Patents Examined by Logan Kraft
  • Patent number: 9976564
    Abstract: A radial compressor unit for compressing gas has several compressor stages. Each compressor stage includes an impeller having rotor blades, and a flow channel arranged downstream of the impeller, as viewed in the flow direction of the gas to be compressed, having a diffusor section, a deflection section, and a recirculation section having guide blades. The gas compressed in a compressor stage can be removed as cooling gas for cooling a component to be cooled, and can be conveyed in the direction of the component to be cooled. The cooling gas can be removed adjacent to an intermediate wall of the compressor stage from the deflection section and/or the recirculation section of the flow channel of the compressor stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: MAN Diesel & Turbo SE
    Inventors: Dirk Bueche, George Kleynhans, Bob Mischo
  • Patent number: 9976539
    Abstract: A control method and a control system for a wind turbine are disclosed. The control method comprises measuring wind turbine blade pitch angles; obtaining a wind turbine rotor acceleration value; determining whether a blade pitch runaway fault condition is occurring; and during the blade pitch runaway fault condition, adjusting a pitch angle command based at least in part on the rotor acceleration value, a pitch angle of at least one faulted blade and a pitch angle of a healthy blade; and controlling wind turbine blades based at least in part on the adjusted pitch angle command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Fabiano Daher Adegas, Xiongzhe Huang, Pranav Agarwal
  • Patent number: 9976489
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine comprises a fan for delivering air into a bypass duct as bypass flow, into a core housing as core flow, with the core housing containing an upstream compressor rotor and a downstream compressor rotor. An overall pressure ratio is defined across the upstream and downstream compressor rotors. A bypass ratio is defined as a volume of air delivered as bypass flow compared to a volume of air delivered into the core housing. The overall pressure ratio is greater than or equal to about 45.0, and the bypass ratio is greater than or equal to about 11.0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Frederick M. Schwarz, Gabriel L. Suciu
  • Patent number: 9970328
    Abstract: A method for barring a rotor of a thermally loaded turbomachine includes stopping normal operation of the turbomachine; providing a barring device for rotating the rotor about a machine axis; coupling the barring device to the rotor; letting the rotor cool down during cool down of the rotor rotating the rotor by means of the barring device. A damage of the machine due to thermally induced buckling during the barring process is avoided by consecutively determining the force or torque applied to the rotor by the barring device for rotating the rotor and/or the circumferential speed of the rotor during barring. The rotation of the rotor is controlled by means of the barring device in dependence of the determined force or torque and/or circumferential speed in order to reduce a bending or imbalance of the rotor, which is due to a nonuniform temperature distribution on the rotor during cool down.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: ANSALDO ENERGIA IP UK LIMITED
    Inventors: Axel Haerms, Felix Staehli, Marc Rauch, Eric Knopf
  • Patent number: 9970413
    Abstract: The invention provides a wind turbine, a control system for a wind turbine and a method for controlling a wind turbine where asymmetry in load on the rotor is compensated by individual pitching by comparing a load distribution over the rotor plane with a threshold value. To avoid unnecessary compensation, the threshold value is adjusted based on a loading of the wind turbine or based on climate conditions under which the turbine operates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Ali Zaib, Kenneth Tougaard Simonsen
  • Patent number: 9969489
    Abstract: A hybrid support ring comprises a suspender and a belt, the suspender defined by a flange and a leg rearwardly extending having a lug, the suspender also extending circumferentially, the suspender formed of a first material, the belt extending circumferentially and disposed in the lug, the belt being formed of a second material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Benjamin James Roby, Michael Jason Bishop
  • Patent number: 9970410
    Abstract: A fluid turbine comprises a rotor rotatable in use about an axis transverse to the direction of fluid flow, the rotor having a first part carrying a plurality of arcuate blades that may be arranged selectably in compact straight shapes or in arcuate shapes and a second part journalled in a base structure by two or more bearings. Another aspect of the invention discloses an installation frame, devised to support the turbine or other elongated structures in a folded arrangement for transportation on a trailer, and to support assembly and erection thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Clean Green Energy LLC
    Inventors: Bryan Joseph Zaplitny, Rupert Stephen Tull de Salis
  • Patent number: 9969373
    Abstract: A tandem master brake cylinder for a hydraulic motor vehicle brake system, which is impinged upon by a pneumatic brake booster, including at least one piston which is displaceable in a housing and has a plurality of follow-up connections the follow-up connections allowing a hydraulic connection between the pressure chamber and a pressureless follow-up chamber at the start of a braking operation. At least some of the follow-up connections are formed as transverse bores through a wall of at least one piston and are arranged at a same distance relative to the piston edge in a main plane, wherein the overtravel thereof by the sealing collar defines a closure path of the piston. In order to allow a smooth, quiet and yet sufficiently reliable braking initiation, the follow-up connections are arranged in a distributed manner on at least three planes, the planes being arranged at a distance to one another and in parallel to the piston edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. oHG
    Inventors: Harald König, Kai-Michael Graichen, Stephan Krebs, Michael Kollers, Horst Krämer, Andreas Macher
  • Patent number: 9963201
    Abstract: A bicycle hydraulic component includes a base, a plug, and a fluid stopper. The base includes a hydraulic chamber, a first bore having a first bore diameter and being in fluid communication with the hydraulic chamber, a second bore extending from the first bore and having a second bore diameter greater than the first bore diameter, and a seat surface extending between the first bore and the second bore. The plug is coupled to the second bore. The fluid stopper is configured to be accommodated in the second bore and to be pressed by the plug to seal the first bore. The fluid stopper is an individual member with respect to the plug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventors: Makoto Hasegawa, Takeshi Koga
  • Patent number: 9963221
    Abstract: Unison ring system includes first unison ring portion, second unison ring portion, and bearing. Second unison ring portion is co-axial with first unison ring portion. First unison ring portion includes first unison ring and first bearing location portion and second unison ring portion includes second unison ring and second bearing location portion. First bearing location portion is co-axial with first unison ring and projects axially from first unison ring, while second bearing location portion is co-axial with second unison ring and projects axially from second unison ring. First bearing location portion includes outwardly opening groove, and second bearing location portion includes inwardly opening groove. First unison ring portion and second unison ring portion positioned with first bearing location portion being concentric with second bearing location portion defining annular cavity there between.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: Christopher Michael Grice
  • Patent number: 9963979
    Abstract: A turbine wheel for use in a gas turbine engine having a plurality of blades attached to a rotor disk. Each blade is formed as a composite structure including a number of plies of ceramic-containing material. The blades each include a root to fit within dovetail slots of the rotor disk to couple the blades to the rotor disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Ted J. Freeman
  • Patent number: 9964037
    Abstract: A gas turbine bypass flow arrangement comprises an outer housing and an inner housing, an outer bypass duct defined between the outer housing and the inner housing and an inner bypass duct defined inwardly of the inner housing. A first heat exchanger is positioned at an upstream location within the outer bypass duct and a second heat exchanger is positioned within the inner bypass duct at an upstream location. A downstream heat exchanger is positioned to be in the path of air downstream of the second heat exchanger in the inner bypass duct. Air flowing across the downstream heat exchanger passes from the inner bypass duct into the outer bypass duct. A gas turbine engine is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Ryan K. Snyder, Michael R. Thomas
  • Patent number: 9957953
    Abstract: A root bushing for a blade root of a wind turbine rotor blade, including a cylindrical bushing body and a flat contact body is provided. The contact body is provided on a face of the bushing body. This has the advantage that due to the provision of the contact body, the contact area between the root bushing and the pitch bearing is increased. In another embodiment, the root bushing includes a central bore which protrudes through the bushing body and the contact body. In another embodiment, an outer wall of the bushing body is provided with a connection structure for connecting the root bushing to a composite material of the wind turbine rotor blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Kasper Koops Kratmann
  • Patent number: 9957984
    Abstract: A method for making a detection device (2) for detecting a position of a movable rod (4) of a pneumatic actuator (1) comprises a step of taking a first body (17) comprising a connecting portion (19), a supporting portion (20), an electrical connector (21), a detection sensor (15) for detecting a magnetic field and electrical connecting means (22). The method then comprises a step of taking a second body (18) comprising a housing (14) in which the supporting portion (20) can be inserted, a step of inserting the supporting portion (20) and the detection sensor (15) positioned on it in the housing (14) and a step of irremovably constraining the first body (17) to the second body (18). The first body (17) and the second body (18) comprise, one at least one projecting element (25) and the other at least one corresponding hole (26); during the insertion step the projecting element (25) is inserted in the hole (26).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: FAIST COMPONENTI S.P.A.
    Inventors: Elena Lucchi, Stefano Benicchi
  • Patent number: 9957969
    Abstract: A device for controlling a gas flow through a passage includes a plurality of pivotable gas flow control vanes. The pivot axes of a first and a second adjacent vane are spaced so that a trailing edge of the first vane overlaps a leading edge of the second vane when the first and second adjacent vanes are positioned in a first mutual end state for substantially restricting the gas flow through the passage. The second vane includes a recess with such a shape that the trailing edge of the first vane is at least partly received in the recess when the first and second adjacent vanes are positioned in the first mutual end state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Volvo Lastvagnar AB
    Inventors: Sebastian Krausche, Lars Sundin
  • Patent number: 9957834
    Abstract: A system includes, in one example, a shroud configured to circumscribe a plurality of rotor blades of a gas rotor engine, and at least one rub button including a head portion having a height configured to extend into a flow path region of the shroud along a central axis of the rub button that extends radially into the flow path region. The head portion includes a profile, orthogonal to the central axis, that varies according to a defined function of the height of the head portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: David J. Wasserman, Michael G. McCaffrey, Michael G. Abbott
  • Patent number: 9957835
    Abstract: A fan track liner assembly for a ducted fan engine which provides for ease of installation and replacement. The assembly includes a plurality of panels; and a plurality of fastening members which are arranged to secure the panels to the fan case of the engine, wherein: each fastening member has a base portion and an elongate arm member, and further wherein: the base portion has an attachment portion which is used to secure the fastening member to the fan case; and the arm member extends from the base portion, and each panel has slotted edge portions on opposing edges at one end of the panel which are each arranged to engage with respective arm members of fastening members on either side of the panel when the panel is assembled with the fastening members by sliding the panel onto the fastening members or vice-versa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: Dale Edward Evans
  • Patent number: 9957807
    Abstract: A rotor assembly having a plurality of scoops disposed in a circumferential array, the scoops extending from an inner surface of the outer wall of the flow path along a radial distance smaller than a radial distance between the inner and outer walls of the flow path. Each of the scoops forms a closed channel from an inlet to an outlet with the inlet and outlet being axially spaced from one another, the outlet being upstream of and adjacent the annular blade path. A gas turbine engine and method of reducing tip vortices in a rotor assembly are also discussed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventor: Enzo Macchia
  • Patent number: 9957976
    Abstract: There is presented a casing arrangement for a gas turbine engine. The casing arrangement includes a plurality of tip treatment bars extending between a pair of spaced-apart annular supports, with each tip treatment bar being elongate and supported at each end by a respective support such that each end of the bar is received within an opening formed in the respective support. At least the ends of each tip treatment bar are tapered in transverse cross-section so as to have a wedge-shaped profile, and the openings in the supports have a complementary tapered shape for receipt and retention of the bar ends therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: Peter Allford
  • Patent number: 9957808
    Abstract: An airfoil according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a first cooling hole with a first cooling passage arranged at a first angle relative to a chordwise axis and a second cooling hole with a second cooling passage arranged at a second different angle relative to the chordwise axis. A radial projection of the first cooling passage intersects a radial projection of the second cooling passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas N. Slavens, Matthew A. Devore