Patents Examined by John S Hunter, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11498669
    Abstract: An extension assembly for a rotor system for rotating a plurality of rotor blades about a rotor axis with a central rotor hub that defines the rotor axis includes a beam assembly and a first bearing assembly. The beam assembly is configured to attach to the central rotor hub and is positioned at least partially within a corresponding one of the plurality of rotor blades. The first bearing assembly is configured to be fastened to the beam assembly and to at least one of a leading edge or a trailing edge of the corresponding one of the plurality of rotor blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION
    Inventors: David H. Hunter, David N. Schmaling
  • Patent number: 11499482
    Abstract: A planetary gear train speed reduction gear planetary carrier (130) assembly and an elastically deformable annular member (160), for a turbine engine, in particular for an aircraft. The planetary carrier (130) has a general annular shape about an axis X. The annular member (160) extends about the axis X, and is fixed to the planetary carrier and configured to be fixed to a stator element (162) of the turbine engine ensuring a flexible connection between the planetary carrier and the stator element. The planetary carrier carries a series of protruding teeth (180) extending substantially radially outwards with respect to the axis X. Each of these teeth has first opposite side faces (180a, 180b) extending into planes passing through the axis X capable of engaging by abutment in the circumferential direction with the stator element. A vibration absorption system is inserted between the first faces and the stator element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: SAFRAN TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS
    Inventors: Adrien Louis Simon, Simon Loic Clement Lefebvre
  • Patent number: 11486269
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a core housing that includes an inlet case and an intermediate case that respectively provide an inlet case flow path and an intermediate case flow path. A first shaft supports a low pressure compressor section that is arranged axially between the inlet case flow path and the intermediate case flow path. A first bearing supports the first shaft relative to the inlet case. A second bearing supports a second shaft relative to the intermediate case. A low pressure compressor hub is mounted to the first shaft. The low pressure compressor hub extends to the low pressure compressor section between the first bearing and the second bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Brian D. Merry, Gabriel L. Suciu, Todd A. Davis, Gregory E. Reinhardt, Enzo DiBenedetto
  • Patent number: 11480191
    Abstract: A fan includes a motor, a rotatable hub coupled to the motor, and at least one fan blade. The at least one fan blade includes a first end coupled to the rotatable hub, a second end, a leading edge, a trailing edge, a passage extending from the first end to the second end, and a winglet attached to the second end. At least one flexible strap extends through the passage of the at least one fan blade. The flexible strap is coupled at a first end to the rotatable hub and coupled at a second end to the winglet, such as to an inner portion thereof within the passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: DELTA T, LLC
    Inventors: Jason H. Fizer, Michael S. Fay, Matthew Mattingly, Richard W. Fizer
  • Patent number: 11466571
    Abstract: A turbomachine assembly is provided. The assembly includes: a first rotor module including a first blade, a second rotor module, connected to the first rotor module, and including a second blade of smaller length than the first blade, and a damping device including a plurality of first radial external surfaces supported with friction against the first module. The damping device is stepped, and includes a second radial external surface supported with friction against the second module, so as to couple the modules for the purpose of damping their respective vibrational movements during operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Safran Aircraft Engines
    Inventors: Philippe Gerard Edmond Joly, Marie-Oceane Parent, Francois Jean Comin, Romain Nicolas Lagarde, Jean-Marc Claude Perrollaz, Laurent Jablonski, Charles Jean-Pierre Douguet
  • Patent number: 11454126
    Abstract: Turbine components, such as blades, having a shank portion with an uncoated, nominal profile substantially in accordance with Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y, and Z set forth in Table 1, Table 2, or Table 1 and Table 2. X and Y are distances in inches which, when connected by smooth continuing arcs, define shank portion profile section edges at each Z distance in inches. The shank portion profile section edges at the Z distances are joined smoothly with one another to form a complete shank shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: DOOSAN HEAVY INDUSTRIES & CONSTRUCTION CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Andres Jaramillo, Clinton Mayer, Jinwoo Song
  • Patent number: 11448236
    Abstract: An outlet guide vane for an axial compressor extending along a rotor axis, includes an airfoil extending in a span direction from a radially inner end at 0% height to a radially outer end at 0% height. The airfoil has a suction side and an opposite pressure side, both sides extending in a chord direction from a leading edge to a trailing edge, wherein for each profile of the airfoil a stagger angle between the chord and the rotor axis is defined. A more favorable air flow profile behind the outlet guide vane is achieved by a new shape of the outlet guide vane, wherein a stagger angle distribution in the span direction has a curved course having a minimum located between 40% and 60% in the span direction, a first maximum at 0% and a second maximum at 100% in the span direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Siemens Energy Global GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Stephan Klumpp, Britta Puyn
  • Patent number: 11441451
    Abstract: An assembly is provided for a turbine engine. This turbine engine assembly includes a turbine engine case, a first transceiver and a second transceiver. The turbine engine case includes a case wall and a waveguide. The waveguide is formed integral with the case wall. The waveguide includes a waveguide channel. The second transceiver is configured to be in signal communication with the first transceiver through the waveguide channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Lawrence A. Binek, Sean R. Jackson
  • Patent number: 11440651
    Abstract: A spherical bearing centrifugal force retention link includes an inboard spherical bearing to attach to a rotor hub and an outboard spherical bearing to attach to a rotor blade. In use, the inboard spherical bearing and the outboard spherical bearing react centrifugal force radially and a torsional moment of the centrifugal force link is substantially constant throughout the rotor blade pitch range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Paul Haldeman, Paul Wayne Woolbright, Timothy McClellan Mosig, George Matthew Thompson
  • Patent number: 11441547
    Abstract: A bearing arrangement for a wind turbine including a bearing housing and a drive shaft, whereby the drive shaft is arranged within the bearing housing in an axial direction along a longitudinal axis of the bearing housing, a downwind bearing and an upwind bearing, whereby the downwind bearing and the upwind bearing are arranged between the bearing housing and the drive shaft, wherein the downwind bearing and/or the upwind bearing is a radial fluid bearing including multiple radial bearing bodies, multiple radial tiltable support structures secured to the multiple radial bearing bodies, whereby each one of a multiple of radial bearing pads is attached to one of the multiple radial tiltable support structures and the multiple radial bearing pads are arranged about the drive shaft is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: SIEMENS GAMESA RENEWABLE ENERGY A/S
    Inventors: Edom Demissie, Morten Soerensen
  • Patent number: 11434777
    Abstract: Flow restricting arrangements and rotor assemblies are provided. A flow restricting arrangement includes a stationary component and a rotating component. The rotating component is radially spaced apart from the stationary component such that a clearance is defined between the stationary component and the rotating component. A first magnet is embedded within the stationary component. A second magnet embedded within the rotating component. A plurality of magnetically responsive particles is contained within the clearance by a magnetic field produced by the first magnet and the second magnet. The plurality of magnetically responsive particles at least partially span the clearance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Jonathan Dwight Berry
  • Patent number: 11428111
    Abstract: A cooling device for an annular casing of a turbomachine includes a collector housing having ejection openings in a radially inner part of the collector housing facing the annular casing and at least two cooling tubes extending circumferentially from the collector housing and having election openings in a radially inner part of the tubes facing the annular casing. The collector housing having an air passage formed by a radial groove extending radially from a radially inner end of the collector housing to a radially outer end of the collector housing and an axial groove extending from a first axial end to a second axial end of the collector housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Benoit Guillaume Silet, Laurent Claude Descamps, Bertrand Guillaume Robin Pellaton
  • Patent number: 11391162
    Abstract: A spar for a vane arc segment of a gas turbine engine includes an elongated spar leg that has a spar wall that circumscribes a core passage. There is a plenum passage embedded in the spar wall between inner and outer portions of the spar wall. The inner portion of the spar wall is fully solid such that the plenum passage is fluidly isolated from the core passage. The outer portion of the spar wall has a plurality of cooling through-holes for emitting cooling air from the plenum passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jon E. Sobanski, Howard J. Liles
  • Patent number: 11391160
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Troy Shannon Prince, Matthew E. Bintz, Charles P. Gendrich
  • Patent number: 11391178
    Abstract: A cooling fluid distribution element intended to be fixed to a support structure for supplying cooling fluid to a wall to be cooled, typically a turbine ring sector, facing it, the distribution element including a body defining a cooling fluid distribution internal volume and a multi-perforated plate which delimits this internal volume and includes a plurality of outlet through-perforations which put the internal volume into communication with the turbine ring sector, the distribution element further including an inlet orifice opening into the cooling fluid distribution internal volume, which internal volume includes directional fins for directing this cooling fluid from this inlet orifice to the outlet through-perforations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Pierre Jean-Baptiste Metge, Sébastien Serge Francis Congratel, Lucien Henri Jacques Quennehen
  • Patent number: 11391179
    Abstract: The gas turbine engine can have a structure for holding bearings within a casing, with a shaft being rotatably mounted to the casing via the bearings and via the structure, the structure having a first wall segment and a base structure receiving the bearings, the first wall segment having a proximal end structurally joined to the base structure, the first wall segment extending away from the base structure, and having a portion extending at least partially axially and thereby being radially flexible relative to the second wall segment, the structure providing both structural resistance and radial stretchability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Guy Lefebvre, Remy Synnott, François Doyon
  • Patent number: 11384647
    Abstract: A composite blade formed by laying up composite layers containing reinforcing fiber and resin, the composite blade comprising: a blade root mounted in a blade groove; an airfoil extending from the blade root to a front end side; and a metal patch mounted between the blade groove and the blade root, and bonded to the blade root.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Ryoji Okabe, Masami Kamiya, Kentaro Shindo
  • Patent number: 11378015
    Abstract: An engine for an aircraft has an engine core having a turbine, a compressor, and a core shaft connecting the turbine to the compressor; a fan located upstream of the engine core, the fan having a plurality of fan blades; and a gearbox. The gearbox is arranged to receive an input from a gearbox input shaft portion of the core shaft and to output drive to the fan so as to drive the fan at a lower rotational speed than the core shaft. The gearbox is an epicyclic gearbox and has a sun gear, a plurality of planet gears, a ring gear, and a planet carrier. The planet carrier and the gearbox support each have a torsional stiffness, and a carrier to gearbox support torsional stiffness ratio is greater than or equal to 2.3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventor: Mark Spruce
  • Patent number: 11365647
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine de-icing system includes a heat exchanger. A coolant loop is in fluid communication with the heat exchanger and is configured to circulate a heat transfer fluid. An engine oil loop is in fluid communication with the heat exchanger and is configured to transfer heat to the heat transfer fluid. A gas turbine engine inlet structure has at least one fan inlet guide vane. A spray bar is disposed at least partially in at least one fan inlet guide vane. The spray bar is in fluid communication with the coolant loop. The spray bar is configured to spray the heat transfer fluid onto an inner surface of the at least one fan inlet guide vane to de-ice the fan inlet guide vane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ian T. Marchaj
  • Patent number: 11359503
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a rotor carrying a blade, a ceramic vane adjacent the blade, a seal carried on the rotor adjacent the tip of the ceramic vane, and a cooling passage circuit extending through the blade, the seal, and the ceramic vane. The cooling passage circuit is configured to provide cooling air into the blade, then from the blade into the seal, and then from the seal into the ceramic vane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: AYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Mark F. Zelesky