Patents Examined by Ryan Ellis
  • Patent number: 8512003
    Abstract: A turbine blade includes first and second tip ribs extending from a tip floor to define a tip cavity. An exit ramp bridges the ribs and rises in elevation aft from the floor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Kevin Samuel Klasing, Ching-Pang Lee, Paul Hadley Vitt, Brian David Keith
  • Patent number: 8469670
    Abstract: A fan assembly is disclosed herein. The fan assembly includes a fan operable to rotate about an axis. The fan includes a hub and a plurality of blades extending radially from the hub relative to the axis. The fan also includes a reinforcing member positioned adjacent to the fan along the axis. The reinforcing member contacts a predetermined subset of less than all of the plurality of blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Roy David Fulayter, Bradley T. Fanton
  • Patent number: 8465257
    Abstract: A propeller assembly is disclosed, comprising propeller blades pivotably mounted on a propeller hub. A cam follower is disposed on each propeller blade. A cam is movable between a first position, a second position and a third position. Recesses formed in the cam have a first segment, a second segment and a third segment, oriented at first, second and third angles. The first segment is oriented at a first angle relative to the central axis. The cam followers engage the first segment of the recesses when the cam moves between first and second positions to vary the pitch of the propeller blades between a first pitch and a second pitch. The cam followers engage the second segment of the recesses when the cam moves between second and third positions to vary the pitch of the propeller blades between the second pitch and a third pitch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: BRP US Inc.
    Inventors: Mark C. Noble, Richard McChesney, Laverne Tatge, Dave Calamia, Gerald Ewens, Rudolf Wendler, Simon Pfiffner
  • Patent number: 8449260
    Abstract: Composite load-bearing rotating rings suitable for use in fan sections of gas turbine engines, and processes for their fabrication. Such a ring has at least a first portion defining an integral abutment surface adapted to abut and retain hardware of a rotating machine, at least a second portion defining an integral flange adapted to secure the ring to a support structure of the rotating machine, and an insert. Each of the first and second portions and the insert contains a polymer matrix material and a fibrous reinforcement material, and the fibrous reinforcement material within the insert is oriented predominantly in a circumferential direction of the ring for carrying both circumferential and radial loads during rotation of the ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ming Xie, Scott Francis Neis, Steven Todd Slusher, Lee Alan Blanton
  • Patent number: 8444384
    Abstract: A rotor blade assembly and a method for adjusting a loading capability of a rotor blade are disclosed. The rotor blade assembly includes a rotor blade having surfaces defining a pressure side, a suction side, a leading edge, and a trailing edge extending between a tip and a root. The rotor blade further defines a span and a chord. The rotor blade assembly further includes a spoiler assembly operable to alter a flow past a surface of the rotor blade. The spoiler assembly is incrementally deployable from the surface along one of a length or a width of the spoiler assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: David Samuel Pesetsky
  • Patent number: 8414258
    Abstract: A support bar for a turbine diaphragm that facilitates reduced maintenance cycle time and cost is provided. In one aspect, the support bar is secured to the turbine diaphragm vertically rather than horizontally, allowing access to remove a lower diaphragm half without having to remove the rotor for maintenance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Steven Sebastian Burdgick, James Peter Anderson, Christopher Donald Porter
  • Patent number: 8360728
    Abstract: A system for balancing an aircraft propeller system receives a vibration signal from the aircraft propeller system and determines whether the vibration signal indicates a transient vibration condition. If it is determined that the vibration signal does not indicate a transient condition, the system enables a balance correction controller. The controller generates a balance correction signal based on the vibration signal, and balances the aircraft propeller system in response to the balance correction signal if the balance correction controller is enabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Lord Corporation
    Inventors: Steve F. Hildebrand, Russell E. Altieri, Wayne Winzenz
  • Patent number: 8360713
    Abstract: A vertical axis turbine machine for converting fluid flow into rotational energy and having a housing with an inlet, a turbine rotor having two spiral turbine blade sets, namely an upper blade set and a lower blade set, mounted on a common vertical axis in the housing, and in which the upper blade set twists in one direction and in which the lower blade set twists in the opposite direction, the upper and lower blade sets meeting at a central area of the rotor midway between top and bottom, and flow guides in the housing guiding incoming fluid flow onto the turbine rotor, and the rotor being surrounded by a plurality of impeller vanes extending vertically within the housing, and the housing having upper and lower outlet ducts, and outlets rearwardly of said housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Inventors: Claudio D Carosi, Maria D Carosi
  • Patent number: 8356936
    Abstract: There is described a substrate with a coating; the coating contains a coating matrix in whose matrix structure multilayered and/or encapsulated nanoparticles are arranged and release a dye when a limit temperature is exceeded the first time and/or trigger a color reaction which causes the color of the coating to change irreversibly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Rene Jabado, Jens Dahl Jensen, Ursus Krüger, Daniel Körtvelyessy, Volkmar Lüthen, Ralph Reiche, Michael Rindler, Raymond Ullrich
  • Patent number: 8348601
    Abstract: When changing a nozzle blade angle by rotating a drive ring, a contact load generated between an inner circumferential surface of the drive ring and an outer circumferential surface of a mount can be reduced, allowing the drive ring to rotate smoothly and reducing the amount of wear and a driving force. It is also possible to reduce an impact force, such as engine vibrations, generated at the drive ring when an external force acts, reducing the risk of damage. A plurality of notches (19) are provided at an inner rim of the drive ring (14), and, among inner circumferential surfaces (14a, 14b, 14c, 14d, 14e, 14f, 14g, and 14h) located between the notches (19), when a driving force for rotating the drive ring (14) is applied, the inner diameters of the inner circumferential surfaces (14e, 14f, 14g, and 14h) where the contact load with the outer circumferential surface of a mount becomes large are made larger than the outer diameter of the outer circumferential surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Noriyuki Hayashi, Yasuaki Jinnai, Hiroshi Suzuki, Yuki Ishii
  • Patent number: 8336185
    Abstract: The invention provides a rotary wing aircraft helicopter vehicle rod end and method of making a rod end. The rotary wing aircraft rod end includes a nonelastomeric inner member having an outer bonding surface segment and an axial bore with a center bore axis, a nonelastomeric outer member having an inner bonding surface segment and an axial bore center bore axis, and molded in place alternating elastomeric shims and nonelastomeric shims connecting the nonelastomeric inner member to the nonelastomeric outer member. The rod end includes a first inner elastomeric shim bonded to the nonelastomeric inner member outer bonding surface segment and to a first inner nonelastomeric shim and a second outer elastomeric shim bonded to the nonelastomeric outer member inner bonding surface segment and to a second outer nonelastomeric shim. The nonelastomeric inner member has a molded misalignment rotary wing aircraft rod end orientation with the outer nonelastomeric outer member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Lord Corporation
    Inventors: Frank O. James, Christopher F. Rajecki
  • Patent number: 8337150
    Abstract: A vertical axis wind turbine apparatus includes a stationary support platform having a platform pipe fixed to the platform. The platform pipe has an axis. The apparatus also includes a power ring dimensioned and configured for rotational movement about the platform pipe and having an axis of rotation coincident with the axis of the platform pipe. The power ring includes a sleeve concentric with the platform pipe that has a plurality openings therein. A plurality of rollers is carried on the power ring and each of the rollers extends through one of the openings and abuts the platform pipe thereby facilitating rotation of the power ring about the platform pipe. A plurality of elongated blades is carried on the power ring about the periphery thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Inventor: Malcolm G. Chapman
  • Patent number: 8337144
    Abstract: A system and method is provided for detecting and controlling rotating stall in the diffuser region of a compressor. A pressure transducer is placed in the gas flow path downstream of the impeller, preferably in the compressor discharge passage or the diffuser, to measure the sound or acoustic pressure phenomenon. Next, the signal from the pressure transducer is processed either using analog or digital techniques to determine the presence of rotating stall. Rotating stall is detected by comparing the detected energy amount, which detected energy amount is based on the measured acoustic pressure, with a predetermined threshold amount corresponding to the presence of rotating stall. Finally, an appropriate corrective action is taken to change the operation of the compressor in response to the detection of rotating stall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Robert E. Stabley, E. Curtis Eichelberger
  • Patent number: 8333547
    Abstract: A multiple-motor blower includes a housing and a plurality of motors. The housing has a common outlet passage and different inlet passages. The motors are accommodated in the housing and respectively drive impellers to generate airflow flowing from the inlet passages to the outlet passage. Each of the impellers includes a hub and a plurality of blades mounted around a circumference of the hub. A ratio of a distance between adjacent two of the blades to a thickness of the blade in at least one of the impellers is smaller than or equal to 3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Delta Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Wei-Chun Hsu, Shun-Chen Chang
  • Patent number: 8328501
    Abstract: A power tool includes a housing having an intake aperture, a fan disposed within the housing and operable to draw air through the intake aperture, and a fan intake shield positioned adjacent the intake aperture. The fan intake shield includes a first rib, a second rib adjacent the first rib and spaced from the first rib to define an air flow path into the intake aperture between the first rib and the second rib, and a third rib adjacent the first rib and spaced from the first rib to define an air flow path into the intake aperture between the first rib and the third rib. Each of the first, the second, and the third ribs has a respective height, and the height of the first rib is greater than the height of the second rib and the height of the third rib.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Techtronic Outdoor Products Technology Limited
    Inventors: Kenneth M. Brazell, Jesse J. Jerabek
  • Patent number: 8317473
    Abstract: A showerhead cooling arrangement for a turbine airfoil in which the showerhead includes a row of film cooling holes on the stagnation point of the leading edge, a row of pressure side film cooling holes, and a row of suction side film cooling holes to form the showerhead. A pattern of grooves is formed on the leading edge surface in both a criss cross shape and three longitudinal shapes and in which the showerhead film cooling holes are located in the grooves. A TBC is applied over the leading edge surface and into the grooves. The grooves retain the TBC and prevent spallation, and the grooves hold the film layer together longer so that the cooling effectiveness is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Florida Turbine Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: George Liang
  • Patent number: 8317470
    Abstract: A combined ceiling fan and light fitting (fan/light) (1) having folding fan blades (12) is provided. The fan light (1) has a blade support (13) arranged to be rotated by an electric motor (6), with blades (12) being secured to the blade support (13), a root end of each blade (12) being pivotable between folded and operative positions about a blade pivot axis-(14) fixed in the blade support (13). In one aspect of the invention, an improved mechanism is provided for synchronizing movement of the blades. This uses a sun gear (16) mounted to the blade support and arranged to mesh with planet gears (17) that rotate about the blade pivot axes (14). In addition improvements are provided to blades (12, 33, 60) and blade mounting arrangements that balance compact folding of the blades (12, 33, 60) and good air moving effectiveness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Fanaway Technology Hong Kong Ltd.
    Inventor: Joe Villella
  • Patent number: 8303250
    Abstract: A lift generating apparatus for a wind turbine rotor blade comprising a first sidewall and an opposing second sidewall coupled together at a leading edge and at a trailing edge. The lift generating apparatus includes at least one forward blade extension coupled to the rotor blade to define a first airflow channel between the forward blade extension and the rotor blade. The lift generating apparatus also includes at least one aft blade extension coupled to the rotor blade to define a second airflow channel between the aft blade extension and the rotor blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Omer Mohammed, Stefan Herr
  • Patent number: 8303247
    Abstract: A turbine engine blade outer air seal segment has a body having a base portion. The base portion has a transversely concave ID face, a forward end, an aft end, and first and second circumferential edges. The body has at least one mounting hook. The body comprises a metallic member and a ceramic member. The ceramic member and metallic member are joined along the base portion with the ceramic member inboard of the metallic member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin W. Schlichting, Melvin Freling, James A. Dierberger
  • Patent number: 8297927
    Abstract: A turbine airfoil with pressure and suction side walls having a series of radial extending multiple impingement cooling channels in which each channel is formed with a series of impingement chambers and impingement holes that discharge impingement cooling air against the backside walls of the airfoil. The spent impingement cooling air from the radial impingement channels is discharged into collector cavities and then discharge as film cooling air onto the external surface of the airfoil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Florida Turbine Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: George Liang