Patents Examined by Jason Fountain
  • Patent number: 9909432
    Abstract: Aft frame assemblies for a gas turbine transition pieces include a body comprising an exterior surface and a plurality of interior surfaces, one or more exterior cooling holes disposed on the exterior surface of the body for capturing compressor discharge air outside of the transition piece, and a supplemental component bonded to at least one of the plurality of interior surfaces of the body. At least one cooling channel is at least partially defined by the supplemental component and the interior surface that the supplemental component is bonded to, wherein the at least one cooling channel fluidly connects at least one of the one or more exterior cooling holes to one or more interior cooling outlets that discharge the compressor discharge air captured from the at least one of the one or more exterior cooling holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Srikanth Chandrudu Kottilingam, Benjamin Paul Lacy, Brian Lee Tollison, David Edward Schick
  • Patent number: 9909428
    Abstract: Turbine buckets include a pressure side, a suction side opposite the pressure side, and a bucket squealer tip attached to the pressure side and the suction side. The bucket squealer tip includes a plurality of high hot hardness shroud-cutting deposits deposited on its exterior surface that have a hardness of at least about 1100 kg mm?2 and a melting temperature of at least about 1500° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Srikanth Chandrudu Kottilingam, Surinder Singh Pabla, Brian Lee Tollison
  • Patent number: 9897109
    Abstract: A fan vibration damping structure and a fan with the vibration damping structure. The fan vibration damping structure includes a bearing cup, a first bearing, a second bearing, a third bearing, an elastic member and at least one oil seal. The bearing cup has an internal receiving space and a bearing hole in communication with each other. The first, second and third bearings and the elastic member are disposed in the receiving space. A high-viscosity-coefficient oil is filled in the receiving space. The fan vibration damping structure is applied to the fan to greatly reduce vibration of the fan in operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Asia Vital Components Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ching-Hang Shen
  • Patent number: 9890795
    Abstract: A cooling fan structure includes a housing, a multistage fan wheel, and a stator-blade unit set. The housing is integrally formed and includes a first and a second frame, and a connecting spacer set connected to between the first and the second frame to define an open space therebetween. The multistage fan wheel is located in the housing and has a hub, around which a group of first and a group of second rotor blades are formed and axially spaced to define a bladeless zone on the hub between the first and the second rotor blades. The stator-blade unit set includes a first and a second stator-blade unit, which are assembled into the open space of the housing to circumferentially close the open space. The stator-blade unit set is exchangeable according to different high impedance systems to achieve different levels of high static pressure without increasing any mold-making cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Asia Vital Components Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Bor-Haw Chang, Chung-Shu Wang
  • Patent number: 9889925
    Abstract: An improved performance propeller employs a single propeller blade having an axis of rotation and a centripetal force about the axis. A pitch control unit is mounted opposite the single propeller blade and has a compensating centripetal force with respect to the single propeller blade about the axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Blaine K. Rawdon
  • Patent number: 9890790
    Abstract: A compressor component having an airfoil with a profile in accordance with Table 1 is disclosed. The compressor component, such as a compressor blade, has an increased surface area over a portion of the airfoil chord length. The increased surface area allows for a greater amount of air to be taken in by the airfoil, thus increasing the air flow through the gas turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: ANSALDO ENERGIA SWITZERLAND AG
    Inventors: Edward Len Miller, Stephen Wayne Fiebiger, Wes Carl Smith, Wilm Philipp Hecker, Andreas Martin Mattheiss, Reiner Jochen Digele
  • Patent number: 9885342
    Abstract: Provided are first and second mutually rotatable elements and a bearing arrangement associated therewith including at least one single film-like chamber formed between the first and second elements, a number of fluid injectors for injecting fluid into the hydraulic chamber and a control device for separately controlling the pressure of the fluid injected by the injectors depending at least on loads on the first element or the second element. A driving device is also provided for driving at least one of the elements in rotation, including hydraulic chambers which volume is defined by the relative position of the first and second elements and a pump device for filling the chamber with fluid to rotate the elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: GE Renewable Technologies Wind B.V.
    Inventor: Jaume Betran Palomas
  • Patent number: 9885340
    Abstract: A screened wind power generation system for generating power in locations where the sight of wind turbines is undesirable or where advertising space can be utilized. The system uses a screen to cover wind turbines with a mesh size and other characteristics that are appropriate for allowing sufficient wind to pass through to wind turbines. The mesh can be coated or imprinted with surface indicia that constitute advertising or create an appearance that blends with surroundings better than an unscreened wind power generation system. The depth of the screen can vary to better enable muffling of wind turbine noise. The screen cross-section can have an aerodynamic shape to facilitate wind flow through the screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Inventor: Patrick Kenneth Powell
  • Patent number: 9879547
    Abstract: A turbine blade that includes an airfoil and a radially extending chamber therein for a coolant. The turbine blade may also include a rib configuration that partitions the chamber into radially extending flow passages. The rib configuration may include: a camber line rib that defines a near-wall flow chamber; and traverse ribs extending between the camber line rib and one of the outer walls so to divide the near-wall flow chamber into successively stacked flow passages that each include a segment of the camber line rib. The segment of the camber line rib of one of the flow passages may have a narrowing profile that includes a profile that narrows from opposing ends toward a neck disposed therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Brian Denver Potter, Gregory Thomas Foster
  • Patent number: 9863263
    Abstract: A turbine wheel for a turbine engine is provided. The turbine wheel includes a disk carrying blades including internal channels for passing a flow of cooling air, each blade having a platform carrying an airfoil and connected by a tang to a root. The blade roots are engaged in grooves in the periphery of the disk and their tangs define between them spaces for housing sealing and damping members, which cooperate with the inside faces of the platforms to define air flow cavities. The tangs of at least some of the blades include cooling air outlet orifices that open out both into internal channels in the blades and into the cavities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Snecma
    Inventors: Emmanuel Berche, Jean-Luc Bacha, Tangi Brusq, Jean-Pierre Mareix
  • Patent number: 9863271
    Abstract: An arrangement for a turbomachine is provided. The arrangement includes a vane for directing a hot gas during the operation of the turbomachine, a stator ring for securing the vane, a heat shield for protecting the stator ring from the hot gas flow wherein the heat shield is arranged in downstream direction of the hot gas flow in front of the stator ring characterized in that the heat shield comprises a plurality of channels formed therein for directing a cooling air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Per Granberg, Janos Szijarto
  • Patent number: 9856859
    Abstract: A wind turbine (1) is provided, having a wind turbine tower (2) and at least one rotatable blade (5), and further comprising a system for measuring rotor blade vibration of said wind turbine. The system comprises at least one Doppler radar unit (7) operatively configured to emit and receive radar signals, the radar unit being mounted on the wind turbine tower at a position above the lowest position of the at least one blade, the radar unit being positioned so as to measure reflections of an emitted radar signal from the turbine blade. A processing unit is configured to receive measurement data from the radar unit and to determine, by analysis of Doppler shift in received radar signals relative to transmitted signals due to movement of the blade towards or away from the turbine tower, the velocity of the blade in the direction towards or away from the turbine tower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Knut Vangen, Erik Meum, Jan Roar Pleym
  • Patent number: 9856785
    Abstract: An exhaust-gas turbocharger (1) having a compressor (2) which has a compressor housing (3); having a turbine (4) which has a turbine housing (5); and having a charge-pressure regulating device (6). The charge-pressure regulating device (6) has at least two flap arrangements (7, 8) and two bypass duct openings (9, 10) assigned to the flap arrangements (7, 8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Stilgenbauer, Mathias Weber, Rolf Sauerstein
  • Patent number: 9833869
    Abstract: A blade outer air seal for a gas turbine engine having a surface that is eccentric with respect to the engine rotation centerline, and a method for creating same, are disclosed. Also, a method for grinding a work piece having nominal curvature defined by a work piece curvature centerline is disclosed, comprising the steps of: a) determining a desired surface profile for the work piece; b) providing a rotating grinding surface having a grinding rotation centerline; c) offsetting the grinding rotation centerline from the work piece curvature centerline; and d) applying the rotating grinding surface to the work piece while rotating the rotating grinding surface about the grinding rotation centerline to create the desired surface profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Paul M. Lutjen, Patrick D. Couture
  • Patent number: 9835165
    Abstract: A turbine housing assembly includes a plurality of constituent members connected to one another and easily manufactured. The turbine housing assembly includes a scroll part, an annular lid part, an exhaust gas outlet and a connection part connectable to a bearing housing for a turbine shaft. The scroll part and the connection part are each formed of a single piece of sheet metal and each is welded to the annular lid part that is orthogonal to a turbine axial direction so that the scroll part and the connection part are connected to each other via the annular lid part. Such a turbine housing assembly is of reduced weight, is quite easy to manufacture, of reduced cost, and can be made, at least in part, of materials having lower heat capacity as compared to conventional turbine housings made of sheet metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuaki Jinnai, Hiroyuki Arimizu, Koen Kramer
  • Patent number: 9828881
    Abstract: A seal support structure for a turbomachine includes a mounting portion shaped to mount to a stationary structure of a turbomachine and a cylindrical leg portion disposed on the mounting portion extending axially from the mounting portion. The cylindrical leg portion can include a radially extending flange. The flange can extend at an angle of 90 degrees from the end of the cylindrical leg portion. The flange can extend at least partially in an axial direction. The cylindrical leg portion can be formed integrally with the mounting portion. In embodiments, the cylindrical leg portion is not integral with the mounting portion, i.e., the cylindrical leg portion is a separate piece joined to the mounting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Seth A. Max, Anthony P. Cherolis, Steven D. Porter, Joshua D. Winn, Gregory E. Reinhardt, Jeffrey J. Lienau
  • Patent number: 9822660
    Abstract: A stopper 30 is provided with: a nut-receiving part 44a provided on a heat insulation plate 44 that is attached to an actuator bracket 43; and a movable-side stopper part 33 provided on an actuator rod 26 that moves in relation to the heat insulation plate 44. An actuator 27 is provided with an actuator body 41 that generates driving force, and the actuator rod 26 which transmits the driving force from the actuator body 41. The movable-side stopper part 33 is provided on the actuator rod 26 that extends from the actuator body 41 to the nozzle vane side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Naoto Tashiro, Yasuaki Jinnai, Hiroyuki Arimizu
  • Patent number: 9803652
    Abstract: A centrifugal compressor having at least a diffuser is disclosed. The diffuser has an annular diffuser body having circumferentially spaced apart diffuser passages defining fluid paths through the diffuser body. The diffuser also has a plurality of diffusion members mounted to the annular diffuser body. Each diffusion member has a member inlet in fluid communication with a diffuser passage and a member outlet. Each diffusion member defines an aerodynamic throat disposed between the member inlet and the member outlet. The diffuser also has a fluid injection assembly with multiple injection conduits. Each injection conduit extends between a conduit inlet configured to receive a flow of compressible fluid from a supply and a conduit outlet communicating with a corresponding diffusion member downstream of the aerodynamic throat. The compressible fluid is injected through the conduit outlet into the diffusion members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Hien Duong, Peter Townsend, Vijay Kandasamy, Koundinya Upadrasta
  • Patent number: 9784134
    Abstract: A method of fabricating an inlet assembly for a gas turbine engine, the method including defining an intake duct of the inlet assembly between first and second space apart inlet case portions, locating at least one strut across the intake duct, each strut having a proximal end made integral to the first inlet case portion and an opposed distal end engaged in a respective strut-receiving aperture defined through the second inlet case portion, while maintaining the distal end of each strut in the respective strut-receiving aperture, adjusting the relative position of the first inlet case portion and the second inlet case portion until a predetermined throat dimension of the intake duct is obtained, and locking the adjusted relative position by attaching the second inlet case portion to each strut. An inlet assembly and gas turbine engine with inlet assembly as also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventor: Andreas Eleftheriou
  • Patent number: 9783289
    Abstract: The present application relates a core member for a core-stiffened structural assembly. The core member includes a plurality of cell members oriented a direction to provide a tailored stiffness in a certain direction. The core member can further include one or more planar members that can aid in shear transfer between cell members. The cell members can be made from bonding a plurality of corrugated layers together. The core-stiffened structure can be a rotor blade for an aircraft. In such an embodiment, the torsional stiffness of the rotor blade can be tailored in at least one of the chordwise and spanwise directions to provide tailor a torsional stiffness at any give location in the rotor blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: Wei-Yueh Lee, Paul Oldroyd