Patents Examined by Carlos A Rivera
  • Patent number: 10352176
    Abstract: A trailing edge cooling system for a multi-wall blade, including: a cooling circuit, including: an outward leg extending toward a trailing edge of the multi-wall blade and fluidly coupled to a coolant feed; a return leg extending away from the trailing edge of the multi-wall blade and fluidly coupled to a coolant collection passage; and a turn for coupling the outward leg and the return leg; wherein the outward leg is radially offset from the return leg along a radial axis of the multi-wall blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David Wayne Weber, Gregory Thomas Foster
  • Patent number: 10352184
    Abstract: A seal assembly includes a blade outer air seal, a downstream vane, and a pressure wall, according to various embodiments. The blade outer air seal may include a radially outer surface and the downstream vane may be coupled to the blade outer air seal via a fluid sealing engagement. The pressure wall may be coupled to the blade outer air seal and may define a metering orifice. In various embodiments, the metering orifice of the pressure wall is configured to meter air flow from a first plenum upstream of the pressure wall to a second plenum downstream of the pressure wall. In various embodiments, at least a preponderance of the radially outer surface of the blade outer air seal at least partially defines the first plenum and the fluid sealing engagement at least partially defines the second plenum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jose R. Paulino, Ken F. Blaney, Terence P. Tyler, Jr., Daniel S. Rogers, Anthony B. Swift, Thomas E. Clark
  • Patent number: 10344604
    Abstract: A turbomachine diffuser includes a body having an inner surface defining a diffuser flow path, a plurality of stationary struts extending from the inner surface, and a plurality of flow mixing lobes arranged in an annular array on the inner surface. The plurality of flow mixing lobes is configured and disposed to guide a substantially high momentum flow toward the inner surface of the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Moorthi Subramaniyan, Pradeep Patel
  • Patent number: 10344771
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a turbomachine component (1) or collection of components comprising at least a first and a second blade (3I, 3E) and a platform (2) from which the blades (3I, 3E) extend, characterized in that the platform (2) has a non-axisymmetric surface (S) bounded by a first and a second end plane (PS, PR) and defined by at least two class C construction curves each one representing the value of a radius of said surface (S) as a function of a position between the pressure face of the first blade (3I) and the suction face of the second blade (3E) in a plane substantially parallel to the end planes (PS, PR), these including at least one upstream curve and one downstream curve; each construction curve being defined by at least one pressure face control end point and one suction face control end point such that: —the tangent to the downstream curve at the suction face control end point 20 is inclined by at most 5°; —any other tangent to a construction curve at a control end point is inclined
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Benjamin Lukowski, Esteban Bernardos-Chamagne, Matthieu Jean Luc Vollebregt
  • Patent number: 10344618
    Abstract: A mid-turbine frame (“MTF”) for a jet engine is disclosed and comprises a duct that extends between a high pressure turbine (“HPT”) and a low pressure turbine (“LPT”), the duct comprising a plurality of segments that together form an outer annular structure and an inner annular structure, the inner annular structure situated radially inward of the outer annular structure, and/or a plurality of vanes that extend radially outward from the inner annular structure toward the outer annular structure, each vane comprising a channel. Each segment may be coupled to an adjacent segment by a seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: John E. Wilber
  • Patent number: 10344742
    Abstract: A wind-driven power generating system with a hybrid wind turbine mounted on a floating platform that heels relative to horizontal in the presence of a prevailing wind. The hybrid turbine has a turbine rotor with at least two rotor blades, each mounted to a turbine shaft by at least one strut, and the system is configured so that the shaft forms a predetermined non-zero operating heel angle relative to vertical in the presence of a prevailing wind at a predetermined velocity. The blades and struts are airfoils with predetermined aerodynamic characteristics that generate lift forces with components in the direction of rotation around the shaft of the blades and struts at the operating heel angle to drive an electrical generator carried by the platform. The system can be designed to generate maximum power at the predetermined heel angle or essentially constant power over a range of heel angles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Continuum Dynamics, Inc.
    Inventors: Glen R. Whitehouse, Alan J. Bilanin, Alexander H. Boschitsch, Daniel A. Wachspress
  • Patent number: 10337332
    Abstract: An airfoil of a gas turbine engine includes an airfoil body having a leading edge and a trailing edge extending in a radial direction, a trailing edge cavity formed within the airfoil and proximate to the trailing edge of the airfoil, the trailing edge cavity extending from the trailing edge in a forward direction toward the leading edge, at least one set of blocking pedestals located within the trailing edge cavity, a set of circular pedestals located aftward from the at least one blocking set of pedestals, and a set of spear pedestals located aftward from the set of circular pedestals and closest to the trailing edge of the airfoil body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: James Tilsley Auxier, Bret M. Teller
  • 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: 10337456
    Abstract: The invention relates to an intermediate casing hub of an aircraft turbojet engine, which includes: an outer shroud (14) intended for defining a secondary flow space of a stream of secondary gas on the inside and an inter-flow area on the outside, the outer shroud (14) being provided with a secondary opening (29), and a bleed valve comprising an outlet pipe (30) made of composite material, located in the inter-flow area, wherein the outlet pipe (30) is attached to the outer shroud (14) at the secondary opening (29), at least one gasket (33) for sealing against air and fire being arranged between the outlet pipe (30) and the outer shroud (14), and the outlet pipe (30) made of composite material includes a draped composite wall (30a, 30b), made up of a plurality of folds impregnated with resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Florian Benjamin Kévin Lacroix, Cyrille François Antoine Mathias, Idaline Françoise Chantal Texier, Maxime Marie Désirée Blaise
  • Patent number: 10329936
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes an engine static structure. A fairing is supported relative to the engine static structure and configured to provide a flow path surface of a flow path extending in an axial direction. A seal plate has first and second ends radially spaced from one another with respect to the axial direction. The first end is operatively secured to the engine static structure. The second end is configured to seal relative to the fairing. The seal plate includes a portion between the first and second ends that extends substantially in the axial direction and configured to permit the second end to move away from the fairing in the axial direction relative to the first end in response to thermal growth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Matthew Budnick, Conway Chuong
  • Patent number: 10330320
    Abstract: A combustor section for a gas turbine engine includes an outer wall assembly and an inner wall assembly inboard of the outer wall assembly to define an annular combustion chamber therebetween. A forward fuel injection system is in communication with the combustion chamber. A downstream fuel injection system is in communication with the combustion chamber through the outer wall assembly and a swirl mixer system in communication with the combustion chamber through the inner wall assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Timothy S. Snyder, III
  • Patent number: 10330072
    Abstract: Power generating equipment includes a support structure adapted to be disposed on the bed of a body of water having a surface above the bed; and a buoyant power generating apparatus having positive buoyancy releasably connectable to the support structure, the power generating apparatus being adapted to be released from the support structure and to make controlled free ascent to the surface of the water following such release.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: TIDAL GENERATION LIMITED
    Inventor: Matthew Hawthorne
  • Patent number: 10330321
    Abstract: A combustor section for a gas turbine engine includes a can combustor with a combustion chamber. A pilot fuel injection system is in axial communication with the combustion chamber. A main fuel injection system is in radial communication with the combustion chamber. The main fuel injection system includes a multiple of first main fuel nozzles that circumferentially alternate with a multiple of second main fuel nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Timothy S. Snyder
  • Patent number: 10323525
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine component includes a structure having a wall that provides an exterior surface. A first cooling passage is arranged adjacent to and interiorly of the wall. A second cooling passage is arranged in the wall and provides a first fluid flow direction. A resupply channel is arranged in the wall and is fluidly interconnected to the second cooling passage. A resupply hole fluidly interconnects the first cooling passage and the resupply channel. The resupply channel is transverse relative to the second cooling passage to provide a second fluid flow direction that extends from the resupply hole to the second cooling passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Brandon W. Spangler, Dominic J. Mongillo, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10323522
    Abstract: A component for a gas turbine engine includes a gas path wall having a first surface, a second surface exposed to hot gas flow, and a cooling hole extending through the gas path wall. The cooling hole includes an inlet formed in the first surface, an outlet formed in the second surface, cooling hole surfaces that define the cooling hole between the inlet and the outlet, and a longitudinal ridge formed along at least one of the cooling hole surfaces. The longitudinal ridge separates the cooling hole into first and second lobes. The cooling hole diverges through the gas path wall, such that cross-sectional area of the cooling hole increases continuously from the inlet through the cooling hole to the outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: JinQuan Xu
  • Patent number: 10316682
    Abstract: A blade track for a gas turbine engine includes a plurality of blade track segments. The blade track segments are arranged circumferentially around a central axis to form the blade track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc., Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventors: Daniel K. Vetters, Paul A. Davis, Simon L. Jones, Steven Hillier, Peter Broadhead
  • Patent number: 10316827
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a system and method for reducing electrical arcs caused by lightning strikes in a rotor blade of a wind turbine. The rotor blade includes a lightning protection system with at least one lightning receptor connected to at least one conductor and a conduit assembly. The conduit assembly has one or more conduit members configured to route the conductor of the lightning protection system from a first blade location to a second blade location so as to maximize a distance between the conductor and one or more conductive rotor blade components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jamie T. Livingston, Bruce Clark Busbey
  • Patent number: 10316862
    Abstract: A fan comprises a hub and at least one blade coupled to the hub. The blade comprises an inlet portion and an outlet portion. The inlet portion is defined by a longitudinal axis, an inlet edge, and a portion of a distal edge. The outlet portion is defined by the longitudinal axis, an outlet edge, and another portion of the distal edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignees: Regal Beloit Corporation Management (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., Marathon Electric India PVT. LTD., Regal Beloit Corporation (Wuxi) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shawn You, Umesh M. Sawarkar, ShunRui Wu
  • Patent number: 10316846
    Abstract: One or more techniques and/or systems are disclosed for a cutter/grinder system that can be engaged with a pump. The cutter/grinder system can comprise an axial cutting operation and a radial cutting operation, comprising a rotary cutter that has both radial and axial cutting edges. The rotating cutter can be operably engaged with a stationary cutter apparatus, non-movably engaged with a pump, where the stationary cutter apparatus comprises both an axial cutting operation and a radial cutting operation, comprising both radial and axial cutting edges. The system can facilitate reduction of a size of solids that may be entrained in a target fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: Eco-Flo Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Jason Davis
  • Patent number: 10317084
    Abstract: An air swirler has a radially outer wall bounding an annular passage. The radially outer wall has an axially extending portion and a radially convergent portion which converges towards an outlet of the passage. Downstream of the outlet, the passage facing surface of the radially outer wall becomes divergent. The region in which the passage facing surface of the radially outer wall is convergent then divergent defines the flare. A circumferential and axially extending recess is provided in the radially outer wall opposite the flare. A reinforcement of material with superior wear properties to the material of the main body is built in the recess to a radius which coincides with that of the outer surface of the axially extending portion of the radially outer wall. The reinforcement can conveniently be added to the main body by means of a laser consolidation ALM process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventors: Randall D. Siders, Matthew Donovan, Neal Thomson, David H. Bretz