Patents Examined by Jackson N Gillenwaters
  • Patent number: 10837592
    Abstract: The present invention provides support frames for positive pressure blowers having one or more wheels mounted at a lower corner of the frame, wherein the wheels are mounted to roll in a direction that is perpendicular to the flow of air through the blower. This sideways orientation of the wheels allows a frame carrying a blower to be easily moved from side to side, such as when placed into or removed from a side compartment on an emergency vehicle, and allows such a frame carrying a blower to be easily tilted, turned and rolled around at the scene of a fire in much the same manner as a wheelbarrow. Embodiments of the invention may include an upper handle or grip which allows a user to control the frames by tilting and rolling them around on the wheels. Embodiments of the invention may include a support bracket for holding a battery or other power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Tempest Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Leroy B. Coffman, III, William T. Allen
  • Patent number: 10830065
    Abstract: An attachment system (10) for a turbine airfoil (12) including one or more roots (14) to attach the turbine airfoil (12) to a rotor, whereby the roots (14) have one or more curved teeth (18) that substantially limit, if not completely eliminate, circumferential rocking motion of the turbine airfoil (12) relative to a disc (20) supporting the turbine airfoil (12) during turning gear operation. The curved configuration of the teeth (18) extending laterally from the root (14) prevent rotation of the turbine airfoil (12) relative to the disc (20) supporting the turbine airfoil (12), thereby preventing premature failure of the turbine airfoil (12) or disc (20) due to wear from turbine airfoil (12) rocking during turning gear operation. In at least one embodiment, a laterally extending outer edge (22) of an axially extending tooth (18) may be curved about an axis (30) orthogonal to a centerline (26) of a turbine engine (28) in which the turbine airfoil (12) is positioned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: John J. Marra
  • Patent number: 10823156
    Abstract: The present invention provides a segmented pitch ring for use in a blade pitch system of a wind turbine. The segmented pitch ring is formed of a plurality of segments manufactured by different processes. In particular, one or more of the segments are formed by a rolling process, and one or more of the segments are formed by a casting process. The segments are arc-shaped or include arc-shaped sections that in combination define a substantially circular circumference of the pitch ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Michael Christensen, Simon Kabus, Erik Markussen, Jesper Lykkegaard Neubauer
  • Patent number: 10815810
    Abstract: A blade outer air seal assembly may comprise a blade outer air seal segment and a blade outer air seal support coupled to the blade outer air seal segment. The blade outer air seal segment may comprise a forward rail and an aft rail. The forward rail may be castellated. The blade outer air seal support may comprise an aft flange and a first forward flange. A pin may be disposed through the aft rail, the aft flange, the first forward flange, and the forward rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: William M. Barker, Daniel J. Whitney, Michael G. McCaffrey, Thomas E. Clark
  • Patent number: 10814053
    Abstract: A total artificial heart for a mammalian cardiovascular system is provided. The total artificial heart has a pump casing including an outer housing and an integral hollow support shaft extending therethrough. The casing defines a first flow path within the outer housing about an exterior of the hollow support shaft and a separate second flow path extending within the hollow support shaft. An annular impeller is housed within the outer housing of the casing for rotation about the hollow support shaft to provide a centrifugal flow pump in the first flow path, and an axial flow impeller is housed within the hollow support shaft of the casing for forming an axial flow pump in the second flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Drexel University
    Inventors: Amy L Throckmorton, Carson S Fox, Steven G Chopski
  • Patent number: 10801351
    Abstract: A seal assembly for a gas turbine engine according to an example of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a seal that has a sealing portion that extends from an engagement portion. The sealing portion has a seal face that extends circumferentially between first and second mate faces. The engagement portion defines an internal cavity that extends circumferentially between the first and second mate faces, and the engagement portion has an impingement face opposite the seal face that defines an elongated opening to the internal cavity. A method of sealing is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kevin L. Rugg, Winston Gregory Smiddy
  • Patent number: 10774665
    Abstract: A seal system for a gas turbine vane includes a first seal layer and an optional second seal layer. Each first seal layer includes multiple seal segments, each of which includes a first leg, a second leg, and an intermediate portion between the first leg and the second leg. Each adjacent pair of seal segments of the first seal is separated by a gap. The seal segments define a substantially complete perimeter of a seal slot in which the first seal is installed. The second seal, which is also segmented, may or may not define the substantially complete perimeter of the seal slot. If present, the second seal segments are circumferentially offset from the first seal segments to block the gaps between the first seal segments. A turbine vane including the present seal system is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John Ellington Greene, Neelesh Nandkumar Sarawate
  • Patent number: 10738652
    Abstract: This turbocharger (10A) is provided with: a nozzle flow passage (35) for radially inwardly guiding gas from a scroll flow passage (34) and supplying the gas to a turbine wheel (12); and a nozzle mount (51) provided on the bearing housing (16) side of the nozzle flow passage (35). The turbocharger (10A) is further provided with: a vane (53) for adjusting the amount of introduced gas in the nozzle flow passage (35); and a heat shielding part (80) for minimizing heat transfer across the nozzle mount (51) from the turbine housing (31) side to the bearing housing (16) side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES ENGINE & TURBOCHARGER, LTD.
    Inventors: Takeru Chiba, Toyotaka Yoshida
  • Patent number: 10711615
    Abstract: A turbine blade having an airfoil profile substantially in accordance with Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y, and Z set forth in Table 1, where the X and Y values are in inches and the Z values are non-dimensional values from 0 to 1 and convertible to Z distances in inches by multiplying the Z values by the height of the airfoil in inches. The X and Y values are distances which, when connected by smooth continuing arcs, define airfoil profile sections at each distance Z. The profile sections at each distance Z are joined smoothly to one another to form an airfoil shape. The X and Y values may also be scaled as a function of a first constant and the Z values may be scaled as a function of a second constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: Chromalloy Gas Turbine LLC
    Inventors: David G. Parker, Zhenhua Xiao, Richard Yu, Vincent C. Martling, Wesley Smith, David Medrano, Charles A. Ellis
  • Patent number: 10689997
    Abstract: A seal assembly for a gas turbine engine according to an example of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a seal that has a seal body having a sealing portion that extends from an engagement portion. The sealing portion has a seal face that extends circumferentially between first and second mate faces. The seal body defines an internal cavity that extends circumferentially between the first and second mate faces, and the engagement portion has an impingement face opposite the seal face that defines a plurality of apertures to the internal cavity. A housing is mounted to the seal such that the impingement face is exposed to define a plenum between the housing and the impingement face. The housing defines a plurality of cooling passages, and each of the plurality of cooling passages define a passage axis that is oriented such that a projection of the passage axis intersects the seal body. A method of sealing is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Winston Gregory Smiddy, Paul M. Lutjen
  • Patent number: 10662970
    Abstract: An impeller may include a plurality of blades disposed along a rotation direction in an outer circumferential portion of at least one end surface of two end surfaces of the impeller; a plurality of blade grooves; and an outer circumferential wall disposed at an outer circumferential edge and closing the plurality of grooves. The housing may include an opposing groove opposing a blade groove region and extending along the rotation direction of the impeller. In a plan view of the one end surface of the two end surfaces of the impeller, each of the plurality of the blades may be curved, and a central portion of each of the blades may be positioned frontward in the rotation direction of the impeller than both ends of the blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: AISAN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Eiji Nakamura
  • Patent number: 10655628
    Abstract: A cooling system for providing streamlined airflow is provided. The system includes a fan assembly that includes an inlet side and an outlet side. The fan assembly also includes an inlet fan guard connector located at the inlet side of the fan assembly and an outlet fan guard connector located at the outlet side of the fan assembly. The fan assembly also includes a lever housings located between the inlet fan guard connector and the outlet fan guard connector and a slots oriented between the lever housings and the inlet fan guard connector and the outlet fan guard connector, the plurality of slots configured to secure an additional modular component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: QUANTA COMPUTER INC.
    Inventors: Chao-Jung Chen, Yu-Nien Huang, Herman Tan
  • Patent number: 10655602
    Abstract: There is provided a pitch control system (210) for controlling a pitch force system (220) for pitching a blade (103) of a wind turbine (100), the pitch control system (210) being arranged for activating (682) an auxiliary pitch force subsystem (224) at an initiation point in time where a main pitch force is sufficient to pitch the blade (103) into a target pitch value. An advantage thereof may be that tracking of a target pitch value may be improved and the impact on the pitch force system (220) may be reduced. In aspects, there is furthermore presented a hydraulic pitch system (206), a wind turbine (100), a method and a computer program product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: John Schwensen, Kasper Zinck Østergaard, Jacob Hviid Nielsen, Jan Vestergaard Knudsen
  • Patent number: 10655499
    Abstract: A preloaded ball bearing assembly includes a primary bearing assembly disposed between a rotating component and a static structure. The assembly also includes a preload bearing assembly disposed in contact with the rotating component. The assembly further includes a flexible support disposed between the primary bearing assembly and the preload bearing assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kevin Duffy, Ronnie K. Kovacik, Michael Gantt
  • Patent number: 10641277
    Abstract: A gas seal structure includes: a first member with a first flow path where seal gas flows; a second member that is disposed to face the first member and includes a second flow path where the seal gas flowing from the first flow path flows toward a predetermined seal surface; and a communicating pipe disposed across the first and second flow paths. The communicating pipe includes: a first pipe end and a first seal member that are held within the first flow path, a second pipe end and a second seal member that are held within the second flow path, and a flexible pipe that connects the first pipe end and the second pipe end. A rigidity of the flexible pipe end is lower than a rigidity of each of the first pipe end and the second pipe end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES COMPRESSOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daisuke Hirata, Takashi Oda
  • Patent number: 10641102
    Abstract: A vane cluster for a gas turbine engine includes an outer diameter platform and an inner diameter platform. A plurality of vanes span from the outer diameter platform to the inner diameter platform. At least one inbound region is defined between a first vane of the plurality of vanes and a second vane of the plurality of vanes. The first vane includes a suction side facing the inbound region. Each of the vanes includes a leading edge core passage and a trailing edge core passage. A plurality of electrical discharge machined (EDM) holes are disposed within at least 0.500 inches (12.7 mm) of a leading edge of the first vane. Each of the EDM holes connect a leading edge core passage of the vane to an exterior surface of the vane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Shawn M. McMahon, Christopher Whitfield, Kristopher K. Anderson, Jason B. Moran, Brett Alan Bartling, Christopher Perron, Justin M. Aniello, Stephanie Tanner, Dominic J. Mongillo, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10634162
    Abstract: An axial fan comprises an impeller. The impeller comprises a hub and a plurality of blades disposed on an outer circumference of the hub. A pressure surface of each of the blades is at least partially a convex surface bulging from a suction surface side to a pressure surface side. The convex surface is provided within a predetermined region of the pressure surface of the blade on a hub side. The predetermined region is arranged as part of a radial width of the blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: MINEBEA MITSUMI INC.
    Inventors: Tomoyoshi Sasajima, Yukihiro Higuchi, Naoya Murakami, Koichi Takeda
  • Patent number: 10634007
    Abstract: A rotor support system for a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The rotor support system includes a bearing support flange, a frame support flange proximate to the bearing support flange, a fastener between the bearing support flange and the frame support flange, a damping component, and an axial retainer. The damping component includes a super-elastic shape memory alloy. The fastener is configured to fail when a load on the fastener exceeds a threshold value and the damping component is configured to deform from a normal state to a deformed state after the fastener fails. The axial retainer is configured to retain the bearing support flange and the frame support flange within an axial displacement from each other after the fastener fails. A radial gap exists between the bearing support flange and the frame support flange when the damping component is in the normal state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Shuvajyoti Ghosh, Ravindra Shankar Ganiger, Praveen Sharma, Ishita Sehgal, Prashant Bhujabal, Shivam Mittal
  • Patent number: 10619645
    Abstract: The centrifugal compressor includes an hermetic housing; a drive shaft (4); a first and a second compression stage (8, 9) configured to compress a refrigerant, the first and second compression stages (8, 9) respectively including a first and a second impeller (18, 19), the first and second impellers (18, 19) being connected to the drive shaft (4) and being arranged in a back-to-back configuration; a radial annular groove (27) formed between the back-sides (25, 26) of the first and second impellers (18, 19); an inter-stage sealing arrangement (35) provided between the first and second compressor stages (8, 9) and in the radial annular groove (27); a radial bearing arrangement configured to rotatably support the drive shaft (4); and a thrust bearing arrangement configured to limit an axial movement of the drive shaft (4) during operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Danfoss A/S
    Inventors: Arnaud Daussin, Patrice Bonnefoi, Nicolas Nouyrigat
  • Patent number: 10604234
    Abstract: In a first aspect, there is a method for improving a lift to drag ratio of a rotor blade, including providing a blade member having a leading edge and a trailing edge; providing a leading edge extension member; and coupling the leading edge extension member to a portion of the leading edge of the blade member to form the rotor blade. In a second aspect, there is a rotor blade including a blade member having a leading edge, and a trailing edge; and a leading edge extension member disposed on the leading edge of the blade member, wherein the leading edge extension member is configured to extend the chord length of at least a portion of the rotor blade. In a third aspect, there is a leading edge extension member for a rotor blade including a convex exterior surface configured to extend at least a portion of the chord length of the rotor blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher E. Foskey, Brendan P. Lanigan