Vibration Damping Features Patents (Class 416/500)
  • Patent number: 8851844
    Abstract: A stationary blade and a steam turbine capable of reducing self-excited vibrations with a simple configuration are provided. A stationary blade has a cavity, extending in a blade-width direction, formed therein and slits communicating between the cavity and the outside. A wave-shaped plate spring that is in sliding contact with at least one of a pressure-side member and a suction-side member is provided between the pressure-side member, which is a portion on the pressure side of the cavity, and the suction-side member, which is a portion on the suction side of the cavity. When the stationary blade is elastically deformed, the wave-shaped plate spring causes friction between itself and at least one of the pressure-side member and the suction-side member. This friction attenuates relative positional displacement between the pressure-side member and the suction-side member. Thus, self-excited vibrations occurring at the stationary blade can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Yamashita, Yasutomo Kaneko, Hiroharu Ooyama
  • Patent number: 8851854
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine fan assembly includes a rotor disk, a fan blade and a spacer. The rotor disk includes a longitudinally extending slot with a first spacer contact surface. The fan blade includes a root with a second spacer contact surface arranged within the slot. The spacer includes a leaf spring backbone and a compliant member. The leaf spring backbone includes one or more root contact segments connected longitudinally to one or more slot contact segments. A first of the root contact segments contacts the second spacer contact surface, and a first of the slot contact segments contacts the first spacer contact surface. The compliant member is radially between the first spacer contact surface and the first root contact segment, and radially between the second spacer contact surface and the first slot contact segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Phillip Alexander
  • 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: 8840361
    Abstract: A fan blade (10) for a turbofan aero engine comprises a blade body including a root (10c) for engagement with a rotor, and a tip, wherein the tip is provided with a winglet (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventor: Kristofer J. Bottome
  • Patent number: 8834099
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine comprises a fan and a turbine section having a first turbine rotor. The first turbine rotor drives a compressor rotor. A gear reduction effects a reduction in the speed of the fan relative to an input speed from a fan drive turbine rotor. The compressor rotor has a number of compressor blades in at least one of a plurality of rows of the compressor rotor. The blades operate at least some of the time at a rotational speed. The number of compressor blades in at least one row and the rotational speed are such that the following formula holds true for at least one row of the compressor rotor: (the number of blades×the rotational speed)/(60 seconds/minute)?5500 Hz; and the rotational speed being in revolutions per minute. A compressor module and a method of designing a gas turbine engine are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: United Technoloiies Corporation
    Inventors: David A. Topol, Bruce L. Morin
  • Patent number: 8821125
    Abstract: A turbine blade, airfoil configuration, and rotor stage are disclosed in which through the airfoil profile disclosed in Table 1, a modification in airfoil flutter and swirl are achieved. Through the airfoil configuration, the swirl and improved platform sealing configuration, result in the turbine blades having the airfoil profile with an increased performance output from the turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Adam Lee Hart, Adam John Fredmonski, Douglas James Dietrich, Samer Abdel-Wahab, Stephen Wayne Fiebiger, Kuo-Ting Hsia, W. David Day, Richard Ramirez
  • Patent number: 8807925
    Abstract: A fan blade has a main body extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge. Channels are formed into the main body from at least one open side. A plurality of ribs extend across the main body intermediate the channels. The fan blade has a dovetail, and an airfoil extends radially outwardly from the dovetail. The ribs having a thickness defined as measured from said leading edge toward said trailing edge. The ribs have break-edges at ends of the thickness that extend away from an outer face of the rib.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher S. McKaveney, James R. Murdock
  • Patent number: 8807924
    Abstract: A fan blade has a main body extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge. Channels are formed into the main body from at least one open side. A plurality of ribs extend across the main body intermediate the channels. The fan blade has a dovetail, and an airfoil extending radially outwardly from the dovetail. The channels have a termination end adjacent a radially inner end of the ribs. The termination end is formed along a complex fillet with a first radius of curvature formed at the termination end, and a second radius of curvature merging into sides of the ribs. The second radius of curvature is greater than the first radius of curvature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher S. McKaveney, James R. Murdock
  • Patent number: 8801385
    Abstract: A vibration-damping device for a turbomachine blade including a blade root configured to be inserted into a pocket of a carrier disk of a bladed wheel, the device configured to be positioned between the blade root and a retaining wall of the pocket. The device includes at least one shim including an assembly of layers of rigid materials and of viscoelastic materials, and including two portions, each forming a lateral branch which can be inserted along one of the two retaining walls, the two lateral branches being connected to one another, so as to constitute a single part, by a third portion forming a shim bottom of rigid material. At least one layer of viscoelastic material is positioned between two layers of rigid materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventor: Adrien Jacques Philippe Fabre
  • Patent number: 8801367
    Abstract: A fan blade has a main body extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge. Channels are formed into the main body from an open side extending toward an opposed closed side. A plurality of ribs extending across the main body intermediate the channels, the fan blade has a dovetail, and an airfoil extending radially outwardly from said dovetail. A bottom surface of the channels is defined at the closed side of the channels. Sides of the channel merge into sides of the ribs, with a compound fillet at the bottom surface. A first radius of curvature is used along the bottom, and merging into at least a second radius of curvature at the sides. The first radius of curvature is larger than the second radius of curvature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Michael A. Weisse, Christopher S. McKaveney
  • Patent number: 8790086
    Abstract: A turbine has blade assemblies disposed about a rotor. Each of the blade assemblies have an airfoil and a bucket. Pockets are defined at trailing and leading sides of the bucket, with damper pin slots at an ends thereof. The damper pin slot at the trailing side has a depth sufficient for fully receiving a damper pin. The damper pin slot at the trailing side of a first adjacent blade assembly is positioned relative to the damper pin slot at the leading side of a second adjacent blade assembly to allow the damper pin to move. At each side of the pocket at the trailing side is a seal pin slot with seal pins therein. The seal pin slots extend beyond a line that is aligned with an inner edge of the damper pin slot at the trailing side, wherein the seal pins overlap the damper pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Mark Steven Honkomp, Matthew Durham Collier, Jason Douglas Herzlinger
  • Patent number: 8784058
    Abstract: The invention relates to an engine fan device for a vehicle, characterized in that the engine fan device (10) has at least one or more receiving contours (24, 30, 50), in which one or more balancing elements (28) can be received, wherein at least one receiving contour (24) has at least two planes (26), and/or wherein at least two receiving contours (24) each have at least one plane (26), wherein both planes (26) are different from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Tobias Schneider, Markus Liedel, Thomas Helming, Heidrun Schied
  • Patent number: 8763360
    Abstract: A fan blade comprises a main body extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge. Channels are formed into the main body, with a plurality of ribs extending intermediate the channels. The fan blade has a dovetail, and an airfoil extending radially outwardly from the dovetail. Material is deposited within the channels, with one type of material being selected to provide additional stiffness to the fan blade, and a second type of material being selected for having good damping characteristics. A method and gas turbine engine are is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: James R. Murdock
  • Patent number: 8764398
    Abstract: A concentrated-mass device including a main oscillating mass held radially in a horizontal plane by main resilient means inside a casing suitable for being secured to the hub is provided. The device includes a secondary main oscillating mass suspended by secondary resilient means inside a recess in said main oscillating mass to oscillate along a vertical axis perpendicular to the horizontal plane, the secondary oscillating mass being constrained to move in translation together with the main oscillating mass in the horizontal plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Airbus Helicopters
    Inventors: Vincent Girard, Stéphane Mazet
  • Patent number: 8721266
    Abstract: A cooling fan includes a frame and a rotor received in the frame. The rotor includes a hub, blades extending outwardly and radially from the hub, and a cover plate connected with the hub. The hub includes a top wall and a sidewall extending from a circumference of the top wall. The top wall of the hub defines a plurality of blind holes on an outer surface thereof, and the blind holes are shaded by the cover plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yao-Ting Chang, Chao-Ke Wei
  • Patent number: 8714913
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine has a fan and a turbine having a fan drive turbine rotor. The fan drive turbine rotor drives a compressor rotor. A gear reduction effects a reduction in the speed of the fan relative to an input speed from the fan drive turbine rotor that drives the compressor rotor. The compressor rotor has a number of compressor blades in at least one of a plurality of rows of the compressor rotor. The blades operate at least some of the time at a rotational speed. The number of compressor blades in at least one row and the rotational speed are such that the following formula holds true for at least one row of the compressor rotor turbine: (number of blades×rotational speed)/60 s?5500 Hz, and the rotational speed is in revolutions per minute. A method of designing a gas turbine engine and a compressor module are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: David A. Topol, Bruce L. Morin
  • Patent number: 8701286
    Abstract: A method is provided of rotationally balancing a rotating part. A rotor hub or ring and a plurality of rotor blades for assembly onto the hub or ring are provided, each blade having an unfilled internal cavity. The respective masses and moment weights of the blades with filled internal cavities are then predicted. Next, the rotor blades are assembled onto the hub or ring to form the rotating part. The relative positions of the assembled blades are determined on the basis of their predicted masses and moment weights with filled internal cavities. The internal cavities of the assembled rotor blades are then filled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventor: Oliver M. Strother
  • Patent number: 8696316
    Abstract: A compressor wheel (20) for an air boost device and a method for designing the wheel are provided. The compressor wheel (20) comprises a hub (24) and a plurality of blades (22, 23) connected to the hub (24). The plurality of blades (22, 23) have a ratio (f/N) of natural frequency to maximum rotational speed of less than 4.0 and are made from a titanium alloy. The plurality of blades (22, 23) can comprise a plurality of full blades (22) and a plurality of splitter blades (23).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Borg Warner Inc.
    Inventors: David Decker, Stephen Roby
  • Patent number: 8672623
    Abstract: A stator vane assembly includes: inner and outer vane supports, and vanes extending radially between the supports. The supports have openings for receiving the ends of the vanes, and each vane is connected to the supports by a vane boot. Each vane boot has: a rim portion shaped to locate the boot within the corresponding opening in the vane support, the rim portion engaging with the inner surface defining the opening, an abutting portion for abutting against the vane support in the region surrounding the opening, and a vane pocket for accommodating the end of the vane. The vane pockets of the vane boots are shaped so as to position the vane with a predetermined stagger angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventor: Cedric B Harper
  • Patent number: 8672262
    Abstract: A vibration isolator includes an upper housing and a lower housing; an upper reservoir housing defining a upper fluid chamber; a lower reservoir housing defining a lower fluid chamber; a piston spindle resiliently coupled to the upper housing with an upper elastomer member, the piston spindle being resiliently coupled to the lower housing with a lower elastomer member; an elongated portion having a tuning passage; and a tuning fluid disposed there within. The vibration isolator cancels vibratory forces at an isolation frequency. The vibration isolator is utilized in a pylon system for mounting a transmission in an aircraft. The vibration isolator is located between a pylon structure and a roof structure. The isolator includes a spherical bearing assembly that is located near a waterline location of a rotational axis of a drive shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventor: Maurice D. Griffin
  • Patent number: 8672626
    Abstract: A system for creating a seal between a damper and a platform of a turbine engine component includes a turbine engine component having an airfoil portion, a platform, and a fir tree for joining the turbine engine component to a rotor, a damper located in an area beneath the platform, a seal having a sealing surface which seats against an underside of the platform, which seal has a seal retention feature which bends into contact with an underside of the damper, and which seal with the seal retention feature has a center of gravity which allows the seal retention feature to bend up as result of rotational movement of the rotor. A method for creating the seal is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Lynn M. Boy, Tracy A. Propheter-Hinckley, Malcolm C. Staddon
  • Patent number: 8668458
    Abstract: A fan including a hub part, a blade part and a vibration-absorbing boss, all constituent elements of which are injection molded, thereby reducing production costs. The fan has a minimized contact area between the vibration-absorbing boss and the hub part to prevent the vibration-absorbing boss from being deformed by high-temperature heat during insert injection molding of the hub part and the blade part while assuring sufficient strength of the hub part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Min Gi Cho, Jin Baek Kim, Seong Ho Kil, Young Jae Kim, Byung Ghun Kim
  • Patent number: 8668456
    Abstract: A turbomachine blade having features arranged to initiate bending of the leading edge towards the pressure surface upon impact of a foreign object on the leading edge. The features may be features weaker than the material of the leading edge located on the pressure surface side of a mid-thickness line. By causing the leading edge to bend towards the pressure surface on impact the volume of the foreign object, typically a bird, that passes over the suction surface is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: Nicholas M. Merriman, Simon Read
  • Patent number: 8657581
    Abstract: A blade comprises a lightweight core, a composite material disposed on the core, and a skin located on the composite material. The composite material comprises fibers incorporated into a thermoplastic resin matrix in the form of a prepreg sheet or wet layup. The rotor blade may also comprise a front edge member attached along at least a portion of a leading edge of the core, a rear edge member attached along at least a portion of a trailing edge of the core, and a skin located over the core, the front edge member, and the rear edge member. The rotor blade may also comprise a spar extending through the core along a longitudinal axis of the rotor blade, and a skin located over the core and the spar. The edge members and the spars may be fabricated from thermoplastic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Gordon Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward Pilpel, Benjamin Pilpel
  • Patent number: 8651822
    Abstract: A wind turbine rotor blade including outer skin materials made of fiber-reinforced plastic, a crossbeam material, and a trailing edge sandwich material disposed closer to a trailing edge than a trailing edge end of the crossbeam material, wherein a reinforcing material is provided on an inner surface of the outer skin material on a front side located closer to the trailing edge than a trailing edge end of the trailing edge sandwich material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kouji Esaki, Shinichi Hori
  • Patent number: 8631578
    Abstract: A balancing weight clip with a mass adapted to balance a rotor assembly of a gas turbine engine, includes a weight portion, a first flange engaging portion and a second flange engaging portion extending from the weight portion, each being engageable with a sidewall of at least one recess located on an edge of a flange of a disc of the rotor assembly. Each flange engaging portion is provided with a hook engageable with a mating groove provided on a face of the flange. At least one of the first and second flange engaging portions is resiliently biased so that the first and second flange engaging portions are elastically moveable away from one another to removably secure the balancing weight clip to the flange and engage each hook with the mating groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventors: David F. Glasspoole, Francois Caron
  • Patent number: 8632308
    Abstract: Rotary wing system with a rotating blade rotating about a rotation axis. The system includes a fluid damper with a damper fluid for controlling a troublesome motion. The fluid damper has an inboard end and an outboard end, the damper inboard end attached to a first rotary wing system inboard member proximate the rotation axis and the outboard end attached to a second rotary wing system outboard member distal from the rotation axis. The fluid damper contains a damper fluid volume in at least a first working chamber which is worked by a relative motion between said first rotary wing system inboard member and said second rotary wing system outboard member to control the troublesome motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Lord Corporation
    Inventor: Donald D. Russell
  • Patent number: 8632301
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine has a fan, a compressor section having a low pressure portion and a high pressure portion, a combustor section, and a turbine having a low pressure portion. The low pressure turbine portion drives the low pressure compressor portion and the fan. A gear reduction effects a reduction in the speed of the fan relative to a speed of the low pressure turbine and the low pressure compressor portion. At least one of the low pressure turbine portion and low pressure compressor portion has a number of blades in each of a plurality of rows. The blades operate at least some of the time at a rotational speed. The number of blades and the rotational speed are such that the following formula holds true for at least one of the blade rows of the at least one of the low pressure turbine portion and/or the low pressure compressor sections: (number of blades×rotational speed)/60?5500. The rotational speed is an approach speed in revolutions per minute.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: David A. Topol, Burce L. Morin
  • Patent number: 8616850
    Abstract: A mounting arrangement for a gas turbine engine blade having a root employs a lightweight, simple and economical leaf spring spacer which biases the blade root in a radially outward direction to minimize unwanted movement of the root within a conforming slot in a blade hub under conditions such as windmilling when centrifugal force alone is inadequate to tightly seal the root within the slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Eric J. Ward, Brian K. Richardson
  • Patent number: 8616848
    Abstract: A damping structure for a turbomachine rotor. The damping structure includes an elongated snubber element including a first snubber end rigidly attached to a first blade and extending toward an adjacent second blade, and an opposite second snubber end defining a first engagement surface positioned adjacent to a second engagement surface associated with the second blade. The snubber element has a centerline extending radially inwardly in a direction from the first blade toward the second blade along at least a portion of the snubber element between the first and second snubber ends. Rotational movement of the rotor effects relative movement between the first engagement surface and the second engagement surface to position the first engagement surface in frictional engagement with the second engagement surface with a predetermined damping force determined by a centrifugal force on the snubber element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.
    Inventor: Alexander R. Beeck
  • Patent number: 8607455
    Abstract: A method for producing a coated turbine blade, with which the frequency property thereof can be particularly easily adjusted to the required boundary conditions is provided. Recesses are introduced into a blade tip of the blade leaf of the turbine blade after coating of turbine blade. In one aspect a plurality of bores are made which are distributed along the blade leaf center line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Fathi Ahmad
  • Patent number: 8596980
    Abstract: A vibration damper assembly is provided between two shrouds of adjacent turbine blades. A pair of confronting passages are provided, one in each of the shrouds and a vibration damper is located in both of the confronting passages. The vibration damper comprises a structure which when heated expands outwardly so as to engage with the walls of the passages. The vibration damper may be a sheet metal shape memory nickel base alloy wound into an open spiral and provided in circular cross-section passages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventor: David Miller
  • Patent number: 8596983
    Abstract: A damper for a turbine rotor assembly of a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The damper may have a forward plate. The damper may further have an aft plate including a larger surface area than the forward plate. The aft plate may have at least one aperture for regulating a flow of gas through the aft plate. The damper may also have a longitudinal structure connecting the forward plate and the aft plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Inc.
    Inventors: Hyun Dong Kim, Yungmo Kang, Yong Weon Kim
  • Patent number: 8579593
    Abstract: An airfoil (10) is provided with a tip (12) having an opening (14) to a center channel (24). A damping element (16) is inserted within the opening of the center channel, to reduce an induced vibration of the airfoil. The mass of the damping element, a spring constant of the damping element within the center channel, and/or a mounting location (58) of the damping element within the center channel may be adjustably varied, to shift a resonance frequency of the airfoil outside a natural operating frequency of the airfoil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Christian X. Campbell, John J. Marra
  • Patent number: 8579589
    Abstract: The invention provides a mechanism for attenuating torque pulsations between an engine (2) and a rotor (1) of a rotorcraft. Torsion means (5) are interposed between the driving and driven shafts and comprise a torsion shaft (6) axially engaged with the drive shaft (3) and the driven shaft (4) an inlet shaft (9) and an outlet shaft (10) respectively engaged with the drive and driven shafts (3, 4) a lever system (7) that extends radially relative to the torsion shaft (6) and that has the inlet and outlet shafts (9, 10) hinged thereto via points (11, 12) that are spaced apart; and a mass (8) carried by said lever arm (7) at its free end (13) radially farthest away from the axis along which the torsion shaft (6) extends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Eurocopter
    Inventors: Thomas Manfredotti, Jerome Chemin
  • Patent number: 8573935
    Abstract: A rotor for a helicopter, having: a hub rotating about an axis and in turn having a number of blades; and an at least partly hollow drive shaft connectable to a drive of the helicopter and connected functionally to the hub to rotate the hub about the axis; the rotor also having vibration damping means in turn having a mass, and an elastically deformable member connected to the mass and supported by the shaft; the member extending at least partly inside the shaft, and being elongated parallel to the axis; and the mass vibrating, in use, at such a frequency as to oppose transmission to the shaft of the vibration produced by rotation of the hub and blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Agusta S.p.A.
    Inventor: Santino Pancotti
  • Patent number: 8568088
    Abstract: An arrangement for damping blade vibrations in a turbomachine is provided. The blade vibrations are due to an arrangement made of magnets and multiple induction plates and the undesired vibrations of the blade are damped by creating turbulent flows, wherein the induction plates are directed parallel to the rotation axis, and the magnetic field caused by the magnets is formed homogenously in the circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Christoph Hermann Richter
  • Patent number: 8540488
    Abstract: A damping structure for a turbomachine rotor. The damping structure including an elongated snubber element including a first snubber end rigidly attached to a first blade and extending toward an adjacent second blade, and an opposite second snubber end positioned adjacent to a cooperating surface associated with the second blade. The snubber element has a centerline extending radially inwardly in a direction from the first blade toward the second blade along at least a portion of the snubber element between the first and second snubber ends. Rotational movement of the rotor effects relative movement between the second snubber end and the cooperating surface to position the second snubber end in frictional engagement with the cooperating surface with a predetermined damping force determined by a centrifugal force on the snubber element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.
    Inventor: John J. Marra
  • Patent number: 8517688
    Abstract: A rotor assembly for use with a turbine engine. The rotor assembly includes at least one rotor disk that includes an inner surface that defines a dovetail groove. At least one turbine bucket is coupled to the rotor disk. The turbine bucket includes an airfoil that extends outwardly from a dovetail. The dovetail is inserted at least partially within the dovetail groove. A tang assembly extends from one of the inner surface of the rotor disk and the dovetail. the tang assembly minimizes a rotation of the turbine bucket with respect to the rotor disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Manish Joshi, Rajarajan Rathina
  • Patent number: 8517668
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine is utilized in combination with a gear reduction to reduce the speed of a fan relative to a low pressure turbine speed. The gas turbine engine is designed such that a blade count in the low pressure turbine multiplied by the speed of the low pressure turbine will result in operational noise that is above a sensitive range for human hearing. A method and turbine module are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignees: United Technologies Corporation, MTU Aero Engines GmbH
    Inventors: Bruce L. Morin, Detlef Korte
  • Patent number: 8500410
    Abstract: A blade made of composite material including an airfoil formed of filaments or fibers, optionally woven, impregnated with a heat-curable resin, with an intrados wall and an extrados wall between the leading edge and the trailing edge; and a device for damping the vibrations incorporated in one or other of the intrados and extrados walls is disclosed. The damping device is formed of at least one layer made of viscoelastic material and a layer made of rigid material, these layers being superposed. The layer made of rigid material includes a first zone and a second zone. The layer made of viscoelastic material is interposed between the airfoil and the first zone of the rigid layer, and the second zone of the rigid layer is attached to the wall of the airfoil without interposition of viscoelastic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventors: Raul Fernando De Moura, Pierrick Bernard Jean, Son Le Hong, Jean-Pierre Francois Lombard
  • Patent number: 8491262
    Abstract: A method for shutdown of a wind turbine having one or more wind turbine blades includes detecting an operational condition of the wind turbine that calls for an expedited or emergency shutdown of the wind turbine by a manner other than normal pitch control shutdown. Upon detection of the operational condition, one or more air brake flaps configured on each of the turbine blades is deployed by removing power to a fail-safe actuator operatively coupled to each of the air brake flaps. The fail-safe actuator is configured to hold the respective air brake flap at a retracted position relative to a suction side of the turbine blade in a powered state of the fail-safe actuator and to release the air brake flap for automatic deployment to an open position upon loss of power to the fail-safe actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Edward Lee McGrath, Robert William Ridgway
  • Patent number: 8491265
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for limiting the load on a rotor support structure when a rotationally mounted rotor becomes imbalanced. The rotor is rotationally mounted within a plurality of circumferentially spaced variable volume hydraulic fluid receptacles that at least engage the rotor and have hydraulic fluid disposed therein. Each of the variable volume hydraulic fluid receptacles is fluidly connected to a substantially fixed volume hydraulic fluid receptacle that has hydraulic fluid disposed therein and is coupled to the rotor support structure. When the rotor becomes imbalanced, the hydraulic fluid is continuously moved between the variable volume hydraulic fluid receptacles and the substantially fixed volume hydraulic fluid receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: Brian Cottrell
  • Patent number: 8485785
    Abstract: A turbine airfoil support system for supporting a turbine blade to prevent wear during turning gear operation when a rotor assembly supporting the turbine blade rotates at about two revolutions per minute (RPM) to keep the turbine ready for quick startup requirements. The turbine airfoil support system may be formed from a radial biasing spring positioned between a radially outermost point of a disk steeple extending from a rotor assembly and a radially inner surface of the platform. The radial biasing spring may be formed from a first flat member with a disk steeple engaging surface, a second flat member with a blade platform engaging surface, a bent biasing section extending from the first flat member to the second flat member and biasing the first and second flat members away from each other, and a stress reducing member extending from the second flat member toward the first flat member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Chad M. Garner, Barton M. Pepperman
  • Patent number: 8469670
    Abstract: A fan assembly is disclosed herein. The fan assembly includes a fan operable to rotate about an axis. The fan includes a hub and a plurality of blades extending radially from the hub relative to the axis. The fan also includes a reinforcing member positioned adjacent to the fan along the axis. The reinforcing member contacts a predetermined subset of less than all of the plurality of blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Roy David Fulayter, Bradley T. Fanton
  • Patent number: 8469667
    Abstract: A distributed mass device for reducing the vibration generated by a rotor, includes a support suitable for being constrained in rotation about an axis of rotation of the lift rotor. The distributed mass device further includes at least two main oscillating masses each provided with a through longitudinal recess, and each being connected to the support by respective deformable elements, the main oscillating masses being constrained to move solely in a horizontal plane by the deformable elements. The distributed mass device is provided with a secondary oscillating mass per main oscillating mass, each secondary oscillating mass being suspended inside the recess of the associated main oscillating mass by resilient elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Eurocopter
    Inventor: Vincent Girard
  • Patent number: 8465258
    Abstract: An elastomer material seal for an interleaved platform between two adjacent blades in a turbomachine rotor is disclosed. The seal is of elongate shape and includes transversely a contact part, an attachment part, and a flexible part between the attachment part and the contact part. The seal is noteworthy in that it further includes a local reinforcement of the flexible part, to avoid the tearing that would result from centrifugal forces on the seal. The local reinforcement of the flexible part includes at least one transverse rib on the flexible part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventors: Jean-Bernard Forgue, Patrick Jean-Louis Reghezza, Carole Stochmil
  • Patent number: 8454315
    Abstract: A method and device for reducing vibratory noise in a system with an integral rotating member includes independently operable drive systems for controlling the angular velocity of at least two independently rotatable masses. Control signals manipulate the drive system to rotate each mass at optimal speed, direction and phase to reduce noise induced in the system by the rotating member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation
    Inventor: William A. Welsh
  • Patent number: 8444382
    Abstract: A rotor hub has a yoke with radial arms allowing flapping of connected blades about a flap axis. A grip is rigidly attached to each blade, and a lead-lag bearing connects each grip to one of the arms, the bearing defining a lead-lag axis outboard of the flap axis. Each arm has a pair of straps located on opposite sides of the rotor plane for transferring centrifugal force from the blades to the central portion of the yoke. A pair of lead-lag dampers is provided for each grip, the dampers of each pair being located on opposite sides of the rotor plane and connecting an inboard end portion of the grip to the adjacent strap. In-plane motion of a blade causes rotation of the attached grip about the lead-lag axis, causing opposite motion of an inboard end portion of the grip. The dampers act to oppose rotation of the grip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Frank B. Stamps, Patrick R. Tisdale, Mithat Yuce
  • Patent number: 8435002
    Abstract: A rotary blade rotating hub mounted rotating assembly vibration control system including a first imbalance mass concentration rotor, a second imbalance mass concentration rotor, a third imbalance mass concentration rotor, and a fourth imbalance mass concentration rotor. The first imbalance mass concentration rotor has a first imbalance mass concentration rotor center axis rotation centered on the rotating assembly center rotation axis. The second imbalance mass concentration rotor has a second imbalance mass concentration rotor center axis rotation centered on the rotating assembly center rotation axis. The third imbalance mass concentration rotor has a third imbalance mass concentration rotor center axis rotation centered on the rotating assembly center rotation axis. The fourth imbalance mass concentration rotor has a fourth imbalance mass concentration rotor center axis rotation centered on the rotating assembly center rotation axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Lord Corporation
    Inventors: Mark R. Jolly, Andrew D. Meyers