Patents Examined by Woody A Lee, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11485486
    Abstract: Systems, methods, lift fans, and aircraft involving active flow control of a ducted fan or fan-in-wing configuration are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: The University of Toledo
    Inventors: Chunhua Sheng, Qiuying Zhao
  • Patent number: 11486267
    Abstract: A roller element device, in particular for a gas turbine engine, comprises an outer ring with an inner raceway, an inner ring with an outer raceway, and roller elements which are arranged between the raceways so as to roll thereon, wherein the outer ring and the inner ring are each connected via a connecting portion to a respective fixing portion for fixing to one of two components which are rotatable relative to each other about a rotation axis, and the connecting portions are formed such that the two raceways can be jointly tilted at least in portions relative to the rotation axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG
    Inventors: Jonas Schwengler, Tobias Eberhardt
  • Patent number: 11480155
    Abstract: A lubrication system for a drive train of a wind turbine includes an oil reservoir having an outlet, a supply valve, a gearbox having an oil inlet and oil outlet, a drain valve and a siphon is provided. The oil reservoir is coupled to the supply valve and the supply valve is coupled to the inlet of the gearbox. The oil outlet of the gearbox is coupled to the drain valve and to a first end of the siphon. The supply valve is configured to open in an off-grid state of the wind turbine and the drain valve is configured to close in the off-grid state of the wind turbine. The siphon is configured to adjust an internal oil level in the gearbox in the off-grid state of the wind turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Inventor: Andreas Rogg
  • Patent number: 11480059
    Abstract: An airfoil includes an airfoil wall that defines a leading end, a trailing end, and first and second sides that join the leading end and the trailing end. A rib connects the first and second sides of the airfoil wall. The rib defines a tube portion that circumscribes a rib passage, and first and second connector arms that solely join the tube portion to, respectively, the first and second sides of the airfoil wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Brandon W. Spangler, David R. Pack
  • Patent number: 11472534
    Abstract: Rotor hubs having pitch control systems and related methods are disclosed herein. An example apparatus includes a housing including a first housing arm to support a first blade grip and a first blade spindle and a second housing arm to support a second blade grip and a second blade spindle. The example apparatus includes a first pitch link and a second pitch link. The example apparatus includes a first pitch arm coupled to the first pitch link and one of the first blade grip or the first blade spindle and a second pitch arm coupled to the second pitch link and one of the second blade grip or the second blade spindle. The second pitch arm is to extend past the first housing arm to couple with the one of the second blade grip or the second blade spindle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventor: Nicholas Louis Wilson
  • Patent number: 11473435
    Abstract: A vane for a turbine engine turbine includes a blade and at least one platform that radially extends the blade, and a system for reducing vortices including at least one circuit including a duct extending from at least one air intake orifice formed in the platform upstream of the leading edge as far as at least one air exhaust slot formed on the trailing edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Ludovic Pintat, Eric Roger Schwartz
  • Patent number: 11473430
    Abstract: The invention relates to a turbomachine assembly (1) comprising a fan (2) and a booster drum-type part (3), the fan (2) comprising:—blades (20) comprising an airfoil (23) and an extension (30) mounted on and attached to the trailing edge (25) of the airfoil (23),—a fan (2) disc (10) and—a series of inter-blade platforms (16), the extension (30) of each blade (20) extending beyond the downstream face (14) of the fan (2) disc (10) in the direction of the upstream edge (4) of the part (3) and covering, at least partially, the cavity (6) between the fan (2) and the part (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Paul Antoine Foresto, Vivien Mickaël Courtier, Stéphane Roger Mahias, William Henri Joseph Riera
  • Patent number: 11466690
    Abstract: A water cooling radiator with a heat conducting plate of full-injection-molding closed heat radiation structure, including a surface cover, a motor, a main chamber provided with a motor mounting groove and a water cooling liquid inlet/outlet, an impeller arranged at the bottom of the main chamber, a turbine housing provided at the bottom of the impeller, and a heat radiation baseplate provided with an upper baseplate and a lower baseplate. A motor transmission seat is arranged in the motor mounting groove, and the bottom of the impeller is provided with fan blades. The bottom of the upper baseplate is provided with a throttling plate connected with the upper baseplate in a limiting contact manner through a throttling plate limiting groove, and the throttling plate is provided with a throttling plate through hole. The bottom of the lower baseplate is inlaid and connected with a metal bottom heat radiation plate insert.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Inventor: Ganglong Fan
  • Patent number: 11466576
    Abstract: An airfoil for a gas turbine engine according to an example of the present disclosure includes, among other things, an airfoil section extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge in a chordwise direction and extending between a tip portion and a root section in a spanwise direction. The airfoil section defines pressure and suction sides separated in a thickness direction. A sheath extends in the spanwise direction along at least one of the pressure and suction sides of the airfoil section. A tip cap extends in the chordwise direction along the at least one of the pressure and suction sides. The sheath includes a first set of interface members. The tip cap includes a second set of interface members interleaved with the first set of interface members to establish at least one joint along an external surface of the at least one of the pressure and suction sides. A method of assembly for an airfoil is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Nicholas D. Stilin
  • Patent number: 11460037
    Abstract: There is disclosed a gas turbine engine including a bearing housing having at least two bearings axially spaced from one another relative to a central axis. The bearing housing includes an axially deformable bellows between the bearings configured to permit axial relative movement of the bearings. A method of operating a bearing assembly is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Guy Lefebvre, John Pietrobon
  • Patent number: 11459894
    Abstract: An airfoil fairing includes an airfoil section that is formed of a fiber-reinforced composite wall. The airfoil section has first and second radial ends, pressure and suction sides, leading and trailing ends that join the pressure and suction sides, an internal cavity, and a rib that extends radially in the internal cavity. The rib has a radial rib end at the first radial end of the airfoil section and extends across the internal cavity from a first rib side at the pressure side to a second rib side at the suction side. The rib defines at the radial end first and second shoulders. The first and second shoulders define a radial notch there between.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tyler G. Vincent, Chang Gao, Bryan P. Dube
  • Patent number: 11459912
    Abstract: A flow guide is provided with a flange, a guide plate, and an inside member. A ring groove which is recessed to the radially outer side from an inner circumferential surface and which extends in a circumferential direction based on the axis is formed in the flange. The inside member includes a fitted portion which enters the ring groove, and a cover portion which faces the inner circumferential surface of the flange in the radial direction. The cover portion covers at least parts of the inner circumferential surface of the flange and an inner circumferential surface of the guide plate that face a tip end of a moving blade in the radial direction. The cover portion is formed from a material having a higher erosion resistance with respect to steam and steam drain than the flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Takeki Nakayama, Yasuyuki Tatsumi, Takeo Tokumoto, Hiromu Sagimori
  • Patent number: 11454121
    Abstract: An edge guard apparatus for an airfoil includes: a body having a nose section with spaced-apart first and second sidewalls extending therefrom, the body defining a cavity between the first and second sidewalls; and internal bracing disposed in the cavity, the internal bracing including at least one cross-member extending between the first and second sidewalls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Gary Williard Bryant, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11448089
    Abstract: A computer implemented method for detecting a damage to a gas turbine engine. The gas turbine engine includes a fan and a plurality of turbine stages including a low pressure turbine stage. The fan is drivably coupled to the low pressure turbine stage. The method includes receiving a first signal indicative of a speed of rotation of the fan. The method further includes receiving a second signal indicative of a speed of rotation of the low pressure turbine stage. The method further includes determining a difference metric representative of a difference between the speed of rotation of the fan and the speed of rotation of the low pressure turbine stage. The method further includes determining whether a damage event has occurred based on whether the difference metric passes a threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventor: Stefano Loreti
  • Patent number: 11448093
    Abstract: A turbine vane includes an airfoil that extends from an inner diameter to an outer diameter, and from a leading edge to a trailing edge. The turbine vane includes an inner platform coupled to the airfoil at the inner diameter. The turbine vane includes a cooling system defined in the airfoil including a first conduit in proximity to the leading edge to cool the leading edge and a second conduit to cool the trailing edge. The first conduit has an inlet at the outer diameter to receive a cooling fluid and an outlet portion that is defined at least partially through the inner platform. The first conduit includes a plurality of cooling features that extend between a first surface and a second surface of the first conduit, and the first surface of the first conduit is opposite the leading edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Steven Whitaker, Daniel C. Crites, Mark C. Morris, Ardeshir Riahi
  • Patent number: 11448131
    Abstract: Provided are fluid exchange apparatuses and methods of exchanging fluids between streams. Exemplary fluid exchange apparatus includes a first interleaved pathway with a plurality of first passages, and a second interleaved pathway with a plurality of second passages, in which the plurality of first passages and the plurality of second passages interleave with one another. Exemplary methods include directing a first fluid through a first interleaved pathway of a fluid exchange apparatus and directing a second fluid through a second interleaved pathway of a fluid exchange apparatus. The first fluid may flow from an upstream portion of a first duct into the first interleaved pathway and may discharge into a downstream portion of the second duct. The second fluid may flow from an upstream portion of the second duct into the second interleaved pathway and may discharge into a downstream portion of the first duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Jeffrey Douglas Rambo
  • Patent number: 11448183
    Abstract: This invention relates to a noise reducing device and a wind turbine blade comprises such a noise reducing device. The noise reducing device comprises noise reducing elements projecting from a base part towards a second end. Airflow modifying elements projects further from the base part towards a first end. The noise reducing elements and airflow modifying elements are arranged on opposite sides of the base part and preferably have different dimensions and/or shapes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: LM WIND POWER US TECHNOLOGY APS
    Inventors: Carlos Arce, Peter Baek, Bjarke Van Malkenhorst
  • Patent number: 11441430
    Abstract: An airfoil includes a ceramic matrix composite airfoil core that defines an airfoil portion and a root portion. The ceramic matrix composite airfoil core is subject to core thermal growth. A platform includes a ceramic matrix composite that wraps around the root portion. The platform is subject to platform thermal growth. A buffer layer is located between the root portion and the platform. The buffer layer absorbs a mismatch between the core thermal growth and the platform thermal growth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Michael G. McCaffrey
  • Patent number: 11441449
    Abstract: A securing tool for a heat retention block covering a turbine casing main body includes: a securing rod, one end of which has an engaging portion with a protrusion; and a socket. The socket includes a guide groove, into which the protrusion of the securing rod is inserted, and a recessed groove. The guide groove includes a first guide groove, which extends in the socket axis direction from a starting end to a terminal end, and a second guide groove, the starting end of which is connected to the terminal end, and which extends from the starting end to a terminal end in a circumferential direction relative to the socket axis. The second guide groove is connected to the recessed groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Hyota Abe, Yuji Kurokawa, Takuya Izumi, Takeshi Nakao, Keisuke Ide, Osamu Koga
  • Patent number: 11441546
    Abstract: Provided is a wind turbine including: a hub, at least one blade fixed to the hub, a nacelle on which the hub is rotatably mounted for rotating about a rotational axis, a tower on which the nacelle is mounted, a plurality of hitting areas which are subject to be hit by a lightning stroke. The nacelle includes an outer cover having a first plurality of portions including a conductive material and a second plurality of portions including a non-conductive material, the first plurality of portions being arranged along at least a path between the plurality of hitting areas and the tower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Inventor: Henrik Abild Jensen