Patents Examined by Juan G Flores
  • Patent number: 10590802
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a fan shaft that drives a fan that has fan blades. A fan shaft support that supports the fan shaft defines a fan shaft support transverse stiffness. A gear system is connected to the fan shaft and includes a gear mesh that defines a gear mesh transverse stiffness. A flexible support supports the gear system and defines a flexible support transverse stiffness. The flexible support transverse stiffness is less than 11% of the fan shaft support transverse stiffness and less than 8% of the gear mesh transverse stiffness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael E. McCune, Jason Husband
  • Patent number: 10589843
    Abstract: A propulsion device includes a cylinder body, a first set of blades, a second set of blades, a first transmission shaft, a second transmission shaft, a power gear box and an accelerator. The first set of blades and the second set of blades are disposed in an airflow channel of the cylinder body. The first transmission shaft is connected to the first set of blades and the second transmission shaft is connected to the second set of blades. The first transmission shaft and the second transmission shaft are interconnected by the accelerator. The first set of blades has a first rotation speed, and the accelerator causes the second set of blades to have a second rotation speed. The second rotation speed is greater than the first rotation speed to increase the propulsion force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Inventor: Yao-Chang Lin
  • Patent number: 10584708
    Abstract: A method for checking functions of fans includes starting a normal operation mode, evaluating a fan monitoring signal depending on the fans' speeds, and starting a dynamic fan checking routine. If the monitoring signal is smaller than a lock threshold value, normal operation proceeds. If the monitoring signal is bigger than the lock threshold value, a multiple-fan checking routine is started. During each fan test the corresponding fan is activated for a predetermined time period, while the other fans are deactivated during the time period, and the monitoring signal is compared with the lock threshold value and a disconnecting threshold value. If the monitoring signal is bigger than the lock threshold value, the corresponding fan is locked and an error is detected. If the monitoring signal is smaller than the disconnecting threshold value, the corresponding fan is disconnected and an error is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: Electrolux Appliances Aktiebolag
    Inventors: Laurent Jeanneteau, Massimo Nostro, Massimo Zangoli, Alex Viroli, Nicola Terracciano
  • Patent number: 10577966
    Abstract: According to exemplary embodiments, a rotor off-take assembly is provided by positioning an angled hole or aperture in a stator assembly. This angled hole provides improved pressure recovery and utilizes higher dynamic pressure to drive the bleed air flow into the off-take cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sesha Subramanian, Santosh Kumar Pattnaik, Swaroop Sundaran, Chandrasekaran N.
  • Patent number: 10570775
    Abstract: A turbo machine of the present disclosure includes a cylindrical bearing housing, a rotation shaft, a bearing, a bearing holder, and an end elastic body. The rotation shaft is located in the bearing housing. The bearing rotatably supports the rotation shaft at least in a radial direction of the rotation shaft. The bearing holder faces one end of the bearing and is fixed to the bearing housing. The end elastic body is disposed between the one end of the bearing and the bearing holder in the axial direction of the bearing and is in contact with the bearing and the bearing holder. The end elastic body is formed of a material having a lower modulus of elasticity than a material forming the bearing holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Kouda, Hidetoshi Taguchi, Akira Hiwata, Takeshi Ogata, Tadayoshi Shoyama, Hiroshi Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 10570914
    Abstract: A compressor for a turbomachine, with at least one rotor disc and a space that is at least partially enclosed by the at least one rotor disc and that is arranged axially in front of or behind the at least one rotor disc, wherein vortex reducers are arranged inside the space, wherein the vortex reducers are connected to the structural components in a form-fitted and/or in a frictionally engaged manner partially via first scallops at a first structural component and partially via second scallops at a second structural component that is adjacent to the first structural component in the axial direction, wherein the first scallops and/or second scallops are arranged at a retaining ring, which can be connected or is connected to the first rotor disc and/or the second rotor disc. What is further described is a method for mounting a compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG
    Inventors: Jens Lueddecke, Steffen Drevs
  • Patent number: 10550855
    Abstract: An axial flow fan has a boss portion rotationally driven by a motor; a plurality of rotary blades extending radially from a periphery of the boss portion and configured to force air to flow in a direction of a rotation axis of the motor; and a bellmouth accommodating the plurality of rotary blades, the bellmouth comprising a suction-side round portion having a curved surface expanded in a radial direction of the bellmouth, and a discharge-side round portion having a curved surface expanded in the radial direction of the bellmouth, the plurality of rotary blades each being entirely inclined to have an outer peripheral portion in a downstream side in an airflow direction, entirety of the outer peripheral portion being located on the downstream side in the air flow direction with respect to the suction-side round portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshikatsu Arai, Tomoya Fukui, Hitoshi Kikuchi, Tsutomu Takahashi, Tatsushi Murakami
  • Patent number: 10533453
    Abstract: One exemplary embodiment of this disclosure relates to a gas turbine engine including a component. The component includes a platform having a mateface on a circumferential side thereof. The platform including a core passageway configured to communicate fluid to the mateface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Matthew Andrew Hough, Jeffrey S. Beattie, Tracy A. Propheter-Hinckley, San Quach
  • Patent number: 10527055
    Abstract: An impeller includes a shell having a plurality of blades. The shell may also define a cavity. The impeller may further include a backplate that engages at least a portion of the shell. The backplate can include a post which can be coupled to the impeller through a fastener such as a threaded nut. The backplate can be thereafter clamped to the impeller shell. Seals can be provided in the impeller, such as in the backplate. The backplate and impeller shell can be piloted onto each other. In some forms splines can be used to secure the backplate to the impeller shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick L. Lunsford, Samuel J. LaCombe
  • Patent number: 10519960
    Abstract: A fan failure detection and reporting system organizes fans having similar characteristics into groups. The system establishes, for a given fan group, one or more reference characteristics and identifies, for each reference characteristic, a measure of tolerance. The system identifies as a problem fan a fan having a performance characteristic, obtained via monitoring, which exceeds a corresponding reference characteristic for the group to which the fan belongs by the measure of tolerance for the corresponding reference characteristic, and generates a notification that at least identifies the problem fan. In embodiments, the system is capable of determining the fan characteristics that are used for grouping and for identifying problem fans by monitoring the fans during operation thereof. Consequently, the system is capable of detecting problem fans even when the system initially has limited or no knowledge concerning the fans.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC
    Inventors: Bryan D. Kelly, Brandon A. Rubenstein
  • Patent number: 10513945
    Abstract: An annular air flow passage includes two radially internal and external annular walls. An element is elongated in a direction between the internal and external annular walls and a first of the internal or external ends of the element is fixed rigidly to a first of the internal or external walls. The center of gravity position of the element is variable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: Safran Aircraft Engines
    Inventors: Jeremy Giordan, Florian Joseph Bernard Kockenpo, Stephane Rousselin
  • Patent number: 10508547
    Abstract: According to some embodiments, a tie-bolt support assembly is provided which includes a support spring for engagement with both the tie-bolt and a rotor assembly to maintain a load path between the tie-bolt and the rotor assembly while also allowing for axial movement of the tie-bolt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Benjamin Vincent Rawe, Robert C. Von Der Esch, Jason Francis Pepi, David William Crall
  • Patent number: 10508597
    Abstract: A system includes a controller coupled to an inlet bleed heat system of a compressor. The controller is configured to detect an icing condition of an inlet portion of the compressor by determining a current compressor efficiency value of the compressor, a current compressor flow value of the compressor, or any combination thereof, comparing the current compressor efficiency value to a compressor efficiency model of the compressor, the current compressor flow value to a compressor flow model of the compressor, or any combination thereof, and providing an icing indication to the inlet bleed heat system if a first difference between the current compressor efficiency value and the compressor efficiency model is greater than a first threshold, a second difference between the current compressor flow value and the compressor flow model is greater than a second threshold, or any combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Prabhanjana Kalya, Sidharth Abrol, Matthew John McKeever, David Spencer Ewens
  • Patent number: 10508561
    Abstract: An assembly for mounting a circumferential shroud to a casing, including a plurality of arcuate shroud segments collectively forming the circumferential shroud. Each segment includes a circumferentially extending wall and a channel extending from the wall. The channel is receivable in a hole passing through a circumferential casing and has a first connector. A fastener has a head and a shank, which is receivable in the channel and has a second connector that engages with the first connector. A first spacer receives the channel and a second spacer receives the shank and sit adjacent the head of the fastener on either side of the casing. The spacers can be selected to adjust for optimal radial positioning of the shroud and of probes received within a space defined between the casing and the shroud for monitoring rotor speed and the tip air gap of a turbine rotor contained in the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: Simon Pitt
  • Patent number: 10502233
    Abstract: A system for an inlet guide vane shroud and baffle assembly includes a shroud. The shroud includes a first end configured to couple to an annular support member of the gas turbine engine, and a second end. The shroud also includes a distal end including an axially aft extending lip, and a seal assembly configured to form a seal with an annular set of rotating teeth on a rotor of the gas turbine engine. The shroud further includes an arcuate shroud body extending between the distal end and the second end. The shroud and baffle assembly also includes a baffle coupled to an aft side of the shroud. The baffle includes a radially outward end coupled to the aft side, a radially inward end coupled to the axially aft extending lip, and an arcuate baffle body extending there between. Both the shroud and the baffle extend circumferentially about a central axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Marcin Jacek Lobocki, Wiktor Karol Wardecki, Joseph Charles Kulesa, Maciej Staszewski
  • Patent number: 10502227
    Abstract: The invention proposes a fan, in particular for a turbomachine of small size such as a jet engine, having a hub ratio which corresponds to the ratio of the diameter of the inner limit of the incoming air stream (26) at the radially inner ends of the leading edges of the fan blades (10), divided by the diameter of the circle around which the outer ends of the fan blades pass, having a value of between 0.20 and 0.265.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Safran Aircraft Engines
    Inventors: Laurent Jablonski, Philippe Gérard Edmond Joly, Christophe Perdrigeon, Damien Merlot, Hervé Pohier
  • Patent number: 10502075
    Abstract: A component for a gas turbine engine according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a platform having a first path side and a second path side and a platform cooling circuit disposed on one of the first path side and the second path side of the platform. The platform cooling circuit includes a first core cavity, a cavity in fluid communication with the first core cavity, and a cover plate positioned to cover at least the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Leslie Clyde Papple, Russell J. Bergman, Mohammed Ennacer, Shawn J. Gregg, Dominic J. Mongillo
  • Patent number: 10487797
    Abstract: A reinforcing structure for a wind turbine blade is in the form of an elongate stack of layers of pultruded fibrous composite strips supported within a U-shaped channel. The length of each layer is slightly different to create a taper at the ends of the stack; the centre of the stack has five layers, and each end has a single layer. The ends of each layer are chamfered, and the stack is coated with a thin flexible pultruded fibrous composite strip extending the full length of the stack. The reinforcing structure extends along a curved path within the outer shell of the blade. The regions of the outer shell of the blade on either side of the reinforcing structure are filled with structural foam, and the reinforcing structure and the foam are both sandwiched between an inner skin and an outer skin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Mark Hancock, Frank Hoelgaard Hahn, Chris Payne
  • Patent number: 10480490
    Abstract: A lightning current transfer unit for a wind turbine, the wind turbine comprising a first part and a second part being rotatable relative to each other, wherein the lightning current transfer unit is arranged to provide electrical contact between the first and second parts, the lightning current transfer unit comprising: a first current transfer portion comprising a first slider and configured to be electrically coupled to a first electrically conducting slideway of the first part of the wind turbine, the first slider being rotatable relative to the first slideway; a second current transfer portion configured to be electrically coupled to an electrically conducting portion of the second part of the wind turbine; a first main spring biasing the first slider towards the first slideway; wherein the first slider comprises: a primary contact biased towards the first slideway by the first main spring; a secondary contact arranged to move relative to the primary contact; and a secondary spring arranged between the f
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Anders Niels Hansen, Morten Bagger Søgaard, Claus Grøn Lyngby, Gert Lading
  • Patent number: 10480484
    Abstract: A wind turbine includes: a wind turbine rotor; a nacelle supporting the wind turbine rotor rotatably; a yaw rotation part configured to rotate the nacelle; and a yaw control part configured to operate the yaw rotation part in a yaw rewind mode of rotating the nacelle in such a direction that a yaw angle changes toward zero, if an absolute value of the yaw angle exceeds a threshold which is variable in accordance with a wind-velocity parameter representing a magnitude of a wind velocity. The threshold increases with an increase in the wind-velocity parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Mitsuya Baba