Patents Examined by Paul Thiede
  • Patent number: 9863398
    Abstract: A wind power rotor has a first and second rotor device. The first rotor device rotates about a first axis of rotation and has at least two rotor blades moving on a peripheral track about the first axis of rotation. The rotor blades are such that they describe a virtual first shell surface of a virtual first rotating body upon rotation about the first axis of rotation. The second rotor device rotates about a second axis of rotation and has a second rotating body with a closed second shell surface. The second rotating body is arranged at least partially inside of the virtual first rotating body. The first rotor device can be driven by wind in a first direction of rotation and the second rotor device has a drive device, and can be driven in a second direction of rotation which is opposite that of the first direction of rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH
    Inventor: Jost Seifert
  • Patent number: 9863332
    Abstract: A system according to the principles of the present disclosure includes a switching period module and at least one of a valve lift control module and a start-stop control module. The switching period module determines a switching period that elapses as a valve lift actuator of an engine switches between a first valve lift position and a second valve lift position that is different than the first lift position. The switching period begins when a measured position of the valve lift actuator corresponds to the first lift position and the switching period ends when the measured position of the valve lift actuator corresponds to the second lift position. The valve lift control module controls the valve lift actuator based on the switching period. The start-stop control module determines whether to automatically stop the engine based on the switching period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Jason T. Davis, Melvin R. Terechenok, Jr., Scott McLane, Sanjeev M. Naik, Kurt Alfred Wellenkotter, Douglas R. Verner, Joseph J. Moon, Kevin Andrew Gady
  • Patent number: 9856759
    Abstract: A camshaft adjuster has multiple locking guide slots and multiple locking pins spring-loaded in the direction of engagement with the locking guide slots and which, by varying assignment to the rotor and to the stator, are arranged relative to one another such that the rotor can, under the action of fluctuating torques, be automatically locked into the predetermined center position relative to the stator proceeding from a first early or late stop position by a successive engagement of the locking pins into the locking guide slots. The locking pins and the locking guide slots are arranged so that, in the event of a rotation of the rotor in the direction of the center locking position proceeding from the respective other second early or late stop position, the locking pins lock into the locking guide slots in the reverse sequence from different directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Gerhard Scheidig, Olaf Boese, Kie Heon Aum
  • Patent number: 9850841
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure include a system for controlling an exhaust gas communicated from an engine system to a turbine component of a turbocharger system. The system can include an engine having an operational speed; a turbocharger system including a turbine component, the exhaust gas being output from the engine in an exhaust line; a controller in communication with the engine; and a sensor disposed in the exhaust line being in communication with the controller, the system operating according to the following method: measuring the first temperature of the exhaust gas, determining if the measured first temperature of the exhaust gas is within a temperature safety window of the system; calculating an engine speed of the engine; and adjusting an engine speed setpoint and speed of the engine based on the measured first temperature and the calculated engine speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Julian R. Knudsen, Troy Christopher Gosselin, Yupeng Xiong, James Kristopher von der Ehe
  • Patent number: 9850835
    Abstract: A guided-vane rotary internal combustion engine including a plurality of working chambers which are separated from one another by way of vane assemblies which rotate with a rotor assembly about an axis employs a rotor assembly having a plurality of sectors wherein each sector is associated with a corresponding working chamber and a plurality of spark plugs wherein each spark plug is mounted within a corresponding sector for igniting an air/fuel mixture contained within a corresponding working chamber. A rotor disk is mounted upon the rotor assembly for rotation therewith and acts as a distributor through which energizing charges are conducted to the spark plugs. In addition, a controller is utilized for selectively activating or de-activating the working chambers of the engine upon the occurrence of a predetermined event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: BRM Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Arnold J. Beal
  • Patent number: 9840928
    Abstract: An axial flow turbine diaphragm is constructed without welding or other metal fusion or melting techniques. Static blade units are attached to inner and outer diaphragm rings by radially inner platform portions that engage the radially inner ring, and radially outer platform portions that engage the radially outer ring, the inner platform portions being elongate in the circumferential direction of the turbine diaphragm and the outer platform portions being elongate in a direction compatible with the stagger angle of the aerofoils. The outer circumference of the radially inner ring has a blade unit retaining feature of complementary shape and orientation to the inner platform portions of the static blade units, and the inner circumference of the radially outer ring is provided with a plurality of blade unit retaining features of complementary shape and orientation to corresponding outer platform portions of the static blade units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Technology GmbH
    Inventors: Angus Robert Brummitt-Brown, Kanu Mistry, Adrian Clifford Lord
  • Patent number: 9829007
    Abstract: A system for reducing leakage between static and rotating components within a turbine includes a static structure that is disposed radially outward from a tip of a rotating component. The static structure includes a seal assembly slot formed therein. A seal assembly includes a support block that is disposed within the seal assembly slot. A sealing material is disposed along a bottom portion of the support block and a tip slot is formed within the sealing material. The support block includes a forward portion that is slideably engaged with a forward inner surface of the seal assembly slot and an aft portion that is slideably engaged with an aft inner surface of the seal assembly slot. The system further includes a spring that extends axially between an aft wall of the seal assembly slot and an aft wall of the support block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventor: Brett Darrick Klingler
  • Patent number: 9822675
    Abstract: A valve opening and closing apparatus includes a rocker arm which is in contact with a cam and causes a valve to be opened and closed using rotation of the cam. In particular, the valve opening and closing apparatus includes an eccentricity-creating unit which is disposed on the rocker arm and changes an eccentric position using rotation. A contact-maintaining unit of the valve opening and closing apparatus is disposed between the rocker arm and the eccentricity-creating unit so as to maintain the contact between the cam and the rocker arm when the cam is rotating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Jae Hee Jeon, Min Hui Yu, You Sang Son, Seock Joong Yoon
  • Patent number: 9810106
    Abstract: A camshaft phaser includes a stator having a plurality of lobes and a rotor coaxially disposed within the stator and having a plurality of vanes interspersed with the lobes defining a plurality of alternating advance chambers and retard chambers such that a phasing valve supplies and vents oil to and from the advance and retard chambers. A first check valve allows oil to flow from only one of the retard chambers to only one of the advance chambers when a first diverter valve permits communication between the one of the advance chambers and the first check valve and a second check valve allows oil to flow from the one of the advance chambers to the one of the retard chambers when a second diverter valve permits communication between the one of the retard chambers and the second check valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: DELPHI TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Thomas H. Fischer, Thomas H. Lichti, Cai P. Shum, Jeremy N. Graves
  • Patent number: 9810202
    Abstract: An arrangement and a method of rotating a hub of a wind turbine are provided. A wind turbine includes a hub mounted to a nacelle, whereby the hub is rotatable around an axis of rotation in respect to the nacelle. A rotor blade is arranged at the hub that leads to a torque around the axis of rotation of the hub. A counter weight is attached to the hub, whereby the counter weight has a mass that leads to a counter-torque around the axis of rotation. The counter-torque interacts with the torque during the installation of a second rotor blade to the hub. The counter weight is mounted to the hub by a mechanical arrangement that is rotatable in respect to the hub around the axis of rotation of the hub. The mechanical arrangement and the counter weight are rotatable in respect to the hub into a certain predetermined position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Peter Loevenskjold Falkenberg, Karl Aage Maj, Jacob Blach Nielsen, Henning Poulsen, Brian Rasmussen, Henrik Stiesdal
  • Patent number: 9796264
    Abstract: A turbojet engine including an intermediate casing including radial arms and a driveshaft for a gearbox for auxiliary machines of the turbojet engine, the driveshaft mounted in a radial arm, the radial arm including an intermediate bearing supporting the driveshaft, the intermediate bearing including plural rolling bearings supporting the driveshaft, the driveshaft including a first shaft element connected at one end to a mechanism providing mechanical transmission to an engine shaft of the turbojet engine, and a second shaft element connected at one end to a mechanism providing mechanical transmission to the box. The first shaft element and the second shaft element are linked by a connection including plural splines. A single plane transversely passes through the plural splines and the plural rolling bearings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventors: Michel Gilbert Roland Brault, Regis Eugene Henri Servant
  • Patent number: 9790821
    Abstract: A helical torsion valve spring assembly includes one or more helical torsion springs mounted within a frame and are held in a statically loaded state so that installation of a valve spring retainer can be easily performed. The entire helical torsion valve spring assembly is installed as a single part onto a cylinder head of an engine valvetrain. The helical torsion springs are mounted around a shaft to accurately locate the helical torsion springs so that the forces acting on the retainer and valve are precisely controlled. The assembly minimizes the size of the retainer, and applies only one bending mode to the helical torsion springs, which provides maximum utilization of the spring material and minimizes coil vibration. The assembly allows spring coils to be strategically packaged in the engine valvetrain to create space in critical areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Inventor: Matthew Byrne Diggs
  • Patent number: 9777729
    Abstract: This disclosure concerns an advanced nutating positive displacement device having a high power to mass ratio and low production cost. This device in one example forms an exemplary pump as will be discussed in detail. The examples disclosed herein are of the rotary positive displacement type, but in a class by themselves. The devices are formed by a nutating rotor having a face comprising lobes and valleys, and a fixed stator also having a face with lobes and valleys. The face of the rotor opposes and cooperates with the face of the stator. The opposing faces define chambers that change volume with rotation of the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Exponential Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Alejandro Juan, Curtis Patterson, Erik Farrell, Stephen F. Scott, Kyle Fiolka
  • Patent number: 9771943
    Abstract: A regulating rod (1) has a rod part (2) which has an end region (3) provided with an external thread and an end piece (4) which has a receiving recess (5). A knurled nut (6) is arranged and guided in the receiving recess (5) and has an internal thread into which the external thread of the externally threaded end region (3) is screwed. The end piece (4) further has a weld window (8) adjacent the knurled nut. Once the length of the regulating rod is adjusted by rotation of the knurled nut, further rotation of the knurled nut is prevented by introducing and filling the weld window with a weld filler such that the knurled nut (6) is non-detachably fixed and thereby the set length of the regulating rod is fixed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventors: Dirk Burkhard, Leif Heidingsfelder
  • Patent number: 9752571
    Abstract: Designs for multiple segment lobe pumps are shown. The designs include pumps using rotors having two lobes to a plurality of lobes and segments that include two segments to a plurality of segments. Designs for both vertical, or straight walled conventional lobed rotors, as well as helical lobe rotors are shown. The designs are applicable to a variety of rotors and number of segments. In one particular case the designs enable a three lobe helical pump. Designs are also shown for separation plates used between the multiple segments. The separation float between the pairs of lobes in a segment and can also have a fixed position between the lobes by inclusion of end pieces that enable clamping of the separation plates in position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Inventor: Brian J. O'Connor
  • Patent number: 9752574
    Abstract: A cooling and lubricating arrangement of tribological contact areas is disclosed. The arrangement includes tribological contact areas that slide over one another, of which at least one contact area has a surface contour with surface depressions in which a lubricant is stored. The surface contour forms a number of elongate grooves, the gap heights of which, at least in respect of respectively two adjacent grooves, are preferably different.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Rene Scheerer, Patrick Steiner
  • Patent number: 9732749
    Abstract: Embodiments provide a rotary lobe pump for conveying a fluid medium containing solids. Two rotary lobes have rotational axes that are spaced apart from each other a minimum length distance. A housing enclosing the two rotary lobes has an inlet opening and an outlet opening, each with a continuously decreasing convergence and defined lengths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Hugo Vogelsang Maschinenbau GmbH
    Inventor: Paul Krampe
  • Patent number: 9719425
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure include a cooling supply circuit within a turbine wheel, which may include: a substantially axial passage configured to communicate air along an axial length of the turbine wheel; a substantially radial inlet positioned within the turbine wheel between a hollow interior of the turbine wheel and the substantially axial passage, the inlet being configured to direct a rotor purge air into the substantially axial passage; and a substantially radial outlet positioned within the turbine wheel between the substantially axial passage and a cooled component coupled to a radial exterior of the turbine wheel, the outlet being configured to direct the rotor purge air towards the cooled component, wherein the outlet is axially displaced from the inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Eric David Roush
  • Patent number: 9709024
    Abstract: A free stream fluid kinetic energy conversion device combines a large diameter freewheeling primary rotor with small diameter secondary power takeoff rotors placed within the lift induced blade tip vortices of the primary rotor. This enables use of high rotational speed generating units and avoids diseconomy of scale in gearbox expense. The device partially recovers otherwise lost blade tip vortex energy. The freewheeling primary rotor transmits no reaction torque to the support structure. Resilient buoyant tether deployment accommodates transient eddy induced structural loads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Inventor: John Hincks Duke
  • Patent number: 9702274
    Abstract: A camshaft assembly includes a cam carrier and a camshaft that is rotatable relative to the cam carrier in a first configuration and fixed against rotation in a second configuration. The assembly further includes a cam target wheel that includes notches, a first and second half-wheel, and a groove. The assembly additionally includes a camshaft position sensor holder that includes a camshaft sensor bore that provides access to the groove. Also, the assembly includes a camshaft position sensor received in the camshaft sensor bore in the first configuration. Moreover, the assembly includes a locking mechanism received in the camshaft sensor bore in the second configuration. The locking mechanism includes an engagement member configured to selectively engage the groove for locking the camshaft into position relative to the cam carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Schnoelzer, Robert Wartanian