Patents Assigned to The General Electric Company
  • Process for rapid on-demand stator rewinds in electrical generators
    Publication number: 20060070227
    Abstract: The process for stator bar rewinds includes disassembly of the stator bars at the generator site, measurement of the stator bars, forwarding digital representations of the measurements to a manufacturing center and forming 3-Dimensional models of the stator bars requiring replacement and the stator. The stator bar 3D model is placed in the stator 3D model to insure accuracy of fit. Tooling and stator bar drawings are generated and sample stator bars are manufactured. 3D modeling of the manufactured sample stator bars are compared to the nominal 3D models to insure accuracy. The replacement stator bars are manufactured and forwarded in batches for assembly into the extant generator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2004
    Publication date: April 6, 2006
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Mark Clough, Frank Garwatoski, Craig Wroblewski, Jeffery Henkel, William Newman
  • Systems, methods and apparatus for dual mammography image detection
    Publication number: 20060074287
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided by which a mammography imaging system offers X-ray and ultrasound imaging that allows sharing of common hardware such as the computer and display. Small regions of interest are imaged with X-ray at higher image quality by using a second sensor with higher DQE than the full-field sensor can obtain. In some embodiments a specialized chamber is provided for securing the anatomy to a fixed location, ultrasound image data is collected along with ultrasound probe location and orientation data from sensors on a handheld probe from which data images can be viewed directly, or used to reconstruct tomographic images of any desired cross-section, or used for various “3-D” image visualization methods. An imaging schedule defined by location and orientation of an ultrasound probe is used to generate a three-dimensional ultrasound image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2004
    Publication date: April 6, 2006
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David Neumann, Habib Vafi
  • Method and apparatus for metalworking using a coolant fluid
    Patent number: 7021994
    Abstract: A metal machining apparatus for removal of metal from a workpiece, that employs a laser-targeted coolant nozzle to apply coolant fluid to a machining tool, such as a grinding wheel, to remove metal from a workpiece. The laser-targeted coolant nozzle has a coolant nozzle body having a flow passage for the coolant fluid, and a laser bore through which a visible laser can be inserted. The visible laser cooperates with a positioning feature on the nozzle body for visually positioning the coolant nozzle relative to the grinding wheel. When the laser is removed and replaced with a seal plug, the stream of cooling fluid passing through the flow passage can be directed accurately at the grinding wheel for improved workpiece grinding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert Allan Ahti, Larisa Alexandra Elman, Norman Stanton Baylis
  • System and method for melting ice in an exhaust tube of a container holding helium
    Patent number: 7024106
    Abstract: A system and a method for melting ice that has formed in an exhaust tube operably coupled to a container holding helium are provided. The exhaust tube is configured to exhaust pressurized helium from the container. The method includes determining when a pressure level in the container is greater than a threshold pressure level. The method further includes applying heat energy to the exhaust tube to melt ice in the exhaust tube to thereby allow pressurized helium to exit the container through the exhaust tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Peter John Feenan
  • Combinations of resin compositions and methods of use thereof
    Patent number: 7022410
    Abstract: A composition for use as underfill material is provided. The underfill material includes a first curable transparent resin composition and a second curable fluxing resin composition. The first curable resin composition includes at least one aromatic epoxy resin in combination with a solvent, a functionalized colloidal silica dispersion, and at least one other component selected from the group consisting of cycloaliphatic epoxy monomers, aliphatic epoxy monomers, hydroxy aromatic compounds and combinations and mixtures thereof, thereby forming a solvent-modified resin. The second curable fluxing composition includes at least one epoxy resin. The combination of the two resin compositions is useful in producing underfill materials and is suitable for use as an encapsulant for electronic chips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sandeep Shrikant Tonapi, John Campbell, Ryan Mills, Ananth Prabhakumar, Slawomir Rubinsztajn
  • Europium-activated phosphors containing oxides of rare-earth and group-IIIB metals and method of making the same
    Patent number: 7022263
    Abstract: Europium-activated phosphors comprise oxides of at least a rare-earth metal selected from the group consisting of gadolinium, yttrium, lanthanum, and combinations thereof and at least a Group-IIIB metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, gallium, indium, and combinations thereof. A method for making such phosphors comprises adding at least a halide of at least one of the selected Group-IIIB metals in a starting mixture. The method further comprises firing the starting mixture in an oxygen-containing atmosphere. The phosphors produced by such a method exhibit improved absorption in the UV wavelength range and improved quantum efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Holly Ann Comanzo, Anant Achyut Setlur, Alok Mani Srivastava
  • Fluid passages for power generation equipment
    Patent number: 7022429
    Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell is provided wherein the solid oxide fuel cell comprises a thermal management section and an electrolytic section disposed adjacent the thermal management section wherein a plurality of concavities are disposed on at least one of the thermal management and electrolytic sections so as to cause hydrodynamic interactions and affect the heat transfer rate between a fluid and the concavities when the fluid is disposed over the concavities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Ronald Scott Bunker
  • Method and apparatus for reduction of artifacts in computed tomography images
    Patent number: 7023951
    Abstract: A method and computer-readable medium for reducing artifacts in image data generated by a computed tomography system is provided. The artifacts are due to the presence of a high density object in a subject of interest. The method comprises receiving measured sinogram data from the computed tomography system. The sinogram data is representative of sinogram elements. The measured sinogram data is reconstructed to generate initial reconstructed image data. Then corrected sinogram data is generated using the measured sinogram data. The corrected sinogram data is iteratively reconstructed to generate an improved reconstructed image data based on a weight measure derived from the measured sinogram data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Bruno De Man
  • System and method for managing two or more locomotives of a consist
    Patent number: 7021588
    Abstract: The system and method for controlling a consist of at least first and second locomotives having discrete operating modes. The method comprises receiving a control command and determining a power operating mode of the first locomotive and a power operating mode of the second locomotive as a function of the control command and an optimization parameter. The power operating mode of the second locomotive is different as compared to the power operating mode of the first locomotive in at least one mode of operation of the method. The method further comprises controlling the first locomotive responsive to the power operating mode of the first locomotive and controlling the second locomotive responsive to the power operating mode of second locomotive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Gerald James Hess, Jr., Jan Alan Nagle, Shuo Chen, Randall Slomski, Ajith Kuttannair Kumar
  • Control system for optimizing the operation of two or more locomotives of a consist
    Patent number: 7021589
    Abstract: A system for controlling, a response to an operator, a consist of at least first and second locomotives having discrete operating modes. The system comprises an operator control, a first controller, a second controller, and a communication link. Alternatively, the system and method includes control modules which may be retrofitted to an existing consist control. The power operating modes of the locomotives within a consist are selected to optimize the operation of the consist. The operation of the consist may be optimized for any number of factors including optimizing for braking capacity, as a function of the location, base on a performance parameter which is a function of a performance profile or the location of a crew member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Gerald James Hess, Jr., Jan Alan Nagle, Shuo Chen
  • Method of adjusting the emission rate of radiation from a source of radiation
    Patent number: 7023960
    Abstract: To adjust the emission rate of radiation from an X-ray tube, the value of the current of the X-ray tube is modeled empirically by a second-order polynomial function depending on the heating current and a first-order polynomial function depending on the high voltage. A transfer function gives precision closer than 3% for the adjusting of an expected tube current. This function can also be used to take account of disparities of manufacture and of the aging of the tubes in use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Patrick Chretien
  • Methods and apparatus for electronically modeling aircraft engine harnesses
    Patent number: 7024341
    Abstract: A modeling system that converts a three-dimensionally defined aircraft engine harness in a two-dimensional electronic model, a process known as unfolding, is described. The modeling system electronically unfolds the three-dimensionally defined harness to create a two-dimensional representation, while simultaneously determining a plurality of design parameters. The drawing and the design parameters are displayed in a format that may be used for inspection purposes and manufacturing purposes. More specifically, the modeling system determines branch angles, wire lengths, and a plurality of angles of the three-dimensionally defined harness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Patrick Barrow, Dustin Lee Meyers, James Stephen Hoelle, Kenneth Alvin Jungeberg
  • Method and system of MR imaging with reduced radial ripple artifacts
    Patent number: 7023207
    Abstract: A method and system of MR imaging is disclosed that enables PROPELLER imaging to be feasibly carried out independently of slice orientation or anatomy of interest. The invention is directed to the acquisition of blades of MR data that are rotated about a central region of k-space and reconstructing an image of arbitrary slice orientation from the blades of MR data that is substantially absent of radial ripple artifacts caused by phase aliasing from tissue outside the field of view in the slice plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ajeetkumar Gaddipati, Robert Donald Peters, Michael R. Hartley
  • Permanent magnet assembly and method of making thereof
    Patent number: 7023309
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus, such as an MRI system, contains at least one layer of soft magnetic material between the yoke and each permanent magnet. This imaging apparatus may be operated without pole pieces due to the presence of the soft magnetic material. The permanent magnets may be fabricated by magnetizing unmagnetized alloy bodies after the unmagnetized alloy bodies have been attached to the yoke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Evangelos Trifon Laskaris, Michael Anthony Palmo, Kathleen Melanie Amm, Paul Shadforth Thompson
  • Solenoid control using voltage control of freewheel current decay
    Patent number: 7023682
    Abstract: In a vehicle fuel-injection system, additional voltage is applied to an otherwise current-controlled valve solenoid so as to increase the time window over which freewheeling current in the solenoid decreases from a pull-in level to a hold level. The time during which the Beginning of Injection Pulse (BIP) signal is detected is thereby increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Thomas Dovheim
  • Methods for low-cost estimation of steam turbine performance
    Patent number: 7021126
    Abstract: A method for determining efficiency of an installed steam turbine includes estimating, at a first plurality of times, a first mean value and a first variance of at least one performance variable of the steam turbine utilizing a set of station sensors. The method further includes estimating, at a second plurality of times including times encompassing at least some of the first plurality of times, a second mean value and a second variance of the at least one performance variable utilizing a different set of sensors, wherein the different set of sensors includes precision sensors. A mapping function is determined between the first mean values and the second mean values using the first mean values, the first variances, the second mean values, and the second variances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Vivek Venugopal Badami, Jitendra Kumar
  • Static dissipating resin composition and methods for manufacture thereof
    Patent number: 7022764
    Abstract: A substantially transparent antistatic, impact resistant, molding composition comprises a miscible mixture of a polycarbonate resin and a cycloaliphatic polyester resin, and an antistatic polymeric material wherein the mixture of the polycarbonate and the cycloaliphatic polyester resin is present in suitable proportions for substantially matching the index of refraction of the antistatic polymeric material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Michael C. Murray
  • Combustor linear and method for making thereof
    Patent number: 7022940
    Abstract: A combustor liner is provided having first and second annular bands which define an overlapping circumferential joint area, wherein a weld is disposed in the joint area encompassing substantially all of the axial length of the joint area. A method for producing such a combustor liner is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Gilbert Farmer, James A. Groeschen, Ronald D. Redden, Shaun M. DeVane
  • Selective catalytic oxybromination of hydroxyaromatic compounds
    Patent number: 7022886
    Abstract: A method for selectively brominating hydroxyaromatic compounds is disclosed. Hydroxyaromatic compounds are contacted with oxygen and a bromine source, in an acidic medium, in the presence of a catalyst selected from the group of compounds and mixtures of compounds of Group IV–VIII transition metals of the Periodic Table of Elements. The selectivity of mono-brominated products produced, predominantly in the para-position, from the method using transition metal compounds as catalysts is significantly higher than that of known methods using other catalysts. Thus, there is a significant reduction in the production of undesirable dibrominated and more highly brominated by-products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Grigorii Lev Soloveichik
  • Methods and apparatus for operating a speedcooking oven
    Patent number: 7022957
    Abstract: A microwave choke assembly includes a microwave choke, a glass capture channel coupled to the microwave choke, and a gasket positioned at least partially within the glass capture channel, the glass capture channel and a window separated by a first distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Stephen Michael Bakanowski, David Laurence Kinny, Ronald Scott Tarr, Lawrence Michael Portaro, Sukumar Dhanpal Bargale