Patents Examined by Loren C. Edwards
  • Patent number: 11788417
    Abstract: A turbine blade and a gas turbine are provided with: an airfoil portion (41) internally including a cooling air passage (60); a platform (42) provided in a blade base end portion (55) in a blade height direction (Dh) of the airfoil portion (41); and a fillet portion (80) provided around the entire perimeter of a connecting portion of the airfoil portion (41) and the platform (42). The fillet portion (80) includes a first fillet portion (81) which is provided on a rear side blade surface (53) side of the airfoil portion (41), on the trailing edge (52) side of a position at which the distance between the rear side blade surface (53) of the airfoil portion (41) and a rear side edge portion (44) of the platform (42) is shortest, and which has a fillet width (W) that is greater than the fillet width W of other regions of the fillet portion (80).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Susumu Wakazono, Yasuo Miyahisa, Satoshi Hada
  • Patent number: 11788475
    Abstract: In a fuel control system (10) for a gas turbine engine (1) having a gas generator (4) and a turbine (6) driven by the gas generator (4): a main fuel regulator (12) determines a demand (Wfdem) of fuel flow (Wf) to be introduced in the gas turbine engine (1), based on an input request (PLA); and a first limiter stage (14), operatively coupled to the main fuel regulator (12), causes an adjustment of the fuel flow (Wf) based on engine safety operating limits. The first limiter stage (14) is provided with a Ngdot limiter (20) to cause an adjustment of the fuel flow (Wf) when the gas generator speed rate of change (Ngdot) is determined to overcome acceleration/deceleration scheduled safety limits; the Ngdot limiter (20) implements a predictor (23), to perform a prediction (Wfdot) of the fuel flow rate of change (Wfdot), or fuel flow (Wf), allowing the gas generator speed rate of change (Ngdot) to track a scheduled reference value (Ngdotref).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: GE Avio S.r.l.
    Inventors: Stefano Ettorre, Pierpaolo Forte, Giuseppe Donini
  • Patent number: 11781492
    Abstract: A two-gas shaft turbine control system (31) is disclosed. The gas turbine control system comprises a fuel controller (35), which receives a speed error signal, indicating whether the low-pressure turbine wheel (11) of the gas turbine (1) is rotating at the desired target speed. The gas turbine control system (31) further comprises an NGV controller (41), which receives a speed error signal, indicating whether the high-pressure turbine wheel (9) of the gas turbine engine (1) is rotating at the desired target speed. Two cross channel controllers are further provided. On the basis of a gas turbine model, a first cross channel controller (43) provides a fuel control modification signal, which is added to a control signal generated by the fuel controller (35). A second cross channel controller (45) provides an NGV control modification signal. The modification signals are aimed at reducing or canceling the effect of mutual interaction between fuel control and NGV control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Nuovo Pignone Tecnologie S.R.L.
    Inventors: Bruno Giunta, Marco Palladino
  • Patent number: 11781451
    Abstract: An engine variable camshaft timing (VCT) phaser assembly is equipped in an internal combustion engine (ICE) to adjust the rotation of the engine's camshaft relative to the engine's crankshaft. The adjustments advance and retard the opening and closing movements of the engine's intake and exhaust valves. An electric motor and a planetary gear set work together amid use of the VCT phaser assembly. The planetary gear set can include two or more ring gears, planet gears, and a sun gear. A backlash condition sometimes experienced in previous VCTs is minimized in the VCT phaser assembly by one or more springs that urge the planet gears into engagement with the ring gears.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: BORGWARNER, INC.
    Inventors: Douglas W. Perry, Chad McCloy
  • Patent number: 11781471
    Abstract: A turbo-compounding system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes: a turbocharger including a turbine which is rotated by using pressure of exhaust gas discharged from the engine and a compressor which is rotated by using rotation power of the turbine and compresses new external air and supplies the compressed air to the engine; a motor-generator configured to be rotated by using rotation power of the compressor of the turbocharger to generate power or add rotation power to the compressor of the turbocharger; and a control device configured to operate the motor-generator as a motor or a generator according to a current rotation speed of the engine and may collect power wasted from the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: DOOSAN INFRACORE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Youngdeok Han, Dockoon Yoo, Junjung Park, Jongyoon Lee, Jayun Cho, Euna Kang
  • Patent number: 11773808
    Abstract: A thrust panel may include a propellant socket formed to accommodate a plurality of propellants and a combustion chamber that communicates with the propellant socket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: POSTECH RESEARCH AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Jeongrak Lee, Anna Lee, Eunji Lee, Youngbin Son, Hanseong Jo, Seonghyeon Kim
  • Patent number: 11773757
    Abstract: A compression release engine in-cylinder braking system, comprising a valve mechanism, an oil cylinder device, an oil pump device, and an oil supply device. The oil cylinder device and the oil pump device of each air cylinder communicate with each other through a pressure transmission oil circuit, which communicates with the oil supply device through a low-pressure relief valve. An air release valve is arranged at the high end of an oil circuit system. During in-cylinder braking, the air release valve is closed, an electromagnetic reversing valve is energized, engine oil having a pressure of P1 is supplied to the pressure transmission oil circuit, and a cam abuts against and pushes the oil pump device to pump high-pressure oil to the oil cylinder device, so as to push a rocker arm to open a valve, thereby achieving in-cylinder braking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: WEIFANG LICHUANG ELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD
    Inventors: Lifeng Wang, Xiuqiang Wang
  • Patent number: 11761525
    Abstract: This strain wave gear unit includes: a bottomed cylindrical first internal gear having internal teeth formed on a cylindrical part and a teeth-non-formed part protruding farther inward than the tooth bottom of the internal teeth in a corner area where a bottom wall part is integrally connected to the cylindrical part; a flexible cylindrical external gear having external teeth meshing with the internal teeth of the first internal gear, an opposed part opposed to the teeth-non-formed part with a gap therebetween, and an end part opposed to the bottom wall part to make contact therewith; a second internal gear arranged adjacent to the first internal gear and having internal teeth meshing with the external teeth; and a rotation member that causes the external gear to deform in an oval shape and causes the meshing position to move while partially meshing with the first internal gear and the second internal gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: MIKUNI CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuuhei Sanekata
  • Patent number: 11754020
    Abstract: An annular heat exchanger for a turbomachine, is intended, for example, to be supported by an annular ferrule of a housing of the turbomachine, and includes an annular one-piece part having a first fluid circuit having at least one first conduit and at least one second conduit extending in an annular manner. The first conduit and the second conduit lead into a first cavity formed on a first circumferential end of said annular part, and the heat exchanger includes detachable sealing means which are applied to said first end and designed to allow a flow of fluid from the second conduit into the first cavity then into the first conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Lancelot Guillou, Stéphane Louis Lucien Auberger
  • Patent number: 11753969
    Abstract: A hydraulic fluid control valve (HFCV) configured to recirculate an exiting hydraulic fluid from a first hydraulic actuation chamber to a second hydraulic actuation chamber is provided. The HFCV includes a selectively movable spool having an inner fluid chamber configured to receive and deliver the exiting hydraulic fluid to one or both of either a sump or one of the first or second hydraulic actuation chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Gustavo de Oliveira Figueiredo, Andrew Mlinaric
  • Patent number: 11753970
    Abstract: A hydraulically-actuated variable camshaft timing (VCT) system comprises a spool valve including a sleeve and a spool, having a plurality of radially-outwardly extending lands, received within a sleeve; a sleeve fluid pathway, extending axially along the sleeve and formed within the sleeve, configured to receive fluid from a fluid supply; an advancing port in the sleeve in fluid communication with an advancing chamber of a hydraulically-actuated camshaft phaser; a retarding port in the sleeve in fluid communication with a retarding chamber of the hydraulically-actuated camshaft phaser; a first fluid supply port formed in the sleeve; a second fluid supply port formed in the sleeve; and an exhaust port axially positioned in the sleeve in between the first fluid supply port and the second fluid supply port or in between the advancing port and the retarding port, wherein the exhaust port is configured to selectively receive fluid from either the advancing chamber or the retarding chamber depending on an axial pos
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: BORGWARNER INC.
    Inventor: Brian T. Kenyon
  • Patent number: 11746706
    Abstract: An air-sealing device intended to be inserted between an aircraft dual-flow turbine engine casing element and a nacelle element, the sealing device including an attachment tab at the end of which is located a sealing portion having an outer surface intended to be contacted by the casing element and the nacelle element, and an inner surface defining a cavity. The inner surface defines at least one protuberance extending inside the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Bruno Alexandre Didier Jacon, Baghdad Achbari, Faouzi Aliouat, Hervé Simonotti
  • Patent number: 11746694
    Abstract: A compressor includes a rotor including a plurality of disks, a shaft portion connected on a downstream side of the disks; and rotor blade rows fixed to the plurality of disks; a stator including a compressor casing; and a plurality of stator vane rows each provided between corresponding adjacent ones of the rotor blade rows; an outlet guide vane including blade main bodies disposed at an interval in a circumferential direction on the downstream side of the disk located most downstream, and inner shrouds connecting the blade main bodies in the circumferential direction, on an inner side in a radial direction; and an inner casing disposed on the downstream side of the disk located most downstream with a gap between the disk and the inner casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Chihiro Myoren, Ryosuke Mito, Daisuke Morita
  • Patent number: 11739698
    Abstract: Aero-acoustically damped bleed valves are disclosed. An example variable bleed valve apparatus comprises a variable bleed valve door to actuate the variable bleed valve apparatus, and a variable bleed valve port including an upstream edge and a downstream edge, the VBV port to define a secondary flowpath, the VBV door to cover the VBV port in a closed position, and a vortex device at the upstream edge of the variable bleed valve port, the vortex device including a vorticity generating feature along the upstream edge of the variable bleed valve port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Thomas Malkus, Trevor H. Wood, Giridhar Jothiprasad, Nageswar Ganji, Hiranya Kumar Nath, Ravindra Shankar Ganiger, Ambika Shivamurthy
  • Patent number: 11724829
    Abstract: A hybrid propulsion system includes a housing, at least two electrodes, a solid-grain fuel material, a combustion chamber, an oxidizer port, and a nozzle. The housing has a first end and a second end and defines a cavity. The electrodes extend into the cavity. The fuel material is free of an oxidizer and is positioned in the cavity. The fuel material has a combustion surface and is exposed to the electrodes. The combustion chamber is defined between the combustion surface and the second end. The oxidizer port provides a flow of oxidizer to the combustion chamber. The nozzle is positioned at the second end. Combustion of the fuel material in the combustion chamber may be dominated by radiative heat transfer. Combustion of the fuel material in the combustion chamber may generate thrust of no more than 5 N at an oxidizer flow rate of no more than 5 g/s.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Inventors: Tyson Smith, Zachary Lewis, Kurt Olsen, Marc Anthony Bulcher, Stephen Whitmore
  • Patent number: 11724588
    Abstract: Products and methods are provided for additive manufacturing of products in a collapsed state for post printing expansion in preparation for use in their intended application. A product includes interconnecting members configured for forming by printing in a collapsed state, with joints between the interconnecting members configured for relative movement of the interconnected members from the collapsed state to an expanded state. The interconnecting members define a larger package size in the expanded state than in the collapsed state. The joints are freely moveable in the collapsed state and are locked in place in the expanded state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Paul J. Wolcott, Andrew Thomas Cunningham, Zachary P. Steffes, Jeffrey B. Harris
  • Patent number: 11725595
    Abstract: A method of operating an engine of a multi-engine aircraft includes sequentially operating the engine through a plurality of cycles, each cycle including a breathing-in phase followed by a breathing-out phase. The breathing-in phase includes: i) in response to a speed of a rotor of the engine being at a sub-idle threshold, opening variable guide vanes upstream a compressor and injecting fuel into the combustor to increase rotor speed to a pre-determined upper threshold, and then ii) in response to the rotor speed reaching the pre-determined upper threshold, reducing a supply rate of fuel into the combustor and substantially closing the variable guide vanes. The breathing-out phase includes maintaining the variable guide vanes closed at least until the speed drops from the pre-determined upper threshold to the pre-determined sub-idle threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventor: Daniel Coutu
  • Patent number: 11725573
    Abstract: An exhaust system includes a housing comprising a first housing portion and a second housing portion separated by a common wall. The first housing portion has a first exhaust passage therethrough. The first exhaust passage has a first inlet receiving exhaust gasses from a turbocharger. The second housing portion has a second exhaust passage therethrough. The second exhaust passage has a second inlet receiving gasses from an exhaust bypass valve. The first passage and the second passage are non-intersecting within the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Polaris Industries Inc.
    Inventors: William J. Bryant, Derek D. Zimney, Angus M. Morison, Colton Ross, Ross Liberty, Lucas R. Salfer, Sean M. Trihey, Darren J. Hedlund, James H. Buchwitz
  • Patent number: 11714195
    Abstract: An optical probe includes an optical housing, a transmitting lens and a receiving lens. The optical housing extends from a proximate end to an opposing distal end. The transmitting lens is disposed at the distal end and is configured to output a first transmitted signal beams having a first transmission axis and a second transmitted beam having a second transmission axis that is different from the first transmission axis. The receiving lens is disposed at the distal end and configured to receive the first and second reflected signal beams corresponding respectively to the first and second transmitted signal beams. The optical housing has formed therein a transmitting optical channel configured to communicate an input optical signal from the proximate end to the transmitting lens. A receiving optical channel separated from the transmitting optical channel communicates the first and second reflected signal beams to the proximate end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Darren M. Wind, Michael J. Saitta, Ian F. Agoos, Alan E. Ingram
  • Patent number: 11713715
    Abstract: An electroformed heat exchanger suitable for use between rotating blades and seals in a stationary casing of a turbine engine. The heat exchanger comprising a non-electroformed carrier plate having a radial outer surface and a radial outer surface, an electroformed duct provided along the radial outer surface, an electroformed rail provided on the radial inner surface, and an electroformed stiffener formed by a portion of the electroformed duct and the electroformed rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: Unison Industries, LLC
    Inventors: Gurudatta Srinivasa Murthy Sirigere, Gordon Tajiri, Dattu Guru Venkata Jonnalagadda, Rajapriyan Rajendran, Udaya Bhaskar Pamidimarri