Patents Examined by Jason Fountain
  • Patent number: 10753233
    Abstract: A flow guide structure for a casing flange, and a casing and a turbomachine having the same, include a flange portion connecting an upper casing and a lower casing and a flow guide positioned at the flange portion to guide fluid to flow close to the flange portion, whereby steam flow resistance is reduced around an inner casing flange of a turbine and the steam flow is smoothed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: Doosan Heavy Industries Construction Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Gi Won Hong, Chang Young Choi
  • Patent number: 10753222
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine sealing system includes a case including forward and aft hooks. The aft hook arranged radially outward of the forward hook. A blade outer air seal has a J-hook that receives the aft hook and includes an end received by the forward hook.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Jonathan Jeffery Eastwood, Joseph F. Englehart, Christopher Carter Venable, Michael G. McCaffrey
  • Patent number: 10738756
    Abstract: Certain embodiments are directed to a vertical axis unidirectional rotor for wave energy conversion, said rotor comprising a plurality of spatially distributed lift-type and/or drag-type blades and a shaft, said rotor performing unidirectional rotation in waves about the shaft that is vertically oriented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: THE BOARD OF REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEM
    Inventor: Yingchen Yang
  • Patent number: 10738791
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a compressor clearance control system is provided. The compressor clearance control system includes a cooling air source, a compressor casing, and a cooling air flowpath defined through the compressor casing. The flowpath includes an inlet configured to receive cooling air from the cooling air source and an outlet configured to exhaust the cooling air to the cooling air source such that the flowpath defines a closed loop within the compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thomas Ory Moniz, Joseph George Rose
  • Patent number: 10738795
    Abstract: A compressor section includes a compressor wheel and a compressor housing that surrounds the compressor wheel. The compressor housing includes a flow passage with an upstream area. The compressor section also includes a cooling pocket that is defined within the compressor housing. The cooling pocket is configured to receive a coolant for cooling the compressor housing. Furthermore, the compressor section includes a thermo-decoupling pocket that is defined within the compressor housing. The thermo-decoupling pocket is disposed between the cooling pocket and the upstream area of the flow passage. The thermo-decoupling pocket is fluidly connected to an exterior area outside the compressor housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: GARRETT TRANSPORTATION I INC.
    Inventors: Cedric Karwat, Andreas Heckner, Serge Kuhn, Arnaud Gerard
  • Patent number: 10724392
    Abstract: A seal member is between a combustor around a rotor axis and a vane on a downstream side in an axial direction and defining a part of a combustion gas flow passage through which combustion gas is configured to flow, the seal member being configured to seal a gap between the combustor and the vane. The seal member has: an end face that faces the downstream side in the axial direction so as to face a lateral end face of the vane facing an upstream side in the axial direction; cooling channels through which cooling air is configured to be discharged from a plurality of openings defined in the end face in an array in a circumferential direction based on the rotor axis; and a clearance forming portion that protrudes further toward the downstream side in the axial direction than the end face in which the openings are defined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HITACHI POWER SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Kenta Taniguchi, Kenji Sato
  • Patent number: 10702964
    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: December 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Paul M. Lutjen, Patrick D. Couture
  • Patent number: 10704531
    Abstract: A wind turbine rotor blade with a rotor blade tip, a rotor blade root, and a rotor blade connection in the region of the rotor blade root with a rotationally symmetrical flange coupling is provided which has a first and a second end. The first end of the flange coupling has multiple bores for receiving fastening means for fastening to a hub of a wind turbine. The second end is fastened in or on material of the rotor blade root. The second end extends in the direction of an axis of rotation of the flange coupling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Wobben Properties GmbH
    Inventor: Alexander Hoffmann
  • Patent number: 10677077
    Abstract: A turbine nozzle according to the disclosure is a turbine nozzle that is used in a radial turbine and includes a ring-shaped hub, a plurality of nozzle vanes that are arranged at equal angular intervals on the hub, and a flow path that is formed between the nozzle vanes. The flow path includes a throat that has a smallest flow path cross-sectional area with respect to a flow direction of working fluid. On a downstream side of the throat with respect to the flow direction, the flow path cross-sectional area increases. Heights of the nozzle vanes on the downstream side of the throat with respect to the flow direction are greater than heights of the nozzle vanes in the throat and gradually increase from an upstream side toward the downstream side with respect to the flow direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Taguchi, Osao Kido, Fumitoshi Nishiwaki, Yoshitsugu Nishiyama
  • Patent number: 10662785
    Abstract: A method of welding erosion resistance metallic material is a method of welding erosion resistance metallic material to a base element (1) of a turbine blade leading edge portion (1A). The method includes the steps of: forming a curved surface in the leading edge portion (1A) to which the erosion resistance metallic material is applied so that a radius R of the curved surface is larger than thickness t of the base element (1); and welding the erosion resistance metallic material to the leading edge portion (1A).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HITACHI POWER SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Fujiya, Takehisa Okuda, Hiroharu Oyama, Motonari Machida
  • Patent number: 10662926
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a floating wind energy harvesting apparatus for offshore installation, comprising an elongated wind turbine body extending along a longitudinal wind turbine body axis; at least one blade attached to the wind turbine body for converting wind energy to rotation of the wind turbine body around the longitudinal wind turbine body axis; an energy converter coupled to the wind turbine body for converting the rotation of the wind turbine body to electrical energy; and a braking arrangement for controllably reducing a rotational speed of the wind turbine body. The braking arrangement comprises an inlet; an outlet; a water transporting arrangement coupled to the wind turbine body to transport water from the inlet to the outlet in response to rotation of the wind turbine body; and an access control arrangement for controllably preventing water from passing through the water transporting arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: SEATWIRL AB
    Inventor: Daniel Ehrnberg
  • Patent number: 10655501
    Abstract: A turbine ring assembly includes ring sectors made of ceramic matrix composite material forming a turbine ring and a ring support structure having first and second annular flanges, each ring sector having first and second tabs held between the flanges. First and second holder elements secured to the first annular flange being received in first and second openings in the first tab, while first and second holder elements secured to the second annular flange are in first and second openings in the second tab. Radial clearance is being present when cold between the openings and the portions of the holder elements present in the openings. The first and second annular flanges include, on their faces facing the first and second tabs, a plurality of thrust portions distributed in circumferential manner over the flanges, the ends of the tabs, when cold, being in radial abutment against two thrust portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignees: SAFRAN CERAMICS, SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Gilles Lepretre, Thierry Tesson, Adéle Lyprendi, Thomas Revel
  • Patent number: 10641285
    Abstract: A fan includes an impeller, a drive device, and a frame structure. The driving device drives the impeller to rotate, and the frame structure accommodates the driving device. The frame structure includes a frame body, a first frame, a second frame, a base and a plurality of supports. The frame body has first engaging portions and second engaging portions, which are disposed annularly at the upper end and the lower end of the frame body, respectively. The first frame is mounted on the frame body and disposed corresponding to the first engaging portions. The second frame is mounted on the frame body and disposed corresponding to the second engaging portions. The base is disposed within the frame body and located adjacent to the second frame. The supports are disposed around the base. The material of the frame body is different from that of the first and second frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Tai-Ying Tu, Yi-Wen Lin, Chih-Hui Wu, Ming-Kai Hsieh
  • Patent number: 10641106
    Abstract: An airfoil for a rotor blade in a gas turbine engine includes a first side wall and a second side wall joined to the first side wall at a leading edge and a trailing edge. The airfoil further includes a tip cap extending between the first and second side walls such that the tip cap and at least portions of the first and second side walls form a blade tip and an internal cooling system. The internal cooling system includes a leading edge cooling circuit, a central cooling circuit, and a trailing edge cooling circuit. Each of the internal passages within the leading edge cooling circuit, the central cooling circuit, and the trailing edge cooling circuit is bounded in the radial outward direction with a surface that has at least one escape hole or that is positively angled in the radial outward direction relative to a chordwise axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Daniel C Crites, Michael Kahrs, Brandan Wakefield, Ardeshir Riahi
  • Patent number: 10626751
    Abstract: A cooling system for a turbine engine includes a structure defining a fluid passageway. The fluid passageway includes an impingement surface. A first opening into the fluid passageway is also included. The first opening is disposed opposite the impingement surface of the fluid passageway such that airflow entering the fluid passageway impacts the impingement surface. An agglomerate retention structure is disposed on the impingement surface. The agglomerate retention structure holds particulates impacting the impingement surface entering through the opening. A turbine engine is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher W. Strock, Paul M. Lutjen
  • Patent number: 10619516
    Abstract: A support device is provided with: a support member having a body disposed in a recess provided in the upper surface of the lower half of an outer member, and a protrusion provided on the body, the protrusion protruding toward the lower half of an inner member from a front surface facing the lower half of the inner member, the protrusion being disposed removably in a hole provided in the lower half of the inner member; a first adjustment member disposed between the bottom surface of the recess and the lower surface, facing the bottom surface, of the body; and an upper liner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiko Shirota, Takeki Nakayama, Taichi Ozaki
  • Patent number: 10612391
    Abstract: A turbine airfoil includes a body having an airfoil wall, and a coolant chamber within the body. A plurality of cooling passages are within the airfoil wall, each cooling passage includes: a first portion extending from a first point on an exterior surface of the airfoil wall to the coolant chamber, and a second portion extending from a second point on the exterior surface of the airfoil wall distal from the first point to intersect a mid-portion of the first portion. A cap element closes the first portion at the first point but leaving the second portion open. Each cooling passage has a single inlet in fluid communication with the coolant chamber and a single outlet at the second point of the second portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nicholas William Rathay, Brian Gene Brzek, Jason Ray Gregg
  • Patent number: 10612471
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine comprises a fan mounted to rotate about a main longitudinal axis; an engine core, comprising in axial flow series a compressor, a combustor, and a turbine coupled to the compressor through a shaft; a reduction gearbox that receives an input from the shaft and outputs drive to the fan so as to drive the fan at a lower rotational speed than the shaft; wherein the compressor comprises a first stage at an inlet and a second stage, downstream of the first stage, comprising respectively a first rotor with a row of first blades and a second rotor with a row of second blades, the first and second blades comprising respective leading edges, trailing edges and tips, and wherein the ratio of a maximum leading edge radius of the first blades to a maximum leading edge radius of the second blades is greater than 2.8.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Ian J Bousfield, Duncan A MacDougall
  • Patent number: 10612396
    Abstract: A mechanical component comprises an internal hollow space and a wall, the wall limiting the hollow space. The mechanical component further comprises a first channel extending inside the wall along a first direction and a second channel extending inside the wall in fluid communication with the internal hollow space and the first channel, serving as a feed channel. A cross-sectional dimension of the first channel is larger than a cross-sectional dimension of the feed channel, and the feed channel tangentially joins into the first channel. A third channel extends inside the wall in fluid communication with the first channel. The third channel extends inside the wall at least essentially parallel to a surface of the wall along at least a part of the extent of the wall in a second direction, and is a near wall cooling channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Technology GmbH
    Inventors: Vladimir Vassiliev, Peter Vitalievich Laletine, Alexey Mozharov, Andrey Sedlov
  • Patent number: 10605160
    Abstract: A turbomachine includes: a rotational shaft; a pair of thrust collars disposed around the rotational shaft; a thrust bearing disposed around the rotational shaft at an axial directional position between the pair of thrust collars; and an oil-drain channel disposed around the rotational shaft, for draining lubricant oil after lubricating a sliding portion between the thrust bearing and the thrust collars. The oil-drain channel includes: an oil-drain port portion for discharging the lubricant oil inside the oil-drain channel downward; and an oil-guide channel portion disposed above the oil-drain port portion and configured to guide the lubricant oil from the sliding portion in a circumferential direction of the rotational shaft to the oil-drain port portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES ENGINE & TURBOCHARGER, LTD.
    Inventors: Takaya Futae, Yosuke Danmoto, Tadasuke Nishioka, Yoji Akiyama