Patents by Inventor Brian David Keith
Brian David Keith 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).
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Publication number: 20250188843Abstract: A turbine engine includes a compressor section, a combustion section, and a turbine section, and an airfoil with an outer wall defining a pressure side and a suction side and extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge to define a mean camber line. A first thickness is defined between the pressure side and the suction side at a first location along the mean camber line.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 21, 2025Publication date: June 12, 2025Inventors: Thomas William Vandeputte, Paul Hadley Vitt, Daniel Endecott Osgood, Brian David Keith
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Patent number: 12228048Abstract: A turbine engine includes a compressor section, a combustion section, and a turbine section, and an airfoil with an outer wall defining a pressure side and a suction side and extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge to define a mean camber line. A first thickness is defined between the pressure side and the suction side at a first location along the mean camber line.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2023Date of Patent: February 18, 2025Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Thomas William Vandeputte, Paul Hadley Vitt, Daniel Endecott Osgood, Brian David Keith
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Publication number: 20240167385Abstract: A turbine engine includes a compressor section, a combustion section, and a turbine section, and an airfoil with an outer wall defining a pressure side and a suction side and extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge to define a mean camber line. A first thickness is defined between the pressure side and the suction side at a first location along the mean camber line.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 16, 2023Publication date: May 23, 2024Inventors: Thomas William VANDEPUTTE, Paul Hadley VITT, Daniel Endecott OSGOOD, Brian David KEITH
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Patent number: 11952900Abstract: A variable guide vane assembly is provided for a turbine defining a core air flowpath. The variable guide vane assembly includes an airfoil band defining a flowpath surface and a cavity. The variable guide vane assembly further includes an airfoil including a first end extending at least partially into the cavity of the airfoil band and an opposite second end, the airfoil extending generally along an axis between the first end and the second end and being moveable generally about the axis relative to the airfoil band. The variable guide vane assembly further includes a sealing element operable to form a seal between the first end of the airfoil and the airfoil band.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 2022Date of Patent: April 9, 2024Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Alexander Martin Sener, Brian David Keith, David Alan Frey, Jamil Darnell Grant
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Patent number: 11952912Abstract: A turbine engine includes a compressor section, a combustion section, and a turbine section, and an airfoil with an outer wall defining a pressure side and a suction side and extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge to define a mean camber line. A first thickness is defined between the pressure side and the suction side at a first location along the mean camber line.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2022Date of Patent: April 9, 2024Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Thomas William Vandeputte, Paul Hadley Vitt, Daniel Endecott Osgood, Brian David Keith
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Patent number: 11939880Abstract: A turbine engine stage includes a plurality of airfoils extending between an inner band and an outer band. Each airfoil in the plurality of airfoils can have an outer wall defining a pressure side and a suction side, with the outer wall extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge. An intervening flow passage is defined between two adjacent airfoils in the plurality of airfoils.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 2022Date of Patent: March 26, 2024Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Paul Hadley Vitt, Matthew Brian Surprenant, Brian David Keith, Prem Venugopal, Thomas William Vandeputte
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Publication number: 20240068370Abstract: A turbine engine includes a compressor section, a combustion section, and a turbine section, and an airfoil with an outer wall defining a pressure side and a suction side and extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge to define a mean camber line. A first thickness is defined between the pressure side and the suction side at a first location along the mean camber line.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 24, 2022Publication date: February 29, 2024Inventors: Thomas William Vandeputte, Paul Hadley Vitt, Daniel Endecott Osgood, Brian David Keith
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Publication number: 20230014436Abstract: A variable guide vane assembly is provided for a turbine defining a core air flowpath. The variable guide vane assembly includes an airfoil band defining a flowpath surface and a cavity. The variable guide vane assembly further includes an airfoil including a first end extending at least partially into the cavity of the airfoil band and an opposite second end, the airfoil extending generally along an axis between the first end and the second end and being moveable generally about the axis relative to the airfoil band. The variable guide vane assembly further includes a sealing element operable to form a seal between the first end of the airfoil and the airfoil band.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 21, 2022Publication date: January 19, 2023Inventors: Alexander Martin Sener, Brian David Keith, David Alan Frey, Jamil Darnell Grant
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Publication number: 20210040861Abstract: A variable guide vane assembly is provided for a turbine defining a core air flowpath. The variable guide vane assembly includes an airfoil band defining a flowpath surface and a cavity. The variable guide vane assembly further includes an airfoil including a first end extending at least partially into the cavity of the airfoil band and an opposite second end, the airfoil extending generally along an axis between the first end and the second end and being moveable generally about the axis relative to the airfoil band. The variable guide vane assembly further includes a sealing element operable to form a seal between the first end of the airfoil and the airfoil band.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 26, 2020Publication date: February 11, 2021Inventors: Alexander Martin Sener, Brian David Keith, David Alan Frey, Jamil Darnell Grant
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Patent number: 10822981Abstract: A variable guide vane assembly is provided for a turbine defining a core air flowpath. The variable guide vane assembly includes an airfoil band defining a flowpath surface and a cavity. The variable guide vane assembly further includes an airfoil including a first end extending at least partially into the cavity of the airfoil band and an opposite second end, the airfoil extending generally along an axis between the first end and the second end and being moveable generally about the axis relative to the airfoil band. The variable guide vane assembly further includes a sealing element operable to form a seal between the first end of the airfoil and the airfoil band.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2017Date of Patent: November 3, 2020Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Alexander Martin Sener, Brian David Keith, David Alan Frey, Jamil Darnell Grant
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Patent number: 10760426Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling a flow of fluid through a nozzle assembly including a set of nozzles. The nozzles can have a set of airfoils defining a throat between the airfoils. One or more exhaust holes can be provided in the airfoils downstream of the throat. A fluid supply line can be fluidly coupled to the exhaust holes for selectively supplying a flow of fluid through the exhaust holes.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2017Date of Patent: September 1, 2020Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Paul Hadley Vitt, Brian David Keith
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Patent number: 10344602Abstract: A transition duct includes fairings with transition duct flow passage and hollow fairing airfoils extending between outer and inner walls of fairings and means for smoothing pressure gradients along inner wall. One means is a contracting duct flow area of flow passage from leading edge of fairing airfoil to about 30% of fairing chord. Leading edges of fairing airfoil intersect outer walls aft of regions of high curvature of outer walls. Leading edges may curve axially aftwardly and radially into fairing airfoils and transition duct flow passage between radially outer and inner walls from radially outer and inner intersection points. Transition duct downstream second area/upstream first area may be greater than about 1.35. Turbine center frame may include outer ring coupled to central hub with struts extending through hollow airfoils.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2016Date of Patent: July 9, 2019Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Harjit Hura, Paul Hadley Vitt, Brian David Keith, Jonathan Ong
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Patent number: 10329922Abstract: An apparatus and method of cooling a tip of an airfoil for a gas turbine engine, includes a rib circumscribing the tip to define a tip plenum. A tip baffle partially divides the tip plenum, being spaced from the rib by a baffle slot. The rib includes a tip slot in fluid communication with the baffle slot to provide a flow of cooling fluid along the tip of the airfoil for exhausting out the tip slot.Type: GrantFiled: February 9, 2016Date of Patent: June 25, 2019Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Peter Frank Martinello, Stephen Mark Molter, Brian David Keith
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Publication number: 20190128131Abstract: A variable guide vane assembly is provided for a turbine defining a core air flowpath. The variable guide vane assembly includes an airfoil band defining a flowpath surface and a cavity. The variable guide vane assembly further includes an airfoil including a first end extending at least partially into the cavity of the airfoil band and an opposite second end, the airfoil extending generally along an axis between the first end and the second end and being moveable generally about the axis relative to the airfoil band. The variable guide vane assembly further includes a sealing element operable to form a seal between the first end of the airfoil and the airfoil band.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 30, 2017Publication date: May 2, 2019Inventors: Alexander Martin Sener, Brian David Keith, David Alan Frey, Jamil Darnell Grant
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Publication number: 20180355738Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling a flow of fluid through a nozzle assembly including a set of nozzles. The nozzles can have a set of airfoils defining a throat between the airfoils. One or more exhaust holes can be provided in the airfoils downstream of the throat. A fluid supply line can be fluidly coupled to the exhaust holes for selectively supplying a flow of fluid through the exhaust holes.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 13, 2017Publication date: December 13, 2018Inventors: Paul Hadley Vitt, Brian David Keith
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Publication number: 20170298747Abstract: A transition duct includes fairings with transition duct flow passage and hollow fairing airfoils extending between outer and inner walls of fairings and means for smoothing pressure gradients along inner wall. One means is a contracting duct flow area of flow passage from leading edge of fairing airfoil to about 50% of fairing chord. Leading edges of fairing airfoil intersect outer walls aft of regions of high curvature of outer walls. Leading edges may curve axially aftwardly and radially into fairing airfoils and transition duct flow passage between radially outer and inner walls from radially outer and inner intersection points. Transition duct downstream second area/upstream first area may be greater than about 1.35. Turbine center frame may include outer ring coupled to central hub with struts extending through hollow airfoils.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 18, 2016Publication date: October 19, 2017Inventors: Harjit Hura, Paul Hadley Vitt, Brian David Keith, Jonathan Ong
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Publication number: 20170226868Abstract: An apparatus and method of cooling a tip of an airfoil for a gas turbine engine, includes a rib circumscribing the tip to define a tip plenum. A tip baffle partially divides the tip plenum, being spaced from the rib by a baffle slot. The rib includes a tip slot in fluid communication with the baffle slot to provide a flow of cooling fluid along the tip of the airfoil for exhausting out the tip slot.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 9, 2016Publication date: August 10, 2017Inventors: Peter Frank Martinello, Stephen Mark Molter, Brian David Keith
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Patent number: 9222437Abstract: A transition duct for use in a turbine engine is provided. The transition duct includes a radially inner wall and a radially outer wall positioned about the radially inner wall defining a flow passage therebetween. The radially outer wall extends and is contoured from an upstream end to a downstream end of the transition duct. As such, the slope of the radially outer wall increases from the upstream end to a predetermined axial location and decreases from the predetermined axial location to the downstream end.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 2012Date of Patent: December 29, 2015Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Joseph Machnaim, Brian David Keith, Scott Michael Carson
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Patent number: 9103213Abstract: A turbine stage includes a row of airfoils joined to corresponding platforms to define flow passages therebetween. Each airfoil includes opposite pressure and suction sides and extends in chord between opposite leading and trailing edges. Each platform has a scalloped flow surface including a purge trough commencing tangentially in a blend area of the platform. The purge trough extending axially toward the suction side of the airfoil, aft of the leading edge, to channel a purge flow.Type: GrantFiled: February 29, 2012Date of Patent: August 11, 2015Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Brian Chandler Barr, Brian David Keith, Gregory John Kajfasz, Prem Venugopal
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Patent number: 9085985Abstract: A turbine stage includes a row of airfoils joined to corresponding platforms to define flow passages therebetween. Each airfoil includes opposite pressure and suction sides and extends in chord between opposite leading and trailing edges. At least some of the platforms have a scalloped flow surface including a bulge adjoining the pressure side and a bowl adjoining the suction side, aft of the leading edge, of the respective airfoils. The bulge is configured having a maximum height located within its respective flow passage, and wherein the bulge decreases in height in a forward and aft direction and decreases in height laterally toward the pressure side of the airfoil and toward the bowl adjoining the suction side of a next adjacent airfoil.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2012Date of Patent: July 21, 2015Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Brian Chandler Barr, Brian David Keith, Gregory John Kajfasz