Patents Examined by Dwayne White
  • Patent number: 6790006
    Abstract: A flexible metal disk used to mount the fan to the fan drive. The metal disk is a resilient mounting, and as such reduces vibration levels between the fan and fan drive, thereby preventing damage to various components within the cooling system. The flexible metal disk also functions to self align the fan and the fan drive. The flexible metal disk is also durable, and therefore offers improved creep and deterioration resistance as compared with typical elastomeric mountings. In another preferred embodiment, multiple flexible metal disks may be coupled together and used to mount the fan to the fan drive to provide additional damping as compared with single disk systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: BorgWarner, Inc.
    Inventor: Neil E. Robb
  • Patent number: 6789999
    Abstract: An assist airblower unit for a heating and ventilating system of a motor vehicle. The airblower includes a single motor and two centrifugal fan wheels encased within a shell. The motor drives both centrifugal fan wheels via a shaft. The centrifugal fan wheels have angled blades that draws in air from a lateral air inlet located on the shell. The air is then forced out of the outlet openings into the automobiles interior to either heat or cool the vehicle. The air source either outputs at the front of the HVAC unit or recirculation air, i.e., cabin air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: Valeo Climate Control Corp
    Inventors: Norbert Anthony Bikos, Stefan Helmut Schwarz, German Ludwig Bosherz
  • Patent number: 6786699
    Abstract: Airfoils and grooves on the rotor or carrier for the airfoils have generally complementary dovetail shapes. The airfoils are installed in the grooves by sliding the bases of the airfoils along the circumferential grooves into final circumferential positions. At each circumferential position, a pin is driven between the base of the airfoil and the bottom of the groove to displace the airfoil radially into a final radially secured position taking up the clearance necessary to enable sliding movement of the airfoils about the groove. A first tool is used to drive each pin in a generally tangential direction by hammering on the end of the tool, transmitting an axial force to the pin. When the circumferential clearance of the last installed airfoil is insufficient to permit further use of a tangentially oriented tool to install additional airfoils, a second tool having an angled head is disposed into the groove to engage the pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David Elliott Shapiro, Steven Kerry Williams, Charles Byron Adams, Gregory Norman Fournier, Gregory Lee Landry, Maurice David Fournier
  • Patent number: 6786695
    Abstract: To accurately axially position and/or seal between axially facing turbine parts, a groove having a cylindrical cross-section is formed in one surface with a centerline offset toward the one surface, the groove opening through the one surface. Rod segments having corresponding cylindrical cross-sections are inserted in the groove. The rod segments have flat surfaces coextensive therewith projecting a predetermined measured distance from the one surface, thereby accurately axially locating the turbine parts relative to one another and forming a seal therebetween. The rod segments have ends abutting one another to seal the segments one to the other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Andrew John Tomko, Brian Patrick Marks
  • Patent number: 6672837
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a wind turbine with oscillation damping means provided at the nacelle and being designed for damping edgewise oscillations of the rotor blades in the rotational plane of the rotor. In particular, the invention relates to a wind turbine in which the oscillation damping means are provided at the end of the nacelle being opposite to the end from which the rotor extends and are designed for damping oscillations of the first eigenfrequency of the rotor blades in the rotational plane, especially oscillations being perpendicular to the rotational axis of the rotor. The damping means are advantageously designed to dampen oscillations of a frequency being substantially equal to the first eigenfrequency in the rotational plane of the at least one blade minus the frequency of rotation of the rotor. The oscillation damping means of the present invention are preferably capable of damping oscillations being substantially horizontal and substantially perpendicular to the rotation axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Assignee: NEG Micon A/S
    Inventors: Herman F. Veldkamp, Lars Risager, Flemming Rasmussen
  • Patent number: 6609890
    Abstract: An impeller assembly for reducing blockage at the inlet of a centrifugal pump includes an impeller having an inlet side and a bearing hub, wherein the bearing hub extends axially outwardly from the inlet side of the impeller. A conical floating sleeve is mounted on the bearing hub and held in place by a detachable retainer. The mating surfaces of either the bearing or the conical floating sleeve may be coated with a polymer to reduce surface friction. The bearing hub of the impeller may also be bored to receive a drive shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Allan R. Budris, Mohammed Merah
  • Patent number: 6572335
    Abstract: A gas turbine cooled stationary blade has a blade structure and outer and inner shrouds enhancing cooling efficiency and preventing the occurrence of cracks due to thermal stresses. A blade (1) wall thickness, between 75% and 100% of the blade height of a blade leading edge portion, is made thicker, and the blade (1) wall thickness of other portions is made thinner, as compared with a conventional case. Protruding ribs (4) are provided on a blade (1) convex side inner wall between 0% and 100% of the blade height. A blade (1) trailing edge opening portion is made thinner than the conventional case. Outer shroud (2) is provided with cooling passages (5a, 5b) for air flow in both side end portions. Inner shroud (3) is provided with cooling passages (9a, 9b) for air flow and cooling holes (13a, 13b) for air blow in the side end portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2003
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masamitsu Kuwabara, Yasuoki Tomita, Akihiko Shirota, Eisaku Ito
  • Patent number: 6569089
    Abstract: The present invention is an intubating laryngoscope with light provided to the suction tip or blade simultaneously during intubation. Preferably, the laryngoscope is made of a transparent, engineering plastic material to provide a light path for light from a light source (e.g. flashlight). In an alternative embodiment, light is provided to the suction tip by fiber optics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2003
    Inventors: Roy Covington, Robert Gorman
  • Patent number: 6527514
    Abstract: A blade for a gas turbine includes a tip cap and a tip squealer and passages for cooling fluid extending from a hollow space to the tip squealer. The tip squealer includes a cavity extending from the tip pocket into the tip squealer such that the cooling passage is divided into first and second portions with an exit hole in the cavity and an exit hole on the tip crown, respectively. In case of a blockage of the exit hole on the tip crown, cooling fluid can flow through the additional exit hole into the tip pocket and cool the squealer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2003
    Assignee: Alstom (Switzerland) Ltd
    Inventor: Norman Roeloffs
  • Patent number: 6517522
    Abstract: A medical needle protector sheath comprises a tubular body for surrounding and shielding a needle with the sheath defining an anchor member integrally attached to the front of the body for manual holding, plus a closure cap for the front end which is integrally attached to the body. Also, a manually removable wing member may be carried about the hub of the needle. A tunnel member typically of the inverted U-cross section provides longitudinal securance to the needle and hub while penetrating the skin of the patient while at the same time permitting axial rotation of the needle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2003
    Assignee: DSU Medical Corporation
    Inventors: David Bell, William J. Schnell, David S. Utterberg
  • Patent number: 6508626
    Abstract: Disclosed is an impeller for a turbomachine. The impeller comprises a hub, full blades equidistantly disposed on the hub in a circumferential direction, and a splitter blade disposed between each adjacent two of the full blades. The splitter blade is shaped in such a way that a spanwise distribution of a pitchwise position of a leading edge of the splitter blade is determined according to a spanwise and pitchwise non-uniformity distribution of fluid velocity of a fluid flowing into the splitter blade, whereby a non-dimensional circumferential position of a leading edge of the splitter blade varies in a spanwise direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2003
    Assignees: Ebara Corporation, University College of London
    Inventors: Takaki Sakurai, Hideomi Harada, Kosuke Ashihara, Mehrdad Zangeneh, Akira Goto
  • Patent number: 6499946
    Abstract: A steam turbine rotor having a combination of at least one of a high pressure rotor, an intermediate pressure rotor and a low pressure rotor, which are each formed from a metal material of different chemical composition and welded together by means of welding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2002
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Masayuki Yamada, Takao Inukai, Masataka Kikuchi, Joji Kaneko, Satoru Asai, Yoichi Tsuda, Ryuichi Ishii, Yomei Yoshioka
  • Patent number: 6491681
    Abstract: A handle apparatus includes a handle body, a trolley member that may be secured to a steering wire, and a steering member operably connected to the trolley member. Rotation of the trolley member is prevented and rotation of the steering member axially repositions the trolley member and steering wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2002
    Assignee: SciMed Life Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher G. Kunis, Russell B. Thompson
  • Patent number: 6468260
    Abstract: A bi-directional steerable catheter comprising an elongated, tubular catheter body having at least one lumen, a tip section comprising flexible tubing having at least two lumens and fixedly attached to the distal end of the catheter body, and a control handle mounted to the proximal end of the catheter body. The control handle comprises a generally hollow handle housing, a generally tubular core extending longitudinally within the housing, and a generally circular spur gear rotatably mounted within the handle housing. First and second pistons are slidably mounted on the diametrically opposed sides of the spur gear and have puller wires attached to their distal ends. A longitudinally movable thumb control is fixedly attached to the first piston and accessible from outside the handle housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2002
    Assignee: Biosense Webster, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy Ray Bumbalough, Matthew F. Duncan, Bruce A. Christie
  • Patent number: 6435810
    Abstract: A wear resistant fuel pump for a vehicle includes a pump section having a flow channel and a rotatable impeller cooperating with the flow channel. The wear resistant fuel pump also includes a motor section disposed adjacent the pump section and having a motor to rotate the impeller. The wear resistant fuel pump further includes an outlet section disposed adjacent the motor section to allow pumped fuel to exit the fuel pump. The pump section includes a plurality of plates disposed axially adjacent to and cooperating with the impeller. The impeller and plates are made of a compound having an abrasion wear resistance on a predetermined surface that improves abrasion wear characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: John Gardner Fischer, John J. Giacchina, Ismat Ali Abu-Isa
  • Patent number: 6425734
    Abstract: A feed pump includes two feed chambers one surrounding the other and arranged at different axial levels from an electric motor driving the feed pump. A radially inner feed chamber of the two feed chambers is arranged for filling a baffle of a fuel tank of a motor vehicle. The radially outer feed chamber is arranged for suctioning in fuel from the baffle. The feed pump is of particularly compact design and the radially inner feed chamber is arranged at a low level in the baffle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2002
    Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG
    Inventor: Peter Marx