edge, the airfoil portion having a resultant lean in a direction of the suction-side surface as the leading edge approaches the tip surface, and the pressure-side surface and the suction-side surface each having a locally reduced or reversed curvature in a direction of the pressure-side surface at their intersection with the tip surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Scott Matthew Sparks
  • Patent number: 8464426
    Abstract: A method of designing an airfoil for a gas turbine engine according to one embodiment of this disclosure can include localizing a sweep angle at a leading edge of a tip region of the airfoil, and localizing a dihedral angle at the tip region of the airfoil. The dihedral angle can be applied by translating the airfoil in direction normal to a chord of the airfoil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Jody Kirchner, Yuan Dong, Sanjay S. Hingorani
  • Publication number: 20130134717
    Abstract: A fluid turbine comprises a rotor rotatable in use about an axis transverse to the direction of fluid flow. The rotor has a first part carrying a plurality of arcuate blades and a second part journalled in a base structure by means of two or more bearings. All the bearings are arranged on the same side of the blades so that the first part of the rotor is cantilever supported in the base structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2011
    Publication date: May 30, 2013
    Applicant: Clean Green Energy LLC
    Inventors: Rupert Stephen Tull de Salis, Brain Joseph Zaplitny, Roger Evans
  • Patent number: 8419372
    Abstract: An airfoil of varying span-wise thickness comprising a suction side and a pressure side coupled together at a leading edge and a trailing edge, with the trailing edge comprising a plurality of spaced-apart wave-shaped projections. Exemplary embodiments provide airfoil geometry and/or trailing edge features to influence downstream wake flow. Methods of fabricating an airfoil for improved wake flow are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Trevor Howard Wood, Anurag Gupta, Ludwig Christian Haber, Philip Roger Gliebe
  • Patent number: 8337154
    Abstract: A cooling fan includes an impeller which comprises a plurality of radially extending blades, each of which includes a blade hub, a blade tip and a blade midspan approximately midway between the hub and the tip. In addition, each blade includes a camber of between about 60° and 90° at the blade hub, between about 15° and 40° at the blade midspan and between about 15° and 40° at the blade tip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Xcelaero Corporation
    Inventors: John Decker, Chellappa Balan
  • Patent number: 8328412
    Abstract: An impeller, a system for mixing a fluid, and a method of mixing a fluid in a tank are disclosed. For a sufficiently small impeller diameter and maximum blade tip velocity, the disclosed impeller, system, and method are capable of accelerating a near-zero intake velocity fluid, to generate a mixing zone that is collimated enough to have sufficient velocity vectors to suspend particles at a large distance away from the impeller, while minimizing the required power draw. An impeller may include a hub defining a longitudinal axis and plural blades spaced circumferentially about the hub. Each blade may include a root portion and a tip portion. Each blade may define a leading edge having an approximately circular raked helical geometry. A system for mixing a fluid may include a tank for containing the fluid, a drive shaft for extending into the tank, and the impeller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Philadelphia Mixing Solutions, Ltd.
    Inventor: Robert W. Higbee
  • Patent number: 8317483
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a rotor blade includes a tip, a root, and a body extending between the tip and the root. The body has surfaces defining a pressure side, a suction side, a leading edge, and a trailing edge. The body further defines an inboard portion, an outboard portion, and a bend therebetween. The bend is defined such that the outboard portion extends outwardly with respect to the inboard portion. The bend is stiffened to reduce opening of the bend during deflection of the rotor blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Brandon Shane Gerber, Eric Lee Bell
  • Patent number: 8267158
    Abstract: A centrifugal fan includes a housing and an impeller rotatably received in the housing. The housing defines an air inlet in a top plate thereof and an air outlet in a sidewall thereof. The air inlet is perpendicular to the air outlet. The impeller includes a hub and a plurality of blades extending outwardly from a sidewall of the hub. Each of the blades includes an inner blade section connected with the sidewall of the hub and an outer blade section extending outwardly from the inner blade section. An upper portion of the inner blade section is curved upwardly and forwardly from a curved lower portion of the inner blade section towards an adjacent front blade. The curved lower portion has a curvature smaller than that of the upper portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignees: Fu Zhun Precision Industry (Shen Zhen) Co., Ltd., Foxconn Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Xin-Xiang Zha, Shu-Min Li
  • Patent number: 8251666
    Abstract: A blade of a hybrid type fan includes: a blade body 21 made of a synthetic resin; and a metallic insert 22 that is insert molded simultaneously with the blade body 21 and mounted to a mounting arm of a spider. At a corner on an outer side of a radial direction and a forward side of a rotary direction of the insert 22, a bulging portion 26 is provided to bulge toward the outer side of the radial direction and the forward side of the rotary direction. A bulging region 27 of the bulging portion 26 that the most prominently bulges toward the outer side of the radial direction is located to be forward in the rotary direction relative to a mounting center C of the insert 22 and the mounting arm along the radial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshihiko Nishiyama, Keiichi Inaba, Kengo Koshimizu
  • Patent number: 8241002
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a rotor blade for a wind power plant having an aerodynamic profile. The rotor blade has a main rotor body with an aerodynamic profile and a tip. The tip extends away from a plane of the rotor blade and in a direction of at least one of a low pressure side or a high pressure side of the main rotor body. The tip includes a tip upper edge, a tip leading edge, and a tip trailing edge. At least a portion of the tip leading edge is curved such that a width of the tip defined between the tip leading edge and the tip trailing edge is reduced towards the upper edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Inventor: Aloys Wobben
  • Fan
    Patent number: 8235672
    Abstract: A fan includes a hub and a plurality of blades formed on the hub with a rake angle. In an axial direction of the hub, no part of a trailing edge of any of the blades is disposed past an air outlet end of the hub at more than a distance approximately equal to 25% of a diameter of the hub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Seok Ho Choi, Deok Huh
  • Patent number: 8231343
    Abstract: Provided is an axial fan apparatus including a housing and an axial-flow impeller. The axial-flow impeller is capable of rotating inside the housing and includes a plurality of axial-flow wings each having a negative pressure generation surface for generating a negative pressure, and an auxiliary vane standing on the negative pressure generation surface at an end portion of each of the plurality of axial-flow wings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Shun Kayama, Yukiko Shimizu, Kazutoshi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8226363
    Abstract: A turbine wheel for a gas operated medical handpiece includes a plurality of blades which extend in radial direction from a hub and extend in axial direction from a side ring web of the turbine wheel, and the front side of which is substantially concavely curved about an approximately radially running first axis of curvature. In order to increase the drive power or to better exploit the drive power at least one blade has at least in an axial end region an inclination surface which is inclined in the axial direction towards the front side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Kaltenbach & Voigt GmbH
    Inventors: Alexander Flock, Helmut Gruber, Thomas Roesch
  • Patent number: 8221086
    Abstract: A propeller has a hub 1 with a pair of blades 3 extending therefrom. Each blade 3 has a root, a tip, a first blade portion 10a extending between the root and tip and a second blade portion 10b extending between the root and tip adjacent and substantially parallel to said first blade portion 10a. The first and second blade portions 10a, 10b each have an arcuate concave face 11a, 11b, the radius of curvature of the concave face 11a of said first blade section 10a being greater than the radius of curvature of the concave face 11b of the second blade section 10b. The concave faces of said first and second portions 10a, 10b facing in substantially opposite directions such that, in use, said concave face 11a of said first blade portion 10a faces rearwards and said concave face 11b of the second blade portion 10b faces forwards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Inventor: Alan Edward Watts
  • Patent number: 8210818
    Abstract: A blade for an antitorque tail rotor of a helicopter, having a leading edge and a trailing edge opposite each other and elongated along a longitudinal axis of the blade; the trailing edge, in use, interacts with the air current after the leading edge; the blade also has an end portion extending between a reference section and a radially outer end of the blade with respect to a rotation axis of the blade; the rotation axis is outside the blade and crosswise with respect to the longitudinal axis; the length of the chord at the end portion decreases from the reference section to the radially outer end; and the leading and trailing edges are joined at the radially outer end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Agusta S.p.A.
    Inventors: Alan Brocklehurst, Alessandro Scandroglio
  • Patent number: RE43710
    Abstract: A swept turbomachinery blade for use in a cascade of such blades is disclosed. The blade (12) has an airfoil (22) uniquely swept so that an endwall shock (64) of limited radial extent and a passage shock (66) are coincident and a working medium (48) flowing through interblade passages (50) is subjected to a single coincident shock rather than the individual shocks. In one embodiment of the invention the forwardmost extremity of the airfoil defines an inner transition point (40) located at an inner transition radius rt-inner. The sweep angle of the airfoil is nondecreasing with increasing radius from the inner transition radius to an outer transition radius rt-outer, radially inward of the airfoil tip (26), and is nonincreasing with increasing radius between the outer transition radius and the airfoil tip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: United Technologies Corp.
    Inventors: David A. Spear, Dennis N. Kantor, legal representative, Bruce P. Biederman, John A. Orosa