Patents Examined by Brian Christopher Delrue
  • Patent number: 10899432
    Abstract: Fan module with variable-pitch blades for a propulsion system that includes: a rotor supporting the blades, and including an internal shaft and an external shroud, defining between them a space; a pitch control device (22) of the blades that includes a load transfer bearing; a feathering device of the blades; said feathering device includes at least one lever that is articulated around a fixed axis (A) in relation to the rotor, where said lever features a first end located outside said space and a second end located inside said space, and where a flyweight is fastened to the first end and the second end is coupled to said bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Gilles Alain Marie Charier, Kevin Morgane Lemarchand
  • Patent number: 10890353
    Abstract: There is provided a centrifugal pump comprising a pumping chamber (106). The pumping chamber (106) has an inner surface (108) defining a pump cavity (110); a pump inlet (112) defined in a first side of the pumping chamber (106); a shaft opening (116) defined substantially centrally in a second side of the pumping chamber (106), the second side substantially opposing the first side and arranged to be above the first side, in use; and a pump outlet (114). The centrifugal pump further comprises an impeller (120) retained within the pump cavity (110); and a shaft member (140) mechanically connected to the impeller (120) through the shaft opening (116), whereby rotation of the shaft member (140) causes rotation of the impeller (120) about a shaft axis (157) passing through the shaft opening (116) and movement of a pumping liquid from the pump inlet (112) towards the pump outlet (114).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: Aspen Pumps Limited
    Inventor: Jack Lawrence Mabon
  • Patent number: 10883479
    Abstract: A blade tip assembly for a wind turbine blade, comprising a conductive blade tip module, a receptor arrangement spaced from the conductive blade tip module, a coupler that electrically couples the conductive blade tip module to the receptor arrangement and an insulating member that insulates the coupler. The invention also can be expressed as a method for assembling a blade tip assembly for a wind turbine blade, the method comprising providing a blade tip module; providing the blade tip module with a coupler for electrically coupling the blade tip module to a down conductor of a lightning protection system; and encasing the coupler with an insulating member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Daniel Whitehouse, Richard Baker
  • Patent number: 10883385
    Abstract: An attachment mechanism for a gas turbine engine component includes an elongated body having at least first and second ends. A first attachment feature is formed at the first end. A second attachment feature is formed at the second end. The first and second attachment features define attachment points configured to attach a first gas turbine engine component to a second gas turbine engine component. A fan section for a gas turbine engine and a gas turbine engine are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Mathieu Strait, Mainul M. Islam
  • Patent number: 10876407
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a gas turbine engine defining a radial direction, a circumferential direction, an axial centerline along a longitudinal direction, and an upstream end and a downstream end along the longitudinal direction. The gas turbine engine defines a core flowpath extended generally along the longitudinal direction. The gas turbine engine includes a first turbine rotor. The first turbine rotor includes an annular outer band disposed outward of the core flowpath along the radial direction. The first turbine rotor further includes a plurality of airfoils coupled to an inner diameter of the outer band in which the plurality of airfoils are extended generally inward along the radial direction. The outer band defines a plurality of airfoil cooling passages in which the plurality of airfoil cooling passages are extended at least partially in the radial direction in fluid communication with the plurality of airfoils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Brandon Wayne Miller, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Daniel Waslo, Joel Francis Kirk
  • Patent number: 10876545
    Abstract: The present invention is related to an improved fan design. According to an exemplary preferred embodiment, the improved fan design of the present invention preferably includes a fan main body having fan blades, a front grill, a flexible guide cone, an air inlet, and supporting legs movable from a first position to a second position. According to preferred embodiments, the flexible guide cone is preferably also movable from a first position to a second position. In the first position, the flexible guide cone preferably forms a first shape which conforms to the surface of the air inlet. In a second position, the flexible guide cone preferably extends away from the air inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Vornado Air, LLC
    Inventor: Glen W Ediger
  • Patent number: 10876513
    Abstract: An apparatus for generating electricity from water flow held behind a barrier includes a convergent section connected to a first end of a mixing tube such that a venturi is defined between the end of the convergent section and the mixing tube; a diffuser section connected to a second end of the mixing tube, the diffuser section configured such that the pressure at the exit of the diffuser section is greater than the pressure at the venturi; and a turbine tube comprising a blade assembly having a plurality of blades. The turbine tube is supported in the convergent section and is rotatably mounted, the blades being attached to the inner surface of turbine tube such that water flow past the blades drives the rotation of the turbine tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: VERDERG LTD
    Inventor: Peter Roberts
  • Patent number: 10850831
    Abstract: A propeller pitch control system for a turboprop engine of an aircraft includes an engine control unit and a pitch control unit. The engine control unit is operable to determine a phase of flight of the aircraft and is configured to supply control commands. The pitch control unit is coupled to receive the control commands from the engine control unit and includes a housing, a beta piston, a position sensor, a beta tube, and an electrohydraulic valve. The engine control unit only commands the electrohydraulic valve to move the beta piston from the fully retracted position when the engine control unit determines the aircraft is conducting pre-takeoff roll taxiing operations or is conducting post landing touchdown operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Paul W. Futa, Jr., Sammuel Tillich, Steven Alan Lewis, Christopher Douglas Eick, Donald Striker, Michael Albert McPherson
  • Patent number: 10851676
    Abstract: An exhaust diffuser includes: an internal cylinder; an external cylinder that forms an exhaust passage between the internal cylinder and the external cylinder, the exhaust passage expanding from front to rear; and at least one tubular strut that couples the internal cylinder and the external cylinder together. The external cylinder includes: a front conical portion that is positioned forward of the tubular strut; and an outer flaring portion that starts flaring at a positon forward of the tubular strut at an inclination angle that is greater than an inclination angle of the front conical portion. The internal cylinder includes: a front straight portion that faces the front conical portion and the outer flaring portion; and an inner flaring portion that starts flaring at a position between a maximum width portion and a trailing edge of the tubular strut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takuya Ikeguchi, Koji Terauchi, Keiji Oikaze, Naoto Sakai
  • Patent number: 10844723
    Abstract: Disclosed is a vane assembly fixed to a turbine casing of a turbine and configured to guide the flow of combustion gas having passed by a turbine blade airfoil. The vane assembly comprises a vane airfoil configured to guide the flow of the combustion gas, a platform portion combined with an end of the vane airfoil, carrier hook portions formed at respective periphery portions of the platform portion and provided with a thermal stress prevention slot on a surface facing the turbine casing, and a seal plate installed in the thermal stress prevention slot, thereby preventing a portion of compressed air produced by a compressor and supplied to the platform portion between the carrier hook portions from leaking out of the platform portion through the thermal stress prevention slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Doosan Heavy Industries Construction Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Jin Woo Song
  • Patent number: 10830078
    Abstract: An assembly is provided for a turbine engine. This turbine engine assembly includes a tower shaft rotatable about an axis, an engine component rotatable with the tower shaft about the axis, and a seal assembly. The engine component extends axially along the axis to an end surface. The seal assembly includes a carbon seal element, where the carbon seal element circumscribes the tower shaft and axially engages the end surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Brad E. Fiore, James B. Coffin, Christopher M. Valva
  • Patent number: 10829201
    Abstract: A blade angle feedback assembly for an aircraft-bladed rotor and an aircraft-bladed rotor system are provided. The rotor is rotatable about a longitudinal axis and has an adjustable blade pitch angle. A feedback device is coupled to rotate with the rotor, the feedback device having a root surface having an edge. At least one position marker extends from the root surface and extends laterally beyond the edge. At least one sensor is mounted adjacent the feedback device and configured to detect a passage of the at least one position marker as the feedback device rotates about the longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventor: Dana Tomescu
  • Patent number: 10830103
    Abstract: An expansion joint for use between a turbine duct and a diffuser duct includes a first flange coupled to the turbine duct, a second flange coupled to the diffuser duct, and a flexible element positioned between and coupled to the first flange of the turbine duct and the second flange of the diffuser duct. The flexible element defines a trough for receiving a liquid therein. The trough includes a drain pipe configured to channel the liquid away from the trough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Javeed Iqbaluddin Mohammed, Pallab Karmakar, Bradly Aaron Kippel
  • Patent number: 10815972
    Abstract: A method for assessing or validating wind turbine or wind farm performance produced by one or more upgrades is provided. Measurements of operating data from wind turbines in a wind farm are obtained. Baseline models of performance are generated, and each of the baseline models is developed from a different portion of the operating data. A generating step filters the wind turbines so that they are in a balanced randomized state. An optimal baseline model of performance is selected from the baseline models and the optimal baseline model includes direction. The optimal baseline model of performance and an actual performance of the wind farm or wind turbine is compared. The comparing step determines a difference between an optimal baseline model of power output and an actual power output of the wind farm/turbine. The difference is reflective of a change in the power output produced by the upgrades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Scott Charles Evans, Danian Zheng, Raul Munoz, Samuel Bryan Shartzer, Brian Allen Rittenhouse, Samuel Davoust, Alvaro Enrique Gil, Nurali Virani, Ricardo Zetina
  • Patent number: 10808565
    Abstract: In some examples, a system includes a blade including a blade tip and a blade track or blade shroud segment including a substrate and an abradable coating layer on the substrate. The substrate defines a leading edge and a trailing edge. The abradable coating layer includes a first tapered portion that substantially continuously tapers from a center portion of the substrate toward the leading edge of the substrate, a second tapered portion that substantially continuously tapers from the center portion of the substrate toward the trailing edge of the substrate, and a blade rub portion that extends between the first tapered portion and the second tapered portion. The abradable coating extends from the leading edge to the trailing edge, and the blade tip is configured to contact at least a portion of the blade rub portion upon rotation of the blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce plc, Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey Allen Walston, Roy Peter McIntyre, Daniel Kent Vetters
  • Patent number: 10807724
    Abstract: The electrical machine according to the invention is a dual machine, and comprises a first machine which can be reversed and a second machine functioning through induction between two windings. The second machine can be used for de-icing a propeller, the induction-receiving winding being mounted on the propeller shaft. The first electrical machine can function as an electrical engine to ‘taxi’ the aircraft. In certain embodiments, the winding mounted on the stator is common to the two machines and different magnetic flows are utilised to control them. A separate functioning of the two machines and a very good integration into the aircraft engine, with space-saving and low mass, are possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: SAFRAN HELICOPTER ENGINES
    Inventors: Thomas Klonowski, Olivier Lafargue, Antoine Moutaux, Jean-Julien Camille Vonfelt, Bertrand Nogarede
  • Patent number: 10808546
    Abstract: An airfoil for a gas turbine engine includes an outer airfoil wall that provides an exterior surface and multiple radially extending cooling passages. The exterior surface provides pressure and suctions sides joined by leading and trailing edges. The cooling passages include a supply passage arranged upstream from and in fluid communication with a trailing edge passage. A cooling hole extends through the outer airfoil wall from the supply passage to the exterior surface on the suction side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sarah Riley, Sasha M. Moore, Jeffrey R. Levine
  • Patent number: 10808725
    Abstract: According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a turbomachine (100) is provided. The turbomachine includes: a rotor extending in an axial direction and comprising a driven side configured to be connected to a driving unit and a second side opposite the driven side; a housing extending around at least a portion of the rotor, wherein a main flow path for a process fluid extends between the rotor and the housing; a sealing arrangement, particularly a dry gas seal, configured for sealing a gap between the rotor and the housing at the driven side of the rotor; and a first magnetic bearing supporting the second side of the rotor. A fluid passage for a portion of the process fluid extends from the main flow path through a bearing gap of the first magnetic bearing. According to a further aspect, a method of operating a turbomachine is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: NUOVO PIGNONE TECNOLOGIE SRL
    Inventors: Matteo Dozzini, Massimiliano Ortiz Neri, Massimiliano Borghetti
  • Patent number: 10808550
    Abstract: Disclosed is a fan blade for a gas turbine engine, including: an airfoil, a cavity formed in the airfoil, a cover configured to cover the cavity, the cover when secured to the airfoil encloses the cavity in the airfoil, a conduit extending from the cavity to an exterior surface of the fan blade, and a check valve located in the conduit, the check valve configured to regulate an internal pressure of the cavity when the cover is secured to the airfoil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daniel A. Bales, Michael A. Weisse
  • Patent number: 10801516
    Abstract: A field of turbomachine rotor blades, and in particular a turbomachine rotor blade including a blade root and a blade tip spaced apart by a blade height, together with at least one intermediate segment presenting a negative tangential slope, and a distal segment situated between the intermediate segment and the blade tip and presenting a positive tangential slope, wherein the distal segment extends over at most 30% of said blade height.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Roger Felipe Montes Parra, Prasaad Cojande