Patents Examined by Kayla McCaffrey
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Patent number: 10422241Abstract: A blade outer air seal support includes, at least one arc body having a first portion and a second portion, a blade outer air seal mounting region defined at least partially between the first portion and the second portion, and an interface feature interfacing the first portion and the second portion. The interface feature is configured such that axially aligned forces are communicated between the first and second portions through the interface feature, bypassing the blade outer air seal mounting region.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2016Date of Patent: September 24, 2019Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Michael G. McCaffrey, Peter Balawajder, David Richard Griffin, Benjamin F. Hagan
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Patent number: 10415414Abstract: A seal arc segment includes a body including a radially inner surface and a radially outer surface. The radially inner surface and the radially outer surface are located between a first circumferential end and a second circumferential end. A recessed portion defines a cavity in the radially outer surface. A notch is located in an edge of the recessed portion adjacent the first circumferential end.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2016Date of Patent: September 17, 2019Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Christopher Corcoran, Michael G. McCaffrey, Benjamin F. Hagan
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Patent number: 10400607Abstract: A cooling hole for a component includes a meter section and a diffuser section. The diffuser section has a footprint region defined by five sides, a first side of the five sides extending along substantially an entire height of the diffuser section and second and third sides of the five sides meeting in an obtuse angle opposite the first side. A component having the cooling hole and a method of forming the cooling hole are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2015Date of Patent: September 3, 2019Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Lane Thornton, Scott D. Lewis, Matthew A. Devore
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Patent number: 10400611Abstract: The invention relates to a blade for a turbomachine a shroud for such a blade, and a turbomachine having at least one such blade. The blade comprises a shroud which is positioned on the blade tip side of the blade and is stiffened in the region of its surface by means of a stiffening structure having at least one longitudinal stiffening element such as a rib. The height of the longitudinal stiffening element varies in the circumferential direction.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2016Date of Patent: September 3, 2019Assignee: MTU AERO ENGINES AGInventors: Marcin Kozdras, Krzysztof Skura, Piotr Lebiedowicz, Marek Szponar
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Patent number: 10385783Abstract: The present invention relates to a seal arrangement for a turbomachine, in particular a gas turbine, having a plurality of rows, arranged in succession in the axial direction (A), of shells (1-3) connected to one another in the circumferential direction (U), wherein shells adjacent in the axial direction have cross sections opened counter to a throughflow direction (A) and/or a thread axis inclined counter to the throughflow direction.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 2013Date of Patent: August 20, 2019Assignee: MTU AERO ENGINES AGInventors: André Werner, Steffen Schlothauer, Franz Prieschl, Thomas Hess
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Patent number: 10344601Abstract: A spacer assembly for a rotor assembly of a gas turbine engine includes an endwall segment having a non-axisymmetric flowpath surface, a first depression and a second depression. A perimeter of the flowpath surface includes a forward edge, an aft edge, a suction side edge and a pressure side edge. The first depression is formed along the flowpath surface adjoining the suction side edge, and the second depression is formed along the flowpath surface adjoining the pressure side edge.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2013Date of Patent: July 9, 2019Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Matthew A. Turner, Andrew G. Alarcon, James Glaspey, Brian Green, Barry M. Ford, Renee J. Jurek
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Patent number: 10336447Abstract: A gimbal lock mechanism for a rotor hub can include a cam member having a cuff lock lobe and a gimbal lock lobe. The cam member is configured so that rotation can cause the first cuff lobe to become adjacent to the root end of the rotor blade and at the same time causes the gimbal lock lobe to become adjacent to a gimbal so as to inhibit gimbaling of the gimbal. A first moveable pin can be located on the root end portion of the rotor blade and inserted into the cuff lock lobe to prevent pitch change of the rotor blade.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 2015Date of Patent: July 2, 2019Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.Inventors: Chyau-Song Tzeng, Troy Cyril Schank
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Patent number: 10336442Abstract: A turbine engine for a helicopter, the helicopter including a main gearbox, a rotor, and a speed-reducing device housed entirely within the main gearbox of the helicopter while also being connected to the rotor, the turbine engine including a casing, a gas generator with a gas generator shaft, and a free turbine for being driven in rotation by a gas stream generated by the gas generator, the free turbine including a free turbine shaft. When the turbine engine is fastened to the gearbox of the helicopter, the free turbine shaft extends axially into the main gearbox of the helicopter to be connected directly to the speed-reducing device.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2011Date of Patent: July 2, 2019Assignee: SAFRAN HELICOPTER ENGINESInventors: Olivier Bedrine, Gerard Paty
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Patent number: 10337343Abstract: A system according to various embodiments includes: a cooling network within a turbine component, the cooling network including at least one passageway fluidly connected with a surface of the turbine component; a cooling fluid source for providing a cooling fluid to the cooling network; and a temperature-actuated flow modulating device fluidly connected with the cooling fluid source and the cooling network, the temperature-actuated flow modulating device configured to: detect an ambient air temperature proximate the turbine component; and control a flow of the cooling fluid to the cooling network based upon the detected ambient air temperature.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2015Date of Patent: July 2, 2019Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Carlos Miguel Miranda, Benjamin Paul Lacy, Slawomir Rubinsztajn
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Patent number: 10337453Abstract: An attachment feature for a structural panel may include a bracket arm with one or more flanges extending from the bracket arm. Each flange may have a lead ramp and a land. The structural panel may include a core sandwiched between two skins. The two skins may have portions which are cantilevered from the core. The lead ramps may guide the skins to the lands to align the structural panel with the attachment feature.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 2015Date of Patent: July 2, 2019Assignee: ROHR, INC.Inventor: David C. Brice
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Patent number: 10337527Abstract: The invention relates to a turbomachine blade comprising a vane. The vane comprises a leading edge, a trailing edge, a pressure face and a suction face spaced apart from each other and connecting the leading edge to the trailing edge. The vane further comprises at least one internal cavity between the pressure face and the suction face, wherein air is intended to flow. The vane comprises intersecting transverse partitions, downstream of the cavity, so that air can flow from the cavity in the direction of the trailing edge between the intersecting partitions.Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 2015Date of Patent: July 2, 2019Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINESInventors: Stéphane Mahias, Olivier Chantoiseau, Laurent Gilles Dezouche
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Patent number: 10338202Abstract: The present subject matter is directed to a system and method for sequencing Light Detecting and Ranging (LIDAR) sensor beam signals from a LIDAR sensor mounted on a nacelle of a wind turbine with the rotor position of the wind turbine so as to improve signal availability. More specifically, the method includes generating, via the LIDAR sensor, one or more laser signals towards the rotor of the wind turbine, the rotor having one or more rotor blades. The method also includes receiving, via a controller, a rotor position of the rotor of the wind turbine. Thus, the method further includes coordinating, via a control algorithm programmed within the controller, the rotor position with the one or more laser signals of the laser sensor so as to minimize interference between the laser signal(s) and the rotor blades during rotation of the rotor.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2016Date of Patent: July 2, 2019Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Dale Robert Mashtare, Samuel David Draper, Thomas Stephen Markham, Conner B. Shane, Katherine Derksen Stinson
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Patent number: 10337345Abstract: A sealing system for a multi-stage turbine includes multiple interstage seal segments disposed circumferentially about a turbine rotor wheel assembly and extending axially between a forward turbine stage and an aft turbine stage. Each of the interstage seal segments includes a forward end portion including an outer seal surface and an inner support face, an aft end portion, including an outer seal surface and an inner support face and a main body portion extending axially from the forward end portion to the aft end. The main body portion includes at least two support webs coupling the outer seal surfaces and the inner support faces. The outer seal surfaces are configured to be retained in a radial direction by a land support on each of a forward and aft stage turbine buckets, such that substantially all the centrifugal load from the multiple interstage seal segments is transferred to the forward and aft stage turbine buckets. A method of assembling the sealing system is disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2015Date of Patent: July 2, 2019Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Omprakash Samudrala, Fernando Jorge Casanova, Edip Sevincer, Jonathan Michael Webster
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Patent number: 10337411Abstract: An auto thermal valve (ATV) for dual mode passive cooling flow modulation according to an embodiment includes: a gas flow inlet port; a gas flow outlet port; a temperature dependent expandable element; a rod coupled to the temperature expandable element; and a valve disc coupled to a distal end of the rod, the temperature dependent expandable element displacing the valve disc in response to a change in temperature; wherein the valve disc is displaced away from a valve seat by the temperature dependent expandable element at temperatures above and below a range of temperatures to allow a flow of cooling gas to pass from the gas flow inlet port to the gas flow outlet port.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 2015Date of Patent: July 2, 2019Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Carlos Miguel Miranda, Kenneth Dale Moore
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Patent number: 10337522Abstract: A centrifugal compressor includes: a compressor housing; an impeller wheel for compressing intake air, disposed inside the compressor housing; a parallel flow generating unit for rectifying the intake air flowing in via an intake port to be parallel to the direction of a rotation shaft; and a recirculation channel for returning a part of the intake air in an outer circumferential section of the impeller wheel to an upstream side of the impeller wheel. The parallel flow generating unit includes a parallel flow generating part including a plurality of guide vanes and a central intake-air flowing section which is a space surrounded by the parallel flow generating part. An intake-air outflow direction from an upstream opening is oriented toward the parallel flow generating part.Type: GrantFiled: July 4, 2013Date of Patent: July 2, 2019Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES ENGINE & TURBOCHARGER, LTD.Inventors: Byeongil An, Hiroshi Suzuki
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Patent number: 10337491Abstract: A wind turbine is provided, having a nacelle, and having a rotor that has at least two rotor blades. The rotor blades each have a rotor blade root, at least one metallic conductor, for conducting a lightning strike, and connected thereto, provided in the region of a rotor blade root, have a conducting ring. In addition, a lightning protection unit is fastened to the non-rotating part of the nacelle in such a manner that the lightning protection unit lies on the ring. The lightning protection unit has two rollers and a lightning rod, a free end of the lightning rod being separated from an outer end of the rollers by a distance that defines a spark gap.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2014Date of Patent: July 2, 2019Assignee: Wobben Properties GmbHInventors: Georg Eden, Florian Sartorius
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Patent number: 10337350Abstract: A fan containment system for fitment around an array of radially extending fan blades mounted on a hub in an axial gas turbine engine. The fan containment system comprises a fan case having an annular casing element for encircling an array of fan blades. An annular fan track liner is positioned substantially coaxial to the annular casing element, and one or more pockets are provided in a radially outer side of the fan track liner. One or more dampers for damping vibration of the fan track liner are positioned in each of the one or more pockets and are arranged so as to contact the annular casing element.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2015Date of Patent: July 2, 2019Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE PLCInventor: Keith Jeremy Paul Thomas
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Patent number: 10337334Abstract: A component of a gas turbine engine, the component having: an internal cooling cavity extending through an interior of the component; a baffle insert configured to be inserted into the internal cooling cavity; a plurality of trip strips extending upwardly from an exterior surface of the baffle insert; and at least one rib extending upwardly from the exterior surface of the baffle insert, wherein the plurality of trip strips and the at least one rib are spaced from an interior surface of the internal cooling cavity.Type: GrantFiled: December 7, 2015Date of Patent: July 2, 2019Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Brandon W. Spangler, Atul Kohli
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Patent number: 10337524Abstract: The present invention relates to a blade row group arrangeable in a main flow path of a fluid-flow machine and including N adjacent member blade rows firmly arranged relative to one another in both the meridional direction (m) and the circumferential direction (u), with the number N of the member blade rows being greater than/equal to 2 and (i) designating the running index with values between 1 and N. Here, a front member blade row with front blades (i) having a leading edge and a trailing edge as well as a rear member blade row with rear blades (i+1) having a leading edge and a trailing edge are provided.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 2015Date of Patent: July 2, 2019Assignee: Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KGInventor: Volker Guemmer
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Patent number: 10337340Abstract: The present application relates to a stator for a low-pressure compressor of an axial turbine engine. The stator includes an annular row of stator vanes with connection vanes, and support vanes which are grouped into vaned casings. The casings include internal platforms and external platforms, and are integrally produced by means of additive production based on titanium powder. The stator has a circular internal shroud which is formed by the internal platforms of the vanes of the casings and internal shroud segments which are fixed to the connection vanes. The internal platforms include pairs of contact surfaces in order to interlock the shroud segments therein by moving into abutment and sliding against the contact surfaces. The contact surfaces are perpendicular to the rotation axis and form axial stops.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2015Date of Patent: July 2, 2019Assignee: SAFRAN AERO BOOSTERS SAInventor: Jean-François Cortequisse