Patents Assigned to Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
  • Ceramic matrix composite turbine vane and method for making
    Patent number: 11162377
    Abstract: A turbine vane comprising ceramic matrix composite materials. The turbine vane includes an vane support core, an airfoil, and a pair of end walls that are spaced apart from one another to define a gas path. The turbine vane is formed from a plurality of ceramic plies or preforms that are infiltrated with ceramic matrix material to form a one-piece ceramic matrix composite turbine vane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce High Temperature Composites Inc., Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J. Shinavski, Thomas Tran, Kevin Lukhard, Ted J. Freeman, Steffan Brown
  • Bearing for use in high speed application
    Patent number: 11162535
    Abstract: A bearing system includes bearing unit and a side-jet injector. The bearing unit includes an outer race, a plurality of internal rotating components, and an inner race. The side-jet injector includes an injector for delivering a lubrication source to the plurality of rotating components to withdraw heat generated and lubricate the bearing unit during operation of the bearing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Phillip H. Burnside, Andrew Schwendenmann
  • Turbine vane doublet with ceramic matrix composite material construction
    Patent number: 11162372
    Abstract: The present disclosure is related to turbine vanes comprising ceramic matrix composite materials and vane ring assemblies including the same and adapted for use in gas turbine engines. The turbine vanes each include a platform that defines a gas path of the gas turbine engine and an airfoil that extends away from the platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Whittle, Ted J. Freeman
  • Encryption and security in a distributed control network
    Patent number: 11155338
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for controlling a component of an aircraft engine by communicating data over an inner control loop portion of a distributed engine control network for an aircraft; and controlling an operation of the aircraft engine by communicating encrypted data over an outer control loop portion of the distributed engine control network, wherein the data communicated over the inner control loop portion is unencrypted or encrypted with weaker encryption than the data communicated over the outer control loop portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignees: ROLLS-ROYCE NORTH AMERICAN TECHNOLOGIES INC., ROLLS-ROYCE CORPORATION
    Inventors: John Joseph Costello, Richard Joseph Skertic
  • Electrified mechanical control cables
    Patent number: 11155339
    Abstract: A first assembly can be configured to exert mechanical control forces on a second assembly through a tensioned and inelastic cable including steel. An electrical power source can be in electric communication with a first portion of the cable. An electrical power consumer can be in electric communication with a second portion of the cable. The cable can be a wire rope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: David Russell Trawick
  • Pinned platform for blade with circumferential attachment
    Patent number: 11156111
    Abstract: A wheel assembly for a gas turbine engine includes a disk, a plurality of blades, and a platform system that includes a plurality of platforms and pins. The disk is configured to rotate about an axis during operation of the gas turbine engine. The blades each include a circumferentially extending root received in the disk and an airfoil that extends radially away from the root. The platforms are arranged around the wheel to define a flow path of the gas turbine engine and the pins extend into the platforms and the disk to couple the platforms with the disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron D. Sippel, Ted J. Freeman, Loic Fabries
  • Electrical architecture for hybrid propulsion
    Patent number: 11159024
    Abstract: An example hybrid aircraft propulsion system includes a plurality of electrical busses comprising a propulsion bus, a critical bus, and a non-critical bus; an electrical energy storage system coupled to each of the plurality of electrical busses; one or more power units configured to generate and output electrical energy via the propulsion bus; one or more electrical machines configured to drive respective propulsors using electrical energy received via the propulsion bus; one or more hotel loads configured to receive energy via the non-critical bus; and one or more critical loads configured to receive energy via the critical bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen Andrew Long
  • Systems and methods of reducing distortions of the inlet airflow to a turbomachine
    Patent number: 11149639
    Abstract: Systems and methods of conditioning inlet air flow in a turbine engine. Where distortions in uniformity of inlet air flow are caused at least in part by the interaction of the air flow with the air inlet duct, a method of adaptively removing the distortions prior to the compressor stage comprises determining the distortion in the airflow; exposing the airflow to a plurality of correction vanes; and positioning the plurality of correction vanes based at least upon the determined distortion. An inlet conditioner system comprises an adaptable conditioning grid located within an air passage; a sensor suite configured to sense a characteristic of the airflow within the air passage; and a control system operably connected to the sensor suite and the adaptable conditioning grid. The control system may be adapted to configure the adaptable conditioning grid based on a sensed characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Robert T. Duge
  • Closed compressed gas power and thermal management system
    Patent number: 11149635
    Abstract: System and methods are provided that use a recharge device to resupply a reservoir and tank with fluids used to power a turbine, which in turn powers a generator, wherein one of the resupplied fluids is used to cool a load that is powered by the generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE NORTH AMERICAN TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: Michael Karam, Kaare Erickson, Robert Duge
  • Airfoil assembly with ceramic matrix composite parts and load-transfer features
    Patent number: 11149560
    Abstract: An airfoil assembly includes a vane that includes an outer platform, an inner platform, and an airfoil. The outer platform defines an outer boundary of a gas path. The inner platform is spaced apart axially from the outer platform relative to an axis and defines an inner boundary of the gas path. The airfoil extends axially between and interconnects the outer platform and the inner platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Whittle, Daniel K. Vetters, Ted J. Freeman, Eric Koenig, Jeff Crutchfield, Jeffrey A. Walston, David J. Thomas
  • Nose cone and fan assembly
    Patent number: 11143103
    Abstract: A nose cone and fan assembly are disclosed. The fan assembly comprises a fan rotor and a nose cone retention flange. The fan rotor at least partly defines a fan assembly air flow boundary surface. The nose cone retention flange extends from the fan rotor and comprises a retention flange air flow boundary surface adjacent the fan assembly air flow boundary surface and a nose cone mating surface. The nose cone comprises a nose cone flange having a rotor mating surface. The nose cone is affixed to the nose cone retention flange with the rotor mating surface overlaying the nose cone mating surface of the nose cone retention flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignees: ROLLS-ROYCE CORPORATION, ROLLS-ROYCE NORTH AMERICAN TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: Kerry Lighty, Melissa Hughes
  • Tip clearance sensor system with an integral patch antenna array
    Patent number: 11145960
    Abstract: A patch antenna array sensor is provided. The patch antenna array sensor includes a ceramic matrix composite body in which a patch antenna array is embedded, wherein the patch antenna array sensor is configured to detect blade tip clearance or some other aspect of one or more blades in a gas turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignees: ROLLS-ROYCE NORTH AMERICAN TECHNOLOGIES INC., ROLLS-ROYCE CORPORATION
    Inventors: John Joseph Costello, Richard Joseph Skertic, Glen Steven Bishop, Geoffrey L. Gatton
  • Turbine wheel assembly with offloaded platforms and ceramic matrix composite blades
    Patent number: 11131203
    Abstract: A wheel assembly for a gas turbine engine includes a disk, a plurality of blades, and a plurality of platforms. The disk is configured to rotate about an axis during operation of the gas turbine engine. Each of the plurality of blades includes a root received in the disk and an airfoil that extends radially away from the root. The platforms are arranged around the blades to define a boundary of a flow path of the gas turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron D. Sippel, Ted J. Freeman
  • Systems and methods of optimizing cooling and providing useful heating from single phase and two phase heat management in propulsion systems
    Patent number: 11130582
    Abstract: Systems and methods of heat management of turbine engines including turbofans, turboprops and turboshafts and fan driven propulsion systems. The propulsion system may comprise a fan, nacelle, an electrical or mechanical heat source and a cooling system consisting of heat exchangers in the fan duct and on the nacelle and coolant pumps. The heat source can be a motor or a generator or turbine machinery or accessories rotationally coupled to rotating shafts. The heat management system transfers heat to the air in the fan flow path to provide additional fan thrust. The heat management system also transfers heat to structural members in the gas flow path that require anti-icing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignees: ROLLS-ROYCE CORPORATION, ROLLS-ROYCE NORTH AMERICAN TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: Alan Smith, Paul O'Meallie
  • Low pressure generator for gas turbine engine
    Patent number: 11130456
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine and methods of operation include a low pressure electric motor-generator arranged for selective operation in a generator mode to generate electrical power or a drive mode to assist rotation of a low pressure drive shaft of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Donald Klemen, Michael J. Armstrong
  • Embedded electric generator in turbine engine
    Patent number: 11131208
    Abstract: A turbine engine is described that includes an intake, an inlet duct configured to receive fluid from the intake, and an outer bypass duct configured to receive fluid from the intake. The turbine engine further includes a drive shaft, a tower shaft mechanically coupled to the drive shaft, and an electric generator mechanically coupled to the tower shaft. The electric generator is located between the inlet duct and the outer bypass duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Bradley Eugene Auker, Edward Claude Rice
  • Turbine shroud cartridge assembly with sealing features
    Patent number: 11131215
    Abstract: A turbine shroud assembly for use with a gas turbine engine includes a blade track segment coupled to a carrier segment, and a sheet-metal seal that seals therebetween. The blade track segment includes a shroud wall that extends circumferentially partway around an axis and an attachment feature that extends radially outward from the shroud wall. The carrier is coupled with the attachment feature to support the blade track segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc., Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Ted J. Freeman, David J. Thomas, Jeffrey A. Walston, Aaron D. Sippel
  • Turbine shroud segment with side perimeter seal
    Patent number: 11125100
    Abstract: A turbine shroud segment of a turbine shroud for use in a turbine of a gas turbine engine is disclosed herein. The turbine shroud segment includes a carrier segment and a blade track segment. The carrier segment includes metallic materials. The blade track segment includes ceramic matrix composite materials. A seal is arranged between the carrier segment and the blade track segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Mark O'Leary, Daniel K. Vetters
  • Protection coordination technique for power converters
    Patent number: 11121542
    Abstract: A control unit of an electrical system is described. The control unit causes some of the switches in a power converter of the electrical system to not be shut down and not conducting upon detection of a fault current caused by a line-to-line fault. Instead, the control unit causes at least one of the switches to be switched-on and conducting to allow the some of the fault current to flow through the at least one switch, before activating a protection device that creates an open circuit and breaks the fault.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: David Loder, David Russell Trawick
  • Heat exchanger integrated with fuel nozzle
    Patent number: 11118784
    Abstract: Fuel-air heat exchange system and methods thereof for use in a gas turbine engine. The fuel-air heat exchanger allows heat transfer between a flow of cooling air used to cool components of the engine and a flow of fuel used to drive the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick C. Sweeney, Douglas J. Snyder