Patents Examined by Eldon Brockman
  • Patent number: 10378450
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a gas turbine engine air seal comprising forming at least one MAX phase particle. The method includes coating the at least one MAX phase particle with a metallic shell. The method includes applying the at least one MAX phase metallic coated particle to a surface of a substrate of the air seal to form an abradable layer of a MAXMET composite abradable material from the at least on MAX phase metallic coated particle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Shahram Amini, Christopher W. Strock, Weina Li
  • Patent number: 10280784
    Abstract: An adjustable blade outer air seal apparatus includes a case that extends circumferentially around an axis, a support ring non-rigidly mounted to the case on spring connections radially inwards of the case, whereby the support ring floats with respect to the case, and at least one blade outer air seal segment that is radially adjustable relative to the support ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Michael G. McCaffrey
  • Patent number: 10221715
    Abstract: A turbine shroud for a gas turbine engine includes an annular metallic carrier and a blade track. One or more cavities are formed between the carrier and blade track to provide cooling air to the blade track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc., Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Bruce E. Varney, Daniel K. Vetters
  • Patent number: 10206338
    Abstract: A blower includes a blower body. The blower body includes a housing, an impeller arranged inside the housing, and a motor arranged in the housing and driving the impeller to rotate. The blower body includes an air inlet and an air outlet. The blower further includes a base and a regulating mechanism. The blower body is mounted on the base via the regulating mechanism, and the regulating mechanism includes a coupling member, a regulating knob and a resetting member. The blower body is rotatably mounted on the base via the coupling member, the regulating knob is arranged on the base and cooperates with the coupling member to limit the coupling member, and the resetting member is arranged on the base and cooperates with the regulating knob to cause the regulating knob to reset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: Zhejiang Prulde Electric Appliance Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ting Han, Weiming Yang
  • Patent number: 10202870
    Abstract: A split case for a gas turbine engine includes multiple split case portions defining a turbine engine case section. Each of the split case portions has a first and second axially aligned split flange and a circumferential flange on an axial end. Each of the circumferential flanges includes a thermal expansion relief void.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Crystal Monteiro, Stephen A. Sarcich, Mark R. Wood
  • Patent number: 10196930
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to a gas turbine engine that includes a fan configured to generate a fanstream and a fanstream duct configured to receive the fanstream flowing therethrough. An engine electronic component is positioned in flow communication with the fanstream. A heating element is positioned in the fanstream upstream from the engine electronic component and is operative to heat at least a portion of the fanstream in flow communication with the engine electronic component. The position of the engine electronic component passively thermally conditions the engine electronic component and the heating element actively thermally conditions the engine electronic component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gabriel L. Suciu, Kurt J. Sobanski, Wesley K. Lord, William K. Ackermann
  • Patent number: 10190425
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes an engine static structure that has a fluid port. A turbine vane is supported relative to the engine static structure and includes a cooling passage. A flow splitter is provided between the engine static structure and the turbine vane. The flow splitter is configured to divide a flow upstream from the flow splitter into a first fluid flow provided to the fluid port and a second fluid flow provided to the cooling passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher Drake, Christopher B Lyons
  • Patent number: 10190417
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the invention include turbine buckets and systems employing such buckets. Various particular embodiments include a turbine bucket having: an airfoil having: a suction side; a pressure side opposing the suction side; a leading edge spanning between the pressure side and the suction side; and a trailing edge opposing the leading edge and spanning between the pressure side and the suction side; and a base connected with a first end of the airfoil along the suction side, pressure side, trailing edge and the leading edge, the base including a non-axisymmetric endwall contour proximate a junction between the base and the airfoil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Lee Larned Brozyna, Mehmet Suleyman Ciray, Mark Andrew Jones
  • Patent number: 10184356
    Abstract: A support structure for a gas turbine engine includes an axially extending portion that forms a loop. A radially extending portion extends radially inward from the axially extending portion. A plurality of retention members are attached to at least one of the axially extending portion and the radially extending portion for retaining a blade outer air seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Michael G. McCaffrey
  • Patent number: 10184352
    Abstract: A turbine shroud adapted for use in a gas turbine engine includes a plurality of metallic carrier segments and a plurality of blade track segments mounted to corresponding metallic carrier segments. Cooling air is directed onto the blade track segments to cool the blade track segments when exposed to high temperatures in a gas turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc., Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Mark O'Leary, Daniel K. Vetters, Matthew R. Brandt, Ted J. Freeman
  • Patent number: 10184456
    Abstract: The present subject matter is directed to a wind turbine blade alignment method. A sensor provided on the blade at a blade station with a known twist angle is used to measure an installation angle of the blade station. The installation angle is adjusted if the installation angle measured by the sensor is not equal to the known twist angle. A wind turbine with such a sensor for measuring an installation angle used for blade alignment is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Xiaoming Liu, Xu Fu, Bruce Clark Busbey, Rong Li, Amir Riahi
  • Patent number: 10180147
    Abstract: A compressor system having at least one fluid compressor for compressing a working fluid is disclosed herein. The compressor system can include at least one heat exchanger for removing heat from compressed working fluid. At least one moisture separator can be coupled to the compressor system to separate condensed liquid from the compressed working fluid. A float drain module can be positioned within the moisture separator for receiving the condensed liquid. A float valve and a check valve housed within the float drain module are movable between open and closed positions and cooperate to remove condensed liquid from the working fluid without permitting discharge of gaseous working fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: Ingersoll-Rand Company
    Inventor: Michael R. Borkowski
  • Patent number: 10167726
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine component according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, at least one cooling passage. The at least one cooling passage includes a first wall and a second wall bounding the at least one cooling passage, the first wall having a plurality of first surface features and the second wall having a plurality of second surface features. The plurality of first surface features and the plurality of second surface features are arranged such that a width of the cooling passage varies along a length of the cooling passage defined by the plurality of first surface features and the plurality of second surface features. The plurality of first surface features has a first profile, and the plurality of second surface features has a second, different profile. A casting core for forming cooling passages in an aircraft component is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Matthew A. Devore, Matthew S. Gleiner, Douglas C. Jenne
  • Patent number: 10161258
    Abstract: A seal assembly includes a seal arc segment that defines radially inner and outer sides with the radially outer side including radially-extending sidewalls. A radially inner surface joins the radially-extending sidewalls. The radially-extending sidewalls and the radially inner surface define a pocket. A rail shield has radially-extending walls lines the radially-extending sidewalls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael G. McCaffrey, Benjamin F. Hagan, David Richard Griffin, Peter Balawajder, Christopher Corcoran
  • Patent number: 10145376
    Abstract: A centrifugal pump (10) includes a housing (26), an impeller (28) that is rotatably disposed inside the housing (26), a shaft (62) that has spherical surface-shaped shaft ends (66) at both ends in an axial direction, and bearings (70) that have spherical surface-shaped bearing surfaces (73) respectively and pivotally supporting the shaft ends (66). In at least one of the bearings (70) disposed on both sides of the shaft (62) in the axial direction, a ratio of a radius of curvature of the shaft end (66) with respect to a radius of curvature of the bearing surface (73) of the bearing (70) is equal to or less than 85%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: TERUMO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Koko Kumano
  • Patent number: 10143787
    Abstract: A centrifugal pump (10) includes a housing (26), an impeller (28) that is rotatably disposed inside the housing (26), a shaft (62) that is provided at a center rotational axis of the impeller (28), and bearings (70) that pivotally support the shaft ends (66). At least one of the shaft ends (66) has surface roughness Ra equal to or less than 0.21 ?m and/or surface roughness Ry equal to or less than 1.49 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: TERUMO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Koko Kumano
  • Patent number: 10145257
    Abstract: According to various embodiments, disclosed is a blade outer air seal assembly for a turbine engine comprising a main body portion that extends generally axially, with respect to a central axis of the turbine engine, from a leading edge portion of the main body to a trailing edge portion of the main body, wherein the leading edge portion includes a leading edge wall having a undercut profile along at least a portion of the leading edge wall, wherein the main body portion comprises cooling passages comprising a leading edge cooling passage adjacent to the leading edge wall, having a leading edge periphery on a side of the leading edge cooling passage adjacent to the leading edge wall, which generally conforms to the undercut profile of the leading edge wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Dmitriy A. Romanov, Paul M. Lutjen, Kevin J. Ryan, Ken F. Blaney
  • Patent number: 10145244
    Abstract: A rotorcraft rotor blade assembly includes a stub spar extending less than a full span of the rotor blade assembly. An upper skin portion extends substantially the full span of the rotor blade assembly. A lower skin portion extends substantially the full span of the rotor blade assembly. The stub spar is positioned between the upper skin portion and the lower skin portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON INC.
    Inventors: Paul K. Oldroyd, Drew Sutton, Andrew Maresh, Christopher Foskey
  • Patent number: 10138750
    Abstract: A seal assembly includes a seal arc segment defining first and second seal supports with a carriage defining first and second support members. The first support member supports the seal arc segment in a first ramped interface, and the second support member supports the seal arc segment in a second ramped interface. A spring is configured to bias the seal arc segment axially. A heat shield is radially inward of the spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael G. McCaffrey, Benjamin F. Hagan, David Richard Griffin
  • Patent number: 10132184
    Abstract: A seal assembly includes a seal arc segment that defines radially inner and outer sides. The radially outer side includes radially-extending sidewalls and a radially inner surface that joins the radially-extending sidewalls, with the radially-extending sidewalls and the radially inner surface defining a pocket. A rail shield has radially-extending walls that line the radially-extending sidewalls. A spring is configured to bias the rail shield radially inward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael G. McCaffrey, Benjamin F. Hagan