Patents Examined by Craig Kim
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Patent number: 11339713Abstract: A gas turbine engine for an aircraft includes an engine core including a turbine, a compressor, a core shaft, and a core exhaust nozzle, the core exhaust nozzle having a core exhaust nozzle pressure ratio calculated using total pressure at the core nozzle exit; a fan including a plurality of fan blades; and a nacelle surrounding the fan and the engine core and defining a bypass duct, the bypass duct including a bypass exhaust nozzle, the bypass exhaust nozzle having a bypass exhaust nozzle pressure ratio calculated using total pressure at the bypass nozzle exit; wherein a bypass to core ratio of: bypass ? ? exhaust ? ? nozzle ? ? pressure ? ? ratio core ? ? exhaust ? ? nozzle ? ? pressure ? ? ratio is configured to be in the range from 1.1 to 2.0 under aircraft cruise conditions.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2019Date of Patent: May 24, 2022Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plcInventors: Richard G Stretton, Michael C Willmot, Nicholas Grech
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Patent number: 11338930Abstract: A nacelle of an aircraft turbofan engine including an air inlet upstream from the engine, a median section configured to surround a fan of the engine and delimited on the outside by a fan cowl supported by a fan housing to which it is attached at the upstream portion, a downstream section delimiting an annular flow path in which the air is configured to flow and housing thrust reversal devices, the thrust reversal approach including a movable cowl associated with at least one actuator for moving the movable cowl between a direct jet position, in which it provides the aerodynamic continuity of the nacelle and an indirect jet position in which it opens up a passage in the nacelle by uncovering cascade vanes arranged around this flow path that receive the cold air flow to return it towards the outside and forwards, the cascade vanes being attached to the movable cowl.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2020Date of Patent: May 24, 2022Assignee: Safran NacellesInventors: Loïc Grall, Mélody Seriset, Alexis Heau, Benjamin Brebion, Olivier Kerbler
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Patent number: 11326520Abstract: A heat exchange apparatus cools air supplied from a compressor to a turbine and includes a shell housing; a heat exchanger coupled to an outer surface of the shell housing and configured to cool air passing through an air channel of the heat exchanger using a coolant passing through a coolant channel; a flow guide installed in the shell housing and connected to the air channel of the heat exchanger in order to pass the cooled air into the shell housing, the flow guide having a distal end spaced apart from an inner surface of the shell housing; and at least one air discharge port installed through a sidewall of the shell housing to communicate with the air channel via the flow guide. The heat exchanger is a printed board type including a first plate and a second plate and is formed by alternately stacking the first and second plates.Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 2020Date of Patent: May 10, 2022Inventors: Jaecheol Kim, Jeongkil Kim, Kihoon Yang
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Patent number: 11325716Abstract: A nacelle inlet may comprise a lip skin and a bulkhead mounted to the lip skin. The lip skin may define an orifice. The bulkhead may comprise a forward face, a first flange extending axially from an outer circumference of the forward face, and a ventilation groove formed in the forward face. The ventilation groove may be circumferentially aligned with the orifice.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2019Date of Patent: May 10, 2022Assignee: ROHR, INC.Inventors: Daniel Kroeger, Delbert N Hermosura
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Patent number: 11326552Abstract: An exhaust nozzle of a gas turbine engine includes: a nozzle wall, a centerbody arranged in a flow channel, and two struts connecting the centerbody to the wall. One of the struts is connected to the wall by a coupling arrangement that includes two first brackets and a third bracket, the brackets being spaced in an axial direction and being connected either directly to the wall or to a sliding element that is arranged in a displaceable manner in the wall. The brackets each have a first, highest stiffness in a first direction and smaller stiffnesses in a second and third direction. The brackets are oriented such that with the two first brackets, the first direction is aligned with a circumferential direction of the nozzle and that with the third bracket, the first direction is aligned with the axial direction of the nozzle.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2019Date of Patent: May 10, 2022Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE DEUTSCHLAND LTD & CO KGInventor: Predrag Todorovic
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Patent number: 11326519Abstract: A frame for a heat engine, the frame including an inner wall extended from an inlet end to an outlet end, the inner wall forming at least in part a core flowpath, the inner wall comprising a plenum formed between an outer portion of the inner wall and an inner portion of the inner wall, wherein a cavity is formed inward of the inner portion of the inner wall, and wherein the inner wall includes a first plenum opening providing fluid communication between the cavity and the plenum, and wherein the inner wall comprises a second plenum opening providing fluid communication between the plenum and the core flowpath.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2020Date of Patent: May 10, 2022Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Matti Veikko Kalevi Makela, Emilio Eramo, Christopher Lloyd McKenzie, Apostolos Pavlos Karafillis
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Patent number: 11319896Abstract: There is disclosed an exhaust nozzle for a gas turbine engine, the exhaust nozzle comprising a frame extending along a longitudinal axis. The exhaust nozzle comprises a convergent petal pivotably attached at a convergent pivot point to the frame and extending axially downstream and radially inward from the frame, a follower roller fixed to the convergent petal on a radially outer side of the convergent petal, and a cam defining a working surface configured to engage the follower roller to react a force from the convergent petal. The cam is movable along a travel in an axial direction to actuate radial movement of the follower roller to pivot the convergent petal. The cam defines a concave working surface such that a contact angle between the follower roller and the cam varies along the travel to thereby vary a radial component of the force reacted by the cam.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2020Date of Patent: May 3, 2022Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLCInventor: Jack F. Colebrooke
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Patent number: 11319832Abstract: A variable exhaust nozzle for use with a gas turbine engine includes an outer shroud and an inner plug that can move relative to the outer shroud. The relative movement of the inner plug and the outer shroud changes the shape of the variable exhaust nozzle from one that converges in area to one that converges and then diverges in area.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2020Date of Patent: May 3, 2022Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.Inventors: Andrew Sanderson, David L. Sutterfield, Bryan H. Lerg
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Patent number: 11313251Abstract: An anterior part of a nacelle of an aircraft propulsion unit. A rigidifying frame annular about a longitudinal axis of extension of the nacelle is at the rear end of the anterior part. An annular shield is in front of the rigidifying frame and connects an internal peripheral edge of the rigidifying frame to an internal structure. The shield has a portion extending towards the external panel beyond the internal peripheral edge of the rigidifying frame, the portion forming a non-zero angle with respect to the rigidifying frame to form a free space with respect to the rigidifying frame behind the portion. The shield can thus deform in the event of an impact of a foreign object entering through the air inlet lip, without the rigidifying frame itself being deformed, thereby absorbing all or some of the impact energy. A nacelle can have such an anterior part, and an aircraft can have such a nacelle.Type: GrantFiled: August 5, 2020Date of Patent: April 26, 2022Assignee: Airbus Operations (S.A.S.)Inventors: Alain Porte, Julien Sentier, Clément Breton
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Patent number: 11306680Abstract: There is disclosed an exhaust nozzle for a gas turbine engine. The exhaust nozzle comprises a frame extending along a longitudinal axis, and a convergent petal pivotably attached at a convergent pivot point to the frame and extending axially downstream and radially inward from the frame. The exhaust nozzle comprises a follower roller fixed to the convergent petal on a radially outer side of the convergent petal, and a cam defining a working surface configured to engage the follower roller to react a force from the convergent petal. The cam is movable along a travel in an axial direction to actuate radial movement of the follower roller to pivot the convergent petal. The cam defines a convex working surface such that a contact angle between the follower roller and the cam varies along the travel to thereby vary an axial component of the force reacted by the cam.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2020Date of Patent: April 19, 2022Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLCInventor: Jack F. Colebrooke
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Patent number: 11293638Abstract: A combustor for a gas turbine engine includes an annular shell, an annular bulkhead connected to the shell, and a heat shield panel. The heat shield panel has a first surface facing a combustion chamber and a second surface opposite the first surface. The heat shield panel is mounted to the bulkhead and defines a cooling chamber between the bulkhead and the heat shield panel. The heat shield panel has a wall extending from the heat shield panel toward the bulkhead around at least a portion of a periphery of the heat shield panel. The wall includes a circumferential wall portion including at least one cooling air passage extending between the cooling chamber and a cavity defined between the circumferential wall portion and the shell. The at least one cooling air passage is configured to purge the cavity by directing a first cooling air stream from the cooling chamber into the cavity.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2019Date of Patent: April 5, 2022Assignee: Raytheon Technologies CorporationInventors: Fumitaka Ichihashi, Timothy S. Snyder, Jeffrey J. Lienau, Baris A. Sen
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Patent number: 11286853Abstract: A thermal management system for a gas turbine engine and/or an aircraft is provided including a thermal transport bus having a heat exchange fluid flowing therethrough. The thermal management system also includes a plurality of heat source exchangers and at least one heat sink exchanger. The plurality of heat source exchangers and the at least one heat sink exchanger are in thermal communication with the heat exchange fluid in the thermal transport bus. The plurality of heat source exchangers are arranged along the thermal transport bus and configured to transfer heat from one or more accessory systems to the heat exchange fluid, and the at least one heat sink exchanger is located downstream of the plurality of heat source exchangers and configured to remove heat from the heat exchange fluid.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2018Date of Patent: March 29, 2022Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Matthew Robert Cerny, Christopher James Kroger, Brandon Wayne Miller
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Patent number: 11280494Abstract: An assembly for a combustion chamber of a turbomachine. The assembly comprises an annular shell extending along a longitudinal axis, the shell having an inner wall intended to be turned towards a furnace of the combustion chamber and an outer wall opposite the inner wall and a projecting element extending radially from an area of the outer wall. The shell has at least one deflector projecting from the outer wall and located downstream of the projecting element with respect to a direction of gas flow along the outer wall, oriented along the longitudinal axis. The deflector extends circumferentially. Perforations are provided axially between the projecting element and the or each deflector.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2019Date of Patent: March 22, 2022Assignee: Safran Aircraft EnginesInventors: Jacques Marcel Arthur Bunel, Pierrick Bernard Jean
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Patent number: 11274630Abstract: An exhaust nozzle for use with a gas turbine engine includes an outer shroud and a nozzle-plug assembly coupled to the outer shroud. The nozzle-plug assembly includes an inner plug and at least one support vane that is coupled to the outer shroud to support the inner plug in an exhaust nozzle flow path.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2020Date of Patent: March 15, 2022Assignees: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc., Rolls-Royce CorporationInventors: David L. Sutterfield, Jack D. Petty, Bryan H. Lerg, Andrew Sanderson
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Patent number: 11274601Abstract: A system includes an engine case. A heat exchanger is included inside the engine case. The heat exchanger includes an air passage and a fuel passage. The air passage and fuel passage are in fluid isolation from one another, but are in thermal communication with one another for exchange of heat.Type: GrantFiled: November 26, 2019Date of Patent: March 15, 2022Assignee: Delavan Inc.Inventors: Lev A. Prociw, Jason Ryon
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Patent number: 11274631Abstract: A variable exhaust nozzle for a gas turbine engine includes an outer shroud and an inner plug. The outer shroud is arranged circumferentially about an axis. The inner plug extends along the axis and is at least partially located within the outer shroud. At least one of the outer shroud and the inner plug are movable selectively to cause a variable area region of the variable exhaust nozzle to change.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2020Date of Patent: March 15, 2022Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.Inventors: Andrew Sanderson, David L. Sutterfield, Bryan H. Lerg
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Patent number: 11261792Abstract: A thermal management system is provided for incorporation into at least one of a gas turbine engine or an aircraft. The thermal management system includes: a thermal transport bus having a heat exchange fluid flowing therethrough, the thermal transport bus further including: a first flow loop comprising at least one first heat source exchanger, at least one first heat sink exchanger, and a first pump to move the heat exchange fluid through the first flow loop; and a second flow loop comprising at least one second heat source exchanger, at least one second heat sink exchanger, and a second pump to move the heat exchange fluid through the second flow loop; wherein the first flow loop is isolated from the second flow loop, and wherein the first heat source exchanger and the second heat source exchanger are configured with a common heat source.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2019Date of Patent: March 1, 2022Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Daniel Alan Niergarth, Brandon Wayne Miller, Justin Paul Smith
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Patent number: 11255546Abstract: Combustor assemblies and methods for assembling combustor assemblies are provided. For example, a combustor assembly comprises an annular inner liner and an annular outer linear, each extending generally along an axial direction. The outer liner includes an outer flange extending forward from its upstream end. The combustor assembly also comprises a combustor dome extending between an inner liner upstream end and the outer liner upstream end and including an inner flange extending forward from a radially outermost end of the combustor dome. The inner liner, outer liner, and combustor dome define a combustion chamber therebetween, and the combustor dome and a portion of the outer liner together define an annular cavity of the combustion chamber. The inner and outer flanges define an airflow opening therebetween, and a chute member is positioned within the airflow opening to define an air chute for providing a flow of air to the annular cavity.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 2019Date of Patent: February 22, 2022Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Aaron Michael Dziech, Megan Elizabeth Scheitlin
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Patent number: 11248524Abstract: A system for regulating a thermal parameter associated with a heat exchange assembly of a turbomachine includes at least one device for measuring or estimating the thermal parameter, a controlled valve acting on the flow rate of a fluid in the assembly, and a regulator including a comparator determining the sign of an error signal relating to the difference between the thermal parameter and a setpoint. The regulator further includes a switch configured to deliver, based on the sign, to a valve control system, a maximum control current switching the valve in a closed state or a minimum control current switching the valve in an open state, and a phase-shifter configured to apply on the error signal a phase advance determined from an estimate of a time constant of the control system.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2018Date of Patent: February 15, 2022Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINESInventor: Cedrik Djelassi
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Patent number: 11248794Abstract: A fluid mixing apparatus includes mixing conduits that extend through a fluid plenum. The fluid plenum, which surrounds a first wall defining a main passage fluidly coupled to a low-pressure fluid source, is surrounded itself by a second wall defining a high-pressure plenum fluidly coupled to a high-pressure fluid source. An insulated tube disposed at the inlet of the first wall delivers a third fluid. The mixing conduits fluidly couple the high-pressure plenum to the main passage, where the high-pressure fluid is mixed with low-pressure fluid and the third fluid. Optionally, the fluid plenum may house a fourth fluid that is injected through injection holes in the mixing conduits. The fluid mixing apparatus may be used to mix one or more fuels with high- and low-pressure air in a gas turbine combustor. Alternately, the fluid mixing apparatus may mix a fluid with high- and low-pressure water streams.Type: GrantFiled: December 31, 2019Date of Patent: February 15, 2022Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventor: Jonathan Dwight Berry