Patents Examined by Andrew J Marien
  • Patent number: 11221013
    Abstract: A centrifugal compressor includes a low-speed shaft, an impeller, a speed increaser, a housing, a separation wall, a shaft insertion hole, a seal member, an oil pan, an oil supply passage, an oil return passage, and a pressure reduction passage. The impeller is integrally rotated with a high-speed shaft. The housing has therein an impeller chamber accommodating the impeller and a speed increaser chamber accommodating the speed increaser. The centrifugal compressor includes a bypass passage having a first end communicating with the speed increaser chamber and a second end communicating with the oil pan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Nakane, Takahito Kunieda, Kaho Takeuchi, Ryo Umeyama, Satoru Mitsuda, Ryosuke Fukuyama
  • Patent number: 11209021
    Abstract: This centrifugal rotary machine includes an impeller having a disk, blades, and a cover. The centrifugal rotary machine further includes a casing which accommodates the impeller radially inward and forms a gap between an outer circumferential surface of the cover and the casing. The centrifugal rotary machine further includes a sealing device which seals the gap. The casing includes an end wall surface which is disposed to face one axial side of a cover end surface facing one axial side of the cover, extends in the radial direction and forms a radial flow path between the end wall surface and the cover end surface. The casing further includes a foreign matter introduction path which is formed inside the casing and communicates with a radially outer side of the radial flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES COMPRESSOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akihiro Nakaniwa, Shinichiro Tokuyama
  • Patent number: 11199131
    Abstract: A multistage axial compressor includes: a rotational shaft to which a plurality of rotor blades are mounted; a casing surrounding the rotational shaft, the casing forming a flow passage of a working fluid between the rotational shaft and the casing; a wall portion having an annular shape and extending in a circumferential direction of the rotational shaft so as to surround the casing, the wall portion forming an bleed chamber having an annular shape and being in communication with the flow passage; a plurality of port portions connected to an outer peripheral surface of the wall portion, the port portions forming respective outlet flow passages which are in communication with the bleed chamber; and a plurality of bleed pipes connected to the respective port portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI POWER, LTD.
    Inventor: Daisuke Morita
  • Patent number: 11174834
    Abstract: A vortex generator defines a longitudinal direction and has two fins, which are each arranged at an angle in relation to the longitudinal direction and extend over a first length in the longitudinal direction, and a base, which connects the two fins to each other, the base having a width and extending over a second length in the longitudinal direction, wherein the second length is less than the first length over the entire width of the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Nordex Energy SE & Co. KG
    Inventors: Mehdi Doosttalab, Christof Rautmann, Thomas Lipka, Philipp Rindt
  • Patent number: 11168566
    Abstract: The invention relates to a turbine blade which comprises at least one cavity that is defined by a wall with one or more surface discontinuities which preferably are selected from elevations, depressions and undercuts and preferably change at least one eigenmode of the blade. The blade may suitably be produced by a generative production method such as selective laser melting (SLM).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: MTU AERO ENGINES AG
    Inventors: Juergen Kraus, Hermann Klingels, Manfred Feldmann
  • Patent number: 11131315
    Abstract: Technologies are described for devices and methods for adjusting a position of impellers within a bowl assembly. The devices may comprise an adjuster at the second end of a spacer coupling. The adjuster may include an adjuster sleeve. The adjuster sleeve may be a cylindrical sleeve. The adjuster sleeve may be threaded on an internal side. The adjuster sleeve may be spaced from the driven hub so that the adjuster sleeve can rotate around a driven shaft. The adjuster sleeve may threadedly mate and engage with an externally threaded first end of the driven shaft when the adjuster sleeve is rotated. The rotation of the adjuster sleeve may adjust a position of the driven shaft with respect to the driven hub and may thereby adjust a position of an impeller attached to a second end of the driven shaft with respect to a stationary bowl.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: ITT MANUFACTURING ENTIRPISES LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Stephen Miller, Paul Walter Behnke
  • Patent number: 11111001
    Abstract: The invention to which this application relates is to a propeller of the type for use in relation to water vessels and which can be moved between an in-use position in which the blades of the propeller extend outwardly to provide a propulsion force when rotated and, a storage position in which the desire is to minimize the effect of the blades as the vessel moves through the water and in which the blades are held substantially in line with the body of the propeller. The location means which allow the blades to be connected to the body are located within the body and thereby minimize the risk of corrosion and thereby increase the life of the propeller whilst also providing a secure fitment of the blades to the body and allowing ease of movement of the blades between in-use and storage positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: SUPERPROP LIMITED
    Inventor: Christopher Shaw
  • Patent number: 11073163
    Abstract: A centrifugal compressor includes impellers arranged in a plurality of stages in a direction of an axis line so that a working fluid flowing from one side inlet in the direction of the axis line is pumped outward in a radial direction, and a casing that surrounds the impellers, and that has a return channel through which the working fluid discharged from the impeller on a front stage side between the impellers adjacent to each other is guided inward in the radial direction so as to be introduced to the impeller on a rear stage side, and a plurality of return vanes disposed at an interval in a circumferential direction inside the return channel. The return vane is configured so that the thickness of a hub side in a leading edge side region is thicker than the thickness of a shroud side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Ryosuke Saito
  • Patent number: 11047396
    Abstract: A bearing packing according to the invention includes a first packing having an opening portion formed therein, the opening portion allowing a rotary shaft to penetrate through the first packing, and a second packing having an opening portion formed therein, the opening portion allowing the rotary shaft to penetrate through the second packing, and configured to be brought into engagement with the first packing in a direction of the rotary shaft, and a sealed space for sealing a hydrophobic fluid in is defined around a circumference of the rotary shaft that is surrounded by the first packing and the second packing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: AGATSUMA CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shinji Todokoro
  • Patent number: 11035339
    Abstract: A method for assembling a shear web assembly of a wind turbine includes providing at least one spar cap. The method also includes forming a spar connecting member of a thermoplastic material via additive manufacturing. Further, the method includes securing the spar connecting member to the spar cap. Moreover, the method includes providing a shear web, forming a web connecting member of a thermoplastic material via additive manufacturing, and securing the web connecting member at a first end of the shear web. In addition, the method includes interconnecting the web connecting member and the spar connecting member at a joint. Thus, the method further includes heating the joint to secure the web connecting member and the spar connecting member together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David Roberts, Nicholas K. Althoff, Michael Wenani Nielsen, James Robert Tobin
  • Patent number: 11022003
    Abstract: A steam turbine exhaust chamber defining therein an exhaust passage through which steam having passed through a last-stage blade of a steam turbine is introduced to a condenser includes: a casing including an outer peripheral wall portion formed on an outer peripheral side of the exhaust passage; a bearing cone disposed on a radially inner side of the outer peripheral wall portion; and at least one bypass passage carrying a part of steam flowing through the exhaust passage from a high-pressure portion of the exhaust passage to a low-pressure portion of the exhaust passage or to the condenser, The at least one bypass passage includes a high-pressure-side opening formed in the bearing cone and a low-pressure-side opening facing steam having a lower pressure than steam facing the high-pressure-side opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Toyoharu Nishikawa, Hideaki Sugishita, Kazuyuki Matsumoto, Yoshihiro Kuwamura, Kei Nakanishi
  • Patent number: 11021991
    Abstract: A measurement system for determining an angular position of a component of a gas turbine engine includes one or more proximity sensors positioned at a fixed structure of the gas turbine engine and one or more sensor targets positioned at a rotatable component of the gas turbine engine. Each sensor target of the one or more sensor targets includes a target surface having a variable distance between the target surface and the proximity sensor with rotation of the rotatable component about a component axis of rotation. A measurement of distance between the proximity sensor and the target surface as measured by the proximity sensor is indicative of an angular position of the rotatable component relative to the component axis of rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daniel J. Boudreau, Eli Cole Warren, Bryan J. Hackett
  • Patent number: 11021232
    Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle includes a propulsion system including a driving device having a main body, a driving shaft rotatable relative to the main body, and a locking member disposed on the main body. The locking member includes at least one snap-fitting member. The propulsion system also includes a propeller coupled with the driving device, the propeller including a blade base and a blade mounted on the blade base. The at least one snap-fitting member is configured to snap-fit with the propeller. The propulsion system also includes an elastic abutting member sleeve coupled with the driving shaft, a first installation foolproof member disposed on the blade base, and a second installation foolproof member disposed on the locking member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: SZ DJI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tao Deng, Ruochen Tang, Yueyao Tu
  • Patent number: 11008879
    Abstract: A vane arm assembly for a gas turbine engine is provided including: a vane arm having a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and an aperture proximate the second end, the aperture being defined by an aperture wall; a vane stem extending through the aperture of the vane arm; a mechanical fastener retaining a position of the vane arm in the longitudinal direction of the vane stem; and an impedance clip partially enclosing a portion of the second end of the vane arm to provide redundant position retention of the vane arm in the longitudinal direction of the vane stem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: William S. Pratt, Matthew E. Bintz, Steven D. Roberts, Adam Hart
  • Patent number: 10975706
    Abstract: A stator vane may comprise an airfoil extending between a first platform and a second platform, the airfoil including a core extending relatively orthogonal to the first platform and the second platform, at least one of the first platform or second platform comprising a frustic load transmission feature, wherein the frustic load transmission feature comprises at least a first angular surface disposed proximate a platform edge, wherein the first angular surface is defined by a non-orthogonal angle ? with respect to an outer platform surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Bryan H. Farrar, Andrew J. Lazur, Howard J. Liles, Bryan P. Dube
  • Patent number: 10962021
    Abstract: A centrifugal impeller is disclosed having a non-axisymmetric flowpath surface. The centrifugal compressor may comprise a hub and a plurality of circumferentially spaced vanes. The hub has a flowpath surface and an axis of rotation. The plurality of circumferentially spaced vanes extend from the flowpath surface, with each of the vanes having a pressure-side fillet and a suction-side fillet extending from a leading edge to a trailing edge of the vane. The pressure-side fillet and suction-side fillet intersect the flowpath surface at a runout. The runout of the pressure-side fillet of a first vane is asymmetric to the runout of the suction-side fillet of the first vane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventor: Steven Mazur
  • Patent number: 10954916
    Abstract: The invention relates to a wind turbine blade having integrated thermoplastic anchoring sites for attachment of surface mounted devices, a method for producing such blade and a wind turbine equipped with such blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: LM WP PATENT HOLDING A/S
    Inventor: Michael Drachmann Haag
  • Patent number: 10941780
    Abstract: A slurry seal assembly for use about a rotatable shaft between a process side and an atmosphere side is presented. The slurry seal assembly includes a sleeve, a rotatable seal ring, a stationary seal ring, a floating bushing seal assembly, and a plurality of slots. The sleeve is disposed about and rotatable with the shaft. The rotatable seal ring contacts and is rotatable with the sleeve. The stationary seal ring is arranged to form a sealing interface with the rotatable seal ring. The floating bushing seal assembly is disposed about the sleeve so that an inner annular surface along the floating bushing seal assembly is separated from an outer annular surface along the sleeve by a gap. The slots are disposed along the sleeve within the process side adjacent to the floating bushing seal assembly. The slurry seal assembly is applicable to devices whereby a fluid is movable between an inlet and an outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Stein Seal Company
    Inventor: Thurai Manik Vasagar
  • Fan
    Patent number: 10935034
    Abstract: A fan is disclosed. The fan includes a base mountable to a ceiling; a base motor contained in the base; a multi-section shaft operably connected to the base motor and moveable between a collapsed position and an extended position; and a fan assembly connected to the multi-section shaft and including a fan motor and at least one fan blade operably connected to the fan motor, wherein in response to a signal, the base motor raises or lowers the fan assembly by moving the multi-section shaft between the collapsed position and the extended position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: PHANSEE COMPANY, LLC
    Inventors: Philip Emanuel Noble, Christopher Patrick Noble
  • Patent number: 10927708
    Abstract: A hybrid propulsion system and methods for cooling the same are provided. The system may comprise a gas turbine and a secondary engine. The gas turbine engine may have a core passage and an engine compartment. The secondary engine may be a supersonic and/or hypersonic engine. The system may comprise a thermal barrier, an inlet and an exhaust. The thermal barrier may longitudinally envelope the gas turbine engine. The thermal barrier may comprise an inner envelope, an outer envelope, an upstream opening, and a downstream opening. The inlet may be in fluid communication with the ambient environment and the gas turbine engine via the upstream opening. The exhaust may be in fluid communication with the ambient environment and the gas turbine engine via the downstream opening. The engine compartment may be located between a boundary of the core passage and the inner envelope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Nicholas Dwain Metzger