Patents Examined by Joshua R Beebe
  • Patent number: 11506180
    Abstract: An enclosure with a vortex-induced vibration suppression function and a method for suppressing vortex-induced vibration are provided. The enclosure is provided with suction through holes extending through a peripheral wall thereof, the suction through holes are distributed in a circumferential direction of the enclosure. The enclosure is further provided with a suction apparatus, and the suction apparatus can perform suctioning to the suction through holes from outside to inside, to restrain a boundary layer at an outer surface of the enclosure from being detached from the outer surface. By the suctioning, the boundary layer can be “adsorbed” on the outer surface of the tower, thereby restraining or directly preventing the boundary layer from being detached from the outer surface of the tower, and reducing or eliminating the cause of the vertex-induced vibration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: BEIJING GOLDWIND SCIENCE & CREATION WINDPOWER EQUIPMENT CO.. LTD.
    Inventor: Shengjun Ma
  • Patent number: 11506130
    Abstract: An aircraft turbomachine with a reduction gear has a first shaft and a second shaft having one same axis of rotation, the second shaft being rotationally driven by the first shaft via the reduction gear, the first shaft having elastically deformable means having bellows section(s) and being connected to the reduction gear by a connecting system likewise having elastically deformable means involving a hairpin or bellows section(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Julien Fabien Patrick Becoulet, Alexandre Jean-Marie Tan-Kim, Nicolas Auguste Marcel Pommier, Arnaud Nicolas Negri, Michel Gilbert Roland Brault
  • Patent number: 11499521
    Abstract: The present application discloses a power generation device so as to solve the generator set overspeed problem. The power generation device comprises: a stand column; and at least one generator set located on the stand column. The generator set comprises a support, blades connected to the support, and a power generator generating power by means of rotation of the blades, and an adjustment device located on the support and used for adjusting a windage area of the blades by moving or rotating the blade according to a wind speed. The wind power generation device may reduce an effective windage area to zero when the wind force is too high, thereby improving stability and applicability in a changeable environment and prolonging the service life of the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Inventor: Jun Jin
  • Patent number: 11499525
    Abstract: The invention provides a method for computational fluid dynamics and apparatuses making enable an efficient implementation and use of an enhanced jet-effect, either the Coanda-jet-effect, the hydrophobic jet-effect, or the waving-jet-effect, triggered by specifically shaped corpuses and tunnels. The method is based on the approaches of the kinetic theory of matter, thermodynamics, and continuum mechanics, providing generalized equations of fluid motion. The method is applicable for slow-flowing as well as fast-flowing real compressible-extendable fluids and enables optimal design of convergent-divergent nozzles, providing for the most efficient jet-thrust. The method can be applied to airfoil shape optimization for bodies flying separately and in a multi-stage cascaded sequence. The method enables apparatuses for electricity harvesting from the fluid heat-energy, providing a positive net-efficiency. The method enables efficient water-harvesting from air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Inventor: Yuri Abramov
  • Patent number: 11493122
    Abstract: A planetary gearing includes at least a first planetary stage and a second planetary stage and a double-walled pipe. The double-walled pipe has an inner pipe and an outer pipe and is provided with an outlet point in a central section. A bushing is arranged on the outlet point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: FLENDER GMBH
    Inventors: Norbert Haake, Volker Lensing
  • Patent number: 11486312
    Abstract: A turbomachine engine can include an unducted fan assembly, an unducted vane assembly, a core engine, a gearbox, and a gearbox efficiency rating. The unducted fan assembly can include a plurality of fan blades. The unducted vane assembly can include a plurality of vanes, and the vanes can, in some instances, be disposed aft of the fan blades. The core engine can include one or more compressor sections and one or more turbine sections. The gearbox includes an input and an output. The input is coupled to the one or more turbine sections of the core engine and comprises a first rotational speed, the output is coupled to the unducted fan assembly and has a second rotational speed, and a gear ratio of the first rotational speed to the second rotational speed is within a range of 4.1-14.0. The gearbox efficiency rating is 0.10-1.8.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Inventors: Pietro Molesini, Andrea Piazza, Fabio De Bellis
  • Patent number: 11485478
    Abstract: A propulsion assembly for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) includes a motor configured to rotate in a first direction, a propeller seat configured to be driven by the motor to rotate in the first direction and to receive a propeller, and a sensor configured to collect sensing data useful for determining whether the propeller is locked to the propeller seat, without requiring operation of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: SZ DJI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Bin Jiang
  • Patent number: 11480071
    Abstract: An annular parts assembly for mounting onto a shaft of an aircraft engine is provided. The assembly comprises a first annular body having a surface defining a plurality of pulling features extending from a remainder of the surface, the pulling features circumferentially spaced apart on the surface. The assembly comprises a second annular body defining a balancing ring, the balancing ring concentric with the first annular body, the balancing ring having a plurality of protrusions and circumferential spaces between adjacent ones of the plurality of protrusions, the circumferential spaces accommodating the pulling features such that the pulling features of the first annular body and the protrusions intercalate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventor: Hugues Pellerin
  • Patent number: 11473588
    Abstract: A process for cold working of the inner surface of a bore in a centrifugal compressor wheel along only a fractional portion of the bore length (i.e., along less than a full axial length of the bore), thereby creating a zone of compressive residual hoop stress in the metal surrounding the bore where the wheel needs the beneficial residual stress. The process purposefully avoids cold working of the bore at locations adjacent to high-stress areas and features of the wheel, where cold working in such locations could negatively impact the wheel's overall life.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Garrett Transportation I Inc.
    Inventors: Peter Mavrosakis, Franklin Allen, Petr Skara
  • Patent number: 11473507
    Abstract: A turbomachine engine can include a fan assembly, a pitch change mechanism, a vane assembly, a core engine, a gearbox, and a gearbox efficiency rating. The fan assembly can include a plurality of fan blades. The pitch change mechanism can be coupled to the fan assembly. The vane assembly can include a plurality of vanes. The core engine can include one or more compressor sections and one or more turbine sections. The gearbox includes an input and an output. The input is coupled to the one or more turbine sections of the core engine and comprises a first rotational speed, the output is coupled to the fan assembly and has a second rotational speed, and a gear ratio of the first rotational speed to the second rotational speed is within a range of 4.1-14.0. The gearbox efficiency rating is 0.10-1.8.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Inventors: Pietro Molesini, Andrea Piazza, Fabio De Bellis
  • Patent number: 11473502
    Abstract: An oil system for a gas turbine engine and a method of supplying oil to the system. The oil system includes a main oil tank connected by oil lines with a supplementary oil storage tank, which has an actuator, and that are connected to one oil pump for supplying oil to the gas turbine engine. The supplementary oil storage tank is equal in size or larger than a steady state oil gulp of the system. The method includes supplying oil from a main oil tank through a pipe line using an oil pump, detecting the oil level in the oil system and determining if additional oil is required or requires removing using a sensor and an electronic controller, and transmitting a signal to an actuator to supply or remove oil to and from the pipe lines in the oil system from or into a supplementary oil storage tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventor: Yi Wang
  • Patent number: 11459956
    Abstract: A face seal arrangement includes a seal seat rotating with the shaft and a non-rotating face seal including a sealing ring. The sealing ring includes a sealing face biased into contact with the seal seat. The sealing ring also has a groove defined remote from the seal face relative to the seal seat. The groove provides a pressure face that will be exposed to high pressure air outward of the bearing compartment. A coil spring biases the seal housing towards the seal seat, such that the sealing face of the sealing ring is biased into contact with seal seat by air pressure against the pressure face, and the coil spring. A balance ratio is defined between an area of the pressure face and an area of the sealing face, the balance ratio is between 0.5 and 0.64.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Jonathan Logan Miller, Nasr A. Shuaib, Christopher J. Larson
  • Patent number: 11448231
    Abstract: The cooling fan module may include a fan assembly and a fan shroud. The fan shroud of the cooling fan module may include a first sidewall that may extend in a radial direction and define an opening. The fan assembly may include a hub disposed within the opening, a blade extending from the hub to a distal end that may include a first side and a second side converging to form a first leading edge with respect to the rotational direction. The fan assembly may include a winglet that may include a first fin, extending in the axial direction from the distal end of the blade and a second fin extending in the radial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile SE & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft, Würzburg
    Inventor: Tao Hong
  • Patent number: 11428107
    Abstract: A bladed disk preform system is provided. Multiple sheets are formed or provided. Each of the sheets may include multiple ceramic fibers. Slots may be cut in each of the sheets before or after forming. The slots extend from an outer edge of the sheets inward toward a center of the sheets. The sheets are stacked on top of each other to form a bladed disk preform. The bladed disk preform is porous. The bladed disk preform may include a plurality of blade portions extending outward from a root portion. Each of the slots is positioned between adjacent blade portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignees: ROLLS-ROYCE CORPORATION, ROLLS-ROYCE HIGH TEMPERATURE COMPOSITES INC.
    Inventors: Jun Shi, Steffan Brown
  • Patent number: 11421535
    Abstract: A turbine blade configured to be coupled to a rotational shaft and rotated around an axis includes: a hub having a hub surface which is inclined with respect to the axis in a cross section along the axis; a rotor blade disposed on the hub surface; and at least one rib formed on a blade surface of the rotor blade, the at least one rib extending in a direction which intersects with a span direction of the rotor blade in a meridional plane of the rotor blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES ENGINE & TURBOCHARGER, LTD.
    Inventors: Takao Yokoyama, Toru Hoshi, Toyotaka Yoshida
  • Patent number: 11401909
    Abstract: A kinetic fluid energy conversion system comprises one or more hubs which rotate about a central hub carrier, each including one or more independently controlled articulating energy conversion plates (“ECP”). An articulation control system rotates each ECP independently of all others to control its orientation with respect to the fluid flow direction between an orientation of 90° perpendicular to the fluid flow, while traveling in the direction of the flow and 0° minimal drag parallel position to the flow, while traveling in the direction against the flow or blocked from it. Each hub can be operably coupled to another hub to form one or more counter-rotating hub and ECP assemblies whereby the mechanical energy is transferred through the hubs, to one or more clutch/gearbox/generator/pump assemblies thereby permitting such assemblies to be land-based when the system is air-powered, and above or near the surface, when the system is water-powered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: SJK ENERGY SOLUTIONS, LLC
    Inventor: Steven J. Kanstoroom
  • Patent number: 11396846
    Abstract: A turbine engine mechanical reduction gear, for example, of an aircraft, the reduction gear comprising: a sun gear having an axis of rotation; a ring gear which extends around the sun gear and which is configured to be immobile in rotation about the axis; planetary gears which are meshed with the sun gear and the ring gear and which are supported by a planetary carrier which is configured to be mobile in rotation about the axis; at least one lubrication oil distributor which comprises a stator portion immobile in rotation and a rotating integral rotor portion of the planetary carrier; and an annular oil deflector which is integral with the ring gear, wherein the stator portion of the distributor is integral with the deflector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignees: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES, SAFRAN TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS
    Inventors: Adrien Louis Simon, Matthieu Bruno François Foglia
  • Patent number: 11391175
    Abstract: A vibration absorber damper and method of dissipating vibration energy in a rotatable structure which is nominally cyclic symmetric. The nominally cyclic symmetric structure includes a hub portion having a rotational axis and a plurality of radial members radially extending from the hub portion. The hub portions having a groove extending circumferentially about the rotational axis. The vibrational absorber having a ring member having a plurality of repetitive cellular structures each defining a hollow interior section and a plurality of deformable members each extending from the ring member and disposed in a corresponding one of the repetitive cellular structures. Each of the deformable members is configured to interact with the cyclic symmetric structure to damp vibration thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
    Inventors: Bogdan I. Epureanu, Andrea Lupini, Mainak Mitra
  • Patent number: 11371483
    Abstract: Provided is a method for manufacturing a shell of a wind turbine blade having improved leading edge erosion protection, wherein the method includes the steps of: (a) providing a preform of the shell, (b) providing a protective cover for protection of the shell, (c) arranging the protective cover at a portion of a leading edge of the shell, so that an erosion protected shell is obtained, and (d) casting the erosion protected shell, so that the shell of the wind turbine blade having the improved erosion protection is obtained. Also provided is a method of manufacturing the wind turbine blade and to a shell, a wind turbine blade and a wind turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Inventors: Claus Burchardt, Jesper Monrad Laursen, Mogens Nielsen
  • Patent number: 11371440
    Abstract: Gearboxes for aircraft gas turbine engines, in particular arrangements for journal bearings such gearboxes, and related methods of operating such gearboxes and gas turbine engines. A gearbox for an aircraft gas turbine engine includes: a sun gear; a plurality of planet gears surrounding and engaged with the sun gear; and a ring gear surrounding and engaged with the plurality of planet gears, each of the plurality of planet gears being rotatably mounted around a pin of a planet gear carrier with a journal bearing having an internal sliding surface on the planet gear and an external sliding surface on the pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventor: Mark Spruce