Patents Assigned to Rolls-Royce plc
  • Composite component forming method
    Patent number: 10576696
    Abstract: A method of forming a fibre composite component (10), the method comprising: providing a plurality of first fibres (102), the first fibres (102) being arranged in a plurality of layers (104a-e) with an uncured thermoset resin matrix (106) being provided therebetween. The resin matrix (106) comprises a plurality of second electrically conductive fibres (108) suspended therein having a shorter length than the first fibres (102). The method comprises then applying an energy field to the resin matrix (106) to thereby align the second fibres (108) such that they provide an electrically conductive path between adjacent layers (104a-e) of first fibres (102) to form an electrically conductive fibre network comprising the first and second fibres (102, 108). The method comprises then inducing an electric current through the electrically conductive fibre network to thereby heat and cure the resin matrix (106).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: Paul Williams
  • Combustor blade and vane spacing for ice crystal protection for a gas turbine engine
    Patent number: 10578027
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a fan, compressor, combustor, and turbine coupled to the compressor through a shaft. The compressor includes first, second, and third stages with respective rotor blades and stator vanes. The rotor blades and stator vanes are arranged such that a sum of mid-span axial gaps between the trailing edge of the first rotor blades and the leading edge of the first stator vanes, the trailing edge of the first stator vanes and the leading edge of the second rotor blades, the trailing edge of the second rotor blades and the leading edge of the second stator vanes, and the trailing edge of the second stator vanes and the leading edge of the third rotor blades is equal to a × inlet ? ? flow ? ? function 10 . ? a ? 75 ? ? mm ? ? and ? ? the ? ? inlet ? ? flow ? ? function = m ? T P .
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Duncan A MacDougall, Ian J Bousfield
  • Gas turbine engine fan blade
    Patent number: 10577937
    Abstract: A fan blade is provided with an aerofoil portion for which, for cross-sections through the aerofoil portion at radii between 15% and 25% of the blade span from the root radius, the average leading edge thickness is greater than the leading edge thickness at the tip. The geometry of the fan blade may result in a lower susceptibility to flutter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Mark J. Wilson, Gabriel Gonzalez-Gutierrez, Marco Barale, Benedict Phelps, Kashmir S. Johal, Nigel H S Smith
  • TURBOMACHINERY
    Publication number: 20200063567
    Abstract: A turbomachine (105) configured to compress supercritical carbon dioxide is shown. The turbomachine comprises, in fluid flow series, an inlet (201), an inducerless radial impeller (202) having a plurality of blades, and a fully vaneless diffuser (203). The inlet is radially flared to induce a radial component in flow prior to an entry to the impeller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2019
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Martin N. GOODHAND, Ian M. BUNCE
  • TURBOMACHINERY
    Publication number: 20200063566
    Abstract: A turbomachine (105) configured to compress supercritical carbon dioxide is shown. The turbomachine comprises, in fluid flow series, an inlet (201), an inducerless radial impeller (202) having a plurality of blades, and a fully vaneless diffuser (203). The radius of the inlet (r0) is from 25 to 50 percent of the radius of the impeller (r2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2019
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Martin N. GOODHAND, Ian M. BUNCE
  • TURBOMACHINERY
    Publication number: 20200063739
    Abstract: A turbomachine (105) configured to compress supercritical carbon dioxide is shown. The turbomachine comprises, in fluid flow series, an inlet (201), an inducerless radial impeller (202) having a plurality of blades, a fully vaneless diffuser (203), and a volute (204) comprising a tongue and having a flow area at the tongue equal to that of the diffuser.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2019
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: Martin N GOODHAND
  • TURBOMACHINERY
    Publication number: 20200063568
    Abstract: A turbomachine (105) configured to compress supercritical carbon dioxide is shown. The turbomachine comprises, in fluid flow series, an inlet (201), an inducerless radial impeller (202) having a plurality of backswept blades (211,212) each of which have a blade exit angle (?2) of from ?50 to ?70 degrees, and a fully vaneless diffuser (203).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2019
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Martin N. GOODHAND, Ian M. BUNCE
  • TURBOMACHINERY
    Publication number: 20200063607
    Abstract: A turbomachine (105) configured to compress supercritical carbon dioxide is shown. The turbomachine comprises, in fluid flow series, an inlet (201), an inducerless radial impeller (202) having a plurality of blades, and a fully vaneless diffuser (203).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2019
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Martin N. GOODHAND, Ian M. BUNCE
  • Measuring surface roughness
    Patent number: 10571244
    Abstract: An imaging probe (102) for use in measuring surface roughness by angular speckle correlation is shown. The imaging probe comprises a first illumination fibre (201) to illuminate a sample location (103) on a surface, and having an input end for coupling of coherent light into the fibre, and an output end cleaved at an angle ?1, a second illumination fibre (202) to illuminate the sample location on the surface, and having an input end for coupling of coherent light into the fibre, and an output end cleaved at an angle ?2 that is different from ?1, and an image transmission system (204) for transmission of a speckle pattern caused by illumination of the sample location on the surface by coherent light from either the first illumination fibre or the second illumination fibre.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventors: Murukeshan Vadakke Matham, Kelvin H K Chan, Guru Prasad Arudi Subbarao, Prabhathan Patinharekandy, Aswin Haridas, Pulkit Kapur
  • Fixture for holding a part during a machining operation
    Patent number: 10569388
    Abstract: A fixture for holding a part comprises a frame supporting a guide plate. A controlled engagement device passes through the guide plate and is arranged to be advanced incrementally towards a first end of a fulcrum beam. A second end of the fulcrum beam is connected to a linkage arm, the linkage arm passing through a gap in the guide plate. An end of the linkage arm distal to the fulcrum beam has a swivel clamp mounted thereto. A support is arranged to face the swivel clamp and defines a space there between, the space being configured to receive a part to be clamped in the fixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: Christopher R Johnson
  • Stator vane arrangement and a method of casting a stator vane arrangement
    Patent number: 10570761
    Abstract: A stator vane arrangement for a turbomachine comprises a radially inner annular structure, a radially outer annular structure and a plurality of circumferentially spaced vanes extending radially between the inner annular structure and the outer annular structure. At least one of the vanes has a passage extending from the inner annular structure to the outer annular structure. The inner annular structure has at least one radially inwardly extending boss and each boss has a passage extending there-through. The passage in each boss is aligned with a corresponding passage in a vane. Each boss comprises a first portion having a first cross-sectional area and a second portion having a second cross-sectional area which is greater than the first cross-sectional area. The first portion of each boss is positioned between and interconnecting the second portion of the boss and the inner annular structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Richard R. Green, David Bexton
  • TURBINE-TIP CLEARANCE CONTROL SYSTEM OFFTAKE
    Publication number: 20200056496
    Abstract: A turbine-tip clearance control system offtake for a gas turbine engine, comprising: an air input duct in fluid communication with a compressor bleed air outlet, the air input duct comprising an exit aperture, the exit aperture defining an exit flow path for at least a portion of the air flowing in the air input duct during use of the gas turbine engine. The direction of airflow through the exit aperture, during use of the gas turbine engine, has at least a component that is anti-parallel to the direction of airflow in the air input duct in a region of the air input duct adjacent to the exit aperture. A turbine-tip clearance control system, a gas turbine engine for an aircraft and a method of supplying airflow to a turbine-tip clearance control system in a gas turbine engine are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2019
    Publication date: February 20, 2020
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Clare L. BEWICK, Robert GOULDS
  • FAN BLADE REMOVAL METHOD AND TOOLING
    Publication number: 20200056541
    Abstract: A tooling and a method for removing or mounting a fan blade from or to a fan disc of a ducted fan aeroengine are provided. The tooling comprises a cover adapted to be arranged on an inner wall of an air intake of the aeroengine and a boot adapted to be mounted on a leading edge tip of the blade and adapted to slide on the cover during removing or mounting the fan blade from or to the fan disc.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2019
    Publication date: February 20, 2020
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: Joseph B. COOPER
  • METHOD OF DETECTING ROTOR BLADE DAMAGE
    Publication number: 20200056501
    Abstract: A method of detecting rotor blade damage on a gas turbine engine is provided comprising the steps of taking an image of a rotor blade, processing the image to produce a blade profile using an edge detection algorithm and determining a rotor blade error by comparing the blade profile with a geometric model of a corresponding blade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2019
    Publication date: February 20, 2020
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: Benjamin J. EASTMENT
  • Fuel system with vacuum generator to purge fuel from fuel nozzles
    Patent number: 10563588
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine fuel system including a combustor with at least one fuel injector, a fuel manifold that supplies fuel to each injector, a drain tank in fluid communication with the fuel manifold, and a vacuum generator that selectively provides below atmospheric pressure to the drain tank and includes first and second chambers separated by a flexible diaphragm. The fuel system also includes a first check valve that allows one-way flow from the fuel manifold into the fuel injector, and a second check valve that allows one-way flow from the fuel injector to the fuel manifold. The vacuum generator reduces a pressure within the second chamber causing the diaphragm to increase a volume of the first chamber and reduce a volume of the second chamber, such that expanding the first chamber causes below atmospheric pressure in the drain tank and fuel manifold, and the second check valve opens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: Ian J Toon
  • Keystoned blade track
    Patent number: 10563535
    Abstract: A blade track for a gas turbine engine includes a plurality of blade track segments. The blade track segments are arranged circumferentially around a central axis to form the blade track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc., Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventors: Daniel K. Vetters, Aaron D. Sippel, David J. Thomas, Andrew J. Eifert, Paul A. Davis, Simon L. Jones, Peter Broadhead, Bruce E. Varney, Jeffrey A. Walston, Steven Hillier
  • Methods, apparatus, computer programs and non-transitory computer readable storage mediums for controlling a robot within a volume
    Patent number: 10563979
    Abstract: A method of controlling a robot within a volume, the method comprising: receiving a three dimensional model including a model of the robot and a model of the volume in which the robot is configured to move within; defining a plurality of positions within the model of the volume to which the robot is moveable to, the plurality of positions being identified by an operator; receiving scanned three dimensional data of the robot and at least a part of the volume; determining a transformation algorithm using the three dimensional model and the scanned three dimensional data; applying the transformation algorithm to one or more positions of the plurality of positions to provide one or more transformed positions; and controlling movement of the robot using one or more of the transformed positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventor: Neil K. Hastilow
  • Fan blade and method of manufacturing a fan blade
    Patent number: 10562241
    Abstract: The application describes methods of making composite bodies including fibre-reinforced composite material with carbon fibre reinforcement and also a metal-containing portion (4). The metal-containing portion (4) is formed by laying up metal reinforcement elements, such as tapes of titanium alloy, among the carbon fibre reinforcement tapes which make up the composite body. The proportion of metal reinforcement may increase progressively towards the surface and/or towards an edge (14) of the composite body. In an example, metal leading and trailing edges (14,15) of a fan blade (1) are integrally formed in this way.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: Robert C Backhouse
  • Annular combustion chamber wall arrangement
    Patent number: 10563866
    Abstract: An annular combustion chamber wall arrangement includes an annular wall and a plurality of tiles and each tile is secured to and is spaced from a further annular wall. The first surface of each tile faces the annular wall and the second surface of each tile faces away from the annular wall. Each tile has a plurality of pedestals extending away from the first surface towards the annular wall and/or a plurality of effusion cooling apertures extending through the tile from the first surface to the second surface. At least one of the tiles has the pedestals and/or the effusion cooling apertures arranged in a predetermined pattern which provides the tile with a more uniform stiffness in all directions to reduce the possibility of cracking of the tile. In one predetermined pattern the pedestals are arranged in a Fermat's (parabolic) spiral with the pedestals arranged with Fibonacci number ordering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: Quentin Luc Balandier, Douglas Alexander Chalmers
  • GAS TURBINE ENGINE MOUNTING ARRANGEMENT
    Publication number: 20200049022
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine (10) comprises a bypass duct cowl (21), an engine core housing (22) defining an engine core inlet, a bypass fan (13) and a plurality of outlet guide vanes (24). Each outlet guide vane 24 extends between a radially inner surface of the bypass duct cowl (21) and a radially outer surface of the engine core housing (22, 23) to define an outlet guide vane span (SPANOGV). The outlet guide vanes (24) are configured to support the engine core housing (22, 23) relative to the bypass duct cowl (21). The bypass fan (13) and an engine core inlet (34) define a bypass ratio between 10 and 17, and a ratio of the outlet guide vane span (OGVSPAN) to a bypass fan radius (RFAN) is between 0.45 and 0.55.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2019
    Publication date: February 13, 2020
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Richard G. STRETTON, Steven A. RADOMSKI