Patents Examined by John F. Belena
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Patent number: 6644930Abstract: A pumping method and arrangement, in which at least two chamber pumps (A, B) are operated in order to achieve a constant output flow. In the pumping procedure and arrangement, the entry chamber (110, 130) of the chamber pump is pre-pressurised close to the actual working pressure after the filling stage in order to achieve a constant output flow.Type: GrantFiled: October 9, 2001Date of Patent: November 11, 2003Assignee: Oy Pro-Hydro ABInventor: Esa Kuismanen
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Patent number: 6641374Abstract: In a head cover structure of a hermetic motor-driving type compressor, by comprising a front head cover having a space divided into a low-pressure side sucking a refrigerant by being installed a suction muffler and a high-pressure side discharging the refrigerant by an enclosure wall and a rear head cover combined to the rear surface of the front head cover and having a space divided into a low-pressure side and a high-pressure side by an enclosure wall, a flatness of the front head cover can be improved, leakage of a refrigerant gas from the high-pressure side can be prevented, and the cost of materials can be reduced by using an inexpensive steel material.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2001Date of Patent: November 4, 2003Assignee: LG Electronics INCInventor: Jong Hyuk Kim
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Patent number: 6640536Abstract: A hybrid rocket motor includes a storage tank which stores an oxidizer under relatively low pressure, a turbopump preferably directly coupled to an outlet of the storage tank which pressurizes the oxidizer to a relatively high pressure, a combustion chamber including a solid fuel, and an injector between the turbopump and combustion chamber through which the oxidizer is injected into the combustion chamber. According to a preferred aspect of the invention, the turbopump is operated by an expander cycle of a heat exchanger. According to another preferred aspect of the invention, the fluid flowing through the heat exchanger is oxidizer tapped from the storage tank. A barrier is maintained between an oxidizer feed line from the turbopump and the injector until sufficient pressure is created by the turbopump to pump the oxidizer at the requisite pressure into the injector.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 2002Date of Patent: November 4, 2003Assignee: Hy Pat CorporationInventors: Korey R. Kline, Kevin W. Smith, Eric E. Schmidt, Thomas O. Bales
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Patent number: 6637188Abstract: A combustion chamber for a rocket engine expels a hot stream of gas and has a cooling device. The inner wall of the combustion chamber adjoins the cooling device and contains depressions formed in such a way that the stable outer layer of the stream of gas that forms in the proximity of the inner wall of the combustion chamber during operation of the combustion chamber is destabilized in the area of the depressions.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2001Date of Patent: October 28, 2003Assignee: Astrium GmbHInventors: Peter Bichler, Hans Immich, Joachim Kretschmer, Günther Schmidt
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Patent number: 6637187Abstract: A rotary inlet flow controller, with one or more open ducts extending therethrough, aerodynamically controls the amount and velocity of the flow of air to combustion chambers of pulse detonation engines, or other engines, without imposing large cyclic airflow transients in the diffuser of the air intake. The ducted rotary inlet flow controller supplies airflow and sealing in synchronization with the cycles of the engine: airflow and fueling supply, sealing, combustion, and re-opening for additional airflow. This controller will supply near-uniform, continuous airflow to the engine. The preferred controller has one or more propeller-like blades that are designed to cyclically and sequentially duct incoming flow to the inlet ports of the combustion chambers, while also providing the capability of sealing the ports during combustion.Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 2001Date of Patent: October 28, 2003Assignee: TechLand Research, Inc.Inventors: Bobby W. Sanders, Lois J. Weir
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Patent number: 6638029Abstract: A two-stage oil free compressor assembly includes a pressure modulation mechanism, which enhances the ambient temperature and altitude capability of the compressor. A selected amount of pressurized fluid is drawn from an output side of a second stage compressor portion and reintroduced into the lower pressure interstage circuit of the assembly, thus raising the interstage pressure. The fluid that flows through the pressure modulation mechanism can be further cooled using the interstage heat exchanger, depending on the needs of a particular situation. A valve in the pressure modulation mechanism is adjusted to control the amount of fluid utilized for pressure modulation. The inventive arrangement permits modulating the pressure ratio of each stage to achieve reasonably balanced discharge temperatures of the first and second stage.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2001Date of Patent: October 28, 2003Assignee: Hamilton Sunstrand CorporationInventor: John Kharsa
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Patent number: 6634869Abstract: A piston pump comprised of a cylinder (2), an automatically closing intake valve (3) to a pump chamber (4), a sealing reciprocating piston (5) and a sealing upstream filter piston (7), wherein the piston (5) together with the filter piston (7) are elastically spring-biased and axially limitedly moveable and form together with the filter piston (7) an automatically closing discharge valve (8).Type: GrantFiled: February 13, 2002Date of Patent: October 21, 2003Assignee: Hilti AktiengesellschaftInventor: Rory Britz
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Patent number: 6634176Abstract: In a turbine engine with an annular recuperator surrounding the turbine, exhaust gas is directed from the turbine to the recuperator by a generally curved exhaust dome. A vortex disrupter structure extends from the exhaust dome to a point distal of the turbine to evenly distribute the exhaust gas entering the recuperator and sustain diffusion of the exhaust gas to increase the expansion ratio across the turbine.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2001Date of Patent: October 21, 2003Assignee: Capstone Turbine CorporationInventors: Gregory C. Rouse, Octavio Solis, David Calta
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Patent number: 6632073Abstract: An air-operated, submersible pump features a bladder-controlled inlet applicable to water pumping or fluid separation, including the recovery of viscous hydrocarbon products. The inlet area fluidly penetrates through a portion of the wall of the pump, and the bladder, disposed within the pump body, is supported in overlying registration therewith. A pressure-operated valve in fluid communication with the discharge port facilitates a refill mode of operation, wherein fluid surrounding the pump flows into the pump body through the inlet area, and a discharge mode of operation wherein the air inlet is pressurized, causing the bladder to inflate and seat against and seal off the inlet area, and fluid which flowed into the pump body to be discharged through the discharge port. In the preferred embodiment, the inlet area comprises a plurality of apertures formed through the wall of the pump body arranged as one or more linear arrays lengthwise along the pump.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2001Date of Patent: October 14, 2003Inventor: Kevin L. Newcomer
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Patent number: 6629415Abstract: A method for fabricating a three-dimensional turbine engine combustor liner model includes coupling at least a first member to a second member to form an assembly that has an inner surface. The assembly inner surface simulates an inner surface of the aircraft engine combustor liner. The first member is at least one of a pre-formed conical member and a pre-formed cylindrical member, and the second portion is at least one of a pre-formed conical member and a pre-formed cylindrical member. The method also includes coupling the assembly to a baseplate, and coupling a plurality of templates to the assembly.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 2001Date of Patent: October 7, 2003Assignee: General Electric Co.Inventors: Edward Lee Howard, Gilbert Farmer, James Hollice Poynter, Ronald Lee Sheranko, Gregory Thomas Lucas
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Patent number: 6625988Abstract: A premix burner arrangement with catalytic combustion provides a fuel/air mixture to a combustion chamber of a gas turbine arrangement. The premix burner arrangement includes a premix burner, at least one fuel addition unit, and air inlet openings arranged in such a way that at least one of gaseous and liquid fuel can be mixed with combustion inlet air inside the premix burner to form a fuel/air mixture. The fuel/air mixture exits from the premix burner downstream in the direction towards a combustion chamber positioned after the premix burner arrangement and can be ignited inside the combustion chamber. A catalyzer unit is provided before the entrance of the fuel/air mixture into the combustion chamber. Part of the fuel/air mixture can be introduced into and passed through the catalyzer unit before the catalyzed part of the fuel/air mixture flows together with the remaining portion of the fuel/air mixture into the combustion chamber.Type: GrantFiled: November 26, 2001Date of Patent: September 30, 2003Assignee: Alstom (Switzerland) LtdInventors: Wolfgang Weisenstein, Timothy Albert Griffin, Peter Jansohn, Thomas Ruck
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Patent number: 6623258Abstract: The invention relates to a refrigerant compressor comprising at least one piston-cylinder unit and one valve plate that has at least one outlet opening. The piston has a projection which projects into the outlet opening when the piston is located near the upper dead center thereof. The aim of the invention is to increase the efficiency and to reduce the noise level. To these ends, the invention provides that the outlet opening, piston projection, valve plate and piston delimit a flow channel, and provides that the free cross-sectional area of the flow channel is determined by the smallest cross-sectional area of the outlet opening until the piston, during its pressure stroke at least the height (H) of the outlet opening, is located underneath the upper dead center.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2001Date of Patent: September 23, 2003Assignee: Danfoss Compressors GmbHInventors: Frank Holm Iversen, Preben Bjerre
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Patent number: 6619025Abstract: The present invention is directed toward an ecology valve that drains working fuel to the sump chamber of the ecology valve upon engine shut down. The ecology valve has a piston slidable in the piston chamber between shut-off and run positions. The piston divides the piston chamber into a sump chamber and an actuation chamber. Upon engine shut down, the piston slides toward the shut-off position and suctions sufficient fuel from the fuel manifold into the sump chamber to prevent coking of the nozzles. Upon the next engine start up, the actuation chamber is pressurized which drives the piston toward the run position and returns fuel contained in sump chamber to the fuel manifold. A drain passageway opens and fluidically connects the actuation chamber to sump chamber when the piston is sliding toward the shut-off position which allows fuel contained in the actuation chamber to drain to the sump chamber.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2001Date of Patent: September 16, 2003Assignee: Woodward Governor CompanyInventor: Donald E. Wernberg
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Patent number: 6619030Abstract: An aircraft gas turbine engine assembly includes an inter-turbine frame axially located between high and low pressure turbines. Low pressure turbine has counter rotating low pressure inner and outer rotors with low pressure inner and outer shafts which are at least in part rotatably disposed co-axially within a high pressure rotor. Inter-turbine frame includes radially spaced apart radially outer first and inner second structural rings disposed co-axially about a centerline and connected by a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart struts. Forward and aft sump members having forward and aft central bores are fixedly joined to axially spaced apart forward and aft portions of the inter-turbine frame. Low pressure inner and outer rotors are rotatably supported by a second turbine frame bearing mounted in aft central bore of aft sump member. A mount for connecting the engine to an aircraft is located on first structural ring.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2002Date of Patent: September 16, 2003Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Jorge F. Seda, Lawrence W. Dunbar, Philip R. Gliebe, Peter N. Szucs, John C. Brauer, James E. Johnson, Thomas Moniz, Gregory T. Steinmetz
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Patent number: 6615588Abstract: The present invention relates to an arrangement for the cooling of a component, in particular of the combustion chamber of a turbo machine, wherein at least one cooling duct (5) is provided between a wall (1) to be cooled and a plate-shaped element (2) spaced apart from the wall. The plate-shaped element (2) has a number of through openings (4) for a cooling medium and is arranged such that the distance to the wall (1) increases in the flow direction of the cooling medium through the cooling channel (5). The arrangement is characterised in that the size of the through openings (4) in the plate-shaped element (2) increases with increasing distance between the plate-shaped element (2) and the wall (1). In this way a homogeneous cooling over the length of the cooling channel is achieved with simple measures.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2001Date of Patent: September 9, 2003Assignee: Alstom (Switzerland) LtdInventor: Rainer Hoecker
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Patent number: 6612818Abstract: It is an object of the invention to, even in the case where liquid containing a sedimenting material such as slurry is used, prevent sedimenting and aggregation from occurring in a pump. As means for attaining the object, a bellows 7 that is extendingly and contractingly deformable in the axial direction is placed in a pump body 1 with setting the axis B of the bellows vertical so as to be driven to perform extending and contracting deformation, and form a liquid chamber 9 inside the bellows 7. A suction port 18 and a discharge port 19 are formed in an inner bottom face 4a of the pump body 1 facing the liquid chamber 9. Liquid is sucked from the suction port 18 into the liquid chamber 9 by extension of the bellows 7, and the liquid in the liquid chamber 9 is discharged from the discharge port 19 by contraction of the bellows 7. The inner bottom face 4a is formed into a conical shape in which the face is downward inclined as moving toward the discharge port 19.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2002Date of Patent: September 2, 2003Assignee: Nippon Pillar Packing Co., Ltd.Inventor: Kiyoshi Nishio
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Patent number: 6612106Abstract: Disclosed is a means for reducing jet engine exhaust noise wherein mixing is enhanced between adjacent exhaust flows and between exhaust flow and free-stream flow. The device does so with a very small degradation in aircraft performance. The device is a segmented, triangular or trapezoidal shaped, curved extension to a nozzle's sleeve that results in a serrated trailing edge. The nozzle extensions enhance the natural free mixing of the jet's exhaust flows and therefore reduce the acoustic energy associated with the velocity differences between the streams in which they are imbedded. The novel structure forces adjacent flows to penetrate into one another to a greater depth than that achievable with free mixing and results in a more uniform flow in a shorter stream wise distance.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2001Date of Patent: September 2, 2003Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventor: Ronald L. Balzer
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Patent number: 6612113Abstract: In an integrated method of air separation, a plant includes at least one first air separation unit (1, 101), a first air compressor (13), a first combustion chamber (17), a first expansion turbine (19), a second air compressor (15), a second combustion chamber (23) and a second expansion turbine (25) and a third air compressor (21) in which compressed air is sent from the first air compressor to the first combustion chamber and to the first air separation unit, compressed air is sent from the second air compressor to the second combustion chamber and to the first air separation unit.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2002Date of Patent: September 2, 2003Assignee: L'Air Liquide - Societe Anonyme a Directoire et Conseil de Surveillance pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges ClaudeInventor: Alain Guillard
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Patent number: 6610046Abstract: A catheter and guide wire in which at least a distal end portion of a catheter body or guide wire is formed of a shape memory-specialized metal having shape memory property, but free from superelasticity or pseudoelasticity at least at the body temperature, have high safety and improved operability as compared with prior art ones and are advantageously used in a wide range of examination and treatment, especially in angiography, angioplasty, embolization, foreign matter removal and recovery, calculus capture and so on.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2000Date of Patent: August 26, 2003Assignee: USAminanotechnology Inc.Inventors: Shino Usami, Nobuko Usami, Akino Usami, Gono Usami, Kaya Usami, Tomono Usami, Masano Usami, Nano Usami, Keiko Usami
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Patent number: 6606863Abstract: Apparatus for simplification of engine core removal for maintenance of gas turbine engines. Ordinarily, to remove a high-pressure compressor in a twin-spool engine, many components of the engine must be removed, such as parts of a booster, in order to gain access to a mounting nut which is threaded onto a shaft supporting the high-pressure compressor. The removal is necessary because the nut must be extracted from the engine after disengagement from the shaft. Under the invention, this removal-of-components is largely eliminated, by providing a stowage location for the nut within the engine. The nut is removed, and then threaded onto a set of threads specifically provided for storage of the nut, and for nothing else.Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 2001Date of Patent: August 19, 2003Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventor: Larry Wayne Napier