Patents Assigned to Rolls-Royce plc
  • Patent number: 9347855
    Abstract: An inspection arrangement including an inspection element and a positioning tool for positioning the inspection element, the inspection element being attachable to the positioning tool by an attachment arrangement, and having a fixing element to present the inspection element in use, the fixing element including a plurality of radially extending resilient elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: James Kell, Thomas Frederick Danvers, Mark Richard Chetwyn
  • Patent number: 9347337
    Abstract: A clamp suitable for use in an anti-icing system of a gas turbine engine is provided is disclosed. The clamp has a clasping portion for clasping a heating element. Two resilient arms extend from the clasping portion to a substantially rigid outer collar. Translational movement of the clasping portion, which may be created by radial expansion of an annular heating element being clasped thereby, can be accommodated by the clamp by elastic deformation of the resilient arms. This allows radial expansion of the heating element to be accommodated without relative rotation between the clasping portion and the heating element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Andrew Kenneth Hindle, Benjamin Thomas Littley, Alana Johnson, Keith Adam Lambert
  • Patent number: 9346119
    Abstract: An assembly configured to modify a surface or feature of a workpiece by hot isostatic pressing. The assembly comprising: a flexible membrane adapted to at least partially form an enclosure around the workpiece; and a former for placement adjacent to the workpiece, the former being configured to modify the surface or feature of the workpiece. A method of modifying a surface or feature of a workpiece, the workpiece having been previously formed by an additive manufacturing technique, by hot isostatic pressing. The method comprising: placing the previously-formed workpiece adjacent to a former adapted to modify the surface or feature of the workpiece; enclosing the workpiece in an enclosure at least partially formed by a membrane; and performing a hot isostatic pressing process on the workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Stephen J. Wilkinson, Jonathan M. Taylor
  • Patent number: 9347118
    Abstract: A molybdenum based alloy composition including between 15% and 20% niobium and 0.05% and 0.25% carbon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Bryce David Conduit, Gareth John Conduit, Howard James Stone, Mark Christopher Hardy
  • Patent number: 9346551
    Abstract: A fuselage mounted gas turbine engine installation the installation includes at least one propeller stage and a gas turbine core arranged in use to drive the propeller stage. The core is external to the fuselage and the rotational axes of the core and propeller stage are offset with respect to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: Richard Geoffrey Stretton
  • Publication number: 20160139087
    Abstract: Determining magnitude of a field variable of an energy wave through domain of interest, including steps of: defining plurality of master-particles spaced within domain, master-particles being representative of field variables of energy wave at location of respective master-particle, and defining supporting domain ?m for each master-particle; computing field variables including position, magnitude and direction of propagation of each master-particle at predetermined time; defining plurality of virtual-particles within domain representative of magnitude of field variable of wave at location of respective virtual-particle; calculating magnitude uv of field variable of each virtual-particle at time of interest by applying formula: u v = ? m = 1 N ? ? u m ? f ? ( q ? ? 1 ) × g ? ( q ? ? 2 ) Where ? ? v ? ? ? m where N is total number of master-particles, um is magnitude of respective master-particle, f(q1) is an envelope function relating magnitude of virtua
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2015
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Mani SEETHAPATHY, Sree Vamsi TAMMINENI, Stephen Samuel WISEALL, David Cameron WRIGHT, Craig Brian CHAPMAN, Pathmeswaran RAJU
  • Patent number: 9341511
    Abstract: A method is provided for identifying resonant frequency vibration events in an assembly of rotating blades mounted on a rotor. A plurality of circumferentially spaced stationary timing probes associated with the blades detect the times at which the blades pass the respective probes. The method includes the steps of: obtaining blade timings detected by the probes, determining, for successive rotations of the assembly, respective correlation factors for one or more of the blades, each correlation factor quantifying the degree of correlation between the blade timings detected by the probes for a particular blade on a particular rotation and the blade timings detected by the probes for that blade on the previous rotation and identifying a resonant vibration event when the one or more correlation factors cross a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Peter Russhard, Jason D. Back
  • Patent number: 9341076
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine control system comprising a variable stator vane schedule for normal operation of the gas turbine engine. The system is configured to generate an arm signal indicating potential shaft break. Then the system is configured to alter the variable stator vane schedule to slew each variable stator vane to decrease the available surge margin in response to the arm signal. Or the system is configured to limit a response rate of a variable stator vane actuator in response to the arm signal. Or the system is configured to alter the variable stator vane schedule and limit the response rate of the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Arthur L. Rowe, Christopher Redfern
  • Patent number: 9338830
    Abstract: A raft assembly for a gas turbine engine is provided. The raft assembly includes a rigid raft formed of a rigid material that has an electrical system and/or a fluid system embedded therein. The raft assembly further includes one or more clamps for mounting tubular members to the raft. The or each clamp has a first clamp block and a second clamp block which, in use, clamp together to grip a tubular member between the blocks. The first block is fixed to the raft. The or each clamp further has a fastener operatively extending between the blocks. The fastener is tightenable to apply a clamping load between the blocks, and releasable to remove the clamping load such that the second block can be moved relative to the first block to allow the tubular member to be received between or removed from between the blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Paul Broughton, Richard Peace, Gary Alan Skinner, Robin Charles Kennea
  • Patent number: 9329377
    Abstract: A boroscope has a first end and a second end, and the first end of the boroscope has an optical fiber and light source. A working head is attached to the first end of the boroscope. The working head has an electrical motor, and a tool is attached to and is arranged to be driven by the electrical motor. The boroscope carries a cable extending from the electrical motor to the second end of the boroscope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: James Kell, Thomas Danvers, Peter Russhard, Clive Mark Beech, Graeme Rigg, Ian McGill
  • Patent number: 9330231
    Abstract: A method for determining a flow behavior of a medium uses at least one analysis device placed inside the medium. The at least one analysis device is freely moveable in the medium and supplies data characterizing at least one property of the medium flow behavior to a data evaluation device. The at least one property of the medium flow behavior is determined by the data evaluation device on the basis of the data in selected areas or in all areas through which the at least one analysis device flows with the medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG, Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: Goetz G. Feldmann, Kelvin Hau-Kong Chan
  • Patent number: 9328662
    Abstract: An initial geometry for a nacelle provides an intake at the upstream end of the nacelle and an exhaust at the downstream end of the nacelle. The intake has in flow series, an intake lip and a diffuser. The intake lip has a highlight defining the boundary between the inner and outer surfaces of the intake lip. On all longitudinal sections containing the axis of the engine (i) the inner and outer surfaces are tangency matched at the highlight, and (ii) the inner and outer surfaces have their maximum curvatures at the highlight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Angus Roy Smith, Dimitris Arzoglou
  • Patent number: 9327446
    Abstract: A joint including a substrate, optionally a metal substrate, and a body of material joined to the substrate, the body of material typically having a composite portion. An outer surface of the substrate is provided with a fastening projection for fastening the substrate to body of material, where the fastening projection has a stem and a plurality of branches having dendritic geometry projecting into the material of the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Daniel Clark, Ian Colin Deuchar Care, Jeffrey Allen
  • Patent number: 9328978
    Abstract: The invention relates to a heat exchanger 10, comprising: a first unit 12 having a first conduit 16 for passing a flow of a first fluid through the first unit 12; a second unit 14 having a second conduit 28 for passing a flow of a second fluid through the second unit 28, wherein the flow of the first fluid is isolated from the second unit 14 and the flow of the second fluid is isolated from the first unit 12; and, a third conduit 40 connecting the first 12 and second 14 units, wherein the third conduit 40 is for carrying a flow of an intermediate fluid between the first 12 and second 14 units so as to transfer heat between the first fluid and the second fluid, when in use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: Ajith Appukuttan, Yi Wang
  • Patent number: 9321538
    Abstract: This invention relates to a superconducting electrical network, comprising: an electrical system including a plurality of superconducting electrical equipment; a cryogenic system including one or more refrigeration units for providing coolant to the plurality of superconducting electrical equipment; a controller configured to control the flow of coolant to the plurality of superconducting electrical equipment, wherein the controller is configured to isolate the supply of refrigerant to one or more of the plurality of electrical equipment upon demand and increase the flow of coolant to one or more of the non-isolated plurality of electrical equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: Huw Llewelyn Edwards
  • Patent number: 9322332
    Abstract: This invention relates to an internal combustion engine having a cavity for inspection, comprising: an inspection device mounted within a housing, the housing at least partially located within the cavity to be inspected and having a shutter which is actuable between a closed configuration and an open configuration; and an actuation mechanism for moving the shutter between the closed configuration and the open configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: James Kell, Adriano Pulisciano, Thomas Frederick Danvers, Graeme Eric Rigg
  • Publication number: 20160108817
    Abstract: A ducted fan gas turbine engine has a propulsive fan, a fan case surrounding the fan, a core engine, and a plurality of support structures which transmit loads from the core engine to the fan case. Each support structure has two support struts which extend from the core engine to a joint radially outwardly of the fan case. The support struts are spaced apart at the core engine but converge to meet at the joint. Each support structure further has two structural elements which extend from the joint to respective fixing positions on the fan case at opposite sides of the joint.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Publication date: April 21, 2016
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: Adam M. BAGNALL
  • Patent number: 9316118
    Abstract: A bearing chamber apparatus (2) comprising a bearing chamber (4) having one or more seals (7) which seal an interior (5) of the chamber from an exterior (24) of the chamber; and further comprising: a pump in fluid communication with the interior of the chamber; and a controllable valve (20) in fluid communication with the interior of the chamber and the outside atmosphere. The arrangement allows oil leakage from the bearing chamber to be prevented and also allows a minimum pressure to be maintained within the bearing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Aida Alvarez, Yi Wang, Lee A Clark
  • Patent number: 9316231
    Abstract: A catcher ring assembly (170) configured to limit axial movement of a turbomachine shaft assembly (132, 132?) during a failure mode, the catcher ring assembly comprising a catcher ring (172) disposable about and connectable to the shaft assembly, wherein one of the shaft assembly and the catcher ring comprises a protrusion (194, 182) and the other of the shaft assembly and the catcher ring comprises a recess (192, 184), the recess corresponding in shape to the protrusion, wherein the protrusion and recess are circumferentially disposed about a longitudinal axis of the shaft assembly and the protrusion extends in an axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: Paul Simms
  • Publication number: 20160102751
    Abstract: A fluid transfer coupling includes a first and second shaft assembly. The first shaft assembly includes a shaft and annular fin attached to shaft, annular fin having one or more internal passages extending therethrough. The or each internal passage connects a centre portion of shaft to a radially outwardly facing side of annular fin. The second shaft assembly includes a shaft and annular trough extending radially outwardly of shaft. The first shaft is concentrically accommodated within second shaft with annular fin being accommodated within annular trough. In use, first shaft assembly rotates at a first rotational speed and second shaft assembly rotates at a second rotational speed, with second rotational speed being greater than first rotational speed. The difference between second and first rotational speeds cause a fluid contained within annular trough to be driven radially inwardly through the or each internal passage to centre portion of first shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2015
    Publication date: April 14, 2016
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: David Peter SCOTHERN