Patents Represented by Attorney Adams Intellectual Property Law
  • Patent number: 7442004
    Abstract: A C-clip for a gas turbine engine includes an arcuate outer arm having a first radius of curvature; an arcuate, inner arm having a second radius of curvature which is substantially greater than the first radius of curvature; and an arcuate extending flange connecting the outer and inner arms. The flange, the outer arm, and the inner arm collectively define a generally C-shaped cross-section. A shroud assembly includes a shroud segment with a mounting flange, and a shroud hanger with an arcuate hook disposed in mating relationship to the mounting flange. An arcuate C-clip having inner and outer arms overlaps the hook and the mounting flange. The shroud segment and the C-clip are subject to thermal expansion at the hot operating condition. A dimension of one of the shroud segment and the C-clip are selected to produce a preselected dimensional relationship therebetween at the hot operating condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Michael Anthony Ruthemeyer, Glenn Herbert Nichols, Ching-Pang Lee
  • Patent number: 7441673
    Abstract: A container with a base from which first and second pairs of spaced-apart, opposed sidewalls project to collectively form a storage compartment. An upper rim is positioned on the sidewalls for engaging and supporting the base of another container. The lower rim is positioned adjacent the base and adapted for engaging and being supported by an upper rim of another container. A pocket is provided for receiving and retaining an information card therein. The pocket is formed by first and second spaced-apart wall segments projecting from one of the sidewalls. An elongate slot is positioned on the sidewall between the spaced-apart wall segments and the lower rim segment. The lower rim segment is located between the spaced-apart wall segments. A pair of spaced-apart ribs cooperate with the lower rim segment to define the slot. The upper and lower rims, elongate slot, ribs and wall segments collectively form the pocket located on the sidewall of the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Inventor: Clinton McDade
  • Patent number: 7438520
    Abstract: A shroud assembly is provided for a gas turbine engine that has a temperature at a hot operating condition substantially greater than at a cold assembly condition thereof. The shroud assembly includes: at least one arcuate shroud segment adapted to surround a row of rotating turbine blades which has an arcuate, axially extending mounting flange; a shroud hanger having an arcuate, axially-extending hook disposed in mating relationship to the mounting flange; and an arcuate C-clip having inner and outer arms overlapping the hook and the mounting flange. The curvatures of the mounting flange and the inner arm of the C-clip are selected so as to define a matched interface therebetween. Their curvatures are substantially greater that the curvature of the hook.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Michael Anthony Ruthemeyer, Glenn Herbert Nichols, Ching-Pang Lee
  • Patent number: 7438628
    Abstract: A belt sanding system comprising a segmented sanding block including a plurality of individually controllable segments and one or more sanding belt deflecting rollers, a plurality of sensing elements corresponding to the plurality of segments, and a device for interconnecting the plurality of sensing elements, interconnecting the plurality of sensing elements with the segmented sanding block, and effecting lateral movement of the plurality of sensing elements as the segmented sanding block is rotated to an oblique alignment relative to the feed direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Inventor: Stephan Kundig
  • Patent number: 7434453
    Abstract: An inspection fixture, including a manifold having an inlet opening and an outlet opening for communicating with a negative pressure source for producing a vacuum within the manifold. A part collet is provided for being positioned in the inlet opening and held in place by a vacuum exerted on a downstream side of the collet. The part collet includes a part holder opening communicating with the manifold for exerting a vacuum on a downstream side of a part positioned in the part holder opening for inspection. The part collet may be quickly and accurately installed in and removed from the manifold by breaking the vacuum on the downstream side of the collet. The part may also be quickly and accurately installed in and removed from the part collet by breaking the vacuum hold on the downstream side of the part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Eric H. Hogarth, Bruce W. Holt
  • Patent number: 7429079
    Abstract: A booster seat, including a seat bottom for being supported on an upper surface of a vehicle seat, with first and second latches carried by respective lateral first and second sides of the seat bottom for securing the seat bottom to the upper surface of the vehicle seat by a vehicle seat belt. Each of the first and second latches comprises a bottom latch member and a top latch member. The bottom latch member and the top latch member are movable relative to each other between an open, seat belt insertion position and a closed clamping position for receiving and clamping a seat belt extended laterally across the seat bottom and the lap of the seat occupant, thereby securing the booster seat and the seat occupant to the upper surface of the vehicle seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2008
    Assignee: Britax Child Safety Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Charles Baloga, Adrian Simms
  • Patent number: 7427104
    Abstract: A child seat for a vehicle seat with a protruding vehicle head rest includes a seat bottom for being supported on the vehicle seat, and a seat back carried by the seat bottom for providing back support to an occupant of the child seat. A recess is disposed in an upper end of the seat back and is positioned and adapted to receive the vehicle head rest and allow the vehicle head rest to protrude therethrough. Optionally, a supplemental head rest may be provided which is releasably securable in the recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2008
    Assignee: Britax Child Safety, Inc.
    Inventor: Said Nakhla
  • Patent number: 7424413
    Abstract: A method for optimizing the efficiency of an exhaust system of a turbomachine, such as the nacelle of a gas jet turbine engine. The method includes the steps of selecting a plurality of turbomachine exhaust system parameters for comparative analysis, varying at least some of the parameters to define a plurality of discrete exhaust system configurations, and converting the plurality of exhaust system configurations to corresponding solid model forms. Corresponding geometric meshes are generated from the solid models, and CFD is carried out on each of the meshes to generate exhaust system performance data for each of the plurality of exhaust system configurations. The performance data is processed to provide comparisons of the exhaust system efficiency of each of the plurality of exhaust system configurations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Darrell Brooke, Keith E. J. Blodgett
  • Patent number: 7419214
    Abstract: A passenger seating arrangement includes a first seat unit, facing in a first direction; a first ottoman having a first support surface positioned to receive the feet of a passenger seated in the first seat unit; a second seat unit facing in a second direction generally opposite to the first direction; and a second ottoman disposed laterally adjacent to the first ottoman and having a second support surface positioned to receive the feet of a passenger seated in the second seat unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: BE Aerospace, Inc.
    Inventor: Tommy George Plant
  • Patent number: 7413409
    Abstract: An airfoil for a gas turbine engine includes: opposed pressure and suction sidewalls extending between spaced-apart leading and trailing edges, a root, and a tip; and a hollow plenum disposed between the sidewalls. The plenum has a chordwise first dimension at a radially outer end thereof, and a chordwise second dimension at a radially inner end thereof. The second dimension is substantially less than the first dimension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Matthew Taylor Lewis, Nigel Brian Thomas Langley, Raafat Kammel
  • Patent number: 7408271
    Abstract: An isolated ground interface apparatus for providing a remote termination point for isolated ground conductors. The isolated ground interface apparatus includes an isolation transformer, a plurality of isolated ground receptacles, and an electrical interface. The isolation transformer establishes a neutral to ground bond and thereby prevents transmission of a common mode voltage from an input power supply to an electrical device. A plurality of isolated ground receptacles provides a separate ground reference point from a chassis ground for preventing transmission of electrical noise to the electrical device. The electrical interface electrically interconnects the isolation transformer, the input power supply, and the plurality of isolated ground receptacles together. The input power supply transmits an electrical current through the electrical interface to the isolation transformer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Inventor: Barton P. Mercer
  • Patent number: 7401543
    Abstract: A sealing arrangement for a pump includes a first member having a peripheral wedge-shaped pocket; a second member with a rim opposed to the pocket; and a diaphragm disposed between the two members. The diaphragm includes a central stem, a disk-shaped head attached to the stem, and an upstanding bead disposed around the periphery of the head. The bead includes a first angled surface and a second angled surface. The bead is received in the pocket so as to form two separate, spaced-apart sealing surfaces between the diaphragm and the first member. The sealing arrangement may also include a gasket made from a resilient material and having a flat web with a circular crosssection bead disposed in a gland between two members. The dimensions of the bead and the gland are selected such that the bead is diametrically compressed at least about 40% from its free state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: Hargraves Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Douglas Allan Curtis
  • Patent number: 7401447
    Abstract: A closer for pressing a lid onto a container includes a presser foot mounted for reciprocating movement into and out of force applying engagement with the lid; an actuator moveable between retracted and extended positions; and a force multiplying assembly disposed in operative relationship intermediate the presser foot and the actuator for multiplying an input force from the actuator to a predetermined maximum lid pressing force at the extended position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: Ultrablend, LLC
    Inventors: Steven Marshall, Christian Matthew Yungbluth
  • Patent number: 7393167
    Abstract: A passenger seat for a vehicle is mounted by an extendible stud assembly which includes a housing attached to the seat; and a movable plunger carried by the housing and including a locking stud adapted for engaging a locking track. The housing is constructed such that movement of the stud relative to the housing under an applied load causes deformation of the housing which resists the motion. This controlled motion of the locking stud allows a deck of the aircraft to deform under crash loads without imposing excessive loads on the passenger seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: BE Aerospace, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Brian Dowty, Tracy Neal Pence
  • Patent number: 7387488
    Abstract: A cooled turbine shroud includes an arcuate flow path surface adapted to surround a row of rotating turbine blades, and an opposed interior surface; a forward overhang defining an axially-facing leading edge, an outwardly-extending forward wall and an outwardly-extending aft wall; opposed first and second sidewalls, wherein the forward and aft walls and the sidewalls define an open shroud plenum; at least one leading edge cooling hole extending from the shroud plenum to the leading edge; and at least one sidewall cooling hole extending from the plenum to one of the sidewalls. The flow path surface is free of cooling holes and may include a protective coating applied thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Glenn Herbert Nichols, Kurt Grover Brink, Ching-Pang Lee
  • Patent number: 7384244
    Abstract: A metallic component, which may be an airfoil, includes at least one treated patch, wherein the entire thickness of the component within the treated patch is in a state of residual compressive stress. A surface-treated area overlaps at least a boundary between the treated patch and the remainder of the component. The surface of the component within the surface-treated area is in a state of residual compressive stress, so as to resist crack initiation at the boundary between the treated patch and the remainder of the component. A method is also provided for making such a component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thomas Froats Broderick, Andrew P. Woodfield
  • Patent number: 7383600
    Abstract: A convertible dock ramp has an upper end pivotally mounted to a mounting structure, and a lower end resting on a second structure. The dock ramp includes a pair of spaced-apart side frames each including upper and lower rails; and a plurality of steps each including a tread surface and a bottom surface connected by spaced-apart curved front and rear surfaces. The steps are pivotally mounted between the side frames such that the tread surfaces remain substantially parallel to each other as the side frames pivot. The steps are pivotable between: a ramp configuration in which the tread surfaces collectively form a flat ramp surface; and a stair configuration in which the tread surfaces collectively form a staircase-like structure. A changeover mechanism selectively retains the convertible dock ramp in the ramp configuration or the stair configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Inventor: Stephen A. Carrigan
  • Patent number: 7377746
    Abstract: An airfoil is disclosed having at least first and second cast, axially-stacked internal airflow cooling circuits. Each circuit defines multiple air flow passages positioned laterally between a pressure sidewall side and a suction sidewall side of respective ones of the circuits. Each of the circuits is formed by a separate casting core. Methods of forming a axially-stacked core and an airfoil are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Steven Robert Brassfield, Ching-Pang Lee, Roger Lee Doughty, Richard William Jendrix, Cory Michael Williams
  • Patent number: D575453
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: Jemella Limited
    Inventor: Paul Overend
  • Patent number: D576427
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: Off the Wall (UK) Limited
    Inventors: Jason Andrew Stebbens, Oliver Pearce Mitchell