Patents Examined by Alexander White
  • Patent number: 10495092
    Abstract: Disclosed is an impeller for a pump for conveying waste water having a support body which can be rotated about an axis of rotation (A) and on which two blades for conveying are provided, wherein the blades each have an inlet region which extends from an inlet edge up to an apex, wherein the wall thickness increases at its end side remote from the support body in the inlet region from the inlet edge and reaches its maximum value at the apex, wherein the blade converges in the inlet region in an axial direction from the support body to the end side with respect to the wall thickness. A base plate is furthermore proposed for interaction with such an impeller as well as a pump for conveying waste water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Sulzer Management AG
    Inventors: Kais Haddad, Horst-Paul Klein
  • Patent number: 10494935
    Abstract: A blade track for a gas turbine engine includes segments and joints that couple the segments together. Each segment extends part-way around a central axis of the engine and the joints couple together adjacent segments to form a full hoop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc., Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventors: Aaron D. Sippel, Daniel K. Vetters, Jun Shi, David J. Thomas, Andrew J. Eifert, Peter Broadhead
  • Patent number: 10487661
    Abstract: A power turbine includes a first stage vane having an airfoil with a cold un-coated nominal profile substantially in accordance with at least an intermediate portion of the Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y and Z set forth in Table 2. The X and Y values are distances, which when smoothly connected by an appropriate continuing curve, define airfoil profile sections at each distance Z. The profile sections at each distance Z are joined smoothly to one another to form a complete airfoil shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventors: Krishan Mohan, Panagiota Tsifourdaris
  • Patent number: 10487795
    Abstract: A hydroelectric power system includes a fluid channel having a bottom surface and side walls configured to form a fluid passage, a upraised curved lip integral with the bottom surface and configured to form a cavity, and a turbine in fluid communication with the fluid channel, the turbine being configured to fit at least partially within the cavity of the upraised curved lip. A method includes creating a spatial fluid flow of the fluid traveling through the fluid channel with the upraised curved lip and creating electrical power via the turbine with the fluid passing over the upraised curved lip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Inventor: Soheil Nashtahosseini
  • Patent number: 10480342
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a turbine having a plurality of vanes, a plurality of blades, a turbine shroud arranged around the vanes and blades, and a turbine case arranged around the turbine shroud. The turbine shroud is sized to block combustion products from passing over the blades without pushing the blades to rotate. The turbine shroud includes a runner arranged around the blades and a carrier arranged around the runner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Bruce E. Varney, Jack D. Petty, Daniel K. Vetters, Eugene Clemens
  • Patent number: 10473088
    Abstract: The present subject matter is directed to a system and method for operating a wind turbine so as to increase power production by utilizing variable tip-speed-ratio control. In one embodiment, the method includes defining a first operating region associated with an unsaturated torque range and a second operating region associated with a saturated torque range. Further, the method includes monitoring a torque output of the wind turbine. The method also includes continuously adjusting a tip-speed-ratio set point of the wind turbine so as to operate the wind turbine along a torque constraint boundary of the first and second operating regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Bernardo Adrian Movsichoff
  • Patent number: 10458268
    Abstract: A turbine shroud adapted to extend around a bladed turbine wheel to block gasses from passing over the bladed turbine wheel is disclosed. In a segmented embodiment, each turbine shroud segment may include a carrier segment and a blade track segment. The carrier segment may comprise metallic materials and may be formed to define an attachment-receiving space. The blade track segment may comprise ceramic matrix composite materials and may be formed to include an attachment portion that extends radially outward from the runner into the attachment-receiving space formed by the carrier segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Mark O'Leary
  • Patent number: 10443384
    Abstract: A device for converting the kinetic energy of molecules into useful work includes an actuator configured to move within a fluid or gas due to collisions with the molecules of the fluid or gas. The actuator has dimensions that subject it to the Brownian motion of the surrounding molecules. The actuator utilizes objects having multiple surfaces where the different surfaces result in differing coefficients of restitution. The Brownian motion of surrounding molecules produce molecular impacts with the surfaces. Each surface then experiences relative differences in transferred energy from the kinetic collisions. The sum effect of the collisions produces net velocity in a desired direction. The controlled motion can be utilized in a variety of manners to perform work, such as generating electricity or transporting materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Inventor: Lee Ervin
  • Patent number: 10414486
    Abstract: In some embodiments, an airfoil comprises a proximal end; a distal end opposite said proximal end; a distal portion extending adjacent said distal end; an edge extending between said proximal end and said distal end; and a surface extending between said proximal end and said distal end, said edge and said surface defining a sweep and a cahedral through said distal portion, wherein the distal portion extends over an acoustically active portion of the airfoil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Trevor Howard Wood, Kishore Ramakrishnan
  • Patent number: 10400627
    Abstract: In one aspect the present subject matter is directed to a system for cooling a turbine engine. The system includes a cooling medium source, a stator vane having an internal flow passage that is in fluid communication with the cooling medium source and a turbine shroud assembly having an internal flow passage that is in fluid communication with the internal flow passage of the stator vane. The system allows for reduced peak thermal gradients between a cooling medium provided by the cooling medium source and various turbine hardware components such as the turbine shroud assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Wei Ning, Dennis Paul Dry, Mullahalli Venkataramaniah Srinivas
  • Patent number: 10400616
    Abstract: A turbine nozzle apparatus includes: a vane extending between inner and outer bands, the interior of the vane being open and communicating with an aperture in the outer band, wherein the vane and the bands are part of a monolithic whole of low-ductility material; a metallic baffle inside the vane, the baffle having upper and lower ends and a peripheral wall including a plurality of impingement holes defining an interior space, closed off by an end wall at the lower end; and a metallic retainer having a body with a shape generally matching the shape of the aperture, the body bearing against the upper end of the impingement baffle and being connected to the outer band by a plurality of mechanical fasteners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Michael Ray Tuertscher, Darell Glenn Senile, Greg Phelps
  • Patent number: 10352240
    Abstract: A gas turbine is provided including a rotor which includes a rotor portion of a fluid bearing for rotatably supporting the rotor, a radially outer stator portion, a radially inner stator portion including a stator portion of the fluid bearing, a compressor air passage extending between the radially outer stator portion and the radially inner stator portion, and an annular gap between the rotor and the radially inner stator portion partially forming an annular air passage in communication with the compressor air passage, wherein along a flow direction of air flowing within the annular air passage a radius of the air passage decreases in a first portion and then increases in a second portion. Further a method for operating a gas turbine is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Richard James, Philip Twell
  • Patent number: 10352325
    Abstract: The prior art has used pitched blades attached to a stationary motor, normally electric, to move air within the confines of a structure or room. The preferred invention incorporates a series of solid discs. The discs are affixed to a stationary electric motor and thus rotate around a central axis. The discs are equally spaced and centrally perforated in a manner that will allow air to flow in high volumes through the perforations and pass along the discs thus exiting symmetrically between each disc perpendicularly to the flow of air that is at its entrance. Due to the less restrictive or low pressure air entrance as well as the correct vertical disc spacing a corresponding increase in the laminar flow is realized. This feature of the preferred invention allows for operation at a rotational speed that is practical for use as a ceiling fan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: EXHALE FANS LLC
    Inventors: Nicolas A. Hiner, Richard W Halsall
  • Patent number: 10344666
    Abstract: A method can include applying a force to a control arm operatively coupled to a shaft; transmitting at least a portion of the force from the shaft, via an arm, to a plug positioned with respect to a wastegate seat of a turbine housing; maintaining an isostatic condition for relative positions of the shaft, the arm and the plug wherein contact exists between the plug and the wastegate seat; and in the isostatic condition, fixing the relative positions of the shaft, the arm and the plug via welding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Garrett Transportation I Inc.
    Inventors: Manuel Marques, Stephane Dieudonne, Frederic Bachard
  • Patent number: 10336419
    Abstract: Shock absorbing hub assemblies and methods of making the same for marine propulsion devices having a propeller shaft and propeller. The assembly has an adapter component having an inner bore that engages the propeller shaft's splined outer surface and having a body with axially extending engagement surfaces on one end and an elastic hub component on an opposite end. The elastic hub component has planar outer engagement surfaces that abut corresponding inner engagement surfaces on the propeller hub's inner bore. Upon initial propeller shaft rotation, the elastic hub component deflects and allows the adapter component to rotationally travel relative to the propeller hub while not rotating the propeller hub. Upon further rotation, the adapter component's axially extending engagement surfaces engage with the propeller hub to rotate the propeller hub. The elastic hub component has a spring rate small enough to reduce clutch rattle yet large enough to isolate transmission shift clunk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: BRUNSWICK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daniel J. Guse, Jeremy L. Alby, Jeffrey C. Etapa
  • Patent number: 10323652
    Abstract: A pump intake device comprising a main body which includes a side wall section having an inner side and an outer side, an intake section extending from the outer side of the side wall section and an intake passage extending through the intake section, the intake passage having an inner surface and an entry end and an exit end with a central axis extending between the entry and exit ends, a first portion of the inner surface having one or more first guides thereon for directing fluid passing through the intake passage so that in use said fluid leaves the exit end at the first portion with an exit angle which is inclined relative to the central axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: Weir Minerals Australia Ltd.
    Inventor: Craig Ian Walker
  • Patent number: 10316676
    Abstract: A sealing device for sealing between coaxial shafts of a turbomachine, the sealing device including an elastic ring having a circular central opening allowing a sliding connection with an internal shaft, an external surface configured to engage with an internal surface of a portion of an external shaft, two retaining components situated one on either side of the elastic ring and allowing the elastic ring an axial clearance, wherein the elastic ring is a profile section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventor: Jonathan Boris Baptista
  • Patent number: 10309235
    Abstract: A disclosed stator vane assembly includes a plurality of stator vane elements supported within a case about an axis. Each of the plurality of stator vane elements includes a platform having a recess on a first side and a tongue on a second side. The tongue overlaps a recess of an adjacent one of the plurality of stator vane elements with at least one of the recess and the tongue includes a crowned surface forming a seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Normand P. Jacques, Anthony R. Bifulco
  • Patent number: 10302094
    Abstract: An accessory blade attachment adapted to removably attach to a ceiling fan blade of a ceiling fan is provided. The accessory blade attachment may include a blade portion and a pivotally connected fan clip, wherein the fan clip removably attaches to the trailing edge of the ceiling fan blade so that the blade portion may improve the volume and direction of airflow generated by the ceiling fan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Inventor: Carlos Gomes
  • Patent number: 10287007
    Abstract: A rotorcraft including a rotor hub, a pitch housing moveable relative to the rotor hub about at least a feather axis and a flap axis, the pitch housing defining an internal volume, a bearing pin, the inboard end portion of the bearing pin being fixedly connected to the rotor hub, wherein the bearing pin defines the feather axis, a spherical bearing connected to the inboard end portion of the pitch housing and defining the flap axis, wherein the bearing pin extends through the spherical bearing, a rotor blade connected to the outboard end portion of the pitch housing, and a sensor assembly positioned in the internal volume and operatively connected to both the pitch housing and the outboard end portion of the bearing pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey M. Thomas, David Alderete, Richard Costello