Miscellaneous (e.g., Blade Root Or Root Block, Etc.) Patents (Class 416/248)
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Patent number: 8277186Abstract: A turbine blade 10a which is a stop blade is provided with a cutout portion 50 which is formed in one circumferential side surface 22a of a shank portion 22 at the center in the axial direction of a turbine rotor 100, a cutout portion 60 which is formed in one circumferential side surface 22a of the shank portion 22 from one end portion 22b to the cutout portion 50 in the axial direction of the turbine rotor 100, and a through passage 70 which is formed to pass from the cutout portion 50 to an effective blade part and in which a moving member 170, which moves a stopper member 160 to the effective blade part in the cutout portion 50, is inserted.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2009Date of Patent: October 2, 2012Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventor: Osamu Tanaka
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Patent number: 8267651Abstract: The present invention relates to a blade for a wind power plant with an assembly face for mounting in a circular pitch bearing, whose pitch axis is angled relative to the longitudinal axis of the blade, and wherein the blade comprises a root part with an approximately elliptic cross-section, in which root part the assembly face is arranged. The invention further relates to a wind power plant in general having a pitch-adjustable blade mounted in a pitch bearing such that the distance between the outermost part of the blade and the tower is increased when the leading edge of the blade is pitched up in the wind. This is accomplished in that the longitudinal axis of the blade is angled in a particular way compared to its pitch axis.Type: GrantFiled: November 27, 2007Date of Patent: September 18, 2012Assignee: LM Glasfiber A/SInventor: Tommy Sørensen
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Patent number: 8267664Abstract: An axial retention system for restraining axial movement of a machine component having a dovetail within a complimentary-shaped dovetail slot includes: a first substantially T-shaped groove formed in a bottom surface of the dovetail slot; a second substantially T-shaped groove formed in a bottom surface of the dovetail, the first and second grooves in alignment when the dovetail is located within the dovetail slot to thereby form a closed periphery substantially T-shaped slot having a stem portion and a lateral cross portion at one end of the stem component, wherein the other end of the stem is open; and a compressible locking clip adapted for insertion within the substantially T-shaped slot, the locking clip having a pair of oppositely extending lugs receivable in opposite ends of the lateral cross portion.Type: GrantFiled: April 4, 2008Date of Patent: September 18, 2012Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Thomas R. Tipton, Mark Newton
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Patent number: 8251670Abstract: A device for protecting an aircraft component from collision with a flying object, the device having: a main member rotating about an axis and subject to collision with a flying object; and diverting means connected angularly to the main member, also subject to collision with the flying object, and designed, in the event of collision of the main member with the flying object, to reduce the axial momentum of the flying object and divert the flying object radially with respect to the axis.Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 2008Date of Patent: August 28, 2012Assignee: Agusta S.P.A.Inventor: Marco Anghileri
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Patent number: 8251661Abstract: The invention relates to a blower wheel, especially a plastic blower wheel for a cylindrical rotor radial fan for the heating and air-conditioning systems of a motor vehicle. Said blower wheel comprises a plurality of blades (2), and the flow channel (3) between two blades (2) is embodied in such a way that it is convergent on the inflow side, divergent on the outflow side, and distinctively shaped.Type: GrantFiled: July 4, 2006Date of Patent: August 28, 2012Assignee: Behr GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Jörg Kilian, Peter Lucyga, Nikolaus Zipf
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Patent number: 8235664Abstract: A turbine blade with a blade root, an aerofoil, at least one cooling passage arranged in the turbine blade and extending from the blade root to the aerofoil, and a liner arranged in the at least one cooling passage is provided. The liner protects the cooling passage against corrosion, especially type II hot corrosion.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2007Date of Patent: August 7, 2012Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventor: Frank Carchedi
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Patent number: 8231354Abstract: A turbine airfoil (22A) is formed by a first process using a first material. A platform (30A) is formed by a second process using a second material that may be different from the first material. The platform (30A) is assembled around a shank (23A) of the airfoil. One or more pins (36A) extend from the platform into holes (28) in the shank (23A). The platform may be formed in two portions (32A, 34A) and placed around the shank, enclosing it. The two platform portions may be bonded to each other. Alternately, the platform (30B) may be cast around the shank (23B) using a metal alloy with better castability than that of the blade and shank, which may be specialized for thermal tolerance. The pins (36A-36D) or holes for them do not extend to an outer surface (31) of the platform, avoiding stress concentrations.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2009Date of Patent: July 31, 2012Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.Inventors: Christian X. Campbell, Allister W. James, Jay A. Morrison
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Patent number: 8221083Abstract: A rotor blade for a gas turbine engine includes an asymmetric attachment section received within a rotor disk rim with an asymmetric slot.Type: GrantFiled: April 15, 2008Date of Patent: July 17, 2012Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Ioannis Alvanos, John J. OConnor
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Publication number: 20120169068Abstract: A device for converting the kinetic energy of molecules into useful work includes an actuator configured to move within a fluid or gas due to collisions with the molecules of the fluid or gas. The actuator has dimensions that subject it to the Brownian motion of the surrounding molecules. The actuator utilizes objects having multiple surfaces where the different surfaces result in differing coefficients of restitution. The Brownian motion of surrounding molecules produce molecular impacts with the surfaces. Each surface then experiences relative differences in transferred energy from the kinetic collisions. The sum effect of the collisions produces net velocity in a desired direction. The controlled motion can be utilized in a variety of manners to perform work, such as generating electricity or transporting materials.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 23, 2011Publication date: July 5, 2012Inventor: Lee Ervin
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Patent number: 8210818Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 20, 2009Date of Patent: July 3, 2012Assignee: Agusta S.p.A.Inventors: Alan Brocklehurst, Alessandro Scandroglio
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Patent number: 8206118Abstract: A rotor blade for a gas turbine engine includes an airfoil that extends in span between a tip and a root opposite from the tip. The root includes a plug, a looped portion that surrounds the plug and a clamp. The clamp contacts only a portion of the looped portion on an opposite side of the looped portion from the plug.Type: GrantFiled: January 4, 2008Date of Patent: June 26, 2012Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Tracy A. Propheter-Hinckley, Michael G. McCaffrey
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Patent number: 8206122Abstract: A rotor for mounting blades thereon to form an impeller rotatable about a main axis thereof. Each of the blades has a mounting portion. The rotor includes primary slots and auxiliary slots, each of the primary slots is adapted for receiving the mounting portion of the blade. The primary and auxiliary slots are adapted to change their dimensions during rotation of the impeller due to centrifugal forces and thermal effects caused by the rotation thereof. The change in dimensions is adapted to exert pressure on the mounting portion of the blade to retain it within the primary slot.Type: GrantFiled: June 19, 2007Date of Patent: June 26, 2012Assignee: IDE Technologies Ltd.Inventors: Henrikh Rojanskiy, Avraham Ophir
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Patent number: 8192170Abstract: A rotor blade for a wind power installation, has at least a first component and a second component. The first component has a rotor blade tip and the second component has a rotor blade root. The first and second components are in the form of separate parts for jointly forming the rotor blade. The first component is of at least a first material and the second component is of at least a second material.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2007Date of Patent: June 5, 2012Inventor: Rolf Rohden
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Patent number: 8186960Abstract: A method for repairing a wind turbine is described. The method may include preparing the surface of the blade, removing a plurality of mounting bolts, and replacing the mounting bolts with rod members. The rod members may be bonded to the blade root thereby strengthening the blade root and/or repairing any damaged or weakened regions. This repair may be performed on blades and blade coupling regions of various characteristics as well in modular fashion using pre-molded sections attached together around the blade root. The method of repair may be performed while the blade is still attached to the turbine hub. Wind turbines repaired according to these methods are also described. The method may also be used for attaching and otherwise handling new turbine blades and new wind turbines.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2008Date of Patent: May 29, 2012Assignee: Frontier Pro Services, LLCInventors: Mark Dawson, Jack Wallace
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Patent number: 8182229Abstract: Embodiments of the invention can provide methods and apparatus to repair a rotor disk for a gas turbine. In one embodiment, a method to repair a rotor disk for a gas turbine is provided, wherein the rotor disk can include a base and at least one dovetail slot between a pair of dovetail walls. The method can include identifying one or more cracks on the base of the rotor disk, and removing one or more cracks by providing one or more fillets on the base of the rotor disk. Further, the method can include providing one or more conic cuts on the base of the rotor disk between the pair of dovetail walls of at least one dovetail slot.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2008Date of Patent: May 22, 2012Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Rathina Rajarajan, Desai Tushar Sharadchandra, Santhanagopalakrishnan Babu, Akkur Marigowda Satish, Michael Byron Neikirk
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Patent number: 8182232Abstract: A wind turbine blade having an aerodynamic profile (5) with a leading edge (11), a trailing edge (13) and suction and pressure sides (17, 19) between the leading edge (11) and the trailing edge (13) which has, on at least one part of the wind turbine blade, a Trailing Edge Region (TER), the transversal section of which increases in the direction of the trailing edge (13). Said trailing edge region (TER) preferably has a divergent form with a curved concave surface on its lower part.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2007Date of Patent: May 22, 2012Assignee: Gamesa Innovation & Technology, S.L.Inventor: Mark Olaf Slot
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Patent number: 8177517Abstract: A blade (1) for a rotor of a wind turbine having a substantially horizontal? rotor shaft, said rotor comprising a hub, from which the blade extends substantially radially from said rotor when mounted. The blade (1) has a chord plane (K) extending between the leading edge (5) and the trailing edge (S) of the blade (1). The blade (1) comprises a root area (2) closest to the hub, an airfoil area (4) furthest away from the hub and a transition area (3) between the root area (2) and the airfoil area (4), and comprises a single airfoil along substantially the entire airfoil area (4). The blade (1) comprises at least a first root segment (7) and a second root segment (8) along substantially the entire root area (2), said segments being arranged with a mutual distance, as seen transverse to the chord plane (K). At least one of the root segments (7, 8) has an airfoil profile.Type: GrantFiled: October 17, 2006Date of Patent: May 15, 2012Assignee: LM Glasfiber A/SInventor: Peter Grabau
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Patent number: 8172538Abstract: A method of manufacturing a wind turbine blade shell member (2) having an incorporated fastening member (4) near the root is provided. According to the method, a fastening member 4 is positioned in a mold (14) with pre-fabricated sticks (8, 10) surrounding a substantial longitudinal part of the fastening member (4) prior to resin infusion. Furthermore, a wind turbine blade comprising a wind turbine blade shell member (2) with a fastening member (4) is provided. Finally, a guiding means for aligning a fastening member (4) relative to a further fastening member and/or relative to the mold during molding and a subassembly comprising a guiding means is provided.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2004Date of Patent: May 8, 2012Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/SInventors: Mark Hancock, Anton Bech
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Publication number: 20120107125Abstract: A shim configured to be inserted between a fan blade root of a turbojet and a bottom of a compartment in which this root is housed, the compartment being delimited by a fan disk. The shim includes a metal stiffener including at least one external element made of an elastomer material, and including a support surface of the external element. The support surface includes at least one corrugated zone.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 28, 2010Publication date: May 3, 2012Applicant: SNECMAInventors: Patrick Jean-Louis Reghezza, Julien Tran
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Patent number: 8167575Abstract: The invention relates to a connection between components of a wind turbine. More specifically, the present invention relates to components for a wind turbine having a diameter of more than 0.5 m, preferably more than 1.0 m, and more preferably more than 1.5 m. The wind turbine includes two components that are connected together, whereby each component has a contact surface. The surface of the contact surface of a first component is softer than the surface of the contact surface of a second component. Further, the surface of the contact surface of the second component is annealed.Type: GrantFiled: March 25, 2008Date of Patent: May 1, 2012Assignee: Repower Systems AGInventor: Carsten Eusterbarkey
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Patent number: 8162616Abstract: A turbomachine fan including blades and inter-blade platforms having radial flanges fastened to flanges of a rotor disk by threaded rods inserted into bushes mounted in orifices in the flanges of the platforms is disclosed. Each bush includes at least one deformable part interposed transversely between the threaded rod and an edge of the orifice in which the bush is mounted. The deformable part is intended to allow the platform to pivot in the event of an impact of a blade against the platform and to absorb some of the energy of the impact.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2008Date of Patent: April 24, 2012Assignee: SNECMAInventors: Olivier Belmonte, Jean-Luc Christian Yvon Goga
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Patent number: 8137072Abstract: A turbine blade is disclosed. The turbine blade may have an airfoil extending from a first surface of a turbine platform. The turbine blade may further have a first side pocket of the turbine platform that is configured to substantially entirely house a first moveable seal between a forward wall of the first side pocket and an aft wall of the first side pocket. The first side pocket may have a convex surface, extending between the forward wall and the aft wall, and a concave surface. The turbine blade may also have a second side pocket of the turbine platform configured to receive a portion of a second moveable seal.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2008Date of Patent: March 20, 2012Assignee: Solar Turbines Inc.Inventors: Hyun Dong Kim, Marius Dumitrascu, Michael Eugene Greenspan, Yungmo Kang, Yong Weon Kim
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Patent number: 8123485Abstract: A rotor hub (10) of a wind power plant for a rotor, in particular with at least one rotor blade is provided, wherein a hub core body (12) and at least one hub outer body (16) are connected together by means of a flange connection (18). The rotor hub (10) is further characterized in that the flange connection (18) is constructed with a predetermined tilt angle (?) towards the rotational axis (24) of the rotor, wherein the tilt angle (?) of the flange connection (18) is constructed larger than the tilt angle (?) of the rotor blade connection surface of the hub outer body (16). Furthermore, a wind power plant may be provided with the rotor hub (10).Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2007Date of Patent: February 28, 2012Assignee: Repower Systems AGInventor: Peter Quell
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Publication number: 20120045339Abstract: A rotor blade comprises a blade portion, a root portion (30) connected with, and extending from, the blade portion, the root portion (30) having an annular cross section which defines first and second root surfaces, and a plurality of discrete root fittings (31) connected with respective portions of the root portion (30), and adapted for attachment to a blade mounting. Each root fitting comprises an elongate body member (31) which extends from a free end of the root portion (30) towards the blade portion, which defines first and second bonding surfaces, adhesively bonded to the first and second root surfaces respectively, and which includes means for attachment to a blade mounting.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2009Publication date: February 23, 2012Inventors: Angus Fleming, Mathew Dawson, James Stewart, Lucy Sun, Jon Hossell
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Patent number: 8113785Abstract: A turbomachine rotor comprising a disk the periphery of which has a plurality of slots, a plurality of removable blades, each blade comprising a blade root housed in one of the slots, and a downstream flange, secured to said disk and against which each blade root bears. Further, the rotor comprises, between each blade root and the downstream flange, an elastic buffer intended to maintain a gap between the blade root and the downstream flange.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2007Date of Patent: February 14, 2012Assignee: SNECMAInventors: Jean-Bernard Forgue, Patrick Jean-Louis Reghezza, Alain Timon
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Publication number: 20120034081Abstract: A compressor blade root heating system for a turbine engine is disclosed. The compressor blade root heating system may be formed from one or more induction heaters formed from one or more induction coils positioned in close proximity to a root of a compressor blade. In one embodiment, the induction heater may be coupled to a static casing component positioned immediately upstream of a first row of compressor blades on a rotor assembly such that the induction heater is stationary during turbine engine operation. The induction heater causes eddy current formation, which heats the row one compressor blades. This heating increases the fracture toughness of the material forming the rotor and compressor blades, thereby increasing the mechanical life cycle.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 9, 2010Publication date: February 9, 2012Inventors: Christopher W. Ross, Keith A. Miller
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Publication number: 20120027619Abstract: An airfoil for a turbine engine includes a structure having a cooling passage that has a generally radially extending cooling passageway arranged interiorly relative to an exterior surface of the structure. The cooling passageway includes multiple cooling slots extending there from toward the exterior surface and interconnected by a radially extending trench. The trench breaks the exterior surface, and the exterior surface provides the lateral walls of the trench. The airfoil is manufactured by providing a core having multiple generally axially extending tabs and a generally radially extending ligament interconnecting the tabs. The structure is formed about the core to provide the airfoil with its exterior surface. The ligament breaks the exterior surface to form the radially extending trench in the exterior surface of the structure.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 14, 2011Publication date: February 2, 2012Inventors: Jason Edward Albert, Atul Kohli, Eric L. Couch
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Patent number: 8100661Abstract: A wind turbine rotor blade is provided which includes a root end and a tip end located opposite the root end. A leading edge extends from the root end to the tip end. A trailing edge extends from the root end to the tip end. A span direction is defined by a line extending linearly from the root end to the tip end. A chord direction is perpendicular to the span direction and lies in the plane extending through the leading edge and the trailing edge. A shoulder is the point of the maximum chord-wise extension. An airfoil portion extends from the shoulder to the tip end. The airfoil portion comprises a span-wise interval begging before the tip end and extending to or close to the tip end and in which the distribution of the chord-wise extension is increased as compared to the load optimised distribution of the chord-wise extension.Type: GrantFiled: July 15, 2008Date of Patent: January 24, 2012Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Peder Bay Enevoldsen, Søren Hjort, Rune Rubak
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Patent number: 8100655Abstract: An airfoil root fillet having a predetermined compound curve profile can be flank milled with a single flank milling cutter having a generally conical flank milling portion and a rounded tip portion defining a compound curve.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2008Date of Patent: January 24, 2012Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.Inventors: Paul Stone, Dinesh Chawla, Frank Kelly, Edward Fazari, Kari Heikurinen, Ignatius Theratil
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Patent number: 8100662Abstract: A gas-turbine engine fan blade made of a textile composite material includes short carbon fiber intermediate layers (8) for forming the blade root arranged between splayed carbon fiber layers (7) in the blade root (2). In a compressive stress-affected zone (11) of the blade root, the fiber layers extend parallel to the flanks (12) of the blade root. The diversion of the carbon fiber layers (7) up to the splayed area is effected in a transition area (13). A glass fiber outer layer (10) arranged on the flanks (12) of the blade root gradually runs out at a transition zone (15) of the transition area (13), this zone being diverted at a certain radius. Between the glass fiber outer layer and the outer carbon fiber layer there is a carbon fiber layer (9) oriented at +/?45°.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 2007Date of Patent: January 24, 2012Assignee: Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KGInventor: Karl Schreiber
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Patent number: 8100667Abstract: A turbomachinery disc, (e.g. a fan) has a primary axis of rotation and an axial flow direction X parallel to the primary axis of rotation. The disc has an annular diaphragm extending from proximate a blade land to a free inner radius. The diaphragm is asymmetrical about a plane (P) perpendicular to the primary axis of rotation.Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 2008Date of Patent: January 24, 2012Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLCInventors: Nigel J. D. Chivers, Paul S. Topliss
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Patent number: 8096759Abstract: A bulkhead for a wind turbine is provided. The wind turbine includes a rotor hub and a rotor blade operatively attached to the rotor hub. The rotor blade includes a blade root. The bulkhead includes multiple access openings with closable hatches and is arranged in or on the blade root or in the area between the blade root and the rotor hub.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 2007Date of Patent: January 17, 2012Assignee: Repower AGInventors: Urs Bendel, Carsten Eusterbarkey, Peter Quell
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Patent number: 8075280Abstract: A method of making a composite blade that is attachable to a rotating shaft using a conventional metal blade attachment. A blade is formed from a composite material with a blade root at one end thereof. A metallic member having an external shape conforming to a conventional metal blade root is shaped with an interior cavity having an opening for receipt of the blade root. Before the composite material is fully cured, a bladder is formed into or is inserted into an end of the blade root and inflated, thereby forcing the composite material into intimate contact with the interior cavity of the metallic member, thereby ensuring a fret-free interface upon final curing of the composite material. The interior cavity of the metallic member may be shaped or surfaced to improve the load carrying capability there between.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2008Date of Patent: December 13, 2011Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.Inventor: William F. Jones
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Patent number: 8065799Abstract: A method of fabricating a turbomachine rotor disk is disclosed. In the method, a metal container is defined, made up of a plurality of parts that define between them at least one annular cavity, an insert made of composite material is positioned in the at least one cavity, the assembly is subjected to hot isostatic compacting, and a rotor disk is machined.Type: GrantFiled: May 18, 2007Date of Patent: November 29, 2011Assignee: SNECMAInventor: Adrien Fabre
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Patent number: 8047796Abstract: A method of assembling a steam turbine including a rotor assembly is provided. The method includes providing at least one turbine bucket including a dovetail that includes a plurality of crush surfaces, a plurality of non-contact surfaces, and at least one neck defined between one of the crush surfaces and one of the non-contact surfaces. The method also includes providing a turbine wheel that includes at least one dovetail slot defined therein that is defined by a plurality of crush surfaces and a plurality of non-contact surfaces, and coupling the dovetail of the at least one turbine bucket within the turbine wheel slot such that a slant angle of the at least one neck facilitates a substantially uniform distribution of load between the dovetail and the at least one slot.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2007Date of Patent: November 1, 2011Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Muhammad Riaz, Dimitrios Stathopoulos, Vyacheslav Filyaev
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Patent number: 8047797Abstract: A blade is mountable to a disc. The blade comprises a blade platform and a blade root extending from the blade platform. The blade root comprises a first hook and a second hook, a first neck between the first hook and the blade platform, and a second neck between the first hook and the second hook. Each hook comprises a contact surface and a non-contact surface. An angle between each contact surface and each non-contact surface is optimized to reduce local stresses.Type: GrantFiled: July 16, 2007Date of Patent: November 1, 2011Assignee: Nuovo Pignone Holdings, S.p.A.Inventor: Lorenzo Cosi
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Patent number: 8038404Abstract: A blade mountable to a disc comprises a blade platform and a blade root extending from the blade platform. The blade root comprises first, second, and third hooks and first, second and third necks. Each hook comprises a contact surface and a non-contact surface, and an angle between each contact surface and each non-contact surface is optimized to reduce local and average stresses.Type: GrantFiled: July 16, 2007Date of Patent: October 18, 2011Assignee: Nuovo Pignone Holdings, S.p.A.Inventors: Amir Mujezinovic, Steven DeLessio
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Patent number: 8038403Abstract: A turbomachine rotor wheel includes a disk carrying blades having roots engaged and held in an annular recess of the disk. The roots are connected to platforms for co-operating with an annular gasket mounted in an annular groove of the disk. The annular sealing gasket exerts a resilient force on the blade platforms holding the blades in a proper position for operation while the turbomachine is at rest.Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 2007Date of Patent: October 18, 2011Assignee: SNECMAInventors: Claude Robert Louis Lejars, Nicolas Christian Triconnet, Frederick Thise
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Patent number: 8016569Abstract: A nacelle for a wind turbine includes a cover defining an internal volume. The cover has longitudinal sides and opposite end walls. A bedplate is within the cover with the power generation and wind turbine control components mounted on the bedplate. The cover has a widest width dimension along the longitudinal sides intermediate of the end walls that exceeds a pre-defined maximum width for rail transport of the nacelle. Removable caps are configured on the longitudinal sides of the cover at the widest dimension, with the caps having a configuration such that upon removal of the caps, the widest width dimension is less than the predefined maximum width for rail transport.Type: GrantFiled: June 9, 2010Date of Patent: September 13, 2011Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Ronald Eduard Stam, Kenneth Bradley Leland
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Patent number: 8016565Abstract: A method of assembling a rotor assembly is provided. The method comprises forming at least one channel in a dovetail portion of at least one rotor blade assembly, wherein the rotor blade assembly includes an airfoil extending outwardly from the dovetail portion, inserting a sealing assembly within the at least one channel of the dovetail portion, and coupling the at least one rotor blade assembly to a rotor disk using the dovetail portion such that at least a portion of the sealing assembly is between the dovetail portion and the rotor disk.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2007Date of Patent: September 13, 2011Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Richard Hiram Berg, Mark Stefan Maier
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Patent number: 8014893Abstract: A groove (Da) extending in a Y-axis direction of a workpiece (D) is finish machined with an offset tool (T) that has a cross-section with a shape (L3) offset in a reducing direction by only a predetermined offset amount relative to a finished shape (L1) of the groove (Da) and that rotates around an axis of rotation parallel to a Z axis. Each time an incising step in which the offset tool (T) is relatively moved within the X-Z plane only by a predetermined distance on the circumference of an imaginary circle (C) having an initial position as its center and the offset amount (o) as its radius is carried out, a cutting step in which the entire length of the groove (Da) is cut while relatively moving the offset tool (T) in the Y-axis direction is carried out repeatedly.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 2006Date of Patent: September 6, 2011Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yuji Miki, Joji Kikuhara
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Patent number: 7993759Abstract: A gas turbine engine turbine blade comprising an airfoil section, a platform section, an under platform section, and a dovetail section, an exterior surface of the dovetail section comprising a shank exterior surface and a serrated exterior surface. The blade further comprises a silicon-modified diffusion aluminide layer a surface of a turbine blade section selected from the group consisting of an exterior surface of the under platform section, the exterior surface of the dovetail section, and combinations thereof, the silicon modified diffusion aluminide layer having a concentration of silicon at a surface of the silicon-modified diffusion aluminide layer in the range of about 1 weight percent to about 10 weight percent and a concentration of aluminum at the surface of the silicon modified diffusion aluminide layer in the range of about 5 weight percent to about 25 weight percent.Type: GrantFiled: January 2, 2008Date of Patent: August 9, 2011Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Bangalore A. Nagaraj, Mark D. Gorman
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Patent number: 7972116Abstract: A blade for a gas turbine engine includes an aerofoil portion and a root portion defined by concave and convex walls having opposing inner surfaces. A reinforcing member is located between the concave and convex walls and is bonded to the inner surfaces of the concave and convex walls, and the root portion includes an unbonded region in which the reinforcing member contacts an inner surface of one of the concave and convex walls but is not bonded to the concave and convex walls.Type: GrantFiled: July 16, 2007Date of Patent: July 5, 2011Assignee: Rolls-Royce plcInventors: Simon Read, Sivasubramaniam K Sathianathan
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Patent number: 7972113Abstract: A turbine blade for a gas turbine engine, in which the turbine blade includes an airfoil portion with a root having a dovetail shape, and two platform halves that include a dovetail shaped opening within the platform halves to secure the blade root within the platform halves when fastened together. The platform halves have an outer fir tree shaped surface so that the blade assembly can be inserted into a slot within a rotor disk. the blade is uncoupled from the platform in the invention so that the airfoil can be made from a single crystal material with low casting defects because the platform is not cast with the airfoil. the two platform halves include the openings with side walls that are curved to follow the contour of the airfoil root so that the airfoil is secured within the platform halves against all directions of movement.Type: GrantFiled: May 2, 2007Date of Patent: July 5, 2011Assignee: Florida Turbine Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Daniel O. Davies
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Patent number: 7966726Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a blade for a wind turbine, wherein the blade is made in one or more moulds; and wherein the blade has integrally moulded root bushings in the root of the blade for direct or indirect attachment to a hub in a wind turbine. The novel aspect of the invention is that the root bushings (203) in the root (201) of the blade are leveled by shortening of at least one of the root bushings prior to the blade being removed from a supporting mould (205). The invention further relates to a blade made in accordance with the method and a leveling unit (207) for leveling the root of the blade, wherein the leveling unit comprises means for mounting on a mould.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2006Date of Patent: June 28, 2011Assignee: LM Glasfiber A/SInventor: Karsten Schibsbye
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Publication number: 20110142684Abstract: A turbine airfoil (22A) is formed by a first process using a first material. A platform (30A) is formed by a second process using a second material that may be different from the first material. The platform (30A) is assembled around a shank (23A) of the airfoil. One or more pins (36A) extend from the platform into holes (28) in the shank (23A). The platform may be formed in two portions (32A, 34A) and placed around the shank, enclosing it. The two platform portions may be bonded to each other. Alternately, the platform (30B) may be cast around the shank (23B) using a metal alloy with better castability than that of the blade and shank, which may be specialized for thermal tolerance. The pins (36A-36D) or holes for them do not extend to an outer surface (31) of the platform, avoiding stress concentrations.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 15, 2009Publication date: June 16, 2011Inventors: Christian X. Campbell, Allister W. James, Jay A. Morrison
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Patent number: 7959410Abstract: A disk/blade assembly for an aircraft engine compressor is disclosed. The assembly includes a disk and a plurality of blades with hammer attachment. Each blade includes a blade root provided with an upstream bearing surface situated on a leading edge side of the airfoil and a downstream bearing surface situated on a trailing edge side of this airfoil. The disk is provided with a circumferential groove in which the blade root of each of the blades is held by the bearing surfaces. For each of the blades, the downstream bearing surface is offset circumferentially from the upstream bearing surface in a given direction of offset, corresponding to the direction of offset between the trailing edge and the leading edge of the airfoil.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 2007Date of Patent: June 14, 2011Assignee: SNECMAInventors: Stephan Yves Aubin, Stephan Julliot
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Publication number: 20110135490Abstract: A rotor blade for a wind turbine is disclosed. The rotor blade includes a flange section configured to connect the rotor blade to a rotor hub; and an airfoil section extending outward from the flange section. The flange section is comprised of a carbon reinforced polymer.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 21, 2009Publication date: June 9, 2011Inventors: Achuthan B, Saravakota Sambamurty
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Patent number: 7938628Abstract: A composite-steel hybrid mast for a rotorcraft includes a tubular, steel portion having an internal surface defining a space therein and a composite portion disposed within the space defined by the internal surface of the steel portion and held in a fixed spatial relationship with respect to the internal surface of the steel portion.Type: GrantFiled: August 15, 2007Date of Patent: May 10, 2011Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.Inventor: Sherman S. Lin
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Patent number: 7927065Abstract: The present invention relates to a wind power plant. It comprises a stator, a rotor, which is supported by the stator, a circular guide device, which has a plurality of fastening points provided on the periphery, at least two rotor blades, which each at the proximal end thereof are rotatably supported on the rotor and with the distal end thereof are rotatably supported by the annular guide device, and a plurality of tensioning ropes, which under tension connect the fastening points of the circular guide device to the stator for stable holding of the circular guide device in a position that is concentric to the rotor.Type: GrantFiled: September 2, 2009Date of Patent: April 19, 2011Inventor: Manfred Moehring