Patents Examined by Edward Look
  • Patent number: 9017024
    Abstract: A method of restoring a gas turbine engine component includes repairing a turbine airfoil along a chordwidth dimension to rebuild a trailing edge of the turbine airfoil to near original dimensions. An eroded portion of the trailing edge of the turbine airfoil is removed and a filler material is deposited onto the trailing edge to produce a laser cladding. During the laser cladding process, a barrier member is inserted into a slot that extends through the trailing edge to prevent filler material from entering the slot and to act as a heat sink to remove heat from the trailing edge during the laser cladding process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Kenny Cheng, Kin Keong Thomas Jek, Yoke Min Cheong
  • Patent number: 9011097
    Abstract: A turbine wheel includes a plurality of blades having a scallop cut-out profile. The scallop cut-out profile is formed by cutting-out a back side wall part of the blade between the suction surface side of a blade part and the pressure surface side of the adjacent blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takao Yokoyama, Katsuyuki Osako, Toyotaka Yoshida, Motoki Ebisu
  • Patent number: 9011086
    Abstract: An aluminum alloy turbine housing includes an inlet for exhaust, a turbine wheel space configured to receive exhaust via the inlet, a wastegate opening configured to receive exhaust via the inlet and to provide received exhaust to a wastegate chamber, and a locally hardened valve seat surrounding the wastegate opening. Various other examples of devices, assemblies, systems, methods, etc., are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Aitor Herrera Celaya, Jean-Jacques Laissus
  • Patent number: 9011081
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a blade of a turbomachine, in particular an adjustable guide blade or vane of a gas turbine, having at least one thickened area (18) on a pressure side (D) of the blade profile (P), wherein the thickened area (18) is disposed in a radially outer-lying, housing-side region of the blade (10), wherein the thickened area (18) is designed at a distance from a front edge (12) and a rear edge (14) of the blade (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: MTU Aero Engines GmbH
    Inventors: Sergio Elorza Gomez, Rudolf Selmeier, Wilfried Schutte, Peter Eibelshauser, Harald Passrucker, Manfred Dupslaff
  • Patent number: 9010101
    Abstract: The invention is an accumulator system in which multiple elastomeric accumulators are attached in series or parallel in order to generate total differential pressure in excess of that generated in a non-series system. Also disclosed is a “stacked” accumulator system. The system stores energy when the accumulators deform from their original shape in response to the flow of a pressurized fluid. The stored energy is available for use when the fluid is released from the accumulators and the accumulators return to their original shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Vanderbilt University
    Inventors: Eric J. Barth, Alexander V. Pedchenko, Wayne J. Book
  • Patent number: 9010365
    Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method for filtering fluid in a breather assembly and providing uncontaminated fluid to a reservoir. The breather allows in-take fluid traveling through a first flow path to be filtered before entering the reservoir through a first directional valve. The breather also allows exhaust fluid traveling through a second flow path, separate from the first flow path, to exit through a second directional valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Parker-Hannifin Corporation
    Inventors: Albert F. Cella, Donald J. Gembolis, John A. Trott
  • Patent number: 9011093
    Abstract: A fan holder for holding a fan is disclosed. The fan holder includes a frame for containing the fan, at least one hook for hooking the fan when the fan is contained inside the frame, at least one resilient arm connected to the frame for resiliently contacting the fan base when the frame is installed inside a fan base, and at least one resilient clip connected to at least one lateral side of the frame for wedging inside a slot formed between the fan base and a casing when the frame is installed inside the fan base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Wistron Corporation
    Inventors: Zhong-hui Mao, Te-Hsiung Hsieh
  • Patent number: 9011083
    Abstract: A seal arrangement for a gas turbine is disclosed. The seal arrangement is used for sealing a gap between radially internally located ends of guide vanes of a guide vane ring and a rotor, in which case the rotor has at least two seal projections positioned at an axial distance relative to each other in a circumferential direction of the rotor. The seal projections effecting a seal of the gap in combination with intake linings associated with the radially internally located ends of the guide vanes. The seal projections are inclined or tilted in the axial direction toward a side of higher pressure, where, in a space limited by the minimum of two seal projections and the corresponding intake linings, at least one recirculation structure is provided. The recirculation structure, or each recirculation structure, is oriented toward the side of the higher pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: MTU Aero Engines GmbH
    Inventor: Marcello De Martino
  • Patent number: 9011096
    Abstract: A vertical axis wind turbine blade is revealed. The vertical axis wind turbine blade includes a blade frame formed by assembly plates disposed at regular intervals and blade bodies each of which pivoted between two adjacent assembly plates. Stoppers are disposed between the assembly plates and the blade bodies. The stopper is used to stop on one side of the blade body corresponding to a downwind surface of the assembly plate. The blade bodies pivotally connected to the blade frame move along with the blade frame to be in an open or a closed position. When the wind blows the upwind surface, the blade body is stopped by the stopper and in the closed position so as to receive the wind power. While the wind blowing the downwind surface, the blade body is in the open position to reduce the wind resistance. Thus the wind turbine efficiency is dramatically improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Inventor: Max Su
  • Patent number: 9010103
    Abstract: A device (1) for driving working equipment (2) which can be connected to an agricultural commercial vehicle. The commercial vehicle has a combustion engine (6) and a generator (9) which can be driven by the combustion engine (6). The commercial vehicle and/or the working equipment (2) have at least a hydraulic pump (5), for the supply of a hydraulic working circuit (3), and a mechanical connection (4), for driving the working equipment (2). At least one hydraulic pump (5) and/or the mechanical connection (4) can be driven electrically and/or mechanically, and can be driven with a controllable rotational speed by way of the power branching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Manuel Gotz, Olrik Weinmann, Mark Mohr, Martin Fellmann
  • Patent number: 9011099
    Abstract: An HVLS fan system uses STOL technology for airfoils and angle of attack thus optimizing air movement efficiency and reducing drag. The HVLS fan system includes wingtip fence end caps to the airfoils for improving efficiency by reducing drag. The HVLS fan system also includes an interconnection of the airfoils to a securing plate thus providing a failsafe and reduced potential for damage or injury resulting from failure of the connection between the airfoil array and a drive unit such as an electric motor and associated gearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: SkyBlade Fan Company
    Inventors: John D. Wortman, Jonathon M. Jones, Ivan Russell
  • Patent number: 9003952
    Abstract: To improve productivity and increase seizing resistance and abrasion resistance of a sliding surface of a tilt adjustment cylinder, a plurality of pistons are arranged cirumferentially in a cylinder block configured to rotate with a rotating shaft. Tip end portions of the pistons slide along the swash plate, and the pistons reciprocate. The swash plate is supported to tilt with respect to the rotating shaft. Further, a tilt adjustment driving portion is included. The tilt adjustment driving portion includes tilt adjustment large- and small-diameter cylinder chambers and tilt adjustment large- and small-diameter pistons configured to slide in the cylinder chambers to change the tilt angle of the swash plate. A sliding surface of the inner peripheral surface of each of the cylinder chambers includes a quenched portion formed by quenching using laser light, the sliding surface being a surface on which the tilt adjustment piston slides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Mori, Hideki Tamashima
  • Patent number: 9004865
    Abstract: A blade for a turbomachine impeller including an airfoil and at least one platform at one end of the airfoil, the blade configured to be arranged with a plurality of substantially identical blades so as to form a ring, the platform surface having a suction surface profile and a pressure surface profile respectively along the suction surface and the pressure surface. In the blade, the pressure surface profile including a pressure surface recessed part is located axially in an upstream half of the airfoil. Due to this configuration, efficiency of the blade is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventors: Jean-Michel Guimbard, Olivier Kueny, Ludovic Pintat
  • Patent number: 9004851
    Abstract: A system for converting wind energy to rotational mechanical energy, comprising a conical impeller having multiple spiral vanes on its outer surface, the impeller supported so that it can rotate about its vertical, central axis in response to airflow impinging on the impeller, and connected to a mechanical drive system to transmit energy from the rotation of the impeller to a device that performs useful work using the transmitted energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Inventor: Gustavo Q. Garza
  • Patent number: 9004854
    Abstract: An engine blower includes: an engine; a fan that is rotated by the engine; a volute case that houses the fan therein and includes an air intake port; and a sponge cover with which an exterior of the air intake port of the volute case is covered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Husqvarna Zenoah Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Satoshi Nakazawa
  • Patent number: 8998583
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine component providing a gas flow passage is provided, which gas flow passage surrounds an inner passage surface, an outer passage surface forming an outer delimitation of said gas flow passage. In an aspect, the trace of the inner passage surface in a cross-section perpendicular to a central axis of the component presents at least one substantially straight portion. In another aspect, where a plurality of circumferentially spaced blades extends between the inner and outer passage surfaces, two portions of the trace, in a cross-section perpendicular to a central axis of the component, of the outer passage surface between two adjacent blades are substantially straight and oriented in an angle in relation to each other so as to form a concavity in the gas flow passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: GKNAerospace Sweden AB
    Inventors: Linda Ström, Fredrik Wallin, Tomas Fernström
  • Patent number: 8998562
    Abstract: A hollow rotor core assembly for a wind turbine with at least one set of cylindrical stacks having a plurality of guiding vanes on the internal surface of the cylindrical stacks, having at least one set of air openings to accept airflow into the hollow rotor core for creating when in rotation a vortex inside the hollow rotor core, having at one end a partial blocking device as such to allow the exhaust of only a fraction of the peripheral portion of the vortex and to redirect the remaining central portion of the vortex towards the other end of the hollow rotor core where the bulk of the airflow will be exhausted from the hollow rotor core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Inventor: Horia Nica
  • Patent number: 8998566
    Abstract: A blade arrangement is provided for a gas turbine, in which blade leaves, having a leading edge and a trailing edge and also a pressure side and a suction side, are assembled sealingly with platforms configured as separate components. A peripheral sealing arrangement is provided between the blade leaves and the associated platforms, which seals off an interspace between the blade leaves and platforms against hot gas flowing around the blade leaves. A directed site-dependent supply of cooling air for purging the sealing arrangement is provided on a side of the sealing arrangement which faces away from the hot gas. A method of operating the above blade arrangement is also provided. The method includes supplying cooling air for purging the sealing arrangement at a pressure which decreases from the leading edge of the blade leaves to the trailing edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Sascha Justl, Carlos Simon-Delgado, Herbert Brandl
  • Patent number: 8997624
    Abstract: A servomechanism has a jet pipe mounted by a flexure pivot driven by an electromagnet to control the position of the jet pipe. A fixed seal tube surrounds the armature and keeps the coil isolated and dry. The flexure pivot has two parts that can move with respect to one another. The jet pipe can be fixed with respect to one part and movable with respect to the other such that when the electromagnet armature moves pivotal motion is imparted to the jet pipe. A multi-port jet receiver receives media from the jet pipe in different orifices dependent upon armature position. That in turn can extend or retract an actuator, such as a piston, depending upon which receiver orifice receives greater pressure. A feedback mechanism can link the actuator to the jet pipe to provide feedback input used to improve the accuracy of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Jansen's Aircraft Systems Controls, Inc.
    Inventors: Harvey B. Jansen, Jerame J. Powell
  • Patent number: 8998574
    Abstract: A vane assembly of a gas turbine engine includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced vanes extending radially between an outer case and an inner case. A spring-tensioned stator restraining strap is provided around the outer case and surrounding outer ends of the respective vanes. The outer ends of the vanes are received in corresponding openings defined in the outer case and project radially outwardly from the outer case. The spring-tensioned strap compresses the respective vanes radially and inwardly in position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventors: David Harold Menheere, Richard Ivakitch, Andreas Eleftheriou