Patents Examined by Eric J Zamora Alvarez
  • Patent number: 11448086
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a variable stator vane and a method of fabricating the variable stator vane of a gas turbine engine. The method includes providing at least one fibre sheet. The method further includes rolling the at least one fibre sheet around a mandrel to form a spindle section of the variable stator vane. An excess of material of the at least one fibre sheet remains after forming the spindle section. The method further includes using the excess of material of the at least one fibre sheet to form the at least one aerofoil section of the variable stator vane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: Christopher D. Jones, Robert C. Backhouse, Adam J. Bishop
  • Patent number: 11441572
    Abstract: An impeller includes a body with an interior channel extending through the body along a centerline axis of the impeller. A plurality of blades is connected to the body on a forward end of the impeller centerline axis. The plurality of blades surrounds the interior channel and is fluidly connected to an array of inlets. An array of pentagonal channels extends through the body and radially outward in a spiral pattern. Each pentagonal channel is fluidly connected to a corresponding vane inlet and a corresponding pentagonal-shaped outlet. Each channel maintains a pentagonal cross-section shape from the inlet to the outlet. Each downward-sloping face of the cross section is more than 35 degrees from a horizontal plane perpendicular to the centerline axis of the impeller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew W. Solomon, Joseph Samo, Thomas J. Ocken, Jacob Greenfield, John Sypek, Jordan Christopher Pugliese
  • Patent number: 11434772
    Abstract: Methods of fabricating a turbomachine component and turbomachine components are provided. The method includes irradiating a layer of powder in a powder bed to form a fused region. The powder is disposed on a build plate. The method further includes a step of providing a subsequent layer of powder over the powder bed by passing a recoater arm over the powder bed from a first side of the powder bed. The method further includes repeating the irradiating and providing steps until a turbine nozzle assembly is formed on the build plate. The turbine nozzle assembly includes the turbine nozzle and a plurality of heat fins disposed within the turbine nozzle. The plurality of heat fins transfer heat away from a thermally sensitive portion of the turbine nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Clay Thomas Griffis, Jonathan Dwight Berry
  • Patent number: 11434767
    Abstract: An embodiment of an independent cooling circuit for selectively delivering cooling fluid to a component of a gas turbine system includes: at least one coolant feed channel fluidly coupled to a supply of cooling fluid; and an interconnected circuit of cooling channels, including: an interconnected circuit of cooling channels embedded within an exterior wall of the component; an impingement plate; and a plurality of feed tubes connecting the impingement plate to the exterior wall of the component and fluidly coupling a supply of cooling fluid to the interconnected circuit of cooling channels; wherein the cooling fluid flows through the plurality of feed tubes into the interconnected circuit of cooling channels only in response to a formation of a breach in the exterior wall of the component that exposes at least one of the cooling channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Matthew Troy Hafner, Lyndsay Marie Kibler, Brad Wilson VanTassel, Benjamin Paul Lacy, Zachary John Snider, Christopher Donald Porter, Srikanth Chandrudu Kottilingam
  • Patent number: 11415014
    Abstract: The present disclosure is related to turbine vane assemblies comprising ceramic matrix composite materials. The turbine vane assemblies further including reinforcements that strengthen joints in the turbine vane assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Michael J. Whittle, Daniel K. Vetters, Jeffrey A. Walston, Eric Koenig
  • Patent number: 11384772
    Abstract: A rotating machine includes a shaft, a first impeller wheel, and a second impeller wheel. The rotating machine also includes a first seal assembly including a first carbon ring disposed about the shaft, with the first carbon ring having a first carbon surface. The first seal assembly also includes a first mating ring disposed about the shaft, with the first mating ring having a first mating surface facing and configured to contact the first carbon surface. The rotating machine additionally includes a second seal assembly including a second carbon ring disposed about the shaft, with the second carbon ring having a second carbon surface. The second seal assembly also includes a second mating ring disposed about the shaft, with the second mating ring having a second mating ring surface facing and configured to contact the second carbon surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventors: Tyler Ransom Garrard, Erwin Perry Ellwood, III, Frederick Michael Huscher
  • Patent number: 11378038
    Abstract: An exhaust duct for an engine includes an outer exhaust duct and a nested exhaust duct capable of having at least two configurations. The nested exhaust duct is circumferentially surrounded by the outer exhaust duct for a first length of the nested exhaust duct in a first configuration. The nested exhaust duct is circumferentially surrounded by the outer exhaust duct for a second length of the nested exhaust duct in a second configuration, which is less than the first length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Lawrence A. Binek, Jesse R. Boyer
  • Patent number: 11377955
    Abstract: A turbine rotor includes a rotor body and a balancing weight slot defined in an exterior circumference of the body. The balancing weight slot has a first axial width and a first radially outward facing surface at a first radial distance from a rotor axis. The rotor also includes a balancing weight entry port defined in a portion of the exterior circumference of the rotor body, aligned with the balancing weight slot. The balancing weight entry port has a second axial width greater than the first axial width and a second radially outward facing surface at a second radial distance from the axis of the rotor body smaller than the first radial distance. A method may include machining the entry port into the rotor with a tool. The method may be applied to a new rotor, or to remove cracks initiating from a previous entry port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Michael Ericson Friedman, Gang Liu
  • Patent number: 11377966
    Abstract: A moving blade for a turbine or compressor stage of a gas turbine is provided, including a vane (10) and a radially outer shroud (20), for at least one contour point (PK) of an outer contour of a profile cross section (P) of the vane at a radial outer gas channel boundary, the wall thickness of the shroud at at least one edge point (PR) of the shroud, whose connecting line (V), including the contour point with a normal (N), which is perpendicular to the outer contour of the profile cross section in the contour point, encloses an angle (?), which is no more than 5°, is less than a wall thickness of the shroud at the contour point, the wall thickness of the shroud decreasing strictly monotonously along the connecting line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: MTU Aero Engines AG
    Inventors: Frank Stiehler, Lars Schellhorn
  • Patent number: 11378012
    Abstract: A turbine assembly adapted for use in a gas turbine engine includes a seal segment and a carrier. The seal segment includes a shroud wall that extends circumferentially partway around an axis and a mount post that extends radially outward away from the shroud wall. The carrier is shaped to define a channel that receives at least a portion of the mount post. A mounting insert is used to urge the carrier and mount post toward one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Inventor: Michael J. Whittle
  • Patent number: 11371359
    Abstract: A turbine blade for a gas turbine engine has: an airfoil extending along a span from a base to a tip and along a chord from a leading edge to a trailing edge, the airfoil having a pressure side and a suction side, a tip pocket at the tip of the airfoil, the tip pocket at least partially surrounded by a peripheral tip wall defining a portion of the pressure and suction sides; at least one internal cooling passage in the airfoil and having at least one outlet communicating with the tip pocket; and a reinforcing bump located on the pressure side of the airfoil and protruding from a baseline surface of the peripheral tip wall to a bump end located into the tip pocket, the reinforcing bump overlapping a location where a curvature of a concave portion of the pressure side of the airfoil is maximal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Daniel Lecuyer, Othmane Leghzaouni
  • Patent number: 11371523
    Abstract: A detachment mechanism for a fan is provided for being adapted for a fan structure, the fan structure includes a rotating axle and a blade assembly, the blade assembly is sleeved on the rotating axle, and the detachment mechanism for the fan includes a detachment threaded hole. The detachment threaded hole is configured for a detachment bolt to be rotatably screwed therewith, the detachment threaded hole penetrates through the detachment mechanism for the fan, and a part of the rotating axle is exposed from an opening area of the detachment threaded hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Chang Tjer Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yu-Tse Lin
  • Patent number: 11371370
    Abstract: The invention relates to a flow arrangement for placing in the hot gas duct of a turbomachine, having a first surrounding-flow structure and a second surrounding-flow structure, the surrounding-flow structures each having, in reference to the surrounding flow in the hot gas duct, a leading edge and, downstream thereof, a trailing edge, wherein the second surrounding-flow structure is provided as a deflecting blade with a suction side and a pressure side and has a lesser profile thickness than the first surrounding-flow structure, which is arranged on the suction side of the second surrounding-flow structure, and wherein, although the second surrounding-flow structure has a partial axial overlap with the first surrounding-flow structure referred to a longitudinal axis of the turbomachine, the trailing edge of the second surrounding-flow structure is, at the same time, displaced axially downstream relative to the trailing edge of the first surrounding-flow structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: MTU Aero Engines AG
    Inventors: Martin Hoeger, Fadi Maatouk, Guenter Ramm, Yavuz Guendogdu, Irene Raab
  • Patent number: 11371354
    Abstract: A rotor for a turbofan booster section associated with a fan section of a gas turbine engine includes a rotor blade having an airfoil having a leading edge, a trailing edge and a mean camber line. The airfoil has a delta inlet blade angle defined as a difference between a local inlet blade angle defined in a spanwise location, and a root inlet blade angle defined at the root. The delta inlet blade angle decreases in the spanwise direction from the root to a minimum value at greater than 10% span and from the minimum value, the delta inlet blade angle increases to the tip. The rotor includes a rotor disk coupled to the rotor blade configured to be coupled to the shaft or the fan to rotate with the shaft or the fan, respectively, at the same speed as the shaft or the fan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Nick Nolcheff, John Repp, Bruce Reynolds, John Gunaraj
  • Patent number: 11371362
    Abstract: Disclosed is a pressurization air conditioning arrangement, the arrangement having: a turbine including a housing and a rotor within the housing, wherein the rotor is a dual scroll and including an inner shroud separating a first set of rotor blades from a second set of rotor blades; a diffuser extending from an exhaust of the turbine; and an exhaust shroud within the diffuser, the exhaust shroud dividing the diffuser into an inner diffuser passage and an outer diffuser passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: James Streeter, Darryl A. Colson, Roberto J. Perez
  • Patent number: 11371521
    Abstract: A turbomachine face seal includes a turbine wheel with a cylindrical shaft extending from the turbine wheel, defining an axis of rotation. The shaft may include a heat throttle, such as a piston ring and groove assembly, or a shaft weld pocket having an annular heat choke groove. Circumscribing the shaft is a casing and a seal ring having a groove with a seal element. To cool the seal element, a pressurized oil jet is directed toward the casing, and impinges against the casing. The oil jet may be angled or parallel with the axis of rotation. The casing may be configured to trap oil from the oil jet to cool the seal element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventors: Rajmohan Chandramohanan, Zachary Ashton, Michael Jay Burkett
  • Patent number: 11371353
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a turbine blade includes forming a blade body divided body constituting a blade body of the turbine blade by a three-dimensional lamination method; individually forming a plurality of shroud divided bodies constituting a shroud of the turbine blade for each of the shroud divided bodies by a three-dimensional lamination method; joining the shroud divided bodies together; and joining the blade body divided body and the shroud divided bodies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Hidekatsu Atsumi, Norihiko Motoyama, Shuji Tanigawa
  • Patent number: 11371357
    Abstract: The invention concerns a fan blade for a turbomachine, comprising: a leading edge and a pressure-side wall, a structural shield, said shield being attached and fixed to the leading edge of the blade and comprising a pressure-side fin attached to the pressure-side wall, and a piece of fabric comprising aramid fibres, attached and fixed to the pressure-side wall of the fan blade such that the piece of fabric extends in the continuation of the pressure-side fin of the shield without covering said pressure-side fin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Thomas Alain De Gaillard, Audrey Myriam Laguerre, Gilles Pierre-Marie Notarianni
  • Patent number: 11371512
    Abstract: A centrifugal compressor includes a housing 20 having a facing surface 22f facing the outer peripheral surface of a cover 43, a seal member 50 forming a clearance with the outer peripheral surface of the cover 43, an inclined hole 55 formed in the seal member 50, extending at an angle to the side opposite to a direction of rotation, and having an opening portion 57 opening at a position facing the outer peripheral surface of the cover 43, a first fin 52 provided on the seal member 50 and protruding toward the outer peripheral surface of the cover 43, and a communication flow path portion 64 formed in the housing 20, having an introduction port 66i opening at a position facing the outer peripheral surface of the cover 43, and communicating with the inclined hole 55.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES COMPRESSOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaki Shakuda, Shinichiro Tokuyama
  • Patent number: 11371384
    Abstract: A turbine engine including a fan shaft driven by a turbine shaft with a rotational speed reduction device. A decoupling element is interposed between the reduction device and the fan shaft which operates to decouple the reduction device and the fan shaft. The reduction device is coupled to the fan shaft by a coupling having trapezoidal teeth of the curvic type which are used during the said decoupling operation. The decoupling element is configured to decouple the reduction device and the fan shaft in response to a predetermined resistive torque, referred to as the decoupling torque, which acts between the fan shaft and the reduction device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Michel Gilbert Roland Brault, Julien Fabien Patrick Becoulet, Arnaud Nicolas Negri, Didier Jean-Louis Yvon