Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Penny Clarke
  • Patent number: 8037843
    Abstract: An application and infusion system for applying a resin to one or more fiber tows and for infusing the fiber tows with the resin, wherein each of the fiber tows is moving at a respective fiber speed. The application and infusion system includes a deposition and infusion system comprising one or more nozzles configured to deposit the resin on a respective one of the fiber tows. The system further includes a controller configured to control a flow rate of the resin through each of the nozzles relative to the fiber speed of the respective ones of the fiber tows. Other aspects of the application and infusion system are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Mark Ernest Vermilyea, Peter Michael Finnigan, Dongming Dominic Gao, Bowden Kirkpatrick, Alexander Joseph Vallee, Jr., Stefaan Guido Van Nieuwenhove, Yosang Yoon
  • Patent number: 8021491
    Abstract: A method for selectively removing an aluminum-poor overlay coating from a substrate of a component, which as a result of its low aluminum content is highly resistant to a selective stripping solution. The method entails diffusing aluminum into the overlay coating to form an aluminum-infused overlay coating having an increased aluminum level in at least an outer surface thereof. The diffusion step is carried out so that the increased aluminum level is sufficient to render the aluminum-infused overlay coating removable by selective stripping. The outer surface of the aluminum-infused overlay coating is then contacted with an aqueous composition to remove the aluminum-infused overlay coating from the substrate. The aqueous composition includes at least one acid having the formula HxAF6, and/or precursors thereof, wherein A is Si, Ge, Ti, Zr, Al, and/or Ga, and x is from 1 to 6.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Inventors: Lawrence Bernard Kool, Michael Howard Rucker, David Edwin Budinger
  • Patent number: 8022416
    Abstract: A functional block for assembly includes at least one element and a patterned magnetic film comprising at least one magnetic region attached to the element. A wafer includes a host substrate comprising a number of elements. The wafer further includes a patterned magnetic film attached to the elements and comprising a number of magnetic regions. The magnetic regions are attached to respective ones of the elements. A method of manufacture includes forming a number of magnetic regions on a host substrate having an array of elements. The forming step provides at least one of the magnetic regions for a respective group comprising at least one of the elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: William Hullinger Huber, Ching-Yeu Wei
  • Patent number: 8022715
    Abstract: A sensor system for measuring a clearance parameter between a stationary component and a rotating component of a rotating machine is provided. The system includes a clearance sensor to output a clearance measurement signal. A sensor memory is attached to the sensor for storing a first sensor information. A second sensor information is stored in a electronics interface memory. The first and the second sensor information are read and the clearance sensor is matched with a respective plurality of calibration data by an electronic interface based on the first and the second sensor information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Emad Andarawis Andarawis, Wayne Charles Hasz, David So Keung Chan, David Mulford Shaddock, John Harry Down, Samhita Dasgupta, David Walter Parry, David Richard Esler, Zhiyuan Ren, Mahadevan Balasubramaniam, William Lee Herron, Cheryl Herron, legal representative
  • Patent number: 8020308
    Abstract: An inspection system comprises a sensor configured to acquire inspection data of the object, a motion control device, a joint assembly coupled to the motion control device, and a probe housing coupled to the joint assembly and configured to hold the sensor. The inspection system further comprises a compliant element coupled to the probe housing and configured to cooperate with the joint assembly and the motion control device to position the sensor relative to the object. A self-aligning probe assembly is also presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Byungwoo Lee, Yanyan Wu, Nicholas Joseph Kray
  • Patent number: 8018102
    Abstract: A superconducting field coil assembly includes a superconducting field coil disposed within a vacuum insulated electro-magnetic (EM) shielded cryostat. A water cooling jacket is thermally integrated with the outer surface of the EM shielded cryostat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Evangelos Trifon Laskaris, James Pellegrino Alexander, Kiruba Sivasubramaniam, Minfeng Xu
  • Patent number: 8010315
    Abstract: An inspection method is provided and includes acquiring at least one inspection data set. Each inspection data set comprises inspection data for a component. The inspection method further includes mapping the inspection data set onto a three-dimensional (3D) model of the component, to generate a 3D inspection model for the component, and validating the inspection data against the 3D model of the component using at least one validation criterion. A multi-modality inspection method is also provided and includes acquiring multiple inspection data sets corresponding to multiple inspection modalities for a component and fusing the inspection data sets to form a fused data set. The multi-modality inspection method further includes mapping the fused data set onto a 3D model of the component to generate a 3D multi-modality inspection model for the component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Yanyan Wu, Francis Howard Little, Prabhjot Singh
  • Patent number: 7994800
    Abstract: A system for online relative phase calibration is provided. The system includes at least one excitation source configured to generate multiple excitation signals. The system also includes at least two sensors coupled to respective ones of the at least one excitation source via a transmission line, wherein the two sensors are configured to receive respective ones of the excitation signals. The system further includes at least two phase detectors configured to receive at least two reflected signals from the two sensors via the transmission line, wherein each of the two phase detectors are configured to output a respective voltage representing a phase difference between respective ones of the reflected signals and respective ones of the excitation signals. The system also includes a switch coupled to the sensors and the phase detectors, the switch configured to switch the phase detectors between the sensors at a pre-determined switching interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Emad Andarawis Andarawis
  • Patent number: 7976694
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for hybrid machining a workpiece is disclosed. The workpiece is powered as an anode, a cutter is powered as a cathode and a cutting fluid or coolant is circulated therebetween. The cutter is made of a conductive material and a non-conductive abrasive material. The hybrid machine performs a roughing pass machining operation in which material is removed from the workpiece at a relatively high rate using a high-speed electro-erosion (HSEE) process. Then, the hybrid machine performs a finish pass machining operation in which material is removed from the workpiece using precision electro-grinding (PEG) process at a different differential electrical potential and/or flushing rate than the roughing pass machining operation to provide a smooth finish without thermal effects on the workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Andrew Lee Trimmer, Nicholas Joseph Kray, Joshua Leigh Miller, Michael Scott Lamphere, Bin Wei
  • Patent number: 7975554
    Abstract: A strain sensor comprises a transmitting element; a receiving element wirelessly coupled to the transmitting element; and a modulating element located on a rotating component, wherein the modulating element modulates the wireless coupling between the transmitting element and the receiving element, wherein the modulation of the wireless coupling is indicative of strain on the rotating component. A method of detecting strain in a rotating component of a rotary machine comprises wirelessly coupling a transmitting element and a receiving element; modulating the coupling with a modulating element located on the rotating component; and calculating the strain in the rotating component based on the modulation of the coupling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ertugrul Berkcan, Emad Andarawis Andarawis
  • Patent number: 7969049
    Abstract: A high power density generator contains an armature structure having a plurality of conductors and at least one heat transfer tube thermally coupled to the conductors. The tube is hollow so as to allow a heat transfer fluid to pass through it. The tube is made of a material having a thermal conductivity ? of at least 20 W/mK, an electrical breakdown strength of at least 60 V/mil, and a mechanical strength adequate for handling, manufacturing and operation. In an embodiment of the invention, the tube is made of a ceramic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Evangelos Trifon Laskaris, Kirubaharan Sivasubramaniam, James Pelligrino Alexander, William Dwight Gerstler, James William Bray
  • Patent number: 7948233
    Abstract: Omnidirectional eddy current array probes for detecting flaws in a conductive test object generally includes semi-circular wave shaped continuous drive lines in two rows disposed in two layers that are multiplexed for omnidirectional inspection without blind spots. The semicircular wave shaped continuous drive lines are superimposed to form pseudo-circular drive lines, wherein each row of drive lines is offset laterally by a distance preferably equal to a quarter wavelength of the wave pattern. For only parallel and perpendicular flaws, the drive multiplexing is not needed and each row will have only one set of drive lines. In alternate embodiments, there can be square-shaped, oval shaped, rectangular-shaped or other shaped wave patterns as well. Also disclosed are methods for sensing surface flaws and compensating their response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Aparna Chakrapani Sheila-Vadde, Ui Won Suh, Changting Wang
  • Patent number: 7933754
    Abstract: A method to estimate damage propagation is disclosed. The method includes making available a set of input parameters to a computational model, executing the computational model with defined changes within a range of an input parameter of the set of input parameters to define a range of at least one modeled output, receiving at least one signal responsive to and representative of a respective one of an actual sensor output, and estimating damage propagation based upon a correlation of the received signal to the modeled output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Kai Frank Goebel, Neil Holger White Eklund, Hai Qiu, Weizhong Yan
  • Patent number: 7930111
    Abstract: A system for detecting differential bearing damages includes a synthesized tachometer that generates a tachometer signal corresponding to the race speed difference of a bearing assembly such that the bearing damage speed difference dependency can be eliminated and the damage features can be enhanced. The system also includes acceleration enveloping in the cycle domain to further enhance the damage signatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Huageng Luo, George Hanna Ghanime, Hai Qiu
  • Patent number: 7926176
    Abstract: A fluidic assembly method includes dispersing a number of functional blocks in a fluid to form a slurry. Each of the functional blocks includes at least one element and a patterned magnetic film comprising at least one region. The fluidic assembly method further includes immersing at least a portion of an article in the fluid. The article includes a substrate, a number of receptor sites disposed on the substrate and a number of magnetic receptors, each of the magnetic receptors being disposed within a respective one of the receptor sites. A method of manufacturing an assembly includes disposing a number of functional blocks over at least a portion of an article, agitating the functional blocks relative to the article and assembling at least a subset of the functional blocks to the magnetic receptors on the article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: William Hullinger Huber, Ching-Yeu Wei
  • Patent number: 7924439
    Abstract: A method for extracting parameters of a cutting tool is provided. The method comprises positioning the cutting tool on a moveable stage, performing one or more rotary scans of a first section of the cutting tool to generate a scanning point cloud, indexing a plurality of points of the scanning point cloud, detecting one or more feature points based on the indexed scanning point cloud, and extracting one or more parameters based on the detected feature points. A system for extracting the parameters is also presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Tian Chen, Kevin George Harding, Steven Robert Hayashi, Xiaoming Du, Jianming Zheng, Howard Paul Weaver, James Allen Baird, Xinjue Zou, Kevin William Meyer
  • Patent number: 7925075
    Abstract: A method for inspecting a feature of a part is provided. The method includes obtaining a profile corresponding to the feature using a sensor and projecting the profile onto a compensation plane normal to the feature for generating an updated profile. The method also includes using the updated profile for reducing a measurement error caused by an orientation of the sensor. An inspection system is also provided. The inspection system includes a sensor configured to capture a fringe image of a feature on a part. The inspection system further includes a processor configured to process the fringe image to obtain an initial profile of the feature and to project the initial profile onto a compensation plane normal to the feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ming Jia, Guiju Song, Jianming Zheng, Yu Ning, Kevin George Harding, Gil Abramovich, Joseph Benjamin Ross, Ralph Gerald Isaacs
  • Patent number: 7921350
    Abstract: A method for fault detection and localization calls for obtaining a data set, smoothing the data set, identifying a plurality of split points within the data set, fitting a piecewise linear function to the plurality of split points; and determining a residual between the function and the smoothed data set. Related systems and computer program products are disclosed and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Neil Holger White Eklund
  • Patent number: 7911205
    Abstract: A method of inspecting a test part is provided. The method includes positioning a coil on a surface of the test part and exciting the coil at a resonance frequency. The method also includes determining at least one of a resonance frequency shift and a quality factor of the coil and estimating an electrical conductivity of the test part based on at least one of the resonance frequency shift and the quality factor of the coil. The method further includes obtaining depth profile of residual stress using conductivity measurements at various resonance frequencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nilesh Tralshawala, Yuri Alexeyevich Plotnikov
  • Patent number: 7912572
    Abstract: A method of calibrating an inspection system is provided. The method includes contacting a test part with a run-out measurement device and rotating the test part and measuring a first run-out using the run-out measurement device. The method also includes moving the run-out measurement device to a new position and repeating the steps of contacting and rotating the test part to measure a second run-out at the new position. The method further includes using the first and second run-outs to adjust measurements of the inspection system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Xiaoming Du, Kevin George Harding, Steven Robert Hayashi, Jianming Zheng, Tian Chen, Howard Paul Weaver, Yong Yang, Guofei Hu, James Allen Baird, Jr.