Patents Examined by Jason Mikus
  • Patent number: 11015531
    Abstract: A system and method of reducing engine induced aircraft cabin resonance includes sensing the core engine speed of a first turbofan gas turbine engine, and sensing the core engine speed of a second turbofan gas turbine engine. In a control system, the core engine speed of the first turbofan gas turbine engine and the core engine speed of the second turbofan gas turbine engine are processed to determine a core engine speed difference between the first and second turbofan gas turbine engines. The core engine speed difference is processed to supply a variable inlet guide vane (VIGV) offset value. The VIGV offset value is applied to a VIGV reference command associated with one of the first or second turbofan gas turbine engine to thereby cause the VIGVs of one of the first or second turbofan gas turbine engine to move to a more closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventor: Gregory J. Chapman
  • Patent number: 10967964
    Abstract: The ‘Air Wheel’ rotor is a variable pitch rotor with variable twist blades. The ‘Air Wheel’ rotor comprises a closed wing coupled to one or more coaxial hubs via torsional elastic blades, the blades are coupled to the closed wing in one of the following ways: rigid, elastic, or visco-elastic. There is provided a wide range of combinations of the wing relative width and coning angle typical for a lifting rotor with a thin planar wing attached to the tips of long blades, for a shrouded fan in a wide annular wing, or for an impeller in a rotating cylindrical wing. The ‘Air Wheel’ rotor combines and enhances the advantages of a rotor and a wing, it has excellent aerodynamic characteristics, and eliminates limitations of the rotor size and flight speed. The ‘Air Wheel’ rotor can be used for designing vertical take-off and landing aircraft. The “Air Wheel” rotor is universal and can function as a lifting rotor, or a wind turbine, or an aircraft propeller, or a marine propeller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Inventor: Sergei Yurevich Kuzikov
  • Patent number: 10968921
    Abstract: A blower fan for preventing noise generated from blades and a peripheral interference object is provided, the blower fan including a cylindrical hub, a plurality of blades disposed to be spaced apart an asymmetric distance from one another about the hub, and a balancer connected to the hub to balance the blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Namjoon Cho, Dongkeun Yang, Hyoungsuk Woo
  • Patent number: 10968819
    Abstract: The invention relates to a control device for a turbocharger, comprising an exhaust gas conducting section through which fluid can flow and which includes a bypass duct for bypassing a turbine wheel that is rotatably arranged in the exhaust gas conducting section, and comprising an adjusting arm (3) for accommodating a valve element (2) provided for opening or blocking a flow cross-section of the bypass duct; the adjusting arm (3) is movably accommodated in the exhaust gas conducting section; furthermore, a flexible element (14) is provided at least for securing the valve element (2) in place on the adjusting arm (3). According to the invention, the flexible element (14) is designed to be retained radially and axially by the valve element (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: IHI Charging Systems International GmbH
    Inventors: Lorenz Jaenike, Ralf Schawer, Jens Zweydinger
  • Patent number: 10954820
    Abstract: There is provided a non-contacting seal assembly for a gas turbine engine, having a housing that houses a sealing ring; and a counter component cooperating with the sealing ring. The sealing ring and the counter component are rotatable relative to each other about a central axis and define sealing faces circumferentially extending around the central axis. The sealing faces face each other and are spaced apart from each other by a controlled gap. At least one of the sealing faces is coated with a non-abradable material. A method of operating a non-contacting seal assembly is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventor: Alexander Smith
  • Patent number: 10940955
    Abstract: A sound attenuation device includes an acoustic panel having a first end and a second end spaced from the first end. The first end is configured for attachment to a first mount and the second end is configured for attachment to a second mount. The acoustic panel comprises a permeable skin and a septum, the septum having a length extending between the first end and the second end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Rohr, Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony Lacko, David Edward Pierick, Wentaur Eugene Chien, Song Chiou
  • Patent number: 10920660
    Abstract: The invention relates to a control device for a turbocharger, comprising an exhaust gas conducting section through which fluid can flow and which includes a bypass duct for bypassing a turbine wheel that is rotatably arranged in the exhaust gas conducting section, and comprising an adjusting arm (3) for accommodating a valve element (2) provided for opening or blocking a flow cross-section of the bypass duct; the adjusting arm (3) is movably accommodated in the exhaust gas conducting section; furthermore, a flexible element (14) is provided at least for securing the valve element (2) in place on the adjusting arm (3). According to the invention, the flexible element (14) is designed so as to be radially slidable in order to reduce adjustment forces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: IHI Charging Systems International GmbH
    Inventors: Ralf Schawer, Jens Zweydinger
  • Patent number: 10871075
    Abstract: A turbine component has a plurality of cooling passages each extending through a body of a structure between opposite hot and cold surfaces of the structure. According to one embodiment, at least one of the cooling passages includes a plurality of upstream paths defining respective inlet openings on the cold surface and merging into a number of downstream paths defining respective outlet openings on the hot surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Sri Sreekanth, Si-Man Lao, Michael Leslie Clyde Papple
  • Patent number: 10830206
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to methods for manufacturing wind turbine rotor blades and components thereof, e.g. using 3D printing. In one embodiment, the method includes forming a rotor blade structure having a first surface and an opposing, second surface, the first and second surfaces being substantially flat. Another step includes printing a leading edge segment of the rotor blade onto the first surface, wherein heat from the printing bonds the leading edge segment to the first surface. The method also includes rotating the rotor blade structure having the leading edge segment attached thereto. A further step includes printing a trailing edge segment of the rotor blade onto the second surface, wherein heat from the printing bonds the trailing edge segment to the second surface. Another step includes securing one or more fiber-reinforced outer skins to the leading and trailing edge segments so as to complete the rotor blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: James Robert Tobin, Stephen Bertram Johnson, Jamie T. Livingston, Shridhar Champaknath Nath, Alan M. Walker
  • Patent number: 10823186
    Abstract: A pump bearing retainer (1), for a wet-running pump, includes a radially inner section (3) including an inner section surface (9) for a press-fit contact with an essentially cylinder-shaped radial outer surface (29) of a pump bearing (13). A radially outer section (7) includes an annular or essentially conical-shaped outer section surface (17) with a cone angle (?1) equal to or larger than 45°. An intermediate section (5) extends from the inner section (3) to the outer section (7). The intermediate section (5) includes an essentially conical-shaped intermediate section surface (15) with a cone angle (?2) smaller than 45°. A longitudinal cross-section area (A) of the inner section (3) is smaller than a longitudinal cross-section area (B) of the intermediate section (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: GRUNDFOS HOLDING A/S
    Inventors: Brian Lundsted Poulsen, Anders Bøge Jensen
  • Patent number: 10815863
    Abstract: A liquid pump for conveying a liquid may include a housing, in which a pump impeller is arranged for conveying the liquid, and a cover for covering the housing. The cover may include a main connector for supplying a main flow of the liquid to the pump impeller and an auxiliary connector for supplying an auxiliary flow of the liquid to the pump impeller. The housing may have an inlet opening for the liquid and an annular collar protruding from an edge of the inlet opening. The cover may lie axially against the annular collar. The annular collar and the cover may define an annular wall surrounding a flow path of the main flow of the liquid. The annular wall may have at least one radial opening connecting the flow path with an inflow space surrounding the annular wall. The auxiliary connector may be fluidically connected with the inflow space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: MAHLE INTERNATIONAL GMBH
    Inventors: Johannes Diekmann, Thorsten Grelle, Michael Krappel, Gunnar Schmitt-Sauter, Benjamin Weimann
  • Patent number: 10815887
    Abstract: A lubrication system for a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The lubrication system is configured to provide pressurized air and lubricant to a bearing sump of the gas turbine engine to cool and lubricate a bearing included in the bearing sump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Kerry J. Lighty, Larry A. Junod
  • Patent number: 10808537
    Abstract: In order to compensate for the increase in a leakage rate of ventilation air originating in a circuit via a labyrinth seal that gradually wears at the bottom of a ventilation chamber, and the reduction of a purge rate via an opening upstream from the chamber, a second injection opening is added to a main injection opening. The second injection opening communicates with the chamber via a second labyrinth seal that wears at the same time as the first, and thus gradually increases the air flow rate passing through the injector in order to compensate for the additional leakage rate through the first injector and maintain the ventilation at its initial level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Mathieu Jean Pierre Trohel, Paco Maurer
  • Patent number: 10801361
    Abstract: The turbine assembly includes a shaft, a plurality of rotor disks, a plurality of blades, and at least one cutting mechanisms. The rotor disks are spaced axially along, and coupled to, the shaft and include a radially outer portion. The blades are spaced circumferentially around the radially outer portion. The cutting mechanisms are configured to cut the blades from the rotor disk during a disk over speed condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Nagamohan Govinahalli Prabhakar, Steven Andrew Strang, Charles Stanley Orkiszewski, Subramanya Shankar, Nitesh Jain, Michael Riehle
  • Patent number: 10794224
    Abstract: A gas turbine, including: a combustion chamber; a high-pressure turbine with a first turbine guide vane ring that is arranged downstream of the combustion chamber, wherein the first turbine guide vane ring has a plurality of turbine nozzle guide vane segments that respectively include at least one guide vane, an outer platform, and an inner platform; and an outer housing. Provision is made that the turbine nozzle guide vane segments are fixed in the radial direction at the outer housing, wherein occurring radial loads are transferred into the outer housing. The invention further relates to a method for attaching a turbine nozzle guide vane segment of a gas turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE DEUTSCHLAND LTD & CO KG
    Inventor: Thomas Schiessl
  • Patent number: 10753370
    Abstract: A variable diffuser for a centrifugal compressor comprises a passage between opposing disc faces and a plurality of vanes extending therethrough with a fixed angle relative to the engine centerline. Axial displacement between the opposing disc faces is variable. The vanes extend through one of the opposing disc faces as that disc face is axially translated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher Hall, David Sayre
  • Patent number: 10711650
    Abstract: An internal structure of a primary exhaust duct of a turbomachine. The internal structure comprises a primary wall comprising a surface of revolution, allowing air to pass through the orifices and forming an internal surface of the primary exhaust duct, an interior skin, comprising a surface of revolution, arranged inside the primary wall and extending between an upstream flank for facing toward the front of the turbomachine and a downstream flank for facing toward the rear of the turbomachine, and a plurality of spacers angularly distributed around a periphery of the interior skin and fixed between the primary wall and the interior skin. The particular way in which the interior wall is fixed makes the internal structure easier to construct and allows attenuation of noise at chosen frequencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS SAS
    Inventors: Laurent Bertandeau, Grégory De Oliveira, Erwan Krier, Sandrine Andre, Morad Kassem, Michael Kilkenny
  • Patent number: 10669021
    Abstract: An airfoil member can have a root end, a tip end, a leading edge, and a trailing edge. The airfoil member can include an upper skin, a lower skin, and a composite core member having a plurality of cells, an upper surface network of the cells can be bonded to the upper skin, a lower surface network of the cells can be bonded to the lower skin. The composite core can have a septum layer embedded in the cells that form the composite core, the septum layer being configured to provide tailored characteristics of the airfoil member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: Paul K. Oldroyd, Wei-Yueh Lee, James D. Hethcock, Jr., John R. McCullough, Patrick R. Tisdale
  • Patent number: 10662807
    Abstract: Method and blade monitoring system for monitoring bending moment of a wind turbine blade. The method comprises obtaining a first sensor set signal indicative of a first bending moment at a first sensor position different from the tip end along the longitudinal axis of the wind turbine blade, and estimating a bending moment at a first estimation position along the longitudinal axis based on the first sensor set signal, wherein the first sensor position is different from the first estimation position along the longitudinal axis. The blade monitoring system comprises a processing unit and an interface connected to the processing unit, the processing unit being configured for performing the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: LM WP PATENT HOLDING A/S
    Inventor: Casper Skovby
  • Patent number: 10648451
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a rotor blade of a wind power plant which has an area close to the blade root in which the rotor blade has an obtuse rear edge. The method includes manufacturing a half-shell on the pressure side and a half-shell on the suction side, introducing and adhesively bonding filler bodies into at least one section of the area of the obtuse rear edge of the pressure-side half-shell and the suction-side half-shell, wherein the sections with the filler bodies lie opposite one another in the assembled rotor blade, assembling and positioning the half-shells relative to one another, wherein an adhesive gap which is delimited by the first adhesive surfaces of the filler bodies remains between the filler bodies, and introducing an adhesive medium into the adhesive gap. Also a rotor blade manufactured according to the method, and a wind power plant including such a rotor blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Senvion GmbH
    Inventors: Urs Bendel, Enno Eyb, Tilman Richers, Christian Flach, Hendrik Mester