Patents Examined by James M. McAleenan
  • Patent number: 6881024
    Abstract: A system for decoupling a fan of a turbojet, the turbojet including a moving fan shaft mounted on bearings each connected to a stationary structure of the turbojet by bearing supports, the bearing supports being fixed to the stationary structure of the turbojet via mechanical links serving, during normal operation of the turbojet, to transmit the forces generated by rotation of the fan, the mechanical links include explosive charges enabling the links to be broken, the explosive charges being controlled by a full authority digital engine control computer on the basis of means for measuring the mechanical stresses in the turbojet and of a computer model simulating the static, dynamic, and thermodynamic behavior of the turbojet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: SNECMA Moteurs
    Inventors: Gabriel Binetruy, Jean-Marie Desindes, Robert Kervistin
  • Patent number: 6881038
    Abstract: Second stage turbine buckets have airfoil profiles substantially in accordance with Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y and Z set forth Table I wherein X and Y values are in inches and the Z values are non-dimensional values, from 0.05 to 0.95 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 a complete airfoil shape. The X and Y distances may be scalable as a function of the same constant or number to provide a scaled up or scaled down airfoil section for the bucket. The nominal airfoil given by the X, Y and Z distances lies within an envelop of ±0.160 inches in directions normal to the surface of the airfoil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thomas Bradley Beddard, David Samuel Pesetsky
  • Patent number: 6881031
    Abstract: A centrifugal air blower includes a fan having a plurality of blades spaced circumferentially therearound for generating an air flow. The fan is disposed in a main case which defines a first discharge passage for the air to flow therethrough. An extended case defining therein a second discharge passage, which has a cross-sectional area progressively greater toward an outlet thereof, is combined with the main case. An air guide means having an arcuately shaped surface for guiding air extends from the first and second discharge passages, in the main case and the extended case toward an outlet of the second discharge passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: Keihin Corporation
    Inventor: Tadahiro Nomura
  • Patent number: 6881028
    Abstract: Apparatus for pumping a pulp suspension and simultaneous abduction of gas from the suspension is disclosed. The apparatus comprises at least one pulp pump including a pump housing with an inlet, a first outlet for the suspension, and a second outlet for the gas. The gas outlet is connected to at least one external vacuum pump by a gas conduit including a substantially vertical portion having a maximum height, located on a level above the pulp pump, and a flushing water supply for the supply of flushing water to the gas conduit connected above the substantially vertical portion of the gas conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: Metso Paper, Inc.
    Inventor: Peter Danielsson
  • Patent number: 6881029
    Abstract: The casing of the invention is of the type supporting series of stationary blades having disposed between them series of blades that are movable in rotation about a longitudinal axis. In characteristic manner, said casing comprises a main element and, at least facing one of the series of moving blades, an assembly comprising a plate made of a honeycomb material and a covering disposed on the face of the plate facing away from the blades so that said cells are open towards the blades, said covering being provided with holes that open out into cells of the plate, thereby forming open cells, said covering closing other cells of the plate, thereby forming closed cells, a cavity being formed between said plate and the inside face of said main element. Preferably, the casing forms the casing of an axial compressor operating at low pressure in a turbojet engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: SNECMA Moteurs
    Inventors: Philippe Le Biez, Yann Lebret, Claude Mons
  • Patent number: 6874991
    Abstract: The invention relates to a fan apparatus for an electrical machine, with a fan (10), which can be rotated around an axis, wherein air flows into the fan (10) in the axial direction and out of the fan (10) in the radial direction, a bearing plate (12), and a magnet wheel (14), wherein a flow conduit (16) is at least partially bounded by the bearing plate (12) and the magnet wheel (14) and the flow cross section of the flow conduit (16) is essentially constant in the radial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2005
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Horst Braun, Thomas Berger, Uwe Knappenberger
  • Patent number: 6872046
    Abstract: Enclosure for liquid lubricated rotating elements (12, 16, 17). A first rotating element (16) with at least one bearing (13, 14, 15) lubrication fluid drainage point that cooperates with a second rotating element (17). A partition wall (21) is mounted between the drainage point and the second element (16, 17), in such a manner that lubrication fluid is substantially prevented from migrating from the drainage point to the second element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2005
    Assignee: Volvo Lastvagnar AB
    Inventors: Per Larsson, Kent Giselmo
  • Patent number: 6863501
    Abstract: A domestic or industrial hood having a rapid attachment device for a centrifugal fan wherein an opening (13) is foreseen in the structure (12) of the hood being externally connectable to a discharge hose and adapted to receive one end (17) of a centrifugal fan (16), and wherein the opening (13) in said hood is equipped with a flange (14) for centring and housing the upper exit end (17) of the centrifugal fan (16) and also including at least one easily removable centring and attachment element (19) from a lower portion (20) of the fan (16) on the hood structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Assignee: Faber S.p.A.
    Inventor: Alvaro Galassi
  • Patent number: 6863492
    Abstract: A friction regenerative pump of this invention comprises: a partition portion formed in a section from a high-pressure outlet to a low-pressure intake along an impeller rotation direction; and a tongue portion provided in the partition portion such that it is elastically deformable. The tongue portion receives a back pressure from high-pressure fluid on the side of the high-pressure outlet and is elastically deformed in a direction of reducing a gap formed between the tongue portion and the outer peripheral portion of an impeller. Consequently, leakage of the high-pressure fluid from the high-pressure outlet to the low-pressure intake is reduced, thereby improving pump efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Assignee: Aisan Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masaki Ikeya
  • Patent number: 6860715
    Abstract: As air passes through the airflow channels (46) between the blades (10) of a compressor impeller, boundary layers build up on the blade (10) surfaces. These low momentum masses of air are considered a blockage and loss generators. Ultimately, the boundary layer on the suction side of the blade (20) will separate, causing stall and reversed flow. Reversed flow will occur until a stable pressure ratio with positive volume flow rate is reached. When the pressure ratio becomes unstable again, the cycle will repeat. Introducing a slit (12) or a series of perforations (28) on the compressor wheel blade (10) allows the air to communicate between the pressure side (18) and the suction side (20) of the blade, which allows the boundary layer to stay attached longer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventor: Aleksandar Sekularac
  • Patent number: 6860722
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine blade root shim includes a dovetail shim portion with a dovetail shape and a longitudinally extending substantially flat base and distal first and second longitudinally spaced apart forward and aft ends. Transversely spaced apart first and second walls extend upwardly from the base which includes at least two longitudinally extending elongated base apertures. Each of the base apertures includes a main region and longitudinally spaced apart rounded end regions. Dog-bone-shaped base apertures or rounded end base apertures having semi-circular rounded end regions may be used. The shim is designed for a blade dovetail root with a root slot formed in a bottom of the dovetail root. The dovetail shim portion with the dovetail shape substantially conforms to at least a portion of a cross-sectional dovetail shape of the dovetail root through the root slot. The base is disposed within the root slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: James Michael Forrester, Emily Anne Clausing, Robert Russell Grant, John Gregory Cargill, Craig William Higgins
  • Patent number: 6857853
    Abstract: A turbine bucket airfoil has a conical fillet about the intersection of the airfoil tip and tip shroud having a nominal profile in accordance with coordinate values of X and Y, offset 1, offset 2 and Rho set forth in Table I. The shape parameters of offset 1, offset 2 and Rho define the configuration of the fillet at the specified X and Y locations about the fillet to provide a fillet configuration accommodating high localized stresses. The fillet shape may be parabolic, elliptical or hyperbolic as a function of the value of the shape parameter ratio of D1 D1 + D2 at each X, Y location where Dl is a distance between an intermediate point along a chord between edge points determined by offsets O2 and O2 and a shoulder point on the fillet surface and D2 is a distance between the shoulder point and an apex location at the intersection of the airfoil tip and tip shroud.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Steven Eric Tomberg, Marvin Luther Neeley
  • Patent number: 6851931
    Abstract: A turbine bucket includes a bucket airfoil having a tip shroud with leading and trailing edges defining leading and trailing edge profiles substantially in accordance with Cartesian coordinate values of X and Y at points 1-7 and 8-15, respectively, set forth in Table I. The X and Y values are distances in inches which, when respective points 1-7 and 8-15 are connected by smooth, continuing arcs, define the leading and trailing edge tip shroud profiles. An airfoil profile at 92% span is defined by Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y and Z in Table II having the same X, Y origin along the radial Z-axis as the origin of Table I. The profiled leading and trailing edges of the tip shroud relative to the airfoil profile afford optimum tip shroud mass distribution which maximizes creep life of the bucket. Stage efficiency is also improved by providing a tip shroud covering the airfoil throat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Steven Eric Tomberg
  • Patent number: 6851928
    Abstract: A diffuser plate 22 for a bypass blower motor assembly has a number of vanes 34 for guiding air flow from an impeller to outlet openings in an impeller housing. Each vane has two curved air guiding blades 36, 37. One blade 36 guides the air axially and circumferentially from the impeller towards the outlet openings and the other blade 37 guides the air radially through the outlet openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Johnson Electric S.A.
    Inventors: Siu Chun Tam, Kwong Yip Poon
  • Patent number: 6851927
    Abstract: A fluid-flow machine includes an outer casing having a rotationally mounted rotor with three blade regions. The blade regions are divided into an inner blade region and two outer blade regions, the two outer blade regions pointing outward toward the outer casing end. The fluid-flow machine includes one or more outlet openings, via which the flow medium is divided into two partial flows. The two partial flows then flow through the respective outer blade regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Gerhard Klaus, Ingo Stephan
  • Patent number: 6848885
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a turbine casing including a plurality of turbine shroud assemblies is provided. The method includes providing a base casing having a forward mounting flange and an aft mounting flange and at least one channel defined therebetween, machining a rim on the base casing proximate the at least one channel, and coupling a ring member to the base casing with an interference fit such that the rim is at least partially received within a groove formed within the ring member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Thomas Maclean
  • Patent number: 6840740
    Abstract: A turbine bucket dovetail secures buckets in a turbine rotor. The turbine bucket dovetail includes a plurality of hooks engageable with a wheel post of the turbine rotor, which hooks extend in an axial direction relative to the turbine rotor. A pocket is machined in a tangential face of the dovetail, resulting in reduced peak stress in the wheel post dovetail edge at the gate opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Gary Edward Yehle, Wayne Alan Lillibridge, Noel Jacob Bylina
  • Patent number: 6837683
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine blade or vane comprises inner linked chambers. A chamber adjacent the leading edge is provided with an inlet for receiving cooling fluid and a chamber adjacent the trailing edge is provided with an outlet for exhausting cooling fluid. The chambers are arranged in series from the leading edge to the trailing edge so as to direct cooling fluid within the aerofoil blade or vane from the leading edge region to the trailing edge region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2005
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventor: Geoffrey M Dailey
  • Patent number: 6837680
    Abstract: An inner surface of a peripheral wall of a scroll casing includes an initial section, which extends from a circumferentially projected end of a nose. The initial section includes a slant surface. The slant surface is angled relative to a rotational axis of a fan such that an axially remote part of the slant surface, which is axially remote from an air inlet of the scroll casing, is radially closer to blades of the fan in comparison to an axially less remote part of the slant surface, which is axially less remote from the air inlet in comparison to the axially remote part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2005
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventors: Toshifumi Kamiya, Shinji Aoki
  • Patent number: 6837678
    Abstract: An impeller for a molten metal pump includes a base and a plurality of vanes having openings for flow of molten metal there through during pumping. Alternatively, or in combination with the vane openings, a single drain opening extending through the base of the impeller may be provided remote of the rotational axis of the impeller. In another embodiment, an impeller provides axial and radial pumping. The multiflow impeller includes at least one pumping chamber inclined into the direction of rotation to provide axial pumping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2005
    Inventor: Dale T. Lehman