Patents Examined by Carlos A Rivera
  • Patent number: 10316670
    Abstract: A hollow blade of a gas turbine engine has a sacrificial elongated damper disposed slideably in a chamber for minimizing modes of vibration during operation. The chamber is defined between two opposing surfaces generally spanning radially outward from an axis of the engine and a face facing radially inward. The damper is constructed and arranged to make loaded contact with the face via a centrifugal force created by rotation of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Robert J. Morris, Barry K. Benedict
  • Patent number: 10309228
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to an impingement insert for a gas turbine engine. The impingement insert includes an insert wall having an inner surface and an outer surface spaced apart from the inner surface. A nozzle extends outwardly from the outer surface of the insert wall. The nozzle includes an outer surface and a circumferential surface. The insert wall and the nozzle collectively define a cooling passage extending from the inner surface of the insert wall to the outer surface of the nozzle. The cooling passage includes an inlet portion, a throat portion, a converging portion extending from the inlet portion to the throat portion, an outlet portion, and a diverging portion extending from the throat portion to the outlet portion. The cooling passage further includes a cross-sectional shape having a semicircular portion and a non-circular portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sandip Dutta, Kassy Moy Hart
  • Patent number: 10309254
    Abstract: A nozzle segment for a gas turbine engine may generally include an airfoil having an exterior surface defining a pressure side and a suction side extending between leading and trailing edges. The airfoil may define an open internal volume within its interior for receiving a cooling medium. The open internal volume may include a primary internal cavity and a plurality of internal cooling channels in flow communication with the primary internal cavity. The primary internal cavity may extend within the interior of the airfoil from a location adjacent to the leading edge to a forward end of each of the internal cooling channels. The internal cooling channels may extend within the interior of the airfoil from the primary internal cavity towards the trailing edge. In addition, the internal cooling channels may be spaced apart radially by a plurality of ribs extending within the interior of the airfoil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Johnnattan Tennessee Ugarte
  • Fan
    Patent number: 10309420
    Abstract: A fan for generating an air current includes a body having an air inlet, and a nozzle connected to the body. The nozzle includes an interior passage for receiving an air flow from the body and an air outlet from which the air flow is emitted from the fan. The interior passage extends about an opening or bore through which air from outside the nozzle is drawn by air emitted from the air outlet. The body includes a duct having an air inlet and an air outlet, an impeller located within the duct for drawing the air flow through the duct, and a motor for driving the impeller. An annular guide member extends about the duct for guiding air from the air inlet of the body to the air inlet of the duct. The guide member defines with the duct an annular noise suppression cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited
    Inventors: Jack Johnson, Jean-Baptiste Blanc
  • Patent number: 10308368
    Abstract: A turbofan engine is provided. The turbofan engine includes a nacelle housing including a radially outer wall and a radially inner wall that defines an interior cavity within the nacelle housing. The turbofan engine also includes a fan assembly positioned at least partially within the interior cavity. A flow passage is defined between the radially outer wall and the radially inner wall for channeling a flow of air therethrough. The flow passage is configured to couple a portion of the interior cavity upstream from the fan assembly in flow communication with an ambient environment exterior from the radially outer wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Nikolai N. Pastouchenko
  • Patent number: 10309256
    Abstract: A bumper bearing assembly includes a bearing housing having a level of radial spring stiffness, wherein the bearing housing defines a bearing seat. A bumper bearing is connected to the bearing housing by a spring having a level of radial spring stiffness lower than that of the bearing housing. The bumper bearing is configured to apply the level of radial spring stiffness of the spring against a rotor with the bumper bearing spaced apart from the bearing seat. The bearing housing is configured to apply the level of radial spring stiffness of the bearing housing against the rotor with the bumper bearing seated against the bearing seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPOATION
    Inventors: Loc Quang Duong, Xiaolan Hu
  • Patent number: 10309371
    Abstract: A rotor hub provides transfer of centrifugal force while permitting angular motion about a pitch axis, having an outer member and an enveloped concentric inner member with a hollow end part, the two members joined by two spaced radial bearings and each having two diametrically opposed windows that are aligned such that a beam transverse to the pitch axis passes through all four windows, transferring the centrifugal force from the outer member through a small elastomeric thrust bearing within the hollow part to an end cap of the inner member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Inventor: William L. Hinks
  • Patent number: 10302011
    Abstract: An exhaust gas variable geometry turbine assembly can include a number of pivotable vanes that define throats within an exhaust gas nozzle where each of the pivotable vanes includes a corresponding post, where each of the pivotable vanes is made of a first alloy that includes a first amount of nickel by mass, where each of the corresponding posts is made of a second alloy that includes a second amount of nickel by mass and where the second amount of nickel by mass exceeds the first amount of nickel by mass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: Garrett Transportation I Inc.
    Inventors: Vit Micanek, Gary Agnew, Nicolas Morand, Jan Musil, Francis Abel
  • Patent number: 10301012
    Abstract: A rotor hub assembly for a rotary-winged aircraft includes a spool portion and a plurality of hub arms extending radially outwardly from the spool portion. A rotor blade is connectable to each hub arm. Each hub arm includes a spine portion and at least two leg portions extending from the spine portion. The spine portion and the at least two leg portions defining an I-shaped cross-section of each hub arm. A rotor assembly includes a rotor hub assembly including a spool portion and a plurality of hub arms extending radially outwardly from the spool portion. Each hub arm includes a spine portion and at least two leg portions extending from the spine portion. The spine portion and the at least two leg portions define an I-shaped cross-section of each hub arm. A rotor blade is secured to each hub arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: David A. Darrow, Jr., Kevin Laitenberger
  • Patent number: 10302042
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a core engine that has at least a compressor section, a combustor section and a turbine section disposed along a central axis. A fan is coupled to be driven by the turbine section. A fan nozzle is aft of the fan and defines an exit area. The fan nozzle has a body that defines an airfoil cross-section geometry. The body includes a wall that has a controlled mechanical property distribution that varies by location on the wall in accordance with a desired flutter characteristic at the location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Oliver V. Atassi, Oleg Petrenko
  • Patent number: 10301961
    Abstract: An active clearance control system of a gas turbine engine includes a multiple of blade outer air seal assemblies and a sync ring with a multiple of graduation sets. Each of the graduation sets is associated with one of the multiple of blade outer air seal assemblies. An active clearance control system of a gas turbine engine includes a sync ring with a multiple of graduation sets. Each of the graduation sets includes a multiple of graduations to define an associated radial position for each of a respective multiple of blade outer air seal assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy M. Davis, Brian Duguay
  • Patent number: 10301944
    Abstract: A cast turbine blade having a platform and hollow blade airfoil arranged thereon, wherein the blade airfoil has a pressure-side blade wall and a suction-side blade wall that extend, along a centrally arranged curved profile centerline, from a common leading edge to a common trailing edge, and having a transition, with an outer contour profile, between the blade airfoil and the platform. The blade walls each have a locally determined blade wall thickness, wherein the turbine blade has, internally, a contour profile that partially matches the outer contour profile of the transition such that the region of the transition has an essentially constant blade wall thickness. In the transition, the contour profile at a surface section of the blade airfoil facing the leading edge is such that the blade wall thickness is increased there in comparison to the blade wall thickness of the transition away from the leading edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Björn Buchholz, Ralph Gossilin, Daniela Koch, Marco Schüler
  • Patent number: 10301970
    Abstract: An axial turbine includes an upstream turbine stage that includes: a cover disposed at a distal end of an upstream bucket and opposed to an inner wall of an upstream diaphragm outer ring across a gap; and a downstream diaphragm outer ring that is disposed downstream of the upstream turbine stage and that has an inner peripheral-side end wall shaped into a flare. The inner peripheral-side end wall of the downstream diaphragm outer ring has a flare angle formed to be greater than a slant angle of an inner peripheral-side wall of the cover. In the axial turbine, the inner peripheral-side end wall of the downstream diaphragm outer ring is formed to have a meridional shape that has at least one inflection point between the upstream turbine stage and a downstream turbine stage and such that a tangent at the inflection point with respect to a steam flow direction has a positive gradient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hisataka Fukushima, Takeshi Kudo, Shigeki Senoo, Hideki Ono
  • Patent number: 10294948
    Abstract: The invention relates to an axial ventilation device comprising at least three axial fans disposed at the ends of a polygon. According to the invention, a single drive shaft is adapted to rotate at least the shafts of two axial fans. The invention also relates to a premises equipped with such an axial ventilation device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: Total SA
    Inventor: Gérard Alvini
  • Patent number: 10294952
    Abstract: Arrangements for promoting the restriction of fluid flow along a shaft via providing a deformable ring member in an annulus between the shaft and housing. In an initial general condition, the deformable ring member permits free fluid flow in a general direction along the shaft while in a second, constricted condition, the deformable ring closes or blocks a gap or clearance normally conducive to free fluid flow to thereby restrict fluid flow. An actuation medium, which can take any of a very wide variety of forms, preferably promotes constriction of the deformable ring member directly or indirectly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: CURTISS-WRIGHT ELECTRO-MECHANICAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: David Jeffrey Janocko, Charles David Bice
  • Patent number: 10294924
    Abstract: A wind turbine comprising a tower and a nacelle, wherein a rotor having at least one rotor blade is disposed on the nacelle, and the rotor executes a rotary motion when the wind turbine is in operation and the rotary motion drives a generator within the nacelle, via a shaft, wherein disposed on the tower of the wind turbine there is a fiber winding, which wraps around a vertical tower axis of the tower of the wind turbine and which is configured to damp a vibration of the tower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: Wobben Properties GmbH
    Inventors: Andree Altmikus, Alexander Hoffmann
  • Patent number: 10288291
    Abstract: An air-shielded fuel injection assembly for use in a combustion chamber of a turbine assembly. The air-shielded fuel injection assembly generally includes a fuel manifold including a plurality of fuel injection ports and an air manifold including a plurality of air injection ports. Each of the plurality of fuel injection ports is configured to introduce a fuel column into an annular cavity of a mixer assembly. Each of the plurality of air injection ports is configured to introduce an air curtain about an associated fuel injection column to minimize recirculation upstream of the fuel injection column and increase penetration of the fuel injection column into the cavity. Also disclosed are a mixer assembly and a turbine assembly including the air-shielded fuel injection assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Sarah Marie Monahan, Joel Meier Haynes, Narendra Digamber Joshi, David James Walker, Junwoo Lim, Krishna Kumar Venkatesan
  • Patent number: 10287910
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an adjustable guide vane for a turbomachine, having a vane element and a turning disk, which has a first impact chamber, in which an impulse element is arranged with play of movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: MTU Aero Engines AG
    Inventor: Andreas Hartung
  • Patent number: 10287918
    Abstract: An attachment structure for a case includes a V-groove defined by first and second arms extending circumferentially around the case and meeting at a lower portion. At least a portion of the attachment structure is a three-dimensionally woven composite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Christoper M. Quinn, Sreenivasa R. Voleti
  • Patent number: 10280925
    Abstract: A rotor assembly for a centrifugal pump includes a rotor and a rotor cover, defining a fluid chamber therebetween, and having openings or channels that are provided in either the rotor cover or the rotor, or both, to direct fluid from the fluid chamber into the rotor or rotor cover of the rotor assembly to provide reduction of increased pressure that is experienced within the fluid chamber, especially at or near the center of the fluid chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: Envirotech Pumpsystems, Inc.
    Inventor: Bryce Neilson