Patents Examined by Brian P Wolcott
  • Patent number: 11746658
    Abstract: An assembly adapted for use in a gas turbine engine includes a carrier and a blade track segment. The carrier extends at least partway about an axis. The blade track segment is supported by the carrier radially relative to the axis to define a portion of a gas path of the assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Ted J. Freeman, Aaron D. Sippel
  • Patent number: 11746665
    Abstract: A method of operating a variable vane for a gas turbine includes the step of locating a first bushing at least partially surrounding a first trunnion that extends from a first end of the variable vane. The first trunnion includes an outer surface that has a plurality of troughs. The first bushing includes a plurality of peaks that extend inward from an inner surface. Relative movement is produced between the first bushing and the first trunnion to form a carbon transfer film between the first bushing and the first trunnion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: RTX Corporation
    Inventors: Pantcho P. Stoyanov, Mary E. Makowiec
  • Patent number: 11746756
    Abstract: A method of operating a wind turbine during a service, wherein the wind turbine comprises at least one rotor-nacelle assembly, the or each rotor-nacelle assembly comprising a rotor; the method comprising: detecting that a service is to be or is being carried out on the wind turbine; and, on detecting that a service is to be or is being carried out on the wind turbine, reducing an operating level of the or each rotor-nacelle assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Søren Dalsgaard, Torben Ladegaard Baun, Keld Hammerum, Torben Petersen
  • Patent number: 11746707
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a geared gas turbine engine for an aircraft. Example embodiments include a gas turbine engine for an aircraft including: an engine core having a turbine, a compressor, and a core shaft connecting the turbine to the compressor; a fan located upstream of the engine core, the fan having a plurality of fan blades; and a gearbox that receives an input from the core shaft to drive the fan at a lower rotational speed than the core shaft, the gearbox having a gear ratio of around 3.4 or higher, wherein the gas turbine engine is configured such that a jet velocity ratio between a first jet velocity exiting from a bypass duct of the engine and a second jet velocity exiting from an exhaust nozzle of the engine core is within a range from around 0.75 to around 0.82.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: Craig W Bemment
  • Patent number: 11739644
    Abstract: A turbine stage includes a first airfoil and a second airfoil extending respectively from a first platform and a second platform that form an endwall for a flow passage. The endwall has a nominal surface that is axisymmetric about an axis of the turbine stage. The endwall further includes at least one contoured region that is non-axisymmetric with respect to the axis. The at least one contoured region extends from the first platform to the second platform across a platform splitline. The global maximum variation in elevation ?EW of the endwall is at least 3% of an axial chord length L of the airfoils on the endwall. The maximum variation in elevation ?MF at the mate facea of the platforms lies in the range 15-60% ?EW.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: SIEMENS ENERGY GLOBAL GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Ross Gustafson, Li Shing Wong, Farzad Taremi
  • Patent number: 11732689
    Abstract: A wind turbine drive control device according to one aspect of the present invention is a wind turbine drive control device for controlling a plurality of drive devices for moving two structures included in a wind power generation device relative to each other, the wind turbine drive control device including: an obtaining unit for obtaining a plurality of information items related to loads occurring between each of the plurality of drive devices and one of the two structures that receives forces generated by the plurality of drive devices; and a control unit for controlling the plurality of drive devices in such a manner that, in a state where each of the plurality of drive devices is controlled to generate a predetermined braking force, the braking force of at least one first drive device among the plurality of drive devices is increased, based on the plurality of information items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Nabtesco Corporation
    Inventors: Haruo Kodama, Hirofumi Komori
  • Patent number: 11732598
    Abstract: A turbine shroud segment for use in a gas turbine engine includes a ceramic shroud segment formed to define a circumferentially extending channel that opens radially inwardly and a layer of abradable material that extends axially along a radial inner surface of the ceramic shroud segment to provide a flow path surface of the turbine shroud segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rollos-Royce High Temperature Composites Inc.
    Inventors: Ted J. Freeman, Jeremy Roehm
  • Patent number: 11732729
    Abstract: Turbine housing assemblies and related fabrication methods are provided. A turbine housing assembly includes a bearing flange, a tongue member, a first sheet metal structure providing an inner contour of an inlet passage and joined to the tongue member, and a second sheet metal structure including an inlet portion providing an outer contour of the inlet and a volute portion providing an outer contour of a volute in fluid communication with the inlet. The volute portion is joined to the tongue member to define the volute, and the inlet portion of the second sheet metal structure is joined to the first sheet metal structure to define the inlet passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: GARRETT TRANSPORTATION I INC
    Inventors: Petr Balon, Philippe Renaud, Dusan Chadim
  • Patent number: 11725665
    Abstract: A compressor rotor for turbomachinery, such as a compressor, is provided. Disclosed embodiments can benefit from seal elements that may be arranged to inhibit passage onto respective hirth couplings of process fluid being processed by the compressor. A seal element may be affixed to adjacent rotor components (e.g., adjacent impeller bodies) by way of a slip or interference fit connection to one of the adjacent components and may be affixed to the other adjacent rotor component by way of a elastically flexible frustoconical inner surface of the seal element that permits the seal element to be placed in a spring-loaded condition, which generates a biasing force to circumferentially clamp onto a frustoconical outer surface of the other adjacent rotor component. This arrangement is conducive to user-friendly assembly/disassembly of the seal elements with respect to the adjacent rotor components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Siemens Energy Global GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Kevin Miny
  • Patent number: 11719259
    Abstract: A fan can include a motor for driving a set of blades to move a volume of air about a space. A cage can be provided to encase the set of blades to protect the fan, as well as permit a volume of air to move through the cage. A mount bracket couples to the cage, and can include a first portion including a first pair of hooks connecting the first portion to the cage, with the first portion including a pair of apertures and an attachment feature, and a second portion including a second pair of hooks connecting the first portion to the cage, with the second portion including a pair of extensions configured to secure to the first portion at the pair of apertures. The attachment feature is configured to couple an accessory to the cage via the mount bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Hunter Fan Company
    Inventor: Daniel Rice
  • Patent number: 11713693
    Abstract: A turbine vane includes an airfoil that extends from an inner diameter to an outer diameter, and from a leading edge to a trailing edge. The turbine vane includes an inner platform coupled to the airfoil at the inner diameter. The turbine vane includes a cooling system defined in the airfoil including a first conduit in proximity to the leading edge to cool the leading edge and a second conduit to cool the trailing edge. The first conduit has an inlet at the outer diameter to receive a cooling fluid and an outlet portion that is defined at least partially through the inner platform. The first conduit includes a plurality of cooling features that extend from a first surface of the first conduit, and the first surface of the first conduit is opposite the leading edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Steven Whitaker, Daniel C. Crites, Mark C. Morris, Ardeshir Riahi
  • Patent number: 11713747
    Abstract: A method of operating a wind turbine. The wind turbine is operated over an operating period in accordance with a control strategy. A sensor signal is received over the operating period from a sensor measuring an operational parameter of the turbine. A model is used to obtain a modelled fatigue value based on the sensor signal. The modelled fatigue value provides an estimate of fatigue loading applied to a component of the turbine over the operating period. The control strategy is modified based on the modelled fatigue value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Jakob Vestergaard, Anders Steen Nielsen, Juan Pablo Murcia
  • Patent number: 11708839
    Abstract: A stuffing box for sealing a top opening of a vertical pump, including: a housing with a vertical tube for rotatably disposing a shaft of the vertical pump, an annular bearing that: divides the vertical tube in a lower half and an upper half, and fills an annular space between an inner wall of the vertical tube and the shaft, such that as less fluid as possible passes from the lower half through the annular bearing to the upper half, an outlet pipe for discharging the fluid passing through the annular bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Mohammad Qahtani, Andres E. Gonzalez, Muslim A. Alzayer
  • Patent number: 11702946
    Abstract: A service tube assembly for an aircraft engine, comprising: a service tube having a threaded end portion, an opposed end portion and an annular tube surface proximate to the threaded end portion; a housing having an outer surface defining a tube socket extending in the outer surface, and a ramp extending toward the tube socket so as to define an engagement direction, the tube socket engaged with the threaded end portion of the service tube; a locking member having a bottom surface disposed against the ramp and an engagement surface facing toward the service tube, the locking member slidable along the ramp in the engagement direction between a first member position in which the engagement surface is spaced from the annular tube surface and a second member position in which the engagement surface contacts the annular tube surface; and a fastener releasably holding the locking member against the ramp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Guy Lefebvre, Remy Synnott
  • Patent number: 11698082
    Abstract: A fan includes an electric motor and a fan wheel drivable or driven by the electric motor, arranged within its housing. The underside of the housing has an opening for an electric outlet, and a side the housing has a bracket, thereby forming a bushing. An electric line is arranged at least partially at the underside of the housing and is guided through the bushing, and a cover element is arranged at the underside of the housing. The cover element has a first section and a second section. The cover element is arranged at the underside of the housing in such a way that the first section is at least partially arranged in the bushing and clamps the electric line in the bushing while forming a strain relief, and that the second section covers the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: ELEKTROSIL GMBH
    Inventor: Bubke Niels
  • Patent number: 11686208
    Abstract: A system may include a stationary component including: a substrate and an abradable layer on the substrate. The system also may include a rotating component including a tip and an abrasive coating system on the tip. The abrasive coating system may include a barrier layer and an abrasive material. The barrier layer may include at least one of hafnon, hafnium oxide, a blend of hafnium oxide and silicon or silicon oxide, a rare earth silicate, BSAS, stabilized zirconia, or stabilized hafnia. The blade track or blade shroud and the gas turbine blade are configured so the abrasive coating system contacts a portion of the abradable layer during rotation of the rotating component. The abradable layer is configured to be abraded by the contact by the abrasive coating system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Brandon David Ribic, Li Li, Mark Nordin
  • Patent number: 11668274
    Abstract: Provided is a nacelle for a wind driven power plant, the nacelle including a nacelle bottom cover, wherein the nacelle bottom cover includes two or more segments, each of the segments being configured to contain a respective predefined maximum volume of a liquid in a receptacle in a case of leakage, and wherein the respective receptacles are configured to collectively contain a total volume that corresponds to a total amount of liquids in the wind driven power plant, in particular a total amount of lubricating oils and/or cooling liquids in the wind driven power plant. Also provided is a wind driven power plant including the nacelle and a wind park including a plurality of the wind driven power plants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Inventors: Elmar Taubenrauch, Dror Avner
  • Patent number: 11668311
    Abstract: Blowers with variable nozzles are provided. A blower includes a fan, and a main body housing the fan, the main body defining an airflow path extending between an inlet end and an outlet end. A blower further includes a variable nozzle disposed at the outlet end. The variable nozzle includes an attachment collar, the attachment collar comprising a body defining an exterior surface and an interior surface and extending along a longitudinal axis. The variable nozzle further includes a plurality of air control bodies, each of the plurality of air control bodies movably connected to the attachment collar and comprising an air control surface and an extension rod. The variable nozzle further includes an adjustment collar, the adjustment collar disposed around the attachment collar and defining a plurality of adjustment channels, wherein each of the plurality of extension rods is disposed in one of the plurality of adjustment channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Techtronic Cordless GP
    Inventors: Hang Man Cho, Michael Coltharp, Dong Heon Han, Peter Kaminski, Graham Langford, Peyton Lee
  • Patent number: 11644037
    Abstract: The invention relates to a side-channel compressor (1) for a fuel cell system (37) for conveying and/or compressing a gaseous medium, in particular hydrogen, comprising a housing (3); a compressor chamber (30) which is situated in the housing (3) and which has at least one encircling side channel (19, 21); a compressor impeller (2) which is situated in the housing (3) and which is arranged so as to be rotatable about a rotational axis (4), wherein the compressor impeller (2) has conveying cells (5) arranged on the impeller circumference in the region of the compressor chamber (30); and in each case one gas inlet opening (14) formed on the housing (3) and one gas outlet opening (16), which are fluidically connected together via the compressor chamber (30), in particular the at least one side channel (19, 21).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Michael Kurz
  • Patent number: 11619205
    Abstract: A wind turbine blade includes: a metal receptor including a blade tip of the wind turbine blade; and a blade body portion connected to the metal receptor so as to be positioned on a blade-root side of the metal receptor, the blade body portion having a hollow structure and forming an airfoil shape in a blade tip region of the wind turbine blade with the metal receptor in a joint region to the metal receptor. As seen in a blade-thickness direction of the wind turbine blade, a tangent to a joint line between the metal receptor and the blade body portion at an intersection between the joint line and a leading edge of the wind turbine blade is inclined from a chordwise direction of the wind turbine blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Kenji Sato, Masayuki Hiraishi