Patents Examined by Jason Fountain
  • Patent number: 10604247
    Abstract: A tension torsion strap by which a blade is connectable with a hub of a propulsor is provided. The tension torsion strap includes an elongate body formed to define attachment features at opposite ends thereof, the attachment features being connectable to the blade at one of the opposite ends and to the hub at the other of the opposite ends, fibrous materials extending along the elongate body and around the attachment features and pretension flanges elastically interposable between the hub and the elongate body. The pretension flanges are configured to maintain pretension in the fibrous materials above a predefined pretension level when the attachment features are connected to the blade and the hub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: David A. Darrow, Jr., Ron William Waldo, Joshua Richards, Kristopher Michael Haydel, Lance Halcom
  • Patent number: 10590958
    Abstract: A vacuum pump comprises: a pump housing; a motor configured to rotate in the pump housing; a rotor configured to be rotatably driven by the motor; a stator provided between the rotor and the pump housing; and a heat insulating member provided between the stator and the pump housing. The heat insulating member has a cylindrical main body and a processing gripping target portion provided on at least one of inner and outer peripheral surfaces of the main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: SHIMADZU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tetsuya Tsubokawa
  • Patent number: 10577933
    Abstract: A rotor is provided for a gas turbine engine. The rotor includes a rim that extends transverse to the web. The rim has a rotor spacer arm which defines a coating pocket and a stress relief protrusion opposite the coating pocket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Evan K Fink, Michael R DeRosa
  • Patent number: 10578158
    Abstract: Provided are a vacuum pump and a method for the vacuum pump in which, when contact between a rotating body and a stator is sensed, the cause of the contact can be analyzed. Contact determination is made using a threshold for rotating body contact determination for a displacement signal and a threshold for rotating body contact determination for an acceleration signal. The amount of unbalance of a rotating body is determined using a threshold for amount-of-unbalance increase determination for the displacement signal and a threshold for amount-of-unbalance increase determination for the acceleration signal. When, in one of the displacement signal and the acceleration signal, the threshold for amount-of-unbalance increase determination or the threshold for amount-of-unbalance increase determination is exceeded within a predetermined time before determination of an estimated time point of contact, the contact is determined not to be caused by an increase in accumulation of products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: Edwards Japan Limited
    Inventors: Yoshinobu Ohtachi, Yasushi Maejima, Tsutomu Takaada, Manabu Nonaka
  • Patent number: 10577962
    Abstract: Various embodiments include a system having: a first steam turbine coupled with a shaft; a seal system coupled with the shaft, the seal system including a set of linearly disposed seal locations on each side of the steam turbine along the shaft, each seal location corresponding with a control valve for controlling a flow of fluid therethrough; and a control system coupled with each of the control valves, the control system configured to control flow of a dry air or gas to at least one of the seal locations for heating the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Wolfgang Franz Dietrich Mohr, Erhard Friedrich Liebig, Kurt Rechsteiner
  • Patent number: 10557477
    Abstract: A compressor airfoil of a turbine engine having a geared architecture includes pressure and suction sides that extend in a radial direction from a 0% span position to a 100% span position. The airfoil has a relationship between a tangential stacking offset and span position that defines a curve that is non-linear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Edward J. Gallagher, Lisa I. Brilliant, Joseph C. Straccia, Stanley J. Balamucki, Mark A. Stephens, Kate Hudon
  • Patent number: 10550701
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to turbomachines. Teachings thereof may be embodied in a blade for a turbomachine, having an interior space which is surrounded by a wall structure which forms the surface of the blade. For example, a blade for a turbomachine may include: an interior space surrounded by a wall structure forming a surface of the blade; and openings in the wall structure. The openings may include a plurality of micro-channels each extending from the interior space to the surface. Each of the plurality of micro-channels forms a path may define a particular direction for flowing cooling gas. The plurality micro-channels may be distributed over an area region of the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Christoph Kiener, Yves Küsters
  • Patent number: 10526067
    Abstract: The invention relates to a propeller ring (10) of a turbomachine (1), with variable-pitch blades (P), the propeller ring (10) comprising a substantially coaxial annular body (11) with a main axis (A) and a plurality of radial housings (12) uniformly distributed around the main axis (A), each radial housing (12) being designed to receive a bearing (13) for a root (14) of a blade (P) so as to allow the variable pitch of the blade (P), the radial housings (12) having a substantially ovoid cross-section in a plane (T) tangential to the annular body (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Sebastien Emile Philippe Tajan, Charles-Henri Michel Marie Derrez, Anthony Lafitte, Cyril Roger Yves Le Pecheur
  • Patent number: 10519971
    Abstract: An airfoil for a turbine engine includes pressure and suction sides that extend in a radial direction from a 0% span position at an inner flow path location to a 100% span position at an airfoil tip. The airfoil geometry corresponds to axial leading and trailing edge curves and an axial stacking offset curve. The airfoil extends from a root and a zero axial reference point corresponds to axial center of the root. XLE corresponds to an axial distance from a leading edge to the reference point at a given span position. XTE corresponds to a axial distance from a trailing edge to the reference point at a given span position. Xd corresponds to an axial stacking offset at a given span position. (XLE?Xd)/(Xd?XTE) at 100% span position is about 1 and (XLE?Xd)/(Xd?XTE) at 90% span position is about 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Edward J. Gallagher, Byron R. Monzon, Ling Liu, Linda S. Li, Darryl Whitlow, Barry M. Ford
  • Patent number: 10502220
    Abstract: A method and device for retrofitting a gas turbine engine for improved hot day performance are disclosed. The method can include removing a first selected stator bladerow from the plurality of compressor stages, the first selected stator bladerow having a first inlet swirl angle and including a first plurality of fixed stator vanes. Each stator vane of the first plurality of fixed stator vanes can have a first stator vane angle. The method can also include providing a first improved stator bladerow to replace the first selected stator bladerow. The first improved stator bladerow can have a second plurality of fixed stator vanes, each having a second stator vane angle smaller than the first stator vane angle. The method can also include replacing the first selected stator bladerow with the first improved stator bladerow to produce an increased pressure ratio and flow rate compared to the first selected stator bladerow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventor: Bachar Adjan
  • Patent number: 10502262
    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: July 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: Frank B. Stamps, Bryan W. Marshall
  • Patent number: 10502230
    Abstract: An integrally bladed rotor according to an example of the present disclosure includes a hub, and a plurality of rotor airfoils integrally formed with the hub, and extending radially outward from an outer platform of the hub. Each rotor airfoil has a main body that extends radially outward from a root to a tip. A first fillet has a first radius that provides a transition from the outer platform of the hub, and a second fillet situated adjacent to and radially outward of the first fillet, that provides a transition between the first fillet and the main body. The second fillet has a second radius that is less than the first radius.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Carney R. Anderson
  • Patent number: 10487849
    Abstract: A device and method for imparting a negative pre-whirl to an airstream entering a compressor wheel of a turbocharger. Using a plurality of radially positioned vanes through which the airstream to the compressor wheel communicates, a negative pre-whirl is imparted to the airstream entering the compressor wheel from an intake passage. This pre-whirl is imparted by positioning the vanes radially within an engageable ring and curving the vanes in a direction opposite the direction of rotation of the compressor wheel. Performance is further enhanced by a hub centrally positioned with the vanes where the hub includes a cavity sized to encapsulate a compressor nut and eliminate air turbulence therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Inventor: William E. Woollenweber
  • Patent number: 10480528
    Abstract: An aerofoil structure with a hollow cavity is manufactured by diffusion bonding and superplastic forming. Outer panels are formed of a first material; a membrane is formed of a second material. Stop-off material is applied to preselected areas on at least one side of the membrane or of one of the panels so as to prevent diffusion bonding between the panels and the membrane at the preselected areas. The panels and the membrane are arranged in a stack and a diffusion bonding process is performed to bond together the first and second panels and the membrane to form an assembly. A superplastic forming process is performed at a forming temperature to expand the assembly to form the aerofoil structure. The forming temperature is selected so that the second material undergoes superplastic deformation at the forming temperature and the first material does not undergo superplastic deformation at the forming temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Robert Halliday, Stephen J. Wilkinson
  • Patent number: 10458251
    Abstract: An airfoil for a gas turbine engine is provided that includes a first portion formed from a first plurality of plies of a ceramic matrix composite material and defining an inner surface of the airfoil, as well as a second portion formed from a second plurality of plies of a ceramic matrix composite material and defining an outer surface of the airfoil. The first portion and the second portion define a non-line of sight cooling aperture extending from the inner surface to the outer surface of the airfoil. In one embodiment, a surface angle that is less than 45° is defined between a second aperture and the outer surface. A method for forming an airfoil for a gas turbine engine also is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Kirk Douglas Gallier
  • Patent number: 10443402
    Abstract: A turbine blade includes a labyrinth of internal channels for the circulation of coolant received through an inlet formed in a terminal portion of the blade root and leading to a duct-defined wall. A first passage intersects the duct and extends through the blade towards a tip. An end of the first passage is arranged to capture incoming coolant flow. A second passage intersects the duct at a position downstream of the first passage intersection. The duct and/or the passage intersections are configured to create a pressure drop in the duct in the direction from the inlet to the second passage intersection. In an axial direction, a duct wall terminates at a position between the inlet and the second passage intersection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Peter C Burford, John Dawson, Parth Shah
  • Patent number: 10428832
    Abstract: A compressor assembly of a gas turbine engine includes a case including at least one opening and a stator assembly supported within the case. A lug assembly is secured to the case and sets a position of the stator assembly relative to the case. The lug assembly includes a lug engaging the stator assembly and a boss extending from the lug through the opening in the case. The boss including a threaded hole receiving a threaded member holding the lug assembly to the case and defines a seat for the threaded member that is spaced apart from an outer surface of the case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Eugene Lockhart, Jess A. Weinstein, David P. Dube
  • Patent number: 10428803
    Abstract: A method to determine a dry-out period of a converter of a wind turbine is provided. A time dependent chronology of data is measured in the converter. The measured data-chronology reflects the actual humidity and the humidity-history in the converter cabinet. The measured data-chronology is used to determine a dry-out period of time, which is needed to reduce the humidity inside the converter below a given value by circulating heat inside the converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Mogens Lund
  • Patent number: 10415420
    Abstract: Thermal lifting members for blade outer air seal supports of gas turbine engines include a hollow body defining a thermal cavity therein, at least one inlet fluid connector fluidly connected to the thermal cavity configured to supply hot fluid to the thermal cavity from a fluid source, at least one outlet fluid connector fluidly connected to the thermal cavity configured to allow the hot fluid to exit the thermal cavity, and at least one lifting hook configured to engage with a blade outer air seal support, wherein the thermal lifting member is configured to thermally expand outward when hot fluid is passed through the thermal cavity such that during thermal expansion the at least one lifting hook forces the blade outer air seal support to move outward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: David J. Wasserman, Scott D. Virkler, Eric A. Hudson, Ryan W. Brandt
  • Patent number: 10379134
    Abstract: A sensor device for determining rotational speed of a rotatable object, includes a sensor housing with a sensor segment, a mounting segment and a connector segment, the sensor segment and the connector segment being arranged on opposite sides of the mounting segment, wherein a sensing element is arranged at the sensor tip of the sensor segment, sensor electronics are arranged inside the sensor segment, the sensor electronics including an integrated silicon-on-insulator circuit. The integrated silicon-on-insulator circuit is embedded between flexible polymer substrates. A turbocharger may include such a sensor device. The sensor device is designed to operate continuously at a temperature of at least 200° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Jaquet Technology Group AG
    Inventors: Andreas Tuor, Oliver Hirsch, Markus Eigenmann, Albert Peter