Patents Examined by Su Htay
  • Patent number: 10301959
    Abstract: A seal assembly for restricting fluid leakage flow through a fluid leakage cavity defined between a first component and second component that is rotatable about an axis relative to the first component, the seal assembly having a fluid jet outlet configured to admit a fluid jet into the fluid leakage cavity in an upstream direction which is inclined to the axis, a first flow restriction located downstream of the fluid jet outlet and at a location such that the fluid jet admitted from the fluid jet outlet would impinge on the first flow restriction once the fluid jet has turned to flow in an axial direction, and a second flow restriction located downstream of the first flow restriction. An axial flow turbine having a turbine rotor mounted within a housing may incorporate such a seal assembly in a fluid leakage cavity defined between the turbine rotor and the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: Cummins Ltd.
    Inventors: Simon Hogg, Michael Hilfer
  • Patent number: 10240474
    Abstract: A turbomachine includes a seal device for sealing a gap between two components, with a plurality of sealing elements tippable in the direction of a relative displacement of the components. The sealing elements are mounted on one of the components and bridge the gap where the device has prestressing elements, by which the tippable sealing elements are prestressed against a respective sealing edge of the components. The prestressing elements are each supported at a front support point and a back support point of the component on the mounting side, these points being distanced from one another in the axial direction and in the radial direction of the turbomachine where the front support point is disposed radially outside and the back support point is disposed radially inside with respect to the mounting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: MTU Aero Engines AG
    Inventors: Manfred Feldmann, Daniel Kirchner
  • Patent number: 10233759
    Abstract: A system includes an airfoil that includes a first suction portion of a nominal airfoil profile in accordance with Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y, and Z of a suction side as set forth in TABLE I, wherein the X and Y values of the suction side are coordinate values that couple together to define suction side sections of the first suction portion of the nominal airfoil profile at each Z coordinate value, the suction side sections of the first suction portion of the nominal airfoil profile are coupled together to define the first suction portion, the airfoil includes an airfoil length along a Z axis, the first suction portion includes a first portion length along the Z axis, the first portion length is less than or equal to the airfoil length, and the Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y, and Z are non-dimensional values convertible to dimensional distances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Marc Edward Blohm, Sharan Shanti
  • Patent number: 10180083
    Abstract: A convertible ducted fan engine having a shroud connected to a shroud shaft, a drive shaft connected to a mechanical fan, a rotational drive motor configured to rotate the drive shaft and mechanical fan, and a linear drive motor configured to translate the drive shaft and mechanical fan in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the shroud. The convertible ducted fan engine includes a fluid-propulsion configuration in which the mechanical fan rotates freely with respect to the shroud to produce thrust through fluid flow, and a drive-wheel configuration in which the mechanical fan is in contact with the shroud, thereby causing concurrent rotation of the shroud and mechanical fan when the mechanical fan rotates about the rotational axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: Hyalta Aeronautics, Inc.
    Inventor: Scott R. Kempshall
  • Patent number: 10132172
    Abstract: It is disclosed an arrangement of a rotor and at least a blade. The blade includes a root, a platform and an airfoil. The rotor includes a seat for the root. The root has side walls which complement side walls of the seat and axial walls between the side walls. A chamber is provided between the root and the rotor. A shank cavity is provided between the root and the platform. A lock plate facing at least an axial wall is connected to the rotor and the blade. The lock plate has at least a slot on a side facing the root.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: ANSALDO ENERGIA SWITZERLAND AG
    Inventors: Carl Berger, Marco Lamminger, Christoph Didion, Cyrille Bricaud, Philippe Thomas Lott, Igor Tsypkaykin
  • Patent number: 10100744
    Abstract: Example bleed air and engine starter systems are described herein that employ a shaft-driven compressor to start an aircraft engine and/or to supply pressurized air to one or more systems of an aircraft. An example compressor includes a housing and an impeller disposed within a cavity of the housing. The impeller is operatively coupled to a drive shaft. The compressor includes a first port in the housing to direct onto the impeller to rotate the impeller when the compressor is operating in a first mode. In the first mode, the impeller is to drive the drive shaft. The compressor also includes a second port in the housing oriented to provide air to the impeller when the impeller is operating in a second mode. In the second mode, the drive shaft is to rotate the impeller to draw the air from the first port and increase a pressure of the air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Steve G. Mackin, David W. Foutch, Eric G. Landre
  • Patent number: 9828860
    Abstract: A compressor blade of a gas turbine includes an airfoil made of a fiber-reinforced plastic and a leading-edge element connected to said airfoil. The leading-edge element includes two partial elements, which are fabricated as separate elements and connected to one another, with the leading-edge element being connected to the airfoil essentially using the clamping effect of the two partial elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG
    Inventor: Karl Schreiber
  • Patent number: 9816489
    Abstract: Towers for wind turbines are provided. In one embodiment, a tower includes a hollow shell defining an interior, the hollow shell extending generally along a longitudinal axis. The tower further includes a platform disposed in the interior and connected to the shell. The platform includes a first plate fixedly connected to the shell. The platform further includes a second plate movably connected to the first plate such that relative movement of the first plate and second plate is permitted in a plane generally transverse to the longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Raghunandan Chickballapur Venkatakrishnappa, Umesh B. Shingne
  • Patent number: 9810071
    Abstract: An internally cooled airfoil for a gas turbine engine has a hollow airfoil body defining a core cavity. An insert is mounted in the core cavity. A cooling gap is provided between the insert and the hollow airfoil body. A plurality of standoffs project across the cooling gap. Trip-strips projecting laterally between adjacent standoffs. The trip-strips and the standoffs may be integrated into a unitary heat transfer feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventor: Michael Papple
  • Fan
    Patent number: 9797411
    Abstract: A ceiling fan includes an annular nozzle having an inner wall, an outer wall extending about the inner wall, an air inlet for receiving an air flow, an air outlet for emitting the air flow, and an interior passage located between the inner and outer wall for conveying the air flow to the air outlet. The inner wall defines a bore through which air from outside the nozzle is drawn by the air flow emitted from the air outlet. A support assembly supports the nozzle on a ceiling and includes a ceiling mount for mounting the ceiling fan on a ceiling, an arm having a first end connected to the ceiling mount, and a body connected to a second end of the arm and the annular nozzle. The body is pivotable relative to the arm about a pivot axis to move the annular nozzle between a raised and lowered position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited
    Inventors: James Dyson, Neil Andrew Stewart, Rodney James Brown
  • Patent number: 9796055
    Abstract: A method of repairing a turbine engine case includes the steps of removing worn material from a retention hook in a casing, and inserting an insert into a recess within the hook.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Derek W. Anderson, Oleg Ivanov, Michael J. Madel
  • Patent number: 9790952
    Abstract: A seal monitoring and control system for a gas lubricated non-contacting seal includes various sensors providing signals to a programmable logic control system. The control system is disposed to determine a presence of an anomalous operating condition of the seal, for example, based on phase, relative position of rotor to stator or other signals in combination provided by the various sensors to provide an output signal, which in one embodiment performs at least one mitigating process to correct the anomalous operating condition by adjusting at least one operating parameter of the seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: John Crane Inc.
    Inventors: Elhanafi Shamseldin, Joe Delrahim, Paul A. Hosking, Joseph L. Savio, Vladimir Bakalchuk
  • Patent number: 9784275
    Abstract: The invention relates to a centrifugal pump for conveying a gaseous suspension, in particular a fiber pulp suspension, which has a pump impeller (12) with at least one opening (15) in the base plate and ribs (16) on the rear side, where a separator unit (17) is provided consisting of a separator housing (25) with a stationary disc (18) and a disc (22) that rotates together with the pump shaft (21), where the separator unit (17) is arranged in the pump housing adjoining the pump impeller (12) on its rear side when viewing the pump impeller (12) in axial direction and where the separator housing (25) has a gas collecting chamber (31) with a gas discharge pipe (28). It is characterized by the disc (22) that rotates together with the pump shaft (21) having a closed surface (23) without openings. As a result, pulp losses are reduced and the centrifugal pump achieves better stability when pumping a gaseous suspension, particularly a fiber pulp suspension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: ANDRITZ AG
    Inventor: Ludwig Michal
  • Patent number: 9759197
    Abstract: The invention relates to a wind turbine rotor comprising a hub, a plurality of blades, and at least one pitch mechanism for rotating at least one of the blades, each pitch mechanism comprising a partial ring gear, a pitch bearing, a pinion that is arranged to mesh with the partial or complete ring gear and a pitch motor arranged for driving said pinion, wherein the pitch bearing is mounted between the hub and a blade, and the ring gear is mounted on the hub or on the blade. The invention further relates to a method of repairing a partial or complete ring gear in a wind turbine rotor, the ring gear comprising a plurality of segments, the method comprising detaching at least a segment of the ring gear and attaching the ring gear in a modified configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: ALSTOM Renewable Technologies
    Inventor: Pierre Pasquet
  • Patent number: 9752584
    Abstract: A compressor arrangement has a common shaft, an axial compressor having at least a single-stage, and a radial compressor having at least single-stage. Assemblies of the, or each, axial compressor stage on the rotor side and assemblies of the, or each, radial compressor stage on the rotor side are attached to a common shaft (4). A ratio between a maximum diameter of the shaft (4) in the region of the axial compressor (2) and a minimum radial impeller seat diameter of the shaft (4) in the region of the radial compressor (3) is between 1.5 and 3.0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: MAN Diesel & Turbo SE
    Inventors: Klaus Hörmeyer, Roland Emmrich, Bernhard Eisenberg, Dirk Anding, Henning Ressing
  • Fan
    Patent number: 9745996
    Abstract: A fan casing includes an impeller housing, a mixed-flow impeller located within the impeller housing, and a motor for driving the impeller. The impeller includes a hub connected to the motor, and a plurality of blades connected to the hub, each blade comprising a leading edge located adjacent the air inlet of the impeller housing, an inner side edge connected to and extending partially about the outer surface of the hub, an outer side edge located opposite to the inner side edge, and a blade tip located at the intersection of the leading edge and the outer side edge. The leading edge comprises an inner portion located adjacent the hub, and an outer portion located adjacent the blade tip, and wherein the inner portion is swept rearwardly from the hub to the outer portion, and the outer portion is swept forwardly from the inner portion to the blade tip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited
    Inventor: Michal Rafal Nurzynski
  • Patent number: 9732631
    Abstract: An exhaust-gas turbocharger (1) having a turbine housing (2), and having an exhaust manifold (3) connected to the turbine housing (2). At least one adapter ring (4, 5) is arranged between the turbine housing (2) and the exhaust manifold (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventor: Hans-Juergen Tschirschke
  • Patent number: 9726029
    Abstract: A fluid cooling arrangement in a gas turbine engine for aerospace propulsion includes an inner structure. Also included is an outer structure disposed radially outwardly of the inner structure, the outer structure and the inner structure defining a bypass flow path. Further included is at least one strut operatively coupling the inner structure to the outer structure. Yet further included is at least one cooling tube formed within the at least one strut, the at least one cooling tube configured to cool a fluid passing through the at least one cooling tube upon convective cooling of the at least one strut as air passes through the bypass flow path and over the at least one strut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Lubomir A. Ribarov, James S. Elder, Leo J. Veilleux, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9719515
    Abstract: A pump for pumping liquids containing entrained solids. The pump includes a volute surrounding an impeller comprising vanes that are self-cleaning. The outer surfaces of the vanes are coplanar and define a first plane and have a leading edge. The volute includes a planar mating surface defining a second plane parallel to the first plane of the rotary impeller. The planar mating surface is proximate to the outer surfaces of the vanes and includes a plurality of channels extending radially from the inner perimeter to the outer perimeter thereof. Each channel includes a forward edge in the direction of impeller rotation. The channels are oriented such that when the impeller is rotated within the volute, for any vane, the leading edge of the vane traverses each channel progressively from the inner end of the channel to the outer end of the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Liberty Pumps, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald M. Pohler
  • Patent number: 9695838
    Abstract: The invention relates to a radial compressor (1) for an exhaust gas turbocharger, in particular of an internal combustion engine, with a compressor housing (2) comprising an axial inlet channel (3) and a radial outlet channel (4), with a compressor wheel (6) for delivering and compressing a gas, wherein the compressor wheel (6) has an axial inlet side (7) facing the inlet channel (3), a radial outlet side (8) facing the outlet channel (4) and an axial wheel surface contour (9), which extends from the inlet side (6) as far as to the outlet side (7), with an adapter element (10) which is substantially designed sleeve-like, which can be axially introduced into a fastening section (11) provided on the compressor housing (2), wherein the adapter element (10) at least in sections has a surface contour (13), which is designed substantially complementarily to the axial wheel surface contour (9), so that by axially moving the adapter element (10) in the fastening section (11) a gap width (w) of a passage gap (14) a
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Bosch Mahle Turbo Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Max Fiedler, Urs Hanig, Fabian Haslinger