Patents Examined by Andrew C Knopp
  • Patent number: 8388303
    Abstract: A gas turbine having a rotor which includes a turbine rotor, a shaft and a compressor rotor, the turbine rotor having at least one rotor disk and a rotor cone leading from the or a rotor disk to the shaft, the downstream end of the shaft being rotatably supported in a bearing having a bearing chamber, the interior space of the shaft being designed as a flow channel for bearing-chamber sealing air, and the space surrounding the rotor cone upstream of the same being designed as a flow space for cooling air is disclosed. In the region of the rotor connection, the shaft exhibits an expanded portion, at whose upstream end, openings are provided to allow cooling air to enter, and, at whose downstream end, openings are provided to allow cooling air to exit into the space between the bearing chamber and the rotor cone, a wall separating the streams of the cooling air and of the sealing air in the shaft interior from one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: MTU Aero Engines GmbH
    Inventors: Wilfried Weidmann, Moritz Wirth
  • Patent number: 8353670
    Abstract: A balancing weight clip for balancing a rotor assembly of a gas turbine engine which includes a weight portion, and a first flange engaging portion and a second flange engaging portion extending from the weight portion. The weight portion and the first and second flange engaging portions define a flange receiving opening for receiving a flange of a disc of the rotor assembly. The first flange engaging portion is provided with a detent facing the second flange engaging portion and engageable with a mating groove provided on a face of the flange. At least one of the first and second flange engaging portions is elastically deformable so that the first and second flange engaging portions are elastically moveable away from one another to removably receive the flange in the flange receiving opening and engage the detent with the mating groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventors: David F. Glasspoole, Rene Paquet
  • Patent number: 8353664
    Abstract: A turbocharger includes a turbine wheel mounted within a turbine housing and connected to a compressor wheel by a shaft. The turbine housing defines an exhaust gas inlet connected to a volute that surrounds the turbine wheel, and an axial bore through which exhaust gas that has passed through the turbine wheel is discharged from the turbine housing. The turbine housing further defines an annular bypass passage surrounding the bore and arranged to allow exhaust gas to bypass the turbine wheel. An annular bypass valve is disposed in the bypass passage. The bypass valve comprises a fixed annular valve seat and a rotary annular valve member arranged coaxially with the valve seat. The valve member is disposed against the valve seat and is rotatable about the axis for selectively varying a degree of alignment between respective orifices in the valve seat and valve member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Alain Lombard, Michael Ladonnet, Michel Thirion
  • Patent number: 8353671
    Abstract: A fan with pressurizing structure includes a rotor having a main body, blades spaced on the main body, a magnetic body annularly mounted in the main body, and a shaft axially connected to an inner side of the main body; a frame having a sleeve and at least one bearing rotatably received in the sleeve, and an opposing end of the shaft being inserted into the bearing; a stator assembly fitted around the sleeve and including silicon steel plates and a base plate; and a plurality of first pressurizing sections selectively provided on one of the base plate and an end face of the magnetic body. With the first pressurizing sections, deposition of moisture and salt fog in the sleeve and the rotor can be prevented to avoid corroded and damaged bearing and rotor shaft, and the service life of the whole fan is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Asia Vital Components Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Bor-Haw Chang, Shu-Fan Liu, Chang-Hsien Liu
  • Patent number: 8322979
    Abstract: The invention relates to a turbocharger (1) provided with a turbine housing (2) for turbine wheels, a cartridge (K) for the variable turbine geometry positioned in the turbine housing (2), a bearing housing (3) which is arranged between said turbine housing (2) and a compressor housing of the compressor wheel and in which a bearing arrangement for a shaft (W) carrying the turbine and compressor wheels is mounted and a pane system (4) placed between the cartridge (K) and the bearing housing (3). The inventive turbocharger is characterized in that said pane system (4) consists of at least two material layers (5, 6), an air gap (7) is formed between the material layers (5, 6), the materiel layer (5) is embodied in the form of a conical plate and the other material layer (6) is provided with a bend (8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventors: Stefan Walter, Volker Stiegler
  • Patent number: 8317465
    Abstract: A turbine engine that includes a vortex protrusion disposed upon a component that rotates during operation of the turbine engine; wherein the vortex protrusion includes an outer surface that is configured to induce a vortex flow pattern as the component rotates during operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Bruce L. Smith
  • Patent number: 8317480
    Abstract: A turbine assembly comprises 2 or more symmetrical vanes or blades attached to a centralized shaft. The assembly may be placed into a fluid current for transferring energy therefrom. Each blade has a scoop with a relatively broader span at the top end and a relatively narrow span at the bottom, which scoop-like vane or blade resembles an inverted tear drop. Eighty-six percent of the potential energy vector is captured within the blade assembly. One end may be connected to a power generation device that will create electrical power when rotated. Certain energy transferring methodology is believed further supported by the vane or blade designed incorporated into the overall turbine assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Inventor: Tadd M. Scarpelli
  • Patent number: 8308437
    Abstract: A wind turbine includes a nacelle mounted atop a tower. Power generating components are housed within the nacelle. A rotor hub is rotationally coupled to the power generating components. A plurality of blades are fixed to the rotor hub. The blades include a root section extending radially outward from the rotor hub and an aerodynamic section extending radially outward from the root section, wherein lift is generated by the blades primarily along the aerodynamic section. Aerodynamic fins extend radially outward from the rotor hub alongside the root sections of the blades and have an aerodynamic shape so as to capture wind and impart rotational torque to the hub from a central impinging wind zone that is coaxial to the rotor hub and the blade root sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Bharat Bagepalli, Aniruddha D. Gadre, Nitin Narayan Bhate
  • Patent number: 8308434
    Abstract: A wind turbine generator according to the present invention includes: a rotor head equipped with wind turbine blades to constitute a wind turbine rotor blade; a nacelle that bears a rotation shaft of the rotor head and houses a generator that generates electricity by a rotation of the rotor head; a tower that supports the nacelle; a rotor head cover that covers the rotor head; an outside-air intake that is provided on a distal end part of the rotor head cover and takes in the outside wind; an outside-air delivery communicating parts that delivers the outside air, which has been taken into the rotor head cover from the outside-air intake, to an inside of the nacelle; and cooling air outlets that are provided in a region of the outer surface of the nacelle that experiences a negative pressure due to the outside wind.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Tomohiro Numajiri
  • Patent number: 8297930
    Abstract: A vertical axis wind turbine has a plurality of main blades each of which is relatively thin. The blades each have a thickened portion extending along the trailing edge of each blade. Furthermore, each blade is fabricated in at least two sub-sections, wherein at least one strut extends between a central support column and a junction where the blade sub-sections abut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Windworks Engineering Limited
    Inventor: Joseph Bertony
  • Patent number: 8297911
    Abstract: A vertical-axis eolic generator is described. The vertical-axis eolic generator may comprise a plurality of vanes and a driving shaft connected to a load bearing structure. The driving shaft may be coupled to the plurality of vanes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Dealer Tecno Srl
    Inventors: Stefano Onofri, Giovanni Evangelista
  • Patent number: 8277182
    Abstract: A system for adjusting the pitch of a variable pitch propeller has a hub assembly, a valve assembly, and a fluid supply assembly. The hub assembly comprises a hub rotatably driven by a propeller shaft, an actuator connected to the hub, and a plurality of propeller blades connected to the actuator with at least one mechanical connection. The valve assembly is in fluid communication with the valve assembly and the actuator. The fluid supply assembly comprises a valve control mechanism that is isolated from the valve assembly and the hub assembly. The valve control mechanism provides a variable hydraulic pressure control signal to the valve assembly, which transfers fluid to the actuator as a function of the variable hydraulic pressure control signal. Based on the fluid pressure in the actuator, the pitch of the propeller blades is adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventor: Robert H. Perkinson
  • Patent number: 8277184
    Abstract: A wind energy system is provided with said wind energy system including a hub pivotable about a rotation axis, a first bearing connected to said hub, a tapered adapter, a second bearing connected to said first bearing by said adapter, wherein said first and second bearings and said adapter are arranged such that the tilt angle of said rotation axis of said hub is adjustable. Further, a tilt adjustment system for a wind energy system and a method for operating a wind energy system is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jacob Johannes Nies, Shanmuga-Priyan Subramanian
  • Patent number: 8257032
    Abstract: A guide vane for a gas turbine with a vane base body which is of single-piece design and comprises a profiled vane blade extending between a vane root and a cover plate and also the vane root formed integrally with the vane blade and the cover plate formed integrally with the vane blade, is intended, in a relatively simple way to be able to be matched to the individual conditions of use with especially little outlay on apparatus and logistics. For this purpose, according to the invention, a flow-routing body with an advance guide blade that is connected upstream of the vane blade as seen in the direction of flow of the working medium of the gas turbine is joined to the vane base body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Alexander R. Beeck, Katharina Bergander, Georg Bostanjoglo, Tobias Buchal, Winfried Eβer, Dirk Goldschmidt, Torsten Koch, Rudolf Küperkoch, Thorsten Mattheis, Jan Münzer, Ralf Müsgen, Matthias Oechsner, Ursula Pickert, Volker Vosberg
  • Patent number: 8251662
    Abstract: In one aspect, a wind turbine blade assembly includes a central shaft defining an axis of rotation and a plurality of helically twisted blades supported on the central shaft. The helically twisted blades have an inner edge and an outer edge, and at least a portion of the helically twisted blades is radially spaced apart from the central shaft. In another aspect, a wind turbine apparatus employing the wind turbine blade assembly is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Inventor: Daniel B. Parker
  • Patent number: 8246309
    Abstract: A rotor disk for a fan in a turbomachine is disclosed. The disk includes in its perimeter a plurality of essentially axial grooves for the installation and retention of vane roots having hooks at their downstream ends, and deformable regions formed by cavities being situated at the downstream end of the grooves in attachment flanges for inter-vane platforms to absorb the stresses between the disk and the vane roots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Snecma
    Inventor: Son Le Hong
  • Patent number: 8231339
    Abstract: Expansion turbine having a variable nozzle mechanism comprises an adiabatic expansion device located in a vacuum container having a turbine impeller therein which rotates and drives the turbine impeller during adiabatic expansion of very low temperature gas, and varies the throat area of very low temperature gas introduced in the turbine impeller by driving a nozzle member disposed near the outside end of the adiabatic expansion device by a drive force from a driving member located outside the vacuum container; wherein the driving member comprises a cylindrical member disposed coaxially with the turbine impeller, and the nozzle member is provided on the extension of the body of the cylindrical member in the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: IHI Corporation
    Inventors: Seiichiro Yoshinaga, Toshio Takahashi, Hirohisa Wakisaka
  • Patent number: 8231352
    Abstract: A vibration damper assembly for damping non-synchronous vibration between adjacent, spaced apart components comprises a vibration damper located in both of a pair of generally confronting passages in each of the components. The assembly comprises at least two spaced apart articulation surfaces for contact between damper and component, each of the articulation surfaces is arcuate in a first direction and is characterized by having a substantially linear portion in an orthogonal and second direction. Thereby the contact area is greatly enlarged and material loss minimized. The cross-sectional shape of the damper or passage is non-circular and there is a clearance between the damper and passage sufficiently small to prevent rotation of the damper in the passage during use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: David J. Hunt, Wesley J. Pearce, Robert Elliott
  • Patent number: 8226351
    Abstract: The present invention relates to lubrication system for turbocharger(s) [TC] to ensure continuous lubrication of bearings and shaft of the turbocharger with lubricant retention during start and shut down of turbocharger-associated systems thereby enhancing the performance and turbocharger life. The shaft (6) and bearings, are lubricated by introducing pressurized lubricating oil through an oil inlet passage (12) in the bearing housing (4) and after lubricating, the lubricant returns to the engine oil sump located below the turbocharger through the oil outlet passage (13). A non return valve (15) or one way valve in the oil inlet pipe (16) line permits lubricant flow to the bearings during engine running, and when the engine stops and oil pressure falls below the NRV (15) opening pressure, the NRV (15) shuts and traps the lubricant in oil inlet pipe that is above the NRV (15).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd.
    Inventors: Kishor Raut Shashank, Sharad Shete Manoj
  • Patent number: 8215899
    Abstract: A vertically mountable shaft and bearing assembly includes a thermally insulated housing which protects the shaft, bearing(s), seal(s), and bearing lubricant from overheating due to a surrounding process fluid at a temperature exceeding 65° C. The thermal insulation, which in some embodiments includes vacuum, air, or an insulating material, enables a rolling element bearing to be located near the shaft's distal end, thereby reducing shaft and bearing size requirements. Lubricant is circulated past the bearing(s) by a circulation and cooling system having a capacity typical of systems used with process fluids at much lower temperatures. Additional roller and/or journal bearings can be included. The lubricant circulation system can be actuated by the shaft or driven separately. Lubricant within the shaft housing can be pressurized, for example by pressurizing gas or by filling the lubricant above the surrounding process fluid level. The shaft can operate a process fluid pump impeller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Inventor: Paul E Griggs