Patents by Inventor Brandon M. Rapp

Brandon M. Rapp has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10641109
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine rotor assembly includes a plurality of blades spaced apart from each other for rotation about an axis. Each of the blades includes a platform having an inner surface and an outer surface. Adjacent platforms are separated from each other by a gap. A damper is positioned at an offset position within the gap to contact the inner surfaces of the adjacent platforms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Brandon M. Rapp, Matthew Andrew Hough
  • Patent number: 10227875
    Abstract: A component for a gas turbine engine according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a platform that axially extends between a leading edge and a trailing edge, circumferentially extends between a first mate face and a second mate face, and includes a gas path surface and a non-gas path surface. The component defines at least one cavity that extends at least partially inside of the component. A first plurality of cooling holes extends from the at least one cavity to at least one of the first mate face and the second mate face and a second plurality of cooling holes extends from either the at least one cavity or the non-gas path surface to the gas path surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Scott D. Lewis, Brandon M. Rapp, Jeffrey S. Beattie, Matthew Andrew Hough, Bret M. Teller, Jeffrey Michael Jacques, Max Asterlin
  • Patent number: 10180067
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine component comprises a shroud, a U-channel, an internal cooling air passage and a U-channel cooling hole. The shroud comprises a forward face, an aft face, a first side face and a second side face. The U-channel is disposed in the aft face of the shroud. A gas path surface connects the forward face, aft face, first side face and second side face. A cooled surface connects the forward face, aft face, first side face and second side face opposite the gas path face. The internal cooling air passage extends through the shroud. The U-channel cooling hole extends into the first side face of the shroud adjacent the U-channel to intersect the internal cooling passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey S. Beattie, Scott D. Lewis, Mark F. Zelesky, Ricardo Trindade, Bret M. Teller, Jeffrey Michael Jacques, Brandon M. Rapp
  • Patent number: 10060262
    Abstract: A turbine blade vibration damper is described. The damper has an axially-extending main body defining an inner surface and opposed damping surface. The main body also has an edge spanning from the inner surface to the damping surface and slotted apertures extending through the main body. The slotted apertures extend between the inner surface and damping surface. Adjacent pairs of slotted apertures have elongated shapes defining longitudinal axes that intersect at a point off the surface of the damper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Robert Knowlton, Max Asterlin, Brandon M. Rapp, Parth Jariwala
  • Patent number: 10036260
    Abstract: A damper seal for a gas turbine engine rotor assembly has an axially elongated body with a leading edge, a trailing edge, a pressure side, and a suction side. The elongated body includes a first enlarged portion formed on the pressure side at the leading edge and a second enlarged portion formed on the suction side adjacent the trailing edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Brandon M. Rapp, Matthew Andrew Hough
  • Patent number: 10012085
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine rotor assembly has a plurality of blades spaced apart from each other for rotation about an axis. Each of the blades includes a platform having an inner surface and an outer surface. The inner surfaces of adjacent platforms define a pocket having a radially outer wall, a pressure side wall, and a suction side wall. The pocket includes a leading edge wall portion and a trailing edge wall portion, and a shelf extending in a tangential direction relative to the axis from the pressure side of the pocket. The shelf is spaced apart from the radially outer wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Matthew Andrew Hough, Brandon M. Rapp
  • Publication number: 20160102557
    Abstract: A turbine blade vibration damper is described. The damper has an axially-extending main body defining an inner surface and opposed damping surface. The main body also has an edge spanning from the inner surface to the damping surface and slotted apertures extending through the main body. The slotted apertures extend between the inner surface and damping surface. Adjacent pairs of slotted apertures have elongated shapes defining longitudinal axes that intersect at a point off the surface of the damper.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2014
    Publication date: April 14, 2016
    Inventors: Robert Knowlton, Max Asterlin, Brandon M. Rapp, Parth Jariwala
  • Patent number: 9243500
    Abstract: A turbine blade for a gas turbine engine includes an airfoil including leading and trailing edges joined by spaced apart pressure and suction sides to provide an exterior airfoil surface extending in a radial direction. The trailing edge is arranged on an aft side of the turbine blade. A root supports a platform from which the airfoil extends and a cooling passage extends within the root in the radial direction to the airfoil. A lower wing is arranged beneath the platform on the aft side and extends in an axial direction to provide a U-shaped channel with the platform that extends in a circumferential direction. An impingement hole extends from the U-channel to the cooling passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mark F. Zelesky, Ricardo Trindade, Bret M. Teller, Scott D. Lewis, Jeffrey S. Beattie, Jeffrey Michael Jacques, Brandon M. Rapp
  • Publication number: 20150377032
    Abstract: A component for a gas turbine engine according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a platform that axially extends between a leading edge and a trailing edge, circumferentially extends between a first mate face and a second mate face, and includes a gas path surface and a non-gas path surface. The component defines at least one cavity that extends at least partially inside of the component. A first plurality of cooling holes extends from the at least one cavity to at least one of the first mate face and the second mate face and a second plurality of cooling holes extends from either the at least one cavity or the non-gas path surface to the gas path surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2014
    Publication date: December 31, 2015
    Inventors: Scott D. LEWIS, Brandon M. RAPP, Jeffrey S. BEATTIE, Matthew Andrew HOUGH, Bret M. TELLER, Jeffrey Michael JACQUES, Max ASTERLIN
  • Publication number: 20150369048
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine rotor assembly has a plurality of blades spaced apart from each other for rotation about an axis. Each of the blades includes a platform having an inner surface and an outer surface. The inner surfaces of adjacent platforms define a pocket having a radially outer wall, a pressure side wall, and a suction side wall. The pocket includes a leading edge wall portion and a trailing edge wall portion, and a shelf extending in a tangential direction relative to the axis from the pressure side of the pocket. The shelf is spaced apart from the radially outer wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2014
    Publication date: December 24, 2015
    Inventors: Matthew Andrew HOUGH, Brandon M. RAPP
  • Publication number: 20150369057
    Abstract: A damper seal for a gas turbine engine rotor assembly has an axially elongated body with a leading edge, a trailing edge, a pressure side, and a suction side. The elongated body includes a first enlarged portion formed on the pressure side at the leading edge and a second enlarged portion formed on the suction side adjacent the trailing edge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Publication date: December 24, 2015
    Inventors: Brandon M. Rapp, Matthew Andrew Hough
  • Publication number: 20150125304
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine rotor assembly includes a plurality of blades spaced apart from each other for rotation about an axis. Each of the blades includes a platform having an inner surface and an outer surface. Adjacent platforms are separated from each other by a gap. A damper is positioned at an offset position within the gap to contact the inner surfaces of the adjacent platforms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Brandon M. Rapp, Matthew Andrew Hough
  • Publication number: 20140321961
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine component comprises a shroud, a U-channel, an internal cooling air passage and a U-channel cooling hole. The shroud comprises a forward face, an aft face, a first side face and a second side face. The U-channel is disposed in the aft face of the shroud. A gas path surface connects the forward face, aft face, first side face and second side face. A cooled surface connects the forward face, aft face, first side face and second side face opposite the gas path face. The internal cooling air passage extends through the shroud. The U-channel cooling hole extends into the first side face of the shroud adjacent the U-channel to intersect the internal cooling passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jeffrey S. Beattie, Scott D. Lewis, Mark F. Zelesky, Ricardo Trindade, Bret M. Teller, Jeffrey Michael Jacques, Brandon M. Rapp
  • Publication number: 20140000282
    Abstract: A turbine blade for a gas turbine engine includes an airfoil including leading and trailing edges joined by spaced apart pressure and suction sides to provide an exterior airfoil surface extending in a radial direction. The trailing edge is arranged on an aft side of the turbine blade. A root supports a platform from which the airfoil extends and a cooling passage extends within the root in the radial direction to the airfoil. A lower wing is arranged beneath the platform on the aft side and extends in an axial direction to provide a U-shaped channel with the platform that extends in a circumferential direction. An impingement hole extends from the U-channel to the cooling passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Inventors: Mark F. Zelesky, Ricardo Trindade, Bret M. Teller, Scott D. Lewis, Jeffrey S. Beattie, Jeffrey Michael Jacques, Brandon M. Rapp