Patents Examined by Justin A Pruitt
  • Patent number: 12352290
    Abstract: A subsea fluid pressure-increasing machine includes an elongated member that is rotatable about a longitudinal axis. The machine also may include a plurality of impellers each having a leading edge, a trailing edge, a suction side, and a chord line defined by a line between the leading and trailing edges. Each impeller is fixedly mounted to the member such that a chord angle defined by an angle between the chord line and the rotation direction is less than or equal to a stall angle at which a maximum force is exerted on a fluid in a direction primarily parallel to the longitudinal axis when the member is rotated in the rotation direction. At least some of the impellers comprise one or more features that effectively reduce a pressure peak or specific loading of the suction side such that the axial length of the impeller is configured to be reduced without exceeding a desired specific load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2024
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2025
    Assignee: OneSubsea IP UK Limited
    Inventor: Bernt-Helge Torkildsen
  • Patent number: 12330776
    Abstract: A tunable mass damper assembly is attachable to a rotor blade. The tunable mass damper assembly comprises a base configured to be attached to the rotor blade and a pendulum mass structure movably attached to the base and configured to move relative to the base in accordance with a rotational speed of the rotor blade about a rotor axis. The pendulum mass structure is configured to reduce vibratory forces of the rotor blade induced by a rotation of the rotor blade about the rotor axis. An entirety of the pendulum mass structure being configured to be contained within and enclosed by the rotor blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2025
    Assignee: LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION
    Inventors: John C. Cox, Steven P. Lozano, David H. Hunter, Emmett Emile Menair, Jacob Adam Fehrman, John Devin Carroll
  • Patent number: 12326097
    Abstract: A propeller. The blades of the propeller are characterized by a blade center axis which corresponds to a generator line of a cone to which the blade, or blade thrust surface, conforms. The propeller hub is fixed to the blade at the root, in line with the blade center axis, such that the hub axis and blade center axis lie in the same plane, and the leading edge of the blade is positioned forward (referring to the upstream direction of movement caused by the propeller) of the trailing edge of the blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2025
    Assignee: Conic Propulsion, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas A. Russell
  • Patent number: 12320259
    Abstract: Compact bleed valve assemblies are disclosed. An example turbine engine comprises a rotor blade having an axial chord (C) measured at a tip of the rotor blade, and a variable bleed valve (VBV) including a VBV port defining a bleed flowpath and an exit angle (?exit) for bleed air exiting the VBV port, the VBV port including a forward entrance edge and an aft exit edge and a first length (LA) therebetween, and a VBV door corresponding to the VBV port, the VBV door to generate a bleed cavity having a bleed cavity area (BA) in the VBV port when the VBV is in a closed position, the VBV door to move between an open position and the closed position at a rotation angle (??), the VBV door to extend a distance (LAact) beyond the first length (LA), wherein L ? A + L ? A a ? c ? t C - 2 * ( B ? V ? I ? P + 0 . 1 ? 5 ) - 1 . 3 ? 5 ? - 0.8 , and wherein B ? V ? I ? P = 0 . 1 ? 5 * B ? A C 2 + 0 . 8 ? 5 * ? ? ? + ? e ? x ? i ? t 2 ? ? .
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2025
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Giridhar Jothiprasad, Christopher E. LaMaster, Jeffrey D. Carnes, Thomas Malkus
  • Patent number: 12313082
    Abstract: A volute for a pump featuring a volute or casing having a pump inlet for receiving a fluid being pumped, a pump discharge for providing the fluid, and a volute or casing vane forming double volutes therein. The volute has an upper cutwater farthest from the pump discharge defining an upper cutwater throat area and an end of passage for the upper cutwater, and also has a lower cutwater closest to the pump discharge defining a lower cutwater throat and a corresponding end of passage for the lower cutwater. The upper cutwater throat area is dimensioned to be greater than and not equal to the lower cutwater throat area so the upper cutwater throat area and the lower cutwater throat area provide substantially equal flow velocity at both the upper cutwater and the lower cutwater in response to an angular sweep of the fluid being pumped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2025
    Assignee: FLUID HANDLING LLC
    Inventor: Paul J. Ruzicka
  • Patent number: 12247588
    Abstract: A pressure exchanger includes a rotor including rotor ducts extending parallel to an axis, a first end cover disposed at a first side of the rotor, and a second end cover disposed at a second side of the rotor. The rotor is configured to rotate about the axis, communicate first fluid and second fluid through the rotor ducts, control pressure of the first fluid or the second fluid discharging from the rotor, and allow a least a portion of the first fluid to contact the second end cover to thereby reduce or eliminate a dead volume inside of the rotor. The second fluid includes a flush volume that passes through the rotor ducts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: Isobaric Strategies Inc.
    Inventor: Leif J. Hauge
  • Patent number: 12215601
    Abstract: A turbine blade for a gas turbine engine, including: an airfoil, the having a leading edge, a pressure side, a suction side and a trailing edge; a plurality of internal cooling cavities including a leading edge cavity, a leading edge feed passage, pressure side cooling passages, suction side cooling passages and main body cavities; the leading edge cavity extending towards the suction side; a first crossover row of cooling passages providing fluid communication between the leading edge cavity and the leading edge feed passage; and a second crossover row of cooling passages providing fluid communication between the leading edge cavity and the leading edge feed passage, a centerline of the first crossover row of cooling passages is located closer to the pressure side than a centerline of the second crossover row of cooling passages and the centerline of the second crossover row of cooling passages is located closer to the suction side than the centerline of the first crossover row of cooling passages, and where
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jaime G. Ghigliotty Rosado, Brandon W. Spangler, Tracy A. Propheter-Hinckley
  • Patent number: 12145721
    Abstract: A rotor-hub flap-measurement system includes a rotor hub operable to flap relative to a main-rotor axis, a flap-linkage arm, a first end of the flap-linkage arm rotatably coupled to the rotor hub, the flap-linkage arm responsive to flapping of the rotor hub, and a magneto-resistive sensor system rotatably coupled to a second end of the flap-linkage arm and responsive to movement of the flap-linkage arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: Kyle Thomas Cravener, Patrick Smith, Troy Cyril Schank, Brady Garrett Atkins, Kynn Jerald Schulte
  • Patent number: 12116901
    Abstract: A turbomachine fan module includes a fan shaft and a lubrication chamber traversed axially by at least part of the fan shaft. The module further includes at least one first bearing configured to support and guide the fan shaft in rotation. The fan shaft has a first tubular part closed by a cover, wherein the first tubular part has a distal end and a proximal end that are opposite each other along a longitudinal axis X and an annular squealer cavity, formed in an inner surface of the fan shaft, between the distal end and the proximal end. The cover has a body extending along the longitudinal axis X and mounted in the first tubular portion so as to cover and sealingly close the annular squealer cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Julien Fabien Patrick Becoulet, Olivier Formica
  • Patent number: 12104495
    Abstract: A drive assembly for a mechanical reducer for a turbomachine, in particular for an aircraft, includes planet gears, a planet carrier having at least one transverse wall, plain bearings for guiding the planet gears in rotation, and an oil supply circuit for the plain bearings. The planet carrier has collars for attaching the planet gears to the at least one transverse wall, and each of the planet gears includes at least one external cylindrical surface for forming an oil film with an internal cylindrical surface portion of each of the collars for forming said oil film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2024
    Assignee: SAFRAN TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS
    Inventors: Bálint Pap, Clément Jarroux, Guillaume Pierre Mouly, Pierre-Damien Tune
  • Patent number: 12098729
    Abstract: A ceiling fan or similar air-moving device can include a motor for rotating one or more blades to drive a volume of air about a space. The blade can include a body having an outer surface with a flat top surface and a flat bottom surface, and a side edge. A curved transition can extend between one of the flat top surface or the flat bottom surface, and the side edge. The side edge can be arranged at an angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2024
    Assignee: Hunter Fan Company
    Inventors: Charles William Botkin, Bobby Neal Norwood
  • Patent number: 12085094
    Abstract: A pressure exchanger includes a rotor including rotor ducts that extend parallel to each other. The pressure exchanger further includes a flow divider that has a substantially flat shape and is located in the rotor ducts, where the flow divider partitions an inner space of one of the rotor ducts into flow paths configured to communicate fluid. The flow divider defines an aspect ratio of each of the plurality of flow paths, where the aspect ratio is a ratio of a width of one of the flow paths in a radial direction with respect to an axial length of one of the flow paths in the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: Isobaric Strategies Inc.
    Inventor: Leif J. Hauge
  • Patent number: 12071903
    Abstract: A system for bleeding air from a core flow path of a gas turbine engine includes a bleed valve in a bleed air duct configured to receive bleed air from a first entrance point to the core flow path into the bleed air duct; a pressurized air valve in a pressurized air duct configured to receive pressurized air from a second entrance point to the core flow path, the pressurized air at a pressure greater than that received into the first entrance point; an eductor outlet from the pressurized air duct located in the bleed air duct; and a control system operable to control operation of the bleed valve and the pressurized air valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2024
    Assignee: RTX Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Bernard Kupratis, Martin Richard Amari, Geoffrey T. Blackwell
  • Patent number: 12071895
    Abstract: A system for cooling a load coupling coupled to a gas turbine and disposed within an exhaust housing is provided. The system includes a shroud configured to be mounted about the load coupling, the shroud defining an inlet passage between the shroud and the load coupling and an outlet passage between the exhaust housing and the shroud. The system also includes a set of blades configured to couple to the load coupling. The set of blades are angled to draw air into the inlet passage as the set of blades rotate with the load coupling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2024
    Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology LLC
    Inventors: Gerardo Plata, Jorge Mario Rochin Machado, Ravinder Yerram, Balakrishnan Ponnuraj, Tho Vankhanh Nguyen
  • Patent number: 12043379
    Abstract: Proposed is an airfoil wing-shaped aircraft including a body having a wing-shaped longitudinal cross-section and having an upper surface on which a shape of a concave curvature-surface portion is formed along a center axis in a streamwise direction, a fluid inlet being formed in each of the opposite lateral sides of a leading portion of the body, and a fluid output being formed in each of the opposite lateral sides of a tail portion of the body, wherein a duct connects the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: UIF (UNIVERSITY INDUSTRY FOUNDATION), YONSEI UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Hyung Hee Cho, Seungyeong Choi, Jihyuk Kim, Juyeong Nam, Maroosol Yun, Taedoo Yoon, Minho Bang, Joon-soo Lim
  • Patent number: 11994074
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a propulsor section and a speed change mechanism for driving the propulsor section. The speed change mechanism is an epicyclic gear train. A torque frame includes a ring and a plurality of fingers extending from the ring with the plurality of fingers surrounding the speed change mechanism. A bearing support is attached to the plurality of fingers. A first propulsor section support bearing is mounted on a first axial side of the speed change mechanism and a second propulsor section support bearing is mounted on the bearing support on a second axial side of the speed change mechanism. The second propulsor section support bearing is a propulsor thrust bearing. Each of the plurality of fingers include a pin opening with a pin extending through the pin opening and into the epicyclic gear train.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: RTX Corporation
    Inventors: Gary D. Roberge, Michael E. McCune, William G. Sheridan
  • Patent number: 11980264
    Abstract: A Multi-Purpose Portable Fan, which may include a hand-held-style fan to enhance the atmosphere at an event while having a mobile device application, which may be able to summon aid when needed. The hand-held style fan may have located in a handle and/or otherwise lights, or a fan array with LED lights. The handle may be configured with a multi-position switch, a global positioning system-enabled location transmitter and/or receiver, at least one universal serial bus port, at least one solar panel, a battery status display, a wiring interface for LED lights and/or other included electronic devices, and a mobile device application interface. The mobile device application may include at least one interface such as a sign-in interface, a color-select interface, and a situation interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Inventors: Kevin Wong, Stevin Wong
  • Patent number: 11970954
    Abstract: An airfoil includes an airfoil wall that defines a leading end, a trailing end, and first and second sides that join the leading end and the trailing end. A rib connects the first and second sides of the airfoil wall. The rib defines a tube portion that circumscribes a rib passage, and first and second connector arms that solely join the tube portion to, respectively, the first and second sides of the airfoil wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Brandon W. Spangler, David R. Pack
  • Patent number: 11959498
    Abstract: A system includes an isobaric pressure exchanger (IPX) configured to exchange pressure between a first fluid and a second fluid. The IPX includes a rotor configured to rotate about a longitudinal axis of the rotor. The rotor forms rotor ports arranged substantially symmetrically around the longitudinal axis at a distal end of the rotor. The IPX further includes an end cover configured to be disposed at the first distal end of the rotor. The end cover forms end cover ports. The rotor ports are arranged for hydraulic communication with the end cover ports. The IPX further includes an insert disposed between two of the rotor ports or between two of the end cover ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Energy Recovery, Inc.
    Inventors: Behzad Zamanian Yazdi, Farshad Ghasripoor, Kuo-Chiang Chen, Patrick Morphew, James Elliott McLean, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11952911
    Abstract: An airfoil include an airfoil wall that defines a leading end, a trailing end, a first side wall, and a second side wall. A rib connects the first and second side walls of the airfoil wall. The rib includes a first arm by which the rib is solely connected to the first side wall, and second and third arms by which the rib is solely connected to the second side wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Brandon W. Spangler, David R. Pack, JinQuan Xu