Patents Examined by Paul W Thiede
  • Patent number: 10364687
    Abstract: A fan for gas turbine engine that includes hub and annular array of fan blades mounted to hub and extending radially outwardly from hub, each fan blade includes blade root. The hub includes a plurality of hub grooves having shape complimentary to shape of blade root and each hub groove receives and radially retains one blade root. A slot is provided on the suction side and on the pressure side of each blade root. Plurality of keys is provided, each key engages with slots in one blade root and with corresponding hub groove so as to axially retain fan blade. The key includes two arms and joining member, two arms are received in slots provided on blade root and joining member extends between the arms. Interface is defined between key arms and slots in blade root, and greater or equal percentage of interface is curved than is planar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Keith Christopher Goldfinch, Antonios Kalochairetis
  • Patent number: 10316745
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine assembly includes, among other things, a clutch configured to move from a first position to a second position in response to rotation of a gas turbine engine fan at a speed greater than a threshold speed. Whether the clutch is in the first position or the second position, the clutch permits rotation of the gas turbine engine fan in a first direction. When the clutch is in the first position, the clutch limits rotation of the gas turbine engine fan only in an opposite, second direction. The clutch is disposed within a compartment that is accessible and removable via removal of an aft engine cover structure. The clutch is removable on-wing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: William G. Sheridan, Michael E. McCune
  • Patent number: 10316665
    Abstract: A shaft coupling between a first shaft and a second shaft includes a seal assembly to minimize leakage. The seal assembly includes a ring press fit against an inner surface of the first shaft and a clearance fit with an inner surface of the second shaft. A seal is supported between the ring and the inner surface of the second shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Scott D. Virkler
  • Patent number: 10309251
    Abstract: A rotor assembly includes a first rotor, a second rotor mounted on the first rotor and co-rotatable there with, and a thermal shield interlocked with the second rotor for co-rotation there with.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jonathan Perry Sandoval, Julian Partyka
  • Patent number: 10294794
    Abstract: 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 and a hook projecting in a generally radially inward direction from the annular casing element. An annular fan track liner is provided comprising a first fan track liner panel positioned circumferentially adjacent a second fan track liner panel. A coupling connects the first fan track liner panel to the second fan track liner panel and the first fan track liner panel and the second fan track liner panel each comprise a groove along an axial face thereof and a portion of the coupling is received in each of said grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: Julian Mark Reed
  • Patent number: 10294806
    Abstract: An article includes a body that has a coating thereon. The coating has a first portion disposed on a first section of the body and a second portion disposed on a second, different section of the body. The first portion has a first microstructure and the second portion has a second, different microstructure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sarah Riley, Jeffrey R. Levine, Mark A. Boeke
  • Patent number: 10287992
    Abstract: A hybrid variable bleed valve includes a static bleed slot disposed in a transition duct defining a flow path for a core air flow, a variable bleed valve door disposed radially outwardly of the transition duct and the static bleed slot, a radially inward bleed cavity defined radially outwardly of the transition duct and radially inward of the variable bleed valve door for collection of a plurality of particulates and a pressure recovery return duct in fluid communication with the radially inward cavity and the transition duct. The hybrid variable bleed valve apparatus operable to open and close the variable bleed valve door to a booster bleed flow, flowing radially outwardly from the static bleed slot, for extraction of the particulates and provide a pressure recovery flow into the core air flow via the pressure recovery return duct. The hybrid variable bleed valve configured for use in a gas turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Chiong Siew Tan, Hsiung-Wei Yeong
  • Patent number: 10280778
    Abstract: An assembly for a turbine engine includes a turbine engine first component, a turbine engine second component and a seal assembly. The first component includes a groove and a groove surface. The second component includes a tongue that extends into the groove to a tongue surface. The seal assembly at least partially seals a gap between the groove surface and the tongue surface. The seal assembly includes a rope seal and a clip that attaches the rope seal to the tongue. The rope seal is arranged within the groove between the groove surface and the tongue surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Mark J. Rogers, Timothy M. Davis, Mark Broomer, Kevin W. White, Craig McGarrah, Carson A. Roy Thill
  • Patent number: 10253752
    Abstract: A rotor blade for a wind turbine may generally include a first blade component formed from a first fiber-reinforced composite including a first thermoplastic resin material and a second blade component configured to be coupled to the first blade component at a joint interface. The second blade component may be formed from a second fiber-reinforced composite including a second thermoplastic resin material, wherein the second thermoplastic resin material differs from the first thermoplastic resin material. The rotor blade may also include an additional layer(s) of thermoplastic resin material positioned on or integrated into the second fiber-reinforced composite at the joint interface that differs from the second thermoplastic resin material. Moreover, the first thermoplastic resin material of the first fiber-reinforced composite may be welded to the additional layer(s) of the thermoplastic resin material to form a welded joint at the joint interface between the first and second blade components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Christopher Daniel Caruso, Aaron A. Yarbrough, Daniel Alan Hynum, James Robert Tobin
  • Patent number: 10208600
    Abstract: A radial turbine includes a housing, a rotor mounted on a shaft, an inlet channel for supplying a defined working medium, and an outlet channel. The rotor includes working cavities, with a generally spiral shape, which conduct the defined working medium from the inlet channel to the outlet channel, located near the center of the rotor. The working cavities have a generally rectangular cross-section, with a width (W), parallel to an axis of rotation of the rotor, and a height (H), parallel to a radius of the rotor. The width (W) is greater than the height (H), and the height (H) is not greater than six times a thickness of a boundary layer of the defined working medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Inventor: Piotr Jeute