Patents Examined by John S Hunter, Jr.
-
Patent number: 10519865Abstract: A method and decoupler for disengaging an output shaft from an engine in a back drive event with a backdrive decoupler. The backdrive decoupler includes a threaded shaft and a retention mechanism selectively coupling the output shaft to the threaded shaft. In a backdrive event, the decoupler decouples the output shaft from a drive shaft.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2016Date of Patent: December 31, 2019Assignee: GE Aviation Systems LLCInventors: Eliel Fresco Rodriguez, David Allan Dranschak
-
Patent number: 10502061Abstract: The stiffness of a rotor part is varied over its circumference to allow damper rings to effectively work in high speed applications. Circumferentially spaced-apart pockets may be defined in the rotor to create discontinuous strain to increase the force required to lock the damper ring in the groove above the centrifugal force of the ring when the rotor is rotating.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2016Date of Patent: December 10, 2019Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.Inventors: Maksim Pankratov, Ignatius Theratil, Tony Chang, Nicola Houle, Vincent Savaria, Daniel Coutu
-
Patent number: 10495095Abstract: A multistage compressor for a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The compressor includes a plurality of compressor stages, each stage including in axial flow series a row of rotor blades and a row of stator vanes; a hub to which a radially inner end of each rotor blade of the rows of rotor blades is connected; and a casing that circumscribes the rows of rotor blades and the rows of stator vanes. An aerofoil portion of each of the rotor blades and/or the stator vanes of one or more of the plurality of compressor stages is profiled in a spanwise direction such that the aerofoil portion has a trailing edge that is angled more towards an axial direction of the multistage compressor in regions of the aerofoil portion proximal to the casing and the hub than in a mid-region of the aerofoil portion.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 2016Date of Patent: December 3, 2019Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE PLCInventors: Kiran S Auchoybur, Robert J Miller, Christopher R Hall, Anthony J Rae
-
Patent number: 10487737Abstract: The present application relates to a de-icing splitter lip for a low-pressure compressor of a turbofan aircraft engine. The splitter lip surrounds the primary flow and includes an annular splitter wall with a circular leading edge, an outer shroud connected to the splitter wall, and a heating device in an electric ribbon that de-ices the splitter lip. The splitter lip further includes an elastic element made of elastomer, holding the heating device on the inside of the splitter wall. The elastic element is compressed, pre-loaded, in the splitter lip. Thus, the elastic element exerts a force F clamping the heating device against the splitter wall and the outer shroud in order to improve thermal contact. The present application also provides a method for assembling a splitter lip.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2016Date of Patent: November 26, 2019Assignee: SAFRAN AERO BOOSTERS SAInventors: David Bouillon, Ghislain Herbaut
-
Patent number: 10473104Abstract: A water pump has a pump housing (2) having therein a pump chamber (3); a drive shaft (7) rotatably supported in the pump housing (2); a pulley (5) having a flange wall (5a) fixed to one end portion of the drive shaft (7), the pulley (5) being formed integrally with the drive shaft (7) with synthetic resin material containing glass fiber material (25); and an impeller (8) secured to the other end portion of the drive shaft (7) so as to be able to rotate integrally with the drive shaft (7), the impeller (8) being accommodated in the pump chamber (3). Six penetration holes (23) are formed at the flange wall (5a), and the glass fiber material (25) existing around the penetration hole (23) is oriented at random. With this, decrease in strength of the pulley (5) can be suppressed.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2015Date of Patent: November 12, 2019Assignees: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD., SUMITOMO BAKELITE CO., LTD.Inventors: Yusuke Furusawa, Hideaki Nakamura, Hisanori Sakuma, Shu Okasaka
-
Patent number: 10465536Abstract: A gas turbine engine component includes a rotor blade having a squealer tip comprising a projecting lip, the rotor blade further having a raised rim running along both edges of each projecting kip of the squealer tip, and an abrasive coating formed of hard particles embedded in a retaining matrix covering a tip region of the rotor blade within an area bounded by the raised rim. The raised rim has a height of between 50% and 75% of a mean diameter of the hard particles.Type: GrantFiled: April 22, 2016Date of Patent: November 5, 2019Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plcInventors: Andrew Hewitt, Matthew Hancock
-
Patent number: 10464660Abstract: A method of manufacturing an aircraft blade is provided. The method includes attaching a fluid communicator to a plug tool connected to a blade plug, opening a passage in the blade plug using the plug tool, communicating fluid to or from a blade cavity through the passage using the fluid communicator, and sealing the passage in the blade plug using the plug tool.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2016Date of Patent: November 5, 2019Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATIONInventors: Paul A. Carvalho, Stephane Grimal, Pierre Alexandre Picard
-
Patent number: 10450865Abstract: A damper ring is mounted in frictional engagement with a radially inwardly facing surface of a circumferential groove defined in a rotary part of a gas turbine engine. Energy dissipation is provided via sliding friction of the ring in the groove. Pressure relief dimples are provided around the outer diameter of the ring for locally reducing contact pressure at the outer diameter below a value at which the damper ring locks in the groove by friction forces when subject to centrifugal loads.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 2016Date of Patent: October 22, 2019Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.Inventor: Maksim Pankratov
-
Patent number: 10436052Abstract: A leaf seal for sealing off a shaft rotating around an axis, particularly in a gas turbine, is disclosed. The leaf seal includes a plurality of leaves arranged spaced apart from one another, where the leaves are produced integrally with a basic element supporting the leaves by a generative production process. A process for producing a leaf seal for sealing off a shaft rotating around an axis is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 2015Date of Patent: October 8, 2019Assignee: MTU Aero Engines AGInventors: Julian Weber, Christoph Cernay, Thomas Hess
-
Patent number: 10428831Abstract: A fan blade apparatus for use in a high-volume, low-speed fan wherein the fan blade includes a body portion, a leading edge portion and a trailing portion. The fan blade coupled to an electric motor configured to rotate in an intended direction wherein the leading portion of the fan blade is at the forefront of the rotation of the blade. The leading edge portion of the fan blade includes a series of steps extending along the length of the leading edge. The stepped configuration creates turbulent air flow when the electric motor rotates in the intended direction.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 2015Date of Patent: October 1, 2019Assignee: WLC Enterprises, Inc.Inventors: Darrin Walter Niemiec, James C. Muth, Patrick Todd Woodzick, William J. Carlson
-
Patent number: 10415417Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a blade having a tip, a blade outer air seal operatively connected to a case assembly, and an active clearance control system disposed on the case assembly. The active control system includes an actuator assembly. The actuator assembly includes a motor assembly and a shaft. The shaft has a shaft body that extends between a first end that is operatively connected to the motor assembly and a second end that is operatively connected to the blade outer air seal.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2016Date of Patent: September 17, 2019Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventor: Michael G. McCaffrey
-
Patent number: 10407158Abstract: A blade plug for an aircraft blade is provided. The blade plug includes a first body having a boss extending therefrom and an aperture passing through the boss, the first body configured to sealingly engage with an opening of a blade, a plug cap configured to releasably engage with the boss and move between a first position and a second position, and a passage passing through the first body configured to allow fluid communication through the first body. When the plug cap is in the first position, fluid may not pass through the passage and, when the plug cap is in the second position, fluid may pass through the passage, and the first body has an outer diameter of 4.15 inches (105.37 mm).Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2016Date of Patent: September 10, 2019Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATIONInventors: Paul A. Carvalho, Stephane Grimal, Pierre Alexandre Picard
-
Patent number: 10393145Abstract: A variable stator vane includes an airfoil having a first end, a second end, and a longitudinal axis connecting the first end with the second end. The variable stator vane further includes a first trunnion disposed along the longitudinal axis at the airfoil first end. The first trunnion includes a trunnion seat extending integrally from a distal end of the trunnion opposite the airfoil. The trunnion seat includes first and second parallel seating flats opposing each other about the longitudinal axis. The variable stator vane further includes a threaded stem extending integrally from the trunnion seat and coaxial with the trunnion about the longitudinal axis. The threaded stem includes a flat first alignment surface coextensive with the first parallel seating flat in the longitudinal direction, and an arcuate second alignment surface aligning with the second parallel seating flat in the longitudinal direction.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2016Date of Patent: August 27, 2019Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Martin Medina Cruz, Raul Ricardo Sanchez
-
Patent number: 10393023Abstract: A tangential on-board injector for a gas turbine engine is provided. The tangential on-board injector includes a body having an entrance and an exit, the body having a curved shape and defining an air passageway between the entrance and the exit and an inlet extension connected to the entrance of the body, the inlet extension extending from the body and having an inlet configured to force air to change direction when entering the inlet of the inlet extension.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 2015Date of Patent: August 27, 2019Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventor: Mark F. Zelesky
-
Patent number: 10384793Abstract: A nacelle for a propulsion unit includes at least one scoop opening to the external air, and a canal supplying external air from the scoop to two ducts which separate downstream of the canal, forming a dividing lip, and at least one exchanger to cool a stream of fluid entering the exchanger. The exchanger is arranged in the region of and in contact with the separation lip. The external air circulates from the scoop towards the two ducts making it possible to cool the stream of fluid entering the exchanger.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2015Date of Patent: August 20, 2019Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINESInventors: Sara Bustillo, Maria Natal
-
Patent number: 10364702Abstract: The invention proposes a de-icing splitter nose at the inlet of the low-pressure compressor of a double-flow turbine engine. The splitter nose comprises an annular separation surface with a circular leading edge, the surface being adapted to separate an upstream flow into a primary flow and a secondary flow. The nose further comprises an electric de-icing device with a heating element having a series of parallel, electric, heating strips. The strips are inserted between two strata of dielectric material and are able to prevent the formation of ice on the annular surface, as close as possible to the leading edge.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2016Date of Patent: July 30, 2019Assignee: Safran Aeroboosters SAInventors: David Bouillon, Ghislain Herbaut
-
Patent number: 10358939Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a body and a turbine-vane ring coupled to the body. The turbine-vane ring includes a plurality of turbine-vane assemblies. Each turbine-vane assembly includes a vane unit and a heat shield configured to reduce heat transfer to the vane unit from hot exhaust gases during operation of the gas turbine engine.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2016Date of Patent: July 23, 2019Assignee: Rolls-Royce CorporationInventors: Jeffrey A. Walston, Aaron D. Sippel, Tara G. Schetzel, David J. Thomas, Jun Shi, Brad D. Belcher
-
Patent number: 10352173Abstract: An aerostructure is provided. The aerostructure may comprise an airfoil extending from a leading edge to a trailing edge, the airfoil comprising a stiffness and a camber, and a shape memory alloy (SMA) mechanically coupled to the airfoil via a resin, the SMA configured to be coupled to a current source, wherein at least one of the stiffness or the camber changes in response to a phase change of the SMA.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2016Date of Patent: July 16, 2019Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Troy Shannon Prince, Matthew E. Bintz, Charles P. Gendrich
-
Patent number: 10330079Abstract: An apparatus with rotating turbine including: a cage rotating around a cage axis, wherein the rotation of the cage around the cage axis induces a lift of the apparatus above the ground; and a plurality of turbines located within the cage, each turbine rotating around a respective turbine axis different from the cage axis, and including a turbine blade having an adaptable shape; a frame including a first frame portion and a second frame portion coupled to the first frame portion, and wherein the first frame portion pivots relative to the second frame portion; a connection between an end of the frame and a region of the frame away from the end of the frame.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2017Date of Patent: June 25, 2019Inventor: Hassan Mohajer
-
Patent number: 10294810Abstract: Described is a seal segment (310) for a gas turbine engine, comprising: a gas facing wall (312) having a gas facing surface (314) and a first internal surface (316); an outboard wall (318) having an outboard facing surface (320) and a second internal surface (322) which is radially separated from the first internal surface with a gap therebetween; a first conduit (324) located between the first and second internal surfaces; and, a second conduit (326) located between the first and second internal surfaces, wherein the first and second conduits are radially separated by a party wall (328).Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 2016Date of Patent: May 21, 2019Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plcInventor: Mark T Mitchell