Patents Examined by Jesse Bogue
  • Patent number: 9677401
    Abstract: The radial piston rotary device with compact gear drive mechanism includes a base, a casing mounted to the base, and a gearbox coupled to the casing. The casing houses a piston assembly with a pair of first radial pistons and a pair of second radial pistons coaxially mounted to the first radial pistons with each pair rotating at asynchronous, cyclically varying velocities. During a power cycle, a leading pair of radial pistons powers the associated gear assembly, and the gear assembly drives a flywheel assembly. A drive shaft axially extends from the flywheel assembly outside the gearbox to be selectively coupled to a driven component. The flywheel drives the pair of lagging radial pistons. During operation, each pair of radial pistons rotate at cyclically varying angular velocities out of phase with each other, yet produce a uniform output to the drive shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Inventors: Adel K. Alsubaih, Khaled A. Alsubaih
  • Patent number: 9670936
    Abstract: The present application relates to a compression stage of a low-pressure compressor of an axial turbomachine, such as a turboprop. The stage includes a rotor with, on its outer surface, two lip seals, each forming a radial annular rib; and a stator which includes an annular row of stator blades extending substantially radially; and an inner shell whose radial cross section includes a central part connected to the inner tips of the blades, a lateral part extending from each side of the central part to one of the two lip seals, respectively, thus forming a rotor with the annular cavity. The shell and the rotor are configured so that the radial section of the annular cavity has a length L1 and a height H, the length L1 being greater than the height H, which initiates rotational movement of the air contained therein. The speed of the air reduces its pressure, which limits downstream to upstream leaks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: Safran Aero Boosters SA
    Inventor: Jean-François Cortequisse
  • Patent number: 9657628
    Abstract: A method for purging a reductant supply system for an engine is provided. The reductant supply system includes a reservoir to store a reductant. The reductant supply system further includes an injector to inject reductant in an exhaust conduit of the engine. The reductant supply system also includes a conduit coupled between the reservoir and the injector to supply the reductant. The method for purging the reductant supply system includes initiating purging of the injector and the conduit such that the reductant in the injector and conduit flows to the reservoir. The method further includes monitoring of the dilution of the reductant during purging and indicating a completion of the purging when the dilution of the reductant in the reservoir reaches a threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Cole, Kevin L Dea, Johnathan Trundt, Dirk DeDecker
  • Patent number: 9656761
    Abstract: A lipskin for a nacelle includes a generally annular first lipskin segment that extends generally upstream from a first lipskin edge to a forward edge. The forward edge is proximate to a hilite of the nacelle. The lipskin also includes a generally annular second lipskin segment that extends generally downstream from the forward edge to a second lipskin edge. The second lipskin segment is oriented generally concentrically about the first lipskin segment. The first lipskin segment and the second lipskin segment are coupled together at the forward edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Alex C. Lumbab, Bradley Scott Leisten
  • Patent number: 9657636
    Abstract: A wastegate assembly in a turbine of an internal combustion engine is provided. The wastegate assembly includes a wastegate conduit bypassing a turbine rotor, a valve sealing plate configured to seat and seal on a wastegate conduit outlet in a closed position, and a flow diverting tab coupled to the valve sealing plate, extending upstream of the wastegate conduit outlet, and separating a wastegate conduit outflow and a turbine rotor outflow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Patrick Matthews, Patrick James Hertrich, Daniel Lawerence Sylvester
  • Patent number: 9657586
    Abstract: A starter configured for use with a turbomachine includes a housing defining a cavity, a transmission operative to convert an airflow into rotational motion for starting an engine, wherein the cavity is configured to hold a quantity of starter oil for lubricating at least a portion of the transmission, and an oil filter disposed in fluid communication with the starter oil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: John T. Pech, Jeffrey M. Makulec
  • Patent number: 9644573
    Abstract: A system includes an internal combustion engine, an EGR flow path having an EGR cooler path and an EGR cooler bypass path, a turbocharger, a compressed intake flow path, an EGR bypass valve that selectively divides the EGR flow between the EGR cooler path and the EGR cooler bypass path, a charge air cooler bypass valve that reduces an amount of cooling of compressed intake air out of the compression side of the turbocharger, and an aftertreatment component that receives the exhaust stream from the turbine side of the turbocharger. The aftertreatment component requires at least intermittent exhaust stream temperature elevation. The system includes a controller that determines that an exhaust stream temperature elevation request is present, and provides a charge air cooler bypass valve command and an EGR bypass valve command in response to the exhaust stream temperature elevation request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: Cummins Inc.
    Inventor: Adrian P. Dale
  • Patent number: 9644630
    Abstract: A supercharger for a vehicle includes a lower body housing a compressor and an upper lid having a contraction chamber. The upper lid includes an air circulation port and is configured to be coupled to the lower body thereby forming a plenum. The contraction chamber is integrally formed in the upper lid adjacent to the air circulation port and includes an attenuator plate that defines a tuning neck. The tuning neck defines an inlet to and part of a volume of the contraction chamber, and includes a predetermined size and shape configured to attenuate a desired sound frequency generated by operation of the supercharger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: FCA US LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey M Orzechowski, Ian McLean, Neil W Loughlin, Sean A Keyes
  • Patent number: 9644626
    Abstract: A vane pump includes: a rotor; vanes; a cam ring; pump chambers; a suction port; a discharge port; back-pressure chambers; a discharge-side back pressure port configured to guide working fluid that is discharged from the discharge port to the back-pressure chambers; and suction-side back pressure ports configured to guide the working fluid to the back-pressure chambers. The suction-side back pressure ports are formed to be divided into a low-pressure port and a high-pressure port, the low-pressure port being configured to guide the working fluid in the suction port to the back-pressure chambers, and the high-pressure port being configured to guide the working fluid that is discharged from the discharge port to the back-pressure chambers. The high-pressure port is arranged at the forward-side of the low-pressure port in rotating direction of the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: KYB Corporation
    Inventors: Koichiro Akatsuka, Tomoyuki Fujita, Fumiyasu Kato
  • Patent number: 9644529
    Abstract: A supercharged internal combustion engine may include a twin-flow turbine with variable vane geometry. One example method to operate the device permits optimized operation of the internal combustion engine at low exhaust gas flow rates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Vanco Smiljanovski, Helmut Matthias Kindl, Uwe Spaeder, Rob Stalman
  • Patent number: 9638189
    Abstract: An oil pump structure including: an oil pump having a first hydraulic control chamber and a second hydraulic control chamber; a hydraulic control valve having a valve operating oil passage, a first inflow passage, a second inflow passage, a first outflow passage, a second outflow passage and a drain flow passage; and an oil circuit, wherein the hydraulic control valve is connected to a branching flow passage of the oil circuit; a spool valve body of the hydraulic control valve has a front valve section, a rear valve section and an intermediate valve section, which are formed perpendicularly to the axial direction of a connecting shaft; an axial-direction dimension of the intermediate valve section is larger than an axial-direction dimension of the second outflow passage; the second outflow passage and the drain flow passage are both accommodated temporarily between the intermediate valve section and the front valve section due to movement of the spool valve body; and in the hydraulic control valve, a control
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: YAMADA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Junichi Miyajima, Takatoshi Watanabe, Masato Izutsu, Masaki Ogawara
  • Patent number: 9638206
    Abstract: The invention relates to a centrifugal pump (1) comprising a pump housing (2) which is provided with an axial inlet (6), an outlet (5) and a rotor (7) which is attached in the pump housing (2) such that it can rotate about an axial rotation axis A. The rotor (7) is provided with a central boss (9), a shaft shield (11) fastened to the boss (9), a suction shield (12) attached so as to be axially set apart from the shaft shield (11), which suction shield (12) has an axial supply (14) aligned with the axial inlet (6) of the pump housing (2), and a plurality of rotor blades (15) which are fastened between the shields (11, 12). The radial inner ends (18) of the rotor blades (15) are connected to the suction shield (12) by a substantial perpendicular connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: IHC Holland IE B.V.
    Inventors: Cornelis Hendrik van den Berg, Hasan Hüseyin Bugdayci, Erwin Cornelis Johannes Bijvoet, Mattheus Abraham Manneke
  • Patent number: 9638205
    Abstract: A double seal pump assembly is provided and comprises a pump housing having an inlet and an outlet. An impeller is in communication with the inlet and outlet. The impeller includes an impeller shaft extending outwardly from the housing. The impeller shaft is adapted to engage a drive shaft of a motor. A housing adapter is mounted onto the housing at a first seal and is configured to secure the impeller to the housing. A motor adapter is mounted to the housing adapter at a second seal thereby defining a cavity therebetween. The motor adapter is configured to mount the motor and the cavity is configured to be filled with a barrier fluid. An accumulator is in fluid communication with the cavity and is adapted to hold a reserve barrier fluid so as to maintain barrier fluid volume and pressure within the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: MP Pumps, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory G Peabody, Kenneth W Tromley
  • Patent number: 9631502
    Abstract: A fastening element (12) for arrangement in a receptacle of a rotor blade connection (17) of a rotor blade (5). The receptacle is formed on the rotor hub-side end of the, preferably flange-free, rotor blade (5). The fastening element (12) is arranged in the receptacle between an inner fastening side and an outer fastening side of the rotor blade (5) and the fastening element (12) introduced into the receptacle (10) is connected to the inner fastening side and the outer fastening side of the rotor blade (5). The fastening element (12) is formed tapered in the longitudinal extension thereof. The fastening element (12) has a connector (15) transverse, particularly perpendicular, to the longitudinal extension for a lightning protection conductor (18) of the rotor blade (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Senvion SE
    Inventors: Lenz Simon Zeller, Markus Werner
  • Patent number: 9631538
    Abstract: A system includes a filtering module that filters a first signal that indicates an amount of nitrogen oxides (NOx) in exhaust gas upstream from a catalyst, and that filters a second signal that indicates amounts of NOx and ammonia (NH3) in exhaust gas downstream from the catalyst. A slip determination module determines whether NH3 is present in exhaust gas downstream from the catalyst based on a frequency response of the first and second signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Kevin Andrew Gady, Amin Abboud
  • Patent number: 9611857
    Abstract: An anti-surge system capable of anticipating a surge event in a compressor for readying the actuator to quickly actuate the anti-surge valve from the closed position to the open position. The control system includes a compressor surge controller configured to transmit a signal to the valve positioner when the operating point of the valve is approaching the surge control line. The compressor surge controller may monitor an operating margin equal to the difference between the operating point and the surge control line, and when the operating margin falls below a prescribed threshold, the compressor surge controller may send a signal to the positioner. In turn, the positioner may vent some pressure from the actuator. In this way, the dead time of the anti-surge valve on the valve seat is minimized and the valve will react more promptly to an opening signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: Control Components, Inc.
    Inventors: Fabio Giove, Flavio Tondolo, Marco Mastrovito
  • Patent number: 9611863
    Abstract: A turbine engine casing, including a substantially cylindrical wall and a single-piece annular panel for acoustic insulation mounted radially inside the wall, is provided. The panel includes a radially outer annular surface fitted with upstream and downstream first projecting members respectively arranged in the upstream and downstream portions of the radially outer annular surface of the panel. The wall includes a radially inner annular surface fitted with upstream and downstream second projecting members that are releasably fastened respectively to the upstream and downstream first projecting members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventors: Virginie Guilbert, Romain Plante, Florent Rognin
  • Patent number: 9611754
    Abstract: A seal segment for bounding a hot gas flow path within a gas turbine engine, including: a plate having an inboard side which bounds the hot gas flow path in use, an outboard side and fore and aft cooling circuits, wherein the fore and aft cooling circuits are fluidically separated from one another within the plate and each has at least one tortuous path between an inlet on the outboard side of the plate and an exhaust.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: Rupert John Taylor
  • Patent number: 9605555
    Abstract: Shroud device thermally protecting a gas turbine blade, having a ceramic layer and a metallic layer, the metallic layer being thermally protected by the ceramic layer, the ceramic layer being mechanically joined to the metallic layer by a fixation device having a plurality of protrusions extending from the metallic layer designed so as to engage with a plurality of cavities located in the ceramic layer, such that there exists a gap between the cavities and the protrusions at ambient temperature, the gap disappearing at high temperature operation of the gas turbine, the protrusions being then locked into the cavities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC TECHNOLOGY GMBH
    Inventors: Gregoire Etienne Witz, Mathieu Esquerre, Michael Stuer, Daniel Renusch, Hans-Peter Bossmann
  • Patent number: 9604728
    Abstract: The invention relates to an aircraft turbojet nacelle including a cowling assembly (60) made up of four covers (62, 64, 66, 68). Each cover extends in arcuate shape around part of the longitudinal axis of the nacelle, in symmetrical manner about a vertical plane (P) containing the axis. On either side of said plane, the cowling assembly comprises a top cover (62, 66) hinged at its top portion and a bottom cover (64, 68) hinged at its bottom portion. Access to the internal space (e) of the nacelle is obtained by moving the covers away from the longitudinal axis by pivoting them about their hinge axes. A top cover is less heavy for handling purposes than is a single cover of the prior art.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Airbus Operations (S.A.S.)
    Inventors: Christian Fabre, Alain Bignolais