Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Carlson, Gaskey & Olds
  • Step band guard for a passenger conveyor
    Patent number: 8292057
    Abstract: A step band guard for use of a passenger conveyor includes a first panel comprising a first piece of material. A second panel comprises a second piece of material that is distinct and separate from the first piece of material. A securing connection allows for selectively securing the panels together. The first panel can be strategically left in place for blocking access to at least a portion of a step band near a turnaround. The second panel can be selectively put in place when blocking access to the entire step band at the turnaround is desired. The first panel allows for some access to the step band and allows an individual to move the step band without having to have the entire step band guard in place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventor: Paschal F. Lennon
  • Gas turbine engine with variable area fan nozzle positioned for starting
    Patent number: 8291690
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a variable inlet guide vane positioned forwardly of a low pressure compressor. The angle of the inlet guide vane is controlled at startup to increase airflow into the compressor. This is particularly useful when the gas turbine engine is being restarted while an associated aircraft is in the air, and is relied upon to increase windmill speed of the compressor and turbine rotors. A method and nozzle are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Eric J. Wehmeier
  • Shower saddle
    Patent number: 8292201
    Abstract: The present invention is an adjustable shower saddle that connects a water supply to a shower. The saddle has: an anchor for attaching to the water supply, the anchor having an inner contour for attaching to the water supply and an outer contour that corresponds to a multi-dimensional range of motion that may be taken by the saddle, and a conduit for conducting fluid; a bracket that has an outlet, a second conduit attaching to the outlet and, an interior surface conforming to the shape of the outer contour of the anchor; and, a lock member having a third conduit for conducting fluid from the first conduit to the second conduit, wherein the lock member attaches the bracket to the anchor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Alsons Corporation
    Inventors: Charles A. Patterson, Julian C. Giggs, Michael Miller, Victor Hoernig
  • Gate support device
    Patent number: 8291643
    Abstract: A support post includes an inner post that supports rotation of an outer post. The inner post includes a journal assembly that supports and facilitates rotation about a central axis. The journal assembly that supports the outer post on the inner post includes a single ball bearing disposed along the axis of rotation. The inner post is fixed and supports a central post on which the ball bearing is supported. The outer post includes a sleeve that fits over the ball bearing and the central post. Support of the outer post along the central axis provides for improved mounting and gate support. An actuator can be utilized to automatically or remotely open the gate. The actuator is disposed within the inner post that drives rotation of the outer post. The outer post remains supported by the journal assembly and is rotated by the actuator with the inner post.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Turnstyle Intellectual Property, LLC
    Inventor: Edward J. Stull
  • Hybrid core assembly
    Patent number: 8291963
    Abstract: A hybrid core assembly for a casting process includes a ceramic core portion and a refractory metal core portion that interfaces with a ceramic core trough of the ceramic core portion. The refractory metal core portion includes a finger having a bent portion that establishes a refractory metal core trough aligned with the ceramic core trough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Steven W. Trinks, Tracy A. Proctor-Hinckley, Steven J. Bullied
  • Reinforced pallet
    Patent number: 8291838
    Abstract: A reinforced pallet assembly having a first pallet deck and a second pallet deck. Each of the decks has an outer member and an intermediate member, each outer member and intermediate member having a one of a pair of mating cross-rib surfaces which are mounted together to define box-beam sections within each pallet deck. Also included is an elongate reinforcement member which is disposed between the outer member and the intermediate member of the second pallet deck for providing stiffness thereto. Further included is a plurality of columns which extend between the intermediate members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Rehrig Pacific Company
    Inventor: William P. Apps
  • Low pressure turbine with counter-rotating drives for single spool
    Patent number: 8292570
    Abstract: A low pressure turbine for a gas turbine engine includes inner and outer counter-rotating rotor sets, with both said rotor sets driving a common shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Gabriel L. Suciu, Om P. Sharma, Lawrence E. Portlock, Brian D. Merry, Shankar S. Magge
  • Multi-position stackable container
    Patent number: 8292078
    Abstract: A container includes a base and a plurality of walls extending upward from a periphery of the base. A pair of supports are movable between a nesting position and at least one stack position. In one embodiment, the container includes projections outwardly from opposed walls that can be supported on the supports of an identical container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Rehrig Pacific Company
    Inventors: Alan J. Cook, Kyle L. Baltz
  • Pallet with alignment features
    Patent number: 8291839
    Abstract: A pallet according to one embodiment includes a deck and a plurality of columns extending downward from the deck. In order to increase the stability of the pallet on a fork, at least one alignment feature protrudes downward from the deck between the pair of columns. The alignment feature extends downwardly substantially less than the columns, such that the alignment feature does not contact the floor and does not significantly increase the weight of the pallet. In another feature, preformed foam inserts are inserted into the cavities of the columns and/or the alignment features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Rehrig Pacific Company
    Inventors: William P. Apps, Sean T. Ogburn, William Mead, Ryan C. Meers
  • Corrugated core cowl for a gas turbine engine
    Patent number: 8291689
    Abstract: An example core nacelle for a gas turbine engine includes a core cowl positioned adjacent to an inner duct boundary of a fan bypass passage having an associated cross-sectional area. The core cowl includes at least one groove that is selectively exposed to change the cross-sectional area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Constantine Baltas
  • Distributed approach to electronic engine control for gas turbine engines
    Patent number: 8295995
    Abstract: A distributed electronic engine control system includes an airframe module, an electronic engine control module, and an engine I/O module. The modules are arranged in locations remote from one another. A serial communications bus interconnects the modules with one another. A first engine controls device is connected to the engine I/O module and is configured to interact with an engine component and provide a first data. The engine I/O module includes inner loop control logic that uses the first data and produces a second data in response thereto. The electronic engine control module includes an outer loop control logic using the second data and produces a third data in response thereto. The airframe module receives power and distributes the power to the electronic engine control and engine I/O modules. The first, second and third data are provided on the serial communications bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventor: Richard A. Poisson
  • Control device for operating two elevator cars in a single hoistway
    Patent number: 8292038
    Abstract: The device for controlling movement of a plurality of elevator cars in a single hoistway includes a door monitor module (46) that facilitates controlling movement of elevator cars (22, 24). The door monitor module (46) is configured to determine when at least one door (30) along a hoistway (26) is open. The door monitor module (46) places a first relay (52) in a selected operative state if a first elevator car (22) is stopped at a landing corresponding to the at least one open door. The door monitor module (46) places a second relay (56) in a selected operative state if a second elevator car (24) is stopped at a landing corresponding to the at least one open door. The door monitor module (46) is also configured to place both relays (52, 56) into the selected operative state if neither of the elevator cars (22, 24) is stopped at a landing corresponding to an open door (30) along a hoistway (26).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Richard C. McCarthy, Greg A. Schienda, Harold Terry
  • Fuel injector bearing plate assembly and swirler assembly
    Patent number: 8291706
    Abstract: A bearing plate assembly for a turbine engine fuel injector includes a bearing plate 30, with an opening 80 bordered by a race 82. A swivel ball 90 nests inside the race and is rotatable relative thereto. A lock, which may be a tip bushing 108 resists disengagement of the swivel ball from the race. A fuel injector nozzle 38 extends through an opening 98 in the swivel ball. During engine operation, the ball can swivel inside the race to accommodate rotational movement of the nozzle about lateral and radial axes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Keith M. Tanner, Philip J. Kirsopp
  • Aircraft landing gear unlock actuator
    Patent number: 8292219
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a landing gear system that includes a landing gear strut rotatable between stowed and deployed positions. A lock-stay is connected to the landing gear strut and is movable between locked and unlocked conditions. An unlock actuator is connected to the lock-stay and includes first and second members movable relative to one another. The first member is movable between first and second positions that correspond to the locked and unlocked conditions. A controller is in communication with the unlock actuator and is configured to command the unlock actuator between the first and second positions in response to an input. The second member is permitted to free-drive relative to the first member between the stowed and deployed positions with the lock-stay in the unlocked condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventor: Andrew John Collins
  • Method for establishing a location of an elevated stress region
    Patent number: 8291589
    Abstract: A method for use in repairing gas turbine engine components includes applying a stress to a first gas turbine engine component to cause surface cracking on the first gas turbine engine component and establishing a location of an elevated stress region of a second gas turbine engine component based upon the location of the surface cracking on the first gas turbine engine component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Ephraim C. Davis, Christopher J. Bischof
  • Porous ceramic body and method therfor
    Patent number: 8286689
    Abstract: A method of forming a porous ceramic body includes providing a moldable material that includes a ceramic material, a binder material and a filler material comprising carbon nanotubes. The moldable material is then formed into a desired shape of a green ceramic body. The green ceramic body is then thermally treated to remove the binder material and the carbon nanotubes. The thermally treated green ceramic body is then sintered to form the porous ceramic body with elongated nanopores.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Mario P. Bochiechio
  • Turbofan engine having inner fixed structure including ducted passages
    Patent number: 8286415
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine system includes a fan bypass passage (27), a core nacelle (28) having an inner fixed structure (40) within the fan bypass passage, a passage (42) extending through the inner fixed structure, and a duct nozzle (48). The passage includes an inlet (44) for receiving a fan airflow (F2) from the fan bypass passage and an outlet (46) for discharging the fan airflow. The duct nozzle includes a variable cross-sectional exit area (50) for controlling the fan airflow within the passage and is selectively moveable to influence the variable cross-sectional exit area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Gregory A. Kohlenberg
  • Integrated thermal packaging of high power motor controller
    Patent number: 8289711
    Abstract: According to an example provided herein, a cold plate has a surface for mounting a component thereto, a first path to flow cooling fluid therethrough in a vicinity of the surface and a housing mounted on the surface that extends from the surface. The housing has a second path attaching to the first path to flow fluid to flow through the housing wherein the housing is designed to at least partially enclose the component and wherein the component is cooled by the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventor: Debabrata Pal
  • Valve system for a gas turbine engine
    Patent number: 8286416
    Abstract: A valve system intermediate a secondary flow path and a primary flow path to selectively communicate secondary airflow into the primary gas flow path and control airflow injected from a higher pressure plenum into a lower pressure flowpath.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary A. Schirtzinger, Lance Wurzbacher, Joseph L. Orr
  • Scout mount
    Patent number: D669149
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Inventor: Jason G. Trusty