Patents Examined by Jason Fountain
  • Patent number: 9777643
    Abstract: An actuator system mounted to a gas turbine engine that communicates mechanical power for positioning variable guide vanes within the gas turbine engine. The actuator system includes a torque box having components for communicating mechanical power to the variable guide vanes for positioning the vanes and an actuator mechanically coupled to provide mechanical power to the components of the torque box used to communicate the provided mechanical power to the inlet guide vanes. The actuator is mounted to the torque box via an elongate fastener extending in one direction and another elongate fastener extending in another direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Bernard W. Pudvah, Eugene C. Gasmen, Stanley Wiecko
  • Patent number: 9765642
    Abstract: A turbine blade having an airfoil defined by outer walls in which a concave shaped pressure side outer wall and a convex shaped suction side outer wall connect along leading and trailing edges and form a chamber for receiving the flow of a coolant. The turbine blade may include a rib configuration that partitions the chamber into radially extending flow passages. The rib configuration may include a rib having a wavy profile that opposes a target surface across one of the flow passages. Relative to the target surface, the wavy profile of the rib may include a ridge portion and a furrow portion. The rib may include impingement apertures formed through the ridge portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Aaron Ezekiel Smith
  • Patent number: 9759198
    Abstract: A wind turbine blade having an elongated blade body extending along a longitudinal axis and having an upper skin and a lower skin, the lower skin spaced from the upper skin in a thickness direction of the blade body, the upper skin and/or lower skin having a laminated layer, the laminated layer having an outer layer wherein the outer layer forms part of the upper and/or lower skin respectively, an inner layer spaced from the outer layer in the thickness direction; and an intermediate layer sandwiched between the outer layer and inner layer, the intermediate layer having a plurality of openings extending through the intermediate layer from the inner layer to the outer layer; and a plurality of corresponding heat conductor elements extending through the plurality of openings from the inner layer to the outer layer for transferring heat from the inner layer to the outer layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Steen M. Lauritsen, Jonas Romblad
  • Patent number: 9759071
    Abstract: A turbine blade comprising an airfoil defined by a concave shaped pressure side outer wall and a convex shaped suction side outer wall that connect along leading and trailing edges and, therebetween, form a radially extending chamber for receiving the flow of a coolant. The turbine blade may further include: a rib configuration that partitions the chamber into radially extending flow passages that include a first flow passage and a second flow passage; and a crossover passage that fluidly connects an inlet formed in the first flow passage to an outlet formed in the second flow passage. The crossover passage may include a canted configuration relative to the second flow passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Lisa Anne Wichmann, Aaron Ezekiel Smith
  • Patent number: 9745955
    Abstract: A wind turbine blade having an elongated blade body extending along a longitudinal axis and having an upper skin and a lower skin, the lower skin spaced from the upper skin in a thickness direction of the blade body, the upper skin and/or lower skin having a laminated layer, the laminated layer having an outer layer wherein the outer layer forms part of the upper and/or lower skin respectively, an inner layer spaced from the outer layer in the thickness direction; and an intermediate layer sandwiched between the outer layer and inner layer, the intermediate layer having a plurality of heat transfer paths within the intermediate layer for transferring heat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Steen M. Lauritsen, Jonas Romblad
  • Patent number: 9739155
    Abstract: A turbine blade that includes an airfoil defined by a concave shaped pressure side outer wall and a convex shaped suction side outer wall that connect along leading and trailing edges and, therebetween, form a radially extending chamber for receiving the flow of a coolant. The turbine blade further may include a rib configuration that partitions the chamber of the airfoil into radially extending flow passages. A first flow passage may include a first side on which turbulators are positioned, wherein each of the turbulators comprises a canted configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Aaron Ezekiel Smith, Lisa Anne Wichmann
  • Patent number: 9732617
    Abstract: An airfoil and method of cooling a airfoil including a leading edge, a trailing edge, a suction side, a pressure side and at least one internal cooling channel configured to convey a cooling fluid, is provided. A plurality of trailing edge bleed slots are in fluid communication with the at least one internal cooling channel, wherein a downstream edge of the pressure side of the airfoil lies upstream of a downstream edge of the suction side to expose the plurality of trailing edge bleed slots proximate to the trailing edge of the airfoil. The at least one internal cooling channel is configured to supply the cooling fluid from a source of cooling fluid towards the plurality of trailing edge bleed slots. A plurality of obstruction features are disposed within the at least one internal cooling channel and at a downstream edge of the remaining pressure side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Guanghua Wang, Ronald Scott Bunker, Jeremy Clyde Bailey, James Peter DeLancey, David Benjamin Helmer
  • Patent number: 9719489
    Abstract: Rotor blade assembly and methods for forming rotor blade assemblies are provided. A rotor blade assembly includes a rotor blade including a shell and defining a pressure side, a suction side, a leading edge and a trailing edge each extending between a tip and a root. The rotor blade further defines a span and a chord. The shell includes an inner skin, an outer skin, and a core disposed between the inner skin and the outer skin. The rotor blade assembly further includes a reinforcement assembly bonded to the shell, the reinforcement assembly comprising a reinforcement core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Edward McBeth Stewart
  • Patent number: 9719362
    Abstract: A turbine nozzle assembly includes an inner circumferential support platform, an outer circumferential support platform, and a plurality of airfoil vanes disposed between the inner circumferential support platform and the outer circumferential support platform. The turbine nozzle assembly further includes a plurality of impingement plates disposed along a radially outer surface of the outer circumferential support platform or a radially inner surface of the inner circumferential support platform, and a plurality of gap-maintaining features disposed between the plurality of outer or inner circumferential support platforms and the plurality of impingement plates. Each gap-maintaining feature of the plurality of gap-maintaining features is provided at a height such that a cooling air flow space is maintained between the plurality of outer or inner circumferential support platforms and the plurality of impingement plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Rajiv Rana, Ardeshir Riahi, Bradley Reed Tucker, David Chou
  • Patent number: 9714575
    Abstract: A propeller is provided including a hub and a first blade group and a second blade group. The first blade group includes at least one first propeller blade and the second blade group includes at least one second propeller blade. The at least one first propeller blade and the at least one second propeller blade are mounted to and equidistantly spaced about the hub. The at least one first propeller blade of the first blade group has at least one geometric characteristic different from the at least one propeller blade of the second blade group. The different blade groups will generate different noise signatures over a wider range of frequencies allowing for the design of low noise propeller systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chad M. Henze, Daniel W. Shannon, Robert Hans Schlinker
  • Patent number: 9709071
    Abstract: The screw-type centrifugal wheel pump includes a pump housing and a screw-type centrifugal wheel arranged rotatably within the pump housing and having a hub and a blade, and comprises a rotatable drive shaft connected to the screw-type centrifugal wheel, and includes a cover plate arranged between the screw-type centrifugal wheel and a housing rear wall, wherein the cover plate has a central opening through which the hub or the drive shaft runs, and wherein an interior space is formed between the cover plate and the housing rear wall, wherein a gap is formed between the central opening of the cover plate and the hub or the drive shaft, which gap is connected in fluid-conducting fashion to the interior space, wherein the cover plate has at least one aperture, which is arranged spaced apart from the central opening, in order to generate a fluid flow which flows into the interior space via the aperture and out of the interior space again via the gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Frideco AG
    Inventors: Ciro Robles, Carl Stahle
  • Patent number: 9706766
    Abstract: Methods for producing ultrasonic sound emissions from wind turbines, active systems for emitting ultrasonic sounds from wind turbines, and wind turbines are provided. In one embodiment, a method includes operating the wind turbine with an ultrasonic sound emitting device mounted on or within a component of the wind turbine, and receiving in a controller at least one indicator. The method further includes determining if an operating condition exists based on the at least one indicator, and supplying a fluid flow through an outlet of the ultrasonic sound emitting device such that an ultrasonic sound emission is produced by the ultrasonic sound emitting device if the operating condition exists.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Christopher Daniel Caruso, Kevin Wayne Kinzie, Dongjai Lee, James Robert Tobin, Justin Richard Curtis, Jonathan Henry Zalar
  • Patent number: 9702255
    Abstract: A propeller blade assembly including a propeller blade having a leading edge, and a trailing edge extending between a tip and a hub, and an electrically conductive band extending longitudinally on either or both of the leading edge and trailing edge. The electrically conductive band secured to the leading edge of the propeller serves as an entry point on the aircraft and conductive channel into the airframe thereby avoiding the potentially damaging effect of the lightening on the carbon fiber composite propeller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Textron Innovations, Inc.
    Inventors: Billy M. Martin, Kevin A. Davis
  • Patent number: 9702402
    Abstract: A rotary system and method to control feathering movement of a rotor blade. The system having a yoke arm configured to rotate a rotor blade. A first bearing and a second bearing are utilized to secure the rotor blade to the yoke arm and are configured to restrict longitudinal and transverse movement, while allowing feathering movement of the rotor blade relative to yoke arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: Frank B. Stamps, Bryan W. Marshall
  • Patent number: 9695799
    Abstract: A blade comprises a first blade surface, a second blade surface forming the reverse surface of the first blade surface, a primary wind receptor protruding from the front end of the first blade surface in a direction away from the second blade surface and with the back surface formed in a curved shape concave toward the front side in a forward direction, a front edge connected to the front end of the primary wind receptor and the front end of the second blade surface and formed in a curved shape convex toward the forward direction, and a back edge connected to the back end of the first blade surface and the back end of the second blade surface and formed in an acute angle facing the back side of the forward direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY INSTITUTE. CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kunihiko Aihara, Junko Aihara
  • Patent number: 9695703
    Abstract: A compressor rotor for a turbomachine including a shaft and at least two disks mounted on the shaft to hold a single set of vanes that are rotatably mobile about the rotational axis of the shaft, at least one first disk being mounted in a mobile manner on the shaft to be able to generate an angular gap in relation to the second disk and to trigger a rotation of the vanes about the radial axis of same, at least one of the two disks being shaped to receive at least one mechanism for attaching the vanes, the connection between the disk and the attaching mechanism enabling a rotation of the attaching mechanism about a radial axis, and connection is a ball-jointed connection that is tangentially and axially mobile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventor: Francois Gallet
  • Patent number: 9695697
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a near-net shape erosion shield, a method of forming a shielded article, and a near-net shape erosion shield are provided. The method of fabricating a near-net shape erosion shield includes providing a base, positioning an energy source relative to the base, and depositing at least one wear resistant material over the base with an energy beam from the energy source. The at least one wear resistant material deposited on the base forms the near-net shape erosion shield configured to be positioned on a turbine component. The method of forming a shielded article includes removing the base from the near-net shape erosion shield, and securing the near-net shape erosion shield to a turbine component. The near-net shape erosion shield includes a near-net shape erosion-resistant portion configured to be positioned on a turbine component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Theodore William Fandrei, II
  • Patent number: 9682756
    Abstract: A propeller assembly includes a central hub including a first forward-facing end, a second aft-facing end, a hub body extending therebetween, and a plurality of channels spaced circumferentially around the central hub. The propeller assembly further includes blade wedges configured to be inserted into and to retain blades within the channels of the central hub. Each blade includes a blade dovetail including a dovetail face configured to engage a respective channel sidewall and/or a respective wedge sidewall. The dovetail face includes a bearing portion that engages the respective channel sidewall and/or the respective wedge sidewall and a clearance portion that is spaced from the respective channel sidewall and/or the respective wedge sidewall by a clearance gap during a first loading of the propeller assembly and that engages the respective channel sidewall or wedge sidewall during a second loading, the second loading greater than the first loading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nicholas Joseph Kray, Stefaan Guido Van Nieuwenhove, Peggy Lynn Baehmann
  • Patent number: 9683456
    Abstract: In a heat shield for an exhaust gas turbocharger, by means of which at least a first area of the exhaust gas turbocharger is to be shielded against a second area in a heat insulating manner wherein the heat shield comprises at least one fastening structure by which the heat shield is attached to one of the housing parts of the exhaust gas turbocharger, the fastening structure is in the form of locking elements for interlocking the heat shield with the respective housing part. The invention also resides in an arrangement of a heat shield between two housing parts of an exhaust gas turbocharger in such a way that it is firmly attached to one housing part without contacting the other housing part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: IHI CHARGING SYSTEMS INTERNATIONAL GMBH
    Inventors: Hermann Burmester, Joachim Delitz
  • Patent number: 9677761
    Abstract: A mixer device for burner equipment includes flow guide means for guiding an air-gas mixture to the intake of a fan rotatable about a first axis, the guide means including a tubular Venturi effect conduit structure with axially symmetric contiguous converging and diverging portions about a second axis, a section being provided between the portions of conduit into which the gas flow is delivered for mixing with the air flow supplied through the converging portion. The fan's axis of rotation does not coincide with the axis of longitudinal development of the Venturi effect conduit, the offset between the first and second axes allows placement of a valve which supplies the gas flow into the Venturi effect conduit with a configuration in which the projection of the overall dimensions of the Venturi effect conduit and of the valve unit, in the rotational axis direction, lies within the fan's cover plate projection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: SIT S.P.A.
    Inventors: Antonio Ranalli, Massimo Lenti