Abstract: A heat treatment apparatus for use in batch heating/wafer processing is provided, which comprises a process chamber for receiving a wafer boat, at least a heating element comprising a substrate body configured to form an electrical heating circuit for at least one heating zone and encapsulated in a continuous overcoat layer, a heat reflector comprising a heat reflective surface disposed on the heating element, and the heating element has a ramp rate of at least 1° C. per second for heating the wafers in the wafer boat.
Type:
Application
Filed:
October 11, 2006
Publication date:
September 20, 2007
Applicant:
General Electric Company
Inventors:
Eric Wintenberger, Douglas Alan Longworth, Wei Fan, John Thomas Mariner
Abstract: A method of forming brush seal segments includes mounting a pair of full form plates having opposite arcuate edges in back-to-back relation and wrapping wire about the form plates in multiple passes to form wire runs at angles, e.g., 35-45° relative to radii of the arcuate edges. Half form plates are assembled to opposite sides of the full form plates adjacent one edge of the subassembly. The wire wrap adjacent the one edge of the full form plates is removed. Welds are applied between each adjacent half and full form plates. The inner edges of the wrapped wire and inner frame members of the full form plates are removed. The assembly is then separated to form a pair of arcuate brush seal segments.
Type:
Application
Filed:
March 17, 2006
Publication date:
September 20, 2007
Applicant:
General Electric Company
Inventors:
William Adis, David DuHaime, Michael Mack
Abstract: An apparatus for cooling at least two heated surfaces includes a base plate defining multiple upper and lower supply manifolds and upper and lower exhaust manifolds. The upper and lower supply (exhaust) manifolds receive (exhaust) coolant, and the upper (lower) supply and exhaust manifolds are interleaved. The apparatus further includes an upper substrate having an inner surface and an outer surface. The inner surface is coupled to the base plate and defines multiple microchannels for receiving and exhausting coolant. The outer surface is in thermal contact with one of the heated surfaces. The apparatus further includes a lower substrate having an inner surface and an outer surface. The inner surface is coupled to the base plate and defines multiple microchannels for receiving and delivering coolant. The outer surface is in thermal contact with another of the heated surfaces. The apparatus further includes a supply plenum and an exhaust plenum oriented in a plane of the base plate.
Abstract: A method of operating a gas turbine engine is provided. The gas turbine engine includes at least one engine casing and at least one rotor assembly. The method includes directing airflow through a supply pipe and into a heat exchanger, lowering the temperature of the airflow in the heat exchanger, and directing the cooled airflow into the engine casing to cool the casing.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 25, 2004
Date of Patent:
September 18, 2007
Assignee:
General Electric Company
Inventors:
Robert Joseph Albers, Rafael Ruiz, Marcia Boyle, Christopher Charles Glynn
Abstract: A method and apparatus for fixedly securing a plastic encapsulated transducer to a metal interface cup for attachment with a machine includes a metal interface cup configured substantially as a cylinder defined by a cylinder wall and a bottom wall closing a bottom of the cylinder, the cylinder including a first bore corresponding to an inner diameter defined by the cylinder wall, the first bore corresponding to an outside diameter of the plastic encapsulated transducer; a second bore extending through opposing sides defining an exterior of the cylinder wall and substantially transverse to the first bore; an undercut configured in the first bore intersecting the second bore, the undercut defining a circumferential groove in the cylinder wall; a cylindrical overmold surrounding the metal interface cup having the plastic encapsulated transducer disposed in the first bore, wherein injection of plastic flows in an axial length defining the overmold toward the metal interface cup and circumferentially into the unde
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 18, 2004
Date of Patent:
September 18, 2007
Assignee:
General Electric Company
Inventors:
Stephen James Sufka, Thane Fleming Tahti, David Ray Price, Kristoffer Wayne Wickstead
Abstract: A method of determining a tool geometry and tool orientation for any prescribed path along a workpiece of a cutting tool is described. A parameter set is provided, where parameters of the parameter set include tool geometry and tool orientation relative to a surface of the workpiece. Values of the parameters in the parameter set are determined such that no local interference or global interference occurs, where local interference occurs when a portion of the tool immediately adjacent a cutting edge of the tool contacts a sidewall of a groove already cut by the cutting edge, and global interference occurs when a portion of the tool away from the cutting edge contacts a sidewall of a groove already cut by the cutting edge.
Abstract: An exemplary embodiment of the invention relates to a method, system, apparatus, and storage medium for designing and locating chemical structures. The apparatus comprises a user accessible chemical design and query tool comprising a user interface including an interactive host and a database storing a graphical representation of at least one chemical design structure. Upon accessing the chemical design and query tool by a user, the user interface guides the user in selecting a chemical design structure, and submitting the chemical design structure to a provider system. The invention also includes a method, system, and storage medium.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 22, 2002
Date of Patent:
September 18, 2007
Assignee:
General Electric Company
Inventors:
Christine J. Phillips, Sandra Velez, Robert James Perry, Maia Alanna Navarrete
Abstract: System and method for monitoring status of a visual signal lamp. The system includes at least one optical fiber comprising a first end and a second end. The first end is positioned proximate to the signal lamp and is oriented to capture a portion of light signal emitted by the signal lamp when the signal lamp is illuminated. The system also includes a photodetector positioned proximate to the second end of the optical fiber and configured to receive the portion of light signal. The system further includes a threshold detection circuitry connected to the photodetector and configured to detect a lighting parameter in relation to the signal lamp according to a predetermined criterion.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
September 30, 2004
Date of Patent:
September 18, 2007
Assignee:
General Electric Company
Inventors:
David Michael Davenport, John Erik Hershey, Todd Ryan Tolliver
Abstract: Disclosed are weatherable multilayer articles comprising (i) a coating layer comprising a block copolyestercarbonate comprising structural units derived from at least one 1,3-dihydroxybenzene and at least one aromatic dicarboxylic acid, (ii) a second layer comprising a polymer comprising carbonate structural units, (iii) an adhesive tielayer comprising a copolymer with structural units derived from at least one alkenyl aromatic compound and at least one conjugated diene, and (iv) a substrate layer, wherein the coating layer is in contiguous contact with the second layer, and the adhesive tielayer is in contiguous contact with the second layer and the substrate layer. Also disclosed is a method for making the multilayer article.
Abstract: An offset variable orifice gas flow sensor is provided. The variable orifice gas flow sensor comprises two port portions. The central axes of these port portions are offset such that an interior surface of the port portions slope away from a flapper that separates the port portions. The slope ensures that any moisture present in a gas that flows through the variable orifice gas flow sensor drains away from the flapper.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 15, 2005
Date of Patent:
September 18, 2007
Assignee:
The General Electric Company
Inventors:
Thomas Scott Kohlmann, Lance Clark Bell
Abstract: A quantum-splitting fluoride-based phosphor comprises gadolinium, at least a first alkali metal, and a rare-earth metal activator. The phosphor is made in a solid-state method without using HF gas. The phosphor can be used alone or in conjunction with other phosphors in light sources and displays wherein it can be excited by VUV radiation, and increases the efficiency of these devices.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
January 10, 2005
Date of Patent:
September 18, 2007
Assignee:
General Electric Company
Inventors:
Venkatesan Manivannan, Alok Mani Srivastava, Holly Ann Comanzo
Abstract: A compound of Formula (I) wherein X is hydrogen or a radical of Formula (II), R1 independently at each occurrence is a C1–C20 aliphatic radical, a C3–C10 cycloaliphatic radical, or a C3–C10 aromatic radical; R2, R3, R4 and R5 are independently at each occurrence a halogen, a nitro group, a cyano group, a hydroxy group, a C1–C20 aliphatic radical, a C3–C20 cycloaliphatic radical, or a C6–C20 aromatic radical; and “n”, “q”, and “p” are each independently integers having a value of 0 to 3, and “m” is an integer having a value of 0 to 4.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 28, 2005
Date of Patent:
September 18, 2007
Assignee:
General Electric Company
Inventors:
Yogendrasinh B. Chauhan, Adil Minoo Dhalla, Rahul R. Khanwelkar, Krishnamoorthy Sivakumar, Kiran Arunkumar Puthamane
Abstract: A system for decoding a signal of a rotating portion of a machine. The system includes a sensor configured to output N signals based on signals received from the rotating portion, and a processor configured to derive a value from a plurality of differences between sampled data obtained from the N signals.
Abstract: A method includes heating a MRI shim with a heater to reduce a temperature rise per unit of time during a gradient operation of a MRI system.
Abstract: A system for limiting outward movement of a slide-out shelf includes a plurality of side supports configured to support the shelf, a positive stop extending along each of the side supports, and a plurality of support members configured to rigidly connect the side supports and contact at least a portion of the shelf thereby blocking forward movement of the shelf.
Abstract: The steampath for a steam turbine includes stacked stator rings each mounting inwardly directed nozzles and stacked rotor wheels each mounting outwardly directed buckets mounting blades. By alternately stacking the stator rings and rotor wheels, the nozzles and buckets of the various stages are interdigitated to form a steampath. Each bucket includes a blade and a root received in a generally complementary shaped groove on a wheel.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 24, 2005
Date of Patent:
September 18, 2007
Assignee:
General Electric Company
Inventors:
Christopher Walter Sullivan, Robert James Bracken, Jeffrey Robert Simkins, Stephen Roger Swan, David Orus Fitts, Ronald Wayne Korzun, John Thomas Murphy
Abstract: Disclosed herein are high refractive index monomers that are curable by ultraviolet light. These monomers may be a component of curable compositions useful in the preparation of optical articles. Also disclosed is a method of synthesizing the monomers.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
July 21, 2004
Date of Patent:
September 18, 2007
Assignee:
General Electric Company
Inventors:
Bret Ja Chisholm, Paul Michael Smigelski, Jr., James Edward Pickett
Abstract: A molded plastic lamp component includes, in an exemplary embodiment, a first portion formed from a first material having a first heat distortion temperature, and a second portion formed from a second material having a second heat distortion temperature. The first heat distortion temperature is higher than the second heat distortion temperature.
Abstract: Steam turbine bucket covers have forward and aft clearance surfaces on a pressure side edge of the cover, a contact surface between the clearance surfaces and an undercut fillet between the forward clearance surface and the contact surface. The adjoining bucket cover has forward and aft clearance surfaces, a contact surface between the clearance surfaces and an outside radius between the forward clearance surface and the contact surfaces along the suction side edge of the cover. The undercut fillet includes two different radii to minimize or eliminate fretting damage caused by high stresses in the interference fit between the contact surfaces of adjacent covers.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 19, 2005
Date of Patent:
September 18, 2007
Assignee:
General Electric Company
Inventors:
Kevin Joseph Barb, Robert Edward Deallenbach, William Hunter Boardman, IV
Abstract: A turbine blade with a tip squealer and method of rebuilding a turbine blade for a gas turbine engine. The blade is of the type including an airfoil having first and second spaced-apart sidewalls defining an interior void and joined at a leading edge and a trailing edge. The first and second sidewalls extending from a root disposed adjacent the dovetail to a tip cap for channeling combustion gases, and a squealer tip including at least one tip rib extending outwardly from the tip cap. The method includes the steps of removing the squealer tip, including the at least one rib tip, from the tip cap and adding new material to the tip cap to serve as a new squealer tip. A plurality of spaced-apart notches is formed in the new material between the leading edge and the trailing edge of the airfoil. At least one hole is formed in each notch communicating with the interior void of the airfoil for channeling cooling air from the interior void of the airfoil to thereby form a squealer tip.