Patents Examined by J Todd Newton
  • Patent number: 11732601
    Abstract: A variable turbine geometry assembly includes an adjustment ring extending along and rotatable about an axis, at least one vane lever coupled to the adjustment ring, and at least one vane coupled to the at least one vane lever. The variable turbine geometry assembly also includes a biasing member coupled to the adjustment ring at a first circumferential location on the adjustment ring and coupled to the adjustment ring at a second circumferential location on the adjustment ring. The biasing member extends from the first circumferential location to the second circumferential location. The biasing member is operably in contact with the at least one vane lever between the first circumferential location and the second circumferential location to bias the at least one vane lever toward the adjustment ring and to reduce vibration between the adjustment ring and the at least one vane lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventors: Augustine Cavagnaro, Elias Morgan, Greg Williams
  • Patent number: 11732600
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine actuation system includes a gas turbine engine, an actuation device, an actuator, and a power source. The gas turbine engine includes a compressor section, a combustion section, a turbine section, and a rotating shaft. The actuation device is operable with the compressor section, combustion section, turbine section, or a combination thereof. The actuator is operationally coupled to the actuation device and includes an electric actuator configured to convert electrical current into mechanical power. The power source is configured to supply electrical current to the actuator, alone or in tandem with a hydraulic actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David Alexander Hiett, Stefan Joseph Cafaro, Robert Jon McQuiston, David Marion Ostdiek
  • Patent number: 11732640
    Abstract: A rotary engine includes a housing, a crank dual-slider connecting rod mechanism, and rotary casings. The vertically arranged sliding grooves are provided in the housing. The crank dual-slider connecting rod mechanism is mounted on the housing. Sliders of the crank dual-slider connecting rod mechanism are respectively located in the sliding groove. The sliders are driven by a rotation of a crank to periodically compress a gas in the sliding grooves. The two rotary casings configured to rotate synchronously are mounted on an outer side of the housing. Each of the rotary casings is provided with a combustion chamber. Any of the rotary casings is in a transmission connection with a main shaft via a transmission system. The rotary casings drive the main shaft to rotate through a combustion of a compressed gas in the combustion chambers. The rotary engine achieves a good seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: JIANGSU UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Baowei Fan, Yonghao Zeng, Yuanguang Wang, Jianfeng Pan, Xin Wu, Xiaolei Qi, Jiaxin Wang
  • Patent number: 11732585
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and systems for trapped rotatable weights to improve rotor balance are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a lock nut; a rotor assembly; a channel defined by the lock nut and the rotor assembly, the channel wrapped circumferentially around a geometric center of the rotor assembly; and a weight trapped within the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert Allen Hagan, Jason Francis Pepi, Kevin Robert Shannon
  • Patent number: 11725582
    Abstract: A system for providing mobile electric power includes a first transport including an inlet plenum and a generator, a second transport including a gas turbine, and a turbine exhaust unit, and a third transport including a generator exhaust air handling system, a combustion air handling system, and a turbine enclosure air handling system. The first transport, the second transport, and the third transport are separate transports that are independently movable in a transportation mode. In an operation mode, the first transport and the second transport are connected to each other such that a first end side of the first transport faces and is connected to a first end side of the second transport, and the inlet plenum mounted on the first transport is connected to an intake of the gas turbine mounted on the second transport.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Typhon Technology Solutions (U.S.), LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey G. Morris, Brett Vann
  • Patent number: 11725670
    Abstract: A compressor section for a gas turbine engine according to an example of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a low pressure compressor including a plurality of rotor blades arranged about an axis, a high pressure compressor, and a core flowpath passing through the low pressure compressor. The core flowpath at the low pressure compressor defines an inner diameter and an outer diameter relative to the axis. The outer diameter has a slope angle relative to the axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Lisa I. Brilliant, Becky E. Rose, Yuan Dong, Stanley J. Balamucki
  • Patent number: 11725515
    Abstract: The disclosure provides rotary machines that include, in one embodiment, a shaft defining a central axis A, the shaft having a first end and a second end. The shaft can have a first gearbox disposed thereon defining one or more cavities therein. At least one contour is slidably received into an arcuate cavity in an exterior surface of the gearbox. The contour has a convex outer surface that cooperates with an inwardly facing curved surface of a housing to form a working volume. A gearbox mechanism consisting of gears, crankshafts, bearings and connecting rod creates an oscillatory motion 2 times per revolution such that the contour can navigate about the arcuate cavity without contacting the cavity at a high rate of rotating speed. Thus, said working volume can expand and compresses twice per rotatable shaft revolution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Lumenium LLC
    Inventors: William Anderson, William Lukaczyk
  • Patent number: 11719145
    Abstract: An exhaust system for an internal combustion engine includes an exhaust gas heater housing, an exhaust gas heater disposed in the exhaust gas heater housing and an exhaust gas treatment unit housing which, via an upstream end region, adjoins a downstream end region of the exhaust gas heater housing. At least one exhaust gas treatment unit is disposed in the exhaust gas treatment unit housing. At least one exhaust gas heater includes at least one connector element that, in the downstream direction toward the exhaust gas treatment unit housing, extends toward the exhaust gas heater and, in an exhaust gas primary flow direction, overlaps with the upstream end region of the exhaust gas treatment unit housing and/or with an exhaust gas treatment unit disposed in the upstream end region of the exhaust gas treatment unit housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Purem GmbH
    Inventors: Kresimir Jambrosic, Veronique Guerin, Anton-Bogdan Popescu
  • Patent number: 11723172
    Abstract: Fan assemblies are disclosed. Fan assemblies include an impeller with asymmetric design. For example, an impeller may include a first set of blades with one geometry and second set of fan blades with another geometry. This enables a dual-inlet centrifugal fan to generate different air flow performance characteristics for the air entering one fan inlet compared to the air entering the other fan inlet. The impeller, with different fan blade configurations, can better handle air flow entering the fan assembly through different inlets, particularly when the air flow conditions differ through the inlets due to impeding structures (e.g., motor, struts, etc.). As a result, air flow distribution from air leaving the impeller, including the locations associated with the different fan blade configurations, is relatively uniform. Beneficially, when air flow distribution uniformity increases, the fan assembly operates more efficiently, as air flow pressure losses due to flow separation are mitigated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Anthony Joseph Aiello, Brett W. Degner, Jesse T. Dybenko, Arash Naghib Lahouti, Eric R. Prather
  • Patent number: 11713716
    Abstract: A fuel pump assembly for a gas turbine engine includes a shaft for transmitting motion, a gear connected to and coaxial with the shaft with the gear having a first wear surface, a first bearing coaxial with the shaft with the first bearing being configured to support the gear and having a second wear surface positioned to interact with the first wear surface, and a plurality of indents. The indents are distributed in the first wear surface or the second wear surface and at least two of the plurality of indents are partially aligned in a radial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Edward W. Goy, Weishun William Ni
  • Patent number: 11708814
    Abstract: A method (1000-1004) for operating a wind turbine (10, 11) including a drive train (64) including a generator (42) and a rotor shaft (44) mechanically connected with the generator (42) and having an axis (30) of rotation, and a rotor (18) having rotor blades (22-22c). The rotor (18) is mechanically connected with the rotor shaft (44) and rotatable about the axis (30) of rotation. The method (1000-1004) includes determining (1100) that the generator (42) is not operating in a power generating mode, and operating (1200) the rotor (18) to move around a predefined desired angular orientation (?des) with respect to the axis (30) of rotation in an alternating fashion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Renovables Espana, S.L
    Inventors: Peter Gauchel, Jacob Johannes Nies
  • Patent number: 11702948
    Abstract: A shroud segment including a forward radial wall, an aft radial wall and at least one interlocking subcomponent. The forward radial wall, an aft radial wall and the at least one interlocking subcomponent are each formed of a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) including reinforcing fibers embedded in a matrix. The shroud segment further including an interlocking mechanical joint joining each of the forward radial wall and the aft radial wall to the at least one interlocking subcomponent. Methods are also provided for joining the forward radial wall and the aft radial wall to the at least one interlocking subcomponent using an interlocking mechanical joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Mackenzie Christopher Hock, Daniel Gene Dunn, Douglas Glenn Decesare, Douglas Melton Carper, Steven Robert Hayashi, Nathan Carl Sizemore, Nolan Leander Cousineau
  • Patent number: 11702990
    Abstract: A redundant oil and fuel pumping system for use with a gas turbine engine. The pumping system includes a plurality of power sources, a fuel system and an oil system. The fuel system pump being driven by electric motors controlled via variable frequency drives powered by the plurality of power sources. The oil system pump being driven by electric motors controlled via variable frequency drives powered by the plurality of power sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Alan W. Smith
  • Patent number: 11698000
    Abstract: A damage evaluation device evaluates damage of equipment, including an operation data obtaining unit which detects a state of the equipment to obtain the state as operation data; an operating state quantity evaluation unit which calculates an operating state quantity including at least one of temperature and generated stress at a predetermined evaluation-target site of the equipment, based on the operation data; a material deterioration evaluation unit which evaluates a material deterioration quantity of a material forming the equipment, based on the operating state quantity; a risk evaluation unit which evaluates at least one of a cumulative damage quantity of the material forming the equipment and failure risk, based on the operating state quantity and the material deterioration quantity; and a recommended maintenance time presentation unit which presents a recommended maintenance time of the equipment based on a result of the evaluation of the risk evaluation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: TOSHIRA ENERGY SYSTEMS & SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tetsuya Shitaka, Yusuke Suzuki, Yoshikazu Ninomiya
  • Patent number: 11697996
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture are disclosed to adjust a pitch axis of a blade of an engine. An example blade apparatus includes: a hub to facilitate movement of blades in an engine, the engine having a radial center line; and a trunnion connected to the hub. The example trunnion includes a slot to accommodate a first blade, and at least one of the trunnion or the first blade is positioned with at least one of a tilt or a lean with respect to the radial center line to form a pitch axis offset from the radial center line such that the pitch axis is not parallel to or co-linear with the radial center line. The example hub is to rotate the first blade about the pitch axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nicholas Joseph Kray, Ian F. Prentice
  • Patent number: 11697997
    Abstract: A turbine for a turbo-machine is proposed in which, at a gas inlet for a turbine wheel, vanes extend from a nozzle ring though slots in a shroud. The nozzle ring and shroud are relatively rotatable about a rotational axis of the turbine by at least 0.1 degrees. In use, the nozzle ring and shroud are relatively rotated to bring one side of the vane into close contact with one surface of the slot, to inhibit leakage of gas between the vane and the slot surface. For this purpose the respective surfaces of the nozzle and slot can be configured to closely conform to each other. If there is differential thermal expansion of the shroud and nozzle ring, the nozzle ring and shroud can relatively rotate, to withdraw the vane from the edge of the slot to relieve the pressure between them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: Cummins Ltd.
    Inventors: Matthew William Edwards, Karl Conlon, Simon David Moore, Christopher Parry, Andrew Sullivan, Paul Ghosh, Mark R. Holden, George E. Sandford, Nandakishore Arcot Madhusudan, Stephen David Hughes, Christopher J. Shaw
  • Patent number: 11692557
    Abstract: In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a refrigerant compressor, including: a stator; a rotor configured to rotate with respect to the stator; and at least one step seal between the rotor and the stator, wherein the step seal includes a first tooth and a second tooth extending from the rotor toward the stator, wherein a downstream surface of the first tooth and an upstream surface of the second tooth are arranged at an angle relative to one another, wherein the angle is less than 90°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Inventors: James Wilson, Jin Yan, Lin Xiang Sun, Ruiguo Gao, Brenden Richman
  • Patent number: 11692498
    Abstract: Provided herein is internal combustion engine system including: an internal combustion engine; a turbocharger turbine operatively connected to a turbocharger compressor; an air intake system; an exhaust gas system; an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) conduit; an EGR valve; and a turbomachine arranged in the EGR conduit. Further, the EGR valve and the turbomachine are positioned in relation to each other in the EGR conduit such that a flow of high pressure exhaust gas through the EGR conduit towards the air intake system reaches the EGR valve before reaching the turbomachine; an additional exhaust gas conduit is arranged between the EGR conduit and a point of the exhaust system downstream the turbocharger turbine so as to allow exhaust gas to flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: VOLVO TRUCK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Johan Carlén Andersson, Fredrik Rahm, Ulf Aronsson
  • Patent number: 11686210
    Abstract: A component assembly for a gas turbine engine defining a core air flowpath is provided. The component assembly includes an outer shell comprising a first array of integral outer shell airfoils that extend inward from an outer shell periphery; and an inner shell comprising a second array of integral inner shell airfoils that extend outward from an inner shell periphery, wherein the outer shell and the inner shell are one or both of translatable and rotatable relative to one another between a first position and a second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Dane Michael Dale, Brandon ALlonson Reynolds
  • Patent number: 11686250
    Abstract: A system and method for increasing power output of a gas turbine. A method of increasing a power output of a gas turbine comprises providing an auxiliary system configured to be coupled to the gas turbine. The auxiliary system includes a natural gas engine, a compressor, and a heat exchanger fluidly coupled to the compressor. The method includes fluidly coupling the auxiliary system to a combustor case of the gas turbine. The method comprises operating the natural gas engine to drive the compressor to compress air to form compressed air and directing exhaust of the natural gas engine to the heat exchanger. The method includes heating the compressed air in the heat exchanger using the exhaust of the natural gas engine to form heated compressed air and injecting the heated compressed air into the combustor case of the gas turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: PowerPHASE LLC
    Inventor: Robert J. Kraft