Patents Examined by Jesse M Prager
  • Patent number: 11959459
    Abstract: An information generating device includes a control unit for causing a motor to rotate a pinion gear meshing with a ring gear while a predetermined braking force is applied to brake rotation of a turnable part of a wind turbine, thereby causing a fastening part to deform, where the fastening part is provided to fixedly attach the motor to a target part, a deformation amount obtaining unit for obtaining an amount of deformation experienced by the fastening part, and an information generating unit for generating correlation information indicating a correspondence between a driving torque of the motor and the amount of deformation experienced when the driving torque is used to rotate the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: NABTESCO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Haruna Osako
  • Patent number: 11952950
    Abstract: An axial turbomachine comprising a compression device with a variable-orientation vane rectifier stage; a combustion chamber downstream of the compression device; a turbine device downstream of the combustion chamber; and a leak passage of air compressed by the compression device, between the compression device and the turbine device for cooling the turbine device; and where the rectifier stage is configured to modulate the section of the leak passage according to the orientation of the vanes of the stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES SAS
    Inventors: Lilian Yann Dumas, Baptiste René Roger Batonnet, Romain Nicolas Lagarde
  • Patent number: 11933191
    Abstract: A coupling for a turbomachine, including a first and a second disc attached along an axis, and extending in majority respectively from a first and from a second side of a median plane normal to the axis, the first and the second discs being provided respectively with first and second teeth mutually engaging through the median plane to form a curvic connection. Several first teeth each include a first protuberance jutting out towards the axis while extending from the second side; several second teeth each include a second protuberance jutting out towards the axis of rotation while extending from the first side; the first protuberances are spaced apart from the second protuberances along the axis; at least one blocking member is brought to be supported against the first and second protuberances to block axially the first element relatively to the second element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventor: Clement Raphael Laroche
  • Patent number: 11933324
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are directed to a rotor for use in molten metal and devices including the rotor. The rotor has a rotor body and blades, wherein each blade includes a tip that is at least twice as hard as the rotor body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Molten Metal Equipment Innovations, LLC
    Inventor: Paul V. Cooper
  • Patent number: 11920479
    Abstract: A method of operating a multi-engine system of a rotorcraft includes, during a cruise flight segment of the rotorcraft, controlling a first engine to provide sufficient power and/or rotor speed demands of the cruise flight segment; and controlling a second engine to by providing a fuel flow to the second engine that is between 70% and 99.5% less than a fuel flow provided to the first engine. A turboshaft engine for a multi-engine system configured to drive a common load is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Keith Morgan, Stephen Mah, Philippe Beauchesne-Martel, Eric Durocher
  • Patent number: 11920483
    Abstract: The invention concerns a method for monitoring the operating state of a system for positioning variable-geometry members (18) of a turbomachine (10), the members (18) being configured to travel over an operating area comprising a first position P1 and a second position P2, the method comprising the steps of: —(E23) determining a first pivoting speed V1 from the first position P1 to the second position P2; —(E25) determining a second pivoting speed from the second position P2 to the first position P1; and—(E26) determining an anomaly in the operation of the system for positioning the members (18) if the first speed V1 is lower than a first determined speed threshold and/or if the second speed V2 is lower than a second determined speed threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: SAFRAN HELICOPTER ENGINES
    Inventors: Matthieu Julien Gallot, Philippe Jean René Marie Benezech, Jean-Luc Charles Gilbert Frealle, Luc Jacques Pierre Reberga, Pascal Rizzo
  • Patent number: 11913383
    Abstract: The present invention provides a thermal barrier coated component, monitoring or evaluation of the soundness of which is able to be adequately carried out on the basis of the thermal boundary conditions that are detected by a sensor. A thermal barrier coated component according to the present invention comprises: a base material; a first bond coat layer that is a metal bonding layer formed on the base material; a sensor unit that comprises a sensor and a conductive wire, which are formed on the first bond coat layer; a second bond coat layer that is formed on the first bond coat layer so as to cover at least the sensor unit, while having a surface roughness higher than that of the first bond coat layer; and a top coat layer that is formed on the second bond coat layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshifumi Okajima, Masahiko Mega, Taiji Torigoe, Atsushi Moriwaki, Hiroshi Makigano, Koichi Tanimoto
  • Patent number: 11858650
    Abstract: A ram air turbine (RAT) restow system includes an actuator assembly with a piston interposed between an upper fluid compartment and a lower fluid compartment. The actuator assembly is configured to selectively move the piston between a deployed position and a stowed position. A hydraulic restow circuit is interposed between the actuator assembly and a hydraulic fluid system that is configured to output fluid. The hydraulic restow circuit includes a restow valve configured to operate in a first position that establishes a first fluid path to deliver the fluid to the upper fluid compartment and a second position that establishes a second fluid path to deliver the fluid to the lower fluid compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Timothy Scott Konicek, Stuart T. Gerger, Stephen Michael Bortoli
  • Patent number: 11852038
    Abstract: A stator vane assembly of a gas turbine engine includes a stator shroud having a plurality of shroud openings formed therein. The stator shroud defines a flowpath surface. The assembly includes a plurality of stator vanes, one stator vane of the plurality of stator vanes installed in each shroud opening of the stator shroud. A volume of potting material is located in the plurality of shroud openings to retain the stator vanes thereat. One or more retainers are located at a back surface of the stator shroud opposite the flowpath surface to restrict circumferential movement of the plurality of stator vanes relative to the stator shroud.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sarah J. Zecha, Brian Barainca
  • Patent number: 11828237
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture are to control air flow separation of an engine. An example turbofan includes a nacelle having an outer lip surface, an inner lip surface, a first opening and a second opening, the first opening coupled to a first region forward of a fan of the turbofan, the second opening coupled to a second region aft of the fan, the nacelle including a first pressure sensor coupled to the outer lip surface, a second pressure sensor coupled to the inner lip surface, and an actuator, and a conduit coupled to the actuator, the conduit configured to have a first end and a second end, the first end coupled to the first opening, the second end coupled to the second opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Sai Venkata Kathik Saripella, Vishnu Vardhan Venkata Tatiparthi, Keith Blodgett
  • Patent number: 11827373
    Abstract: Aircraft engine exhaust systems enabling short aft fairings are described. An example turbofan engine exhaust system of an aircraft includes a primary nozzle having a leading edge and a trailing edge, and a heat shield coupled to an aft strut fairing. The heat shield has an upstream end and a downstream end. The downstream end of the heat shield is substantially coterminous with the trailing edge of the primary nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Abhishek Sahay, David F. Cerra
  • Patent number: 11788436
    Abstract: A turbomachine exhaust casing extending about an axis including a hub extending about the axis; an external ferrule; arms which extend between the hub and the external ferrule, attachment yokes radially projecting toward the outside of the external ferrule; pockets hollowed into the external ferrule and wherein the yokes are arranged, the pockets extending in a hollow radially projecting toward the inside of the external ferrule; a ring portion which extends radially under the pockets and forms a duct wall by delimiting with the hub a portion of a gas flow duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Sylvain Yves Jean Duval, Arnaud Lasantha Genilier, Fabien Stephane Garnier, Ludovic Pintat
  • Patent number: 11788413
    Abstract: An apparatus for a gas turbine engine includes a shaft base, a flange and a plurality of lobes. The shaft base extends axially along an axis between a shaft first end and a shaft second end. The flange is connected to the shaft base at the shaft first end. The flange projects radially out from the shaft base. The flange includes a plurality of fastener apertures, and the fastener apertures include a first fastener aperture. The lobes are arranged circumferentially about the axis. Each of the lobes is connected to and projects radially away from the shaft base. Each of the lobes is connected to and projects axially out from the flange. The lobes include a first lobe and a second lobe. The first fastener aperture is arranged circumferentially between the first lobe and the second lobe. The second lobe radially overlaps the first fastener aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Mateusz Kesek, Wojciech Durak
  • Patent number: 11781487
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine for an aircraft includes an engine core with a turbine, a compressor, and a core shaft connecting the turbine and compressor; a fan upstream of the engine core including a plurality of fan blades; and a gearbox that receives an input from a gearbox input shaft portion of the core shaft and outputs drive to a fan shaft so as to drive the fan at a lower rotational speed than the core shaft, the gearbox being an epicyclic gearbox including a sun gear, a plurality of planet gears, a ring gear, and a planet carrier arranged to have the plurality of planet gears mounted thereon, and wherein the sun gear receives input from the core shaft. At cruise conditions the torque on the core shaft is greater than 10,000 Nm and a ratio of core shaft stiffness to core shaft torque is within a specified range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: Mark Spruce
  • Patent number: 11780574
    Abstract: A rotatable swashplate is rotatable relative to a stationary swashplate around a shaft and connects to a pitch control rod assembly. The rotatable swashplate includes an upper portion and a lower portion. The upper portion is extendable outside of a stationary swashplate and includes a plurality of lugs each configured to attach to a pitch control rod assembly, an innermost wall configured to receive a shaft, and a membrane. The lower portion is positionable within the stationary swashplate and has an outermost wall and at least one extension extending radially between the outermost wall and the innermost wall. The membrane extends radially over the at least one extension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yair Preiss, Bradley M. Bauer
  • Patent number: 11767856
    Abstract: An airfoil for a gas turbine engine includes a pressure side and a suction side that extends in a radially outward direction from a 0% span position to a 100% span position. The airfoil has a stagger angle defined as an angle between an airfoil chord and a tangential plane normal to an engine longitudinal axis. The airfoil has a relationship between stagger angle and span position that defines a curve with the stagger angle greater than 35° from 0% span to at least 50% span. The stagger angle at 100% span is greater than the stagger angle at 50% span.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: RTX Corporation
    Inventors: Edward J. Gallagher, Lisa I. Brilliant, Joseph C. Straccia, Stanley J. Balamucki, Mark A. Stephens, Kate Hudon
  • Patent number: 11753956
    Abstract: A seal structure for a gas turbine blade including a shank including a first side surface, a second side surface, and a bottom surface located radially inward from a fin. The first side surface has a recess movably housing a wedge seal, and a slot on the bottom surface as an insertion opening for a spline seal. The second side surface has a slot on the bottom surface as the insertion opening. The recess has an inclined surface extending straight radially inward and away from the first side surface. The wedge seal includes a wedge portion including a first wedge surface to be opposed to the inclined surface and a second wedge surface to be opposed to the second side surface of the adjacent rotor blade to form a wedge together with the wedge surface, and a weight portion positioned radially inward in the recess from the wedge portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: IHI Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshinori Soda, Tsuyoshi Takemoto, Jun Tateishi, Tomotake Ogawa, Misato Mori
  • Patent number: 11746658
    Abstract: An assembly adapted for use in a gas turbine engine includes a carrier and a blade track segment. The carrier extends at least partway about an axis. The blade track segment is supported by the carrier radially relative to the axis to define a portion of a gas path of the assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Ted J. Freeman, Aaron D. Sippel
  • Patent number: 11739644
    Abstract: A turbine stage includes a first airfoil and a second airfoil extending respectively from a first platform and a second platform that form an endwall for a flow passage. The endwall has a nominal surface that is axisymmetric about an axis of the turbine stage. The endwall further includes at least one contoured region that is non-axisymmetric with respect to the axis. The at least one contoured region extends from the first platform to the second platform across a platform splitline. The global maximum variation in elevation ?EW of the endwall is at least 3% of an axial chord length L of the airfoils on the endwall. The maximum variation in elevation ?MF at the mate facea of the platforms lies in the range 15-60% ?EW.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: SIEMENS ENERGY GLOBAL GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Ross Gustafson, Li Shing Wong, Farzad Taremi
  • Patent number: 11732689
    Abstract: A wind turbine drive control device according to one aspect of the present invention is a wind turbine drive control device for controlling a plurality of drive devices for moving two structures included in a wind power generation device relative to each other, the wind turbine drive control device including: an obtaining unit for obtaining a plurality of information items related to loads occurring between each of the plurality of drive devices and one of the two structures that receives forces generated by the plurality of drive devices; and a control unit for controlling the plurality of drive devices in such a manner that, in a state where each of the plurality of drive devices is controlled to generate a predetermined braking force, the braking force of at least one first drive device among the plurality of drive devices is increased, based on the plurality of information items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Nabtesco Corporation
    Inventors: Haruo Kodama, Hirofumi Komori