Patents Examined by Christopher Besler
  • Patent number: 9802280
    Abstract: A heat sink structure and a manufacturing method thereof. The heat sink includes a main body and multiple radiating fins each having a folded root section. The main body has multiple connection channels formed on a circumference of the main body. The multiple radiating fins are placed in a mold. A mechanical processing measure is used to high-speed impact the main body so as to thrust the main body into the mold. Accordingly, the folded root sections of the radiating fins are relatively high-speed thrust into the connection channels of the main body to tightly integrally connect with the main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Asia Vital Components Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sheng-Huang Lin, Kuo-Sheng Lin
  • Patent number: 9803648
    Abstract: A retainer plate is provided for retaining a dovetail root of a fan blade of a gas turbine engine in a corresponding axially-extending slot in the rim of a fan disc. In use, the plate locates in a cavity formed at an end of the slot such that a first side of the plate is arranged for contact with an axial end face of the dovetail root and an opposite second side of the plate is arranged for contact with an abutment surface of the cavity to limit axial movement of the root along the slot. The retainer plate is a unitary component and has a layered structure including a first layer at the first side of the plate, a second layer at the second side of the plate, and an intermediate layer between the first and the second layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: Ian Colin Deuchar Care, Matthew Paul Jevons
  • Patent number: 9797253
    Abstract: A system and method for repairing a blade are provided. The system includes an induction heating coil configured for heating a platform and slash face of the blade. The induction heating coil extends under the platform and is adjacent to the slash face to provide substantially uniform localized heating to both the platform and slash face of the blade. The induction heating coil is configured so that the platform is visible during a repair or welding operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Eric Robert Burlee, Ronald Lee Souther
  • Patent number: 9797425
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for adjusting a latch. An apparatus comprises a latch body, a first member, and a second member associated with the latch body. A receiving area extends through at least a portion of the latch body. The first member is configured to be at least partially received within the receiving area of the latch body. The first member has a first coupling element. The second member has a second coupling element. Movement of the first member along an axis through the receiving area changes a distance between the first coupling element and the second coupling element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Phillip E. Pacini, Russell J. Branham, Kam Wang Cheng
  • Patent number: 9797313
    Abstract: An internal fuel manifold assembly includes a fuel manifold ring having at least one fuel conveying passage in fluid flow communication with at least one inlet passage defined through an inlet member. The inlet member is connected to the manifold ring proximate its first end and connected proximate its second end to at least one transfer tube. The inlet member includes a drainage passage for collecting possible leaked fuel from an annulus, defined between the inlet member and a heat shield surrounding the inlet member and spaced apart therefrom. Any leaked fuel is discharged out of the inlet member at an exit of the fuel passage on an end surface of the inlet member proximate the second end thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventor: Oleg Morenko
  • Patent number: 9789548
    Abstract: A system and method determine a size and a shape for identical geodesic modules that are used to form a structure. The system and method may include analyzing input data regarding a size and a shape of the structure to be formed, and determining the size and the shape for each of the identical geodesic modules based on the size and the shape of the structure to be formed. The structure may include a framework including the identical geodesic modules. Each of the geodesic modules has a size and a shape that are the same as all of the other of the geodesic modules. A forming system and method position a framework and a covering skin of the structure in relation to a mandrel, and drill and rivet the framework to the covering skin with a plurality of operating heads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Sina Golshany, Junghyun Ahn, Derek Alderks, Todd William Erickson
  • Patent number: 9789575
    Abstract: A mechanism retains an asymmetric work piece in a fixed orientation during a machining process on diversely positioned surfaces falling on multiple work piece axes. The mechanism includes a body having an upper surface forming an elongated V-shaped groove, a planar lower surface spaced from the upper surface, and a through passage extending between the upper and lower surfaces. A fastener includes an elongated shaft which extends within said passage, and has an upper end emerging within the V-shaped groove for engaging the work piece, and a lower end extending below and configured to abut the lower surface to maintain the shaft under tensile loading. A plurality of discrete mechanisms can be commonly mounted on a machining table in a spaced-apart relationship with the V-shaped grooves in axial alignment to support a single super elongated work piece. The fastener can be axially advanced or retarded to vary tensile loading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Carl E. Scarbrough, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9790340
    Abstract: A pre-formed covering for moisture-proofing and insulating a wall box (also called a vent box and exhaust box) and method of moisture-proofing and insulating a wall box using the pre-formed covering. The pre-formed covering is made of an air impermeable and insulating material, and is configured, shaped and dimensioned to fit over at least a portion of the wall box and be sealable to the wall box to minimize leakage of air and/or moisture from the wall box.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: JB & FT CONSTRUCTION LTD.
    Inventor: Jozef Sobotka
  • Patent number: 9784385
    Abstract: A grommet is at least partially comprised of a clear, rigid material is disclosed. The body of the grommet tapers from a proximal end to a distal end, allowing the grommet to be guided into a hole in a post of a handrail system. The interior of the body includes an longitudinal cannulation open to the exterior of the grommet via a helical cut in the surface, allowing for a wire rope to pass through. The grommet can be installed whether or not a wire rope has previously been passed through a railing post.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Suncor Stainless, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick A. Striebel, James J. Storrer
  • Patent number: 9781906
    Abstract: A method for constructing a cage body of a tapered cage assembled in a rigid-flexible manner includes steps as follows. A cage body of a tapered aquaculture cage is assembled by combining a rigid-structure copper alloy stretched mesh and a flexible synthetic fiber mesh. Pipe rings mounted on the standard component of the synthetic fiber mesh are mated in a staggered manner with plugging rings on the standard component of the copper alloy stretched mesh, and high-performance synthetic fiber rope is rove through the pipe rings and the plugging rings; in this way, the connection is completed. The cage effectively improves the cage resilience under the ocean current condition, avoids mesh sheet deformation or corner breakage, enhances the water exchange capability in and out of the cage body of the gravity cage, and effectively improves the growth environment for the fishes farmed in the cage body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: EAST CHINA SEA FISHERY RESEARCH INSTITUTE CHINESE ACADEMY OF FISHERY SCIENCES
    Inventors: Lumin Wang, Jiangao Shi, Yongli Liu
  • Patent number: 9777600
    Abstract: Various embodiments include approaches for installing a flow sleeve relative to a gas turbine transition piece. Some embodiments include an apparatus for coupling a gas turbine transition piece with a flow sleeve, the installation apparatus having: a radially inner ring; a plurality of expander segments extending radially outward from the radially inner ring, the plurality of expander segments each having an axially ramped segment sized to gradually expand the flow sleeve to couple with the gas turbine transition piece as the flow sleeve is moved along the plurality of expander segments; and a circumferentially disposed space separating each pair of adjacent expander segments in the plurality of expander segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Joseph Daniel Becker, John William Herbold
  • Patent number: 9777708
    Abstract: A method of controlling a wind turbine comprising blades attached to a rotor hub for rotation in a rotor plane and a control system for individually pitching the blades relative to the hub. The method comprises dividing the rotor plane into a number of sectors, determining the individual sectors for each blade during the rotation by means of an azimuth angle sensor, and obtaining blade sensor data from a blade sensor on an individual blade relating to a sector, and comparing the obtained data with data relating to the same sector and representing blade sensor data on other blades. When an event is detected in a given sector, an individual pitch contribution is determined in the sector, and the blades are then pitched according to this individual pitch contribution for that given sector at least partly during passage of the sector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Lars Risager, Søren Dalsgaard, Jacob Krogh Kristoffersen, Jesper Sandberg Thomsen, Søren Sørensen, Asger Svenning Andersen
  • Patent number: 9777614
    Abstract: A disposing method for an inlet pipe in a muffler that includes an outer shell, an inlet pipe, and a separating plate, the disposing method comprising: a first step of inserting the inlet pipe into the outer shell from an opening at one end of the outer shell; a second step of disposing the inlet pipe by moving the inlet pipe within the outer shell in a direction substantially orthogonal to the direction of insertion of the inlet pipe; and a third step of disposing the separating plate by inserting the separating plate into the outer shell from the opening at the other end of the outer shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Futaba Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshikazu Namikiri, Takamitsu Kaneko, Katsuhiko Kainuma, Masashi Sugiura, Noboru Shimizu, Masafumi Wada, Daisuke Izumikawa, Seigo Kawasue, Tetsufumi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9777546
    Abstract: A system to remove a ram packer from a ram block is provided. In one embodiment, the system includes an extraction tool having opposing jaws configured to engage a ram packer installed in a ram block. The system may also include an actuator configured to move the opposing jaws to facilitate separation of the ram packer from the ram block. Additional systems, devices, and methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: CAMERON INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Richard Ryan Barr Hoover, Sankar Norman Thiruvannamalai, Alexandre Montini Accioly Afonso
  • Patent number: 9777705
    Abstract: A method is provided for re-indexing a pitch bearing configured with a rotor blade of a wind turbine. A hoisting system is anchored within the rotor hub and includes a plurality of support elements connected to a drive system. The support elements are connected to the root flange of the rotor blade, and the rotor hub is rotated so that the rotor blade is in a vertical six o'clock position. The root flange is disconnected from the inner race such that the rotor blade is fully supported by the hoisting system. With the hoisting system, the rotor blade is lowered a predetermined distance from the hub and the pitch bearing is re-indexed to a position so as to engage a new set of pitch bearing teeth with a pitch drive that engages the pitch bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ulrich Werner Neumann, Brent Hamilton Holloway, Gaylon Mitchell Pfeiffer, Stephanie Willman
  • Patent number: 9772103
    Abstract: An enhancing device for piercing plugs in a steam generator is provided. The enhancing device includes a main body, and a bit, borne by the main body and extending along a longitudinal axis. The bit may be driven into rotation around its longitudinal axis, in order to perform an action for piercing a plug. The device includes a hollow tubular element, extending along the longitudinal axis, while surrounding the bit and coaxially with this bit, the tubular element including an outer surface having a screwing thread, intended to be screwed onto the plug prior to the piercing. The tubular element may be driven into rotation around the longitudinal axis, independently of the rotation of the bit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: AREVA NP
    Inventors: Eric Manneveau, Jean-Claude Simonato
  • Patent number: 9770871
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for layup placement on a layup structure is provided. The method includes iteratively loading a layup for the layup structure on a support frame of a saddle module; aligning the saddle module with a pre-selected registration position corresponding to a predetermined application path on the layup structure; and impressing the layup into forced contact with the layup structure along the predetermined application path using a predetermined application force. The apparatus includes a plurality of saddle modules configured to operate in unison, wherein the plurality of saddle modules is configured to receive a pre-selected composite material layup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Joseph D. Brennan, George D. Hempstead, Darrell D. Jones, Matthew K. Lum, Peter D. McCowin, Terrence J. Rowe, Hugh R. Schlosstein
  • Patent number: 9771802
    Abstract: A turbomachine including a rotor having an axis and a plurality of disks positioned adjacent to each other in the axial direction, each disk including opposing axially facing surfaces and a circumferentially extending radially facing surface located between the axially facing surfaces. At least one row of blades is positioned on each of the disks, and the blades include an airfoil extending radially outward from the disk A non-segmented circumferentially continuous ring structure includes an outer rim defining a thermal barrier extending axially in overlapping relation over a portion of the radially facing surface of at least one disk, and extending to a location adjacent to a blade on the disk A compliant element is located between a radially inner circumferential portion of the ring structure and a flange structure that extends axially from an axially facing surface of the disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: SIEMENS ENERGY, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher W. Ross, Bulent Acar
  • Patent number: 9765805
    Abstract: A bracket assembly for use in constructing a support frame. The bracket assembly has an inner support sleeve section and at least one support arm that is attached to the inner sleeve support section, wherein the support arm is attached to the inner support sleeve section without the use of additional fasteners. The invention also is directed towards kits and methods that include the bracket assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Inventor: Gary J. Pond
  • Patent number: 9764453
    Abstract: A system for providing a load on a bearing mounted to a shaft includes an attaching member releasably connectable to the shaft and a press mechanism in fluid communication with a source of fluid and configured to provide a compressive load to the bearing. The press mechanism includes a switch having a base and a piston in communication with the fluid such that an increase in a pressure of the fluid results in the piston extending upwardly from the base and a decrease in the pressure of the fluid results in the piston retracting toward the base. The switch includes a first lower proximity sensor and a second higher proximity sensor. The piston is configured to extend upwardly from the base past the first lower proximity sensor and to trip the second higher proximity sensor. The switch is configured to control the increase in the pressure in response to the piston tripping the higher proximity sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: TEMPER AXLE PRODUCTS CORPORATION
    Inventors: John E. Rode, Sean E. Strait