Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Christian G. Cabou
  • Patent number: 6820431
    Abstract: A fuel nozzle device suitable for use in a gas turbine engine or the like is provided. The fuel nozzle device includes a fuel line and a plurality of gas orifices disposed at a downstream end of the fuel line, the plurality of gas orifices operable for injecting fuel into an air stream. The acoustic resistance of each of the plurality of gas orifices is chosen to match the acoustic impedance of the fuel line such that the maximum acoustic energy may be transferred between the fuel nozzle device and the combustor, thus enhancing the ability of the fuel nozzle device to control the combustion dynamics of the gas turbine engine system. A fuel injection resonator assembly suitable for use in a gas turbine engine or the like is also provided. The fuel injection resonator assembly includes a plurality of orifices separated by a variable length tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Keith McManus, Simon Sanderson, Jeffrey Goldmeer
  • Patent number: 6804622
    Abstract: A method of quantitative non-destructive thermal inspection of an article having at least one internal cavity comprises the steps of inputting physical properties of the article, measuring thermal characteristics of the article, and calculating heat transfer coefficients of the internal cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ronald Scott Bunker, Nirm Velumylum Nirmalan, Louis Andrew Schick
  • Patent number: 6790934
    Abstract: Aromatic polyethers are prepared by displacement polymerization reaction in the presence of a water-immiscible solvent with boiling point at atmospheric pressure of greater than 110° C. and a density ratio to water of greater than 1.1:1 at 20-25° C. The polyethers are purified by processes comprising aqueous extraction, or filtration, or a combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Norman Enoch Johnson, Raul Eduardo Ayala, Thomas Joseph Fyvie, Amy Rene Freshour, David Winfield Woodruff, Peter David Phelps, Ganesh Kailasam, Paul Edward Howson, Elliott West Shanklin, Lioba Maria Kloppenburg, David Bruce Hall, Pradeep Jeevaji Nadkarni, Daniel Joseph Brunelle
  • Patent number: 6752018
    Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for characterizing an acoustic impedance of an engineering component acoustically coupled to an acoustic waveguide includes: a pressure measurement apparatus adapted to be moved and to be disposed to measure pressure signals, the pressure signals being measured at respective ones of a plurality of predetermined locations along the acoustic waveguide; an exciter adapted to excite the acoustic waveguide with an excitation signal; a data collection module adapted to incorporate the pressure signals from the pressure measurement apparatus into a pressure signal set; a transform module adapted to transform the pressure signal set to a frequency domain set; a wave shape identifier adapted to identify a plurality of wave shape parameters from the frequency domain set; and a statistical computer adapted to compute from the frequency domain set a statistical measure for the wave shape parameters, the statistical measure being selected from the group consisting o
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey Scott Goldmeer, Simon Ralph Sanderson
  • Patent number: 6750649
    Abstract: A method of generating an adiabatic FM pulse, comprising: selecting a starting trajectory for the pulse; and determining a velocity profile along the trajectory by constraining at least a portion of the velocity profile to fulfill an adiabatic condition other than a frequency frame adiabatic condition. Preferably, the other adiabatic condition is one defined in a double-rotating reference frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Daniel Rosenfeld
  • Patent number: 6738934
    Abstract: An on-chip watchdog circuit (100) is provided that generates an output signal (175) when an error signal (112) generated by a circuit under test (110) is detected. The on-chip watchdog circuit (100) comprises a logic gate (125) that is connected to a clock signal and receives a signal in response to the error signal 112 generated by the circuit under test (110). A gate output circuit (140) is connected to an output of the logic gate (125). An RC circuit (150) is connected to the gate output circuit (140). A comparator (170) is connected to the RC circuit (150). The comparator (170) is also connected to a voltage divider (160) and provides the output signal (175) in response to the error signal (112) generated by the circuit under test (110), and the on-chip watchdog circuit (100) and the circuit under test (110) are integrated on a same semiconductor microchip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Paul Andrew Frank, Daniel Arthur Staver
  • Patent number: 6724010
    Abstract: A solid state imager is provided that comprises an imaging array of gated photodiodes. The imager comprises a plurality of photosensor pixels arranged in a pixel array, and each of the photosensor pixels includes a photodiode having a sidewall, the sidewall having a gate dielectric layer disposed thereon, and a field plate disposed around the photodiode body. The field plate comprises amorphous silicon disposed on the gate dielectric layer and extends substantially completely around the sidewall of said photodiode. The field plate is electrically coupled to the common electrode of the imaging array so that the field plate creates an electric field around the photodiode body in correspondence with the potential of said common electrode. A method of fabricating the gated photodiode array is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert Forrest Kwasnick, George Edward Possin, Ching-Yeu Wei
  • Patent number: 6724854
    Abstract: A method for mitigating stress corrosion cracking in high temperature water includes introducing catalytic nanoparticles and dielectric nanoparticles to the high temperature water in an amount effective to reduce a electrochemical corrosion potential of the high temperature water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Young-Jin Kim, Thomas Martin Angeliu, Peter Louis Andresen
  • Patent number: 6718288
    Abstract: An exemplary embodiment of the invention is directed to a method for determining a transfer function relating a critical to quality parameter to key parameters in a design for six sigma process. The method includes determining a dimensionless group containing a plurality of key parameters. The key parameters may include key control parameters or key noise parameters that have an affect on the critical to quality parameter. A transfer function relating the dimensionless group to the critical to quality parameter is then generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2004
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Thomas George Wakeman
  • Patent number: 6710878
    Abstract: An in-line particulate detector comprises a housing having an inner flow portion. The housing Is disposed between adjacent portions of pipeline to permit a fuel flow from a fuel source through the inner flow portion to a fuel consumer. A light source is positioned within the housing for emitting a light beam within the inner flow portion. A first photodetector is positioned within the housing to detect the full strength of the light beam. A second photodetector is positioned within the housing to detect low, baseline levels of the light beam. Circuitry is coupled to first and second photodetectors to monitor the ratio of light intensities. When a fuel containing particulates is introduced, the light beam is scattered and the intensity measured by the second photodetector will increase and the intensity measured by the first photodetector will decrease.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Anthony John Dean, Andrew Philip Shapiro
  • Patent number: 6703733
    Abstract: A multi-pole electric machine rotor assembly includes a rotor forging including a rotor body having poles 13 with pole faces and a winding module including a plurality of field windings positioned adjacent the pole faces and winding insulators disposed between each successive pair of the field windings, respectively. A winding block, disposed in engagement with the winding module, is shaped to be shifted to a final position relative to the winding module when the rotor assembly rotates at about its rated speed to thereby compress the winding module. Either the winding block or the winding module can be displaced by centrifugal forces during rotation. In the final position, the winding block is locked by friction in a position to maintain compression in the winding module. The winding block serves to provide a pre-stress in the field windings to keep the field windings tight over the design range of spin speeds, thereby controlling winding position and reducing alternating radial movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Yu Wang, Christopher Anthony Kaminski, Robert John Nygard, James Pelligrino Alexander
  • Patent number: 6697764
    Abstract: A reduced access field inspection system includes a multimodality endoscopic assembly. Circuitry is coupled to the multimodality endoscopic assembly for generating signals associated with the multimodality endoscopic assembly. A communications link links the circuitry to a remote center of excellence for providing maintenance information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nelson Raymond Corby, Jr., Kristina Helena Valborg Hedengren
  • Patent number: 6678052
    Abstract: An on-line sensor is provided that supplies light to a spectrophotometer to measure the color a product extruded through a conduit having a bypass section. The on-line sensor includes a transparent member with an opaque outer surface and an interior portion extending from a first end to a second end to the transparent member. The interior portion is connected to the bypass section, and the product that flows through the bypass section is supplied to the interior section of the transparent member. A light source connected to the transparent member and provides light to the transparent member inside the opaque outer surface. A light receiver is connected to the transparent member and captures light from the light source in the transparent member that is affected by the product. The captured light is supplied to the spectrophotometer to at least measure the properties of the product supplied to the interior portion of the transparent member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Vijay Kumar Millikarjun Hanagandi, Mark Erik Nelson, Ravi Rajamani
  • Patent number: 6644921
    Abstract: A turbine portion, for example a turbine blade, for exposure in a hot fluid flow includes at least one internal cooling passage disposed therein. A cooling fluid is introduced within the cooling passage(s) to maintain the bulk temperature of the turbine portion at some acceptable temperature level. A plurality of concavities are disposed on the interior surface of the cooling passage. In one embodiment, the concavities are formed on the interior surface of cooling passage in an array pattern such that a spiral bulk fluid motion is obtained, similar to that which would be formed by a helical rib, but without the rib. The concavity surface pattern serves to enhance heat transfer to the same degree as the conventional rib rougheners, but with significantly less pressure loss due to friction. The spiral motion of the bulk cooling fluid also serves to recirculate central coolant to the heat transfer surface, thereby making the heat exchange process more effective than that for turbulated surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ronald Scott Bunker, Bin Wei
  • Patent number: 6643615
    Abstract: A method for providing producibility information to a user during a design process includes providing process capability models with integrated coaching information and providing a producibility evaluation worksheet having at least one input and at least one output, the input being selectable to represent a specific design. The worksheet is initialized with a relevant process capability model that is used to determine a producibility measure indicating an effect of the input on the output. The producibility measure is then displayed to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Lowell Wilson Bauer, Marc Thomas Edgar
  • Patent number: 6642720
    Abstract: A wireless sensor assembly for circumferential monitoring of gas stream properties comprises a drive system attachable to a hot gas path housing. A rake is movably coupled to the drive system for unrestricted circumferential movement. At least one RF sensor is disposed on the rake for generating a signal responsive to the gas stream properties. Circuitry is provided for remotely powering the at least one RF sensor and for remotely detecting the signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Donald Herbert Maylotte, James Peter DeLancey
  • Patent number: 6620939
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a method for producing and using catalysts in the production of bisphenols, and in particular to a method for producing catalysts which contain poly-sulfur mercaptan promoters, and using these catalysts in the production of bisphenol-A and its derivatives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jimmy Lynn Webb, James Lawrence Spivack
  • Patent number: 6617400
    Abstract: Epoxy resin compositions are disclosed which comprise (A) at least one cycloaliphatic epoxy resin, (B) at least one anhydride curing agent, (C) at least one a boron containing catalyst that is essentially free of halogen, (D) at least one cure modifier, and, optionally (E) at least one ancillary curing catalyst. The encapsulant may also optionally comprise at least one of thermal stabilizers, UV stabilizers, coupling agents, or refractive index modifiers. Also disclosed are packaged solid state devices comprising a package, a chip, and an encapsulant comprising an epoxy resin composition of the invention. A method of encapsulating a solid state device is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Gary William Yeager, Malgorzata Iwona Rubinsztajn
  • Patent number: 6613824
    Abstract: Disclosed are flame retardant resinous compositions comprising (i) at least one aromatic polycarbonate; (ii) at least one of a second polymer having structural units derived from one or more monomers selected from the group consisting of vinyl aromatic monomers, monoethylenically unsaturated nitrile monomers, and C1-C12 alkyl (meth)acrylate monomers; (iii) at least one rubber modified graft copolymer; (iv) at least one polymeric or non-polymeric organic phosphorus species; (v) at least one antidrip agent; and (vi) at least one perfluoroalkanesulfonate salt present in an amount in a range between about 0.01 wt % and about 0.25 wt %, based on the weight of the entire composition. Also disclosed are methods for making said compositions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John Robert Campbell, Thomas Miebach, Monica Marugan, Thomas Arnold Ebeling
  • Patent number: 6610409
    Abstract: Multilayer articles are disclosed which comprise: a substrate layer comprising at least one thermoplastic polymer, thermoset polymer, cellulosic material, glass, or metal, and at least one coating layer thereon, said coating layer comprising at least one stabilizer additive and a thermally stable polymer comprising resorcinol arylate polyester chain members substantially free of anhydride linkages linking at least two mers of the polymer chain, prepared by an interfacial method comprising the steps of: (a) combining at least one resorcinol moiety and at least one catalyst in a mixture of water and at least one organic solvent substantially immiscible with water; and (b) adding to the mixture from (a) at least one dicarboxylic acid dichloride while maintaining the pH between 3 and 8.5 through the presence of an acid acceptor, wherein the total molar amount of acid chloride groups is stoichiometrically deficient relative to the total molar amount of phenolic groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: James Edward Pickett, Joseph Anthony Suriano, Steven Thomas Rice, Xiangyang Li