Patents by Inventor Bruce Alan Carter

Bruce Alan Carter 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: 10274016
    Abstract: A bearing assembly for use in a rotating machine includes a housing and a retention nut threadably coupled to the housing and including a first retention mechanism. The bearing assembly also includes a retention bolt coupled to the housing and including a second retention mechanism configured to engage the first retention mechanism to maintain engagement of the retention nut with the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Bruce Alan Carter, Anand Madihalli Srinivasan, Satish K. Yadav, Ravindra Shankar Ganiger
  • Patent number: 10196980
    Abstract: A retention housing for the outer race of a bearing of a gas turbine engine includes a spring finger housing connected to and overlying a bearing housing that is connected to the outer race of the bearing. The spring finger housing includes an arrangement of spring fingers that yields a lightweight housing capable of withstanding very high radial loads combined with very high torsional windup and axial thrust load. A plurality of edge recesses are defined in the bearing housing and a plurality of lug tabs extending radially from the engine's interface shell limit are disposed in the edge recess to limit the deflection and self-arrest the distortion of the retention housing. A gas turbine engine includes the retention housing described above.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ravindra Shankar Ganiger, Bruce Alan Carter, Charles Andrew Corman
  • Publication number: 20180283456
    Abstract: A bearing assembly for use in a rotating machine includes a housing and a retention nut threadably coupled to the housing and including a first retention mechanism. The bearing assembly also includes a retention bolt coupled to the housing and including a second retention mechanism configured to engage the first retention mechanism to maintain engagement of the retention nut with the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2017
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Inventors: Bruce Alan Carter, Anand Madihalli Srinivasan, Satish K. Yadav, Ravindra Shankar Ganiger
  • Patent number: 10041534
    Abstract: A retention housing for the outer race of a bearing of a gas turbine engine includes a spring finger housing connected to and overlying a bearing housing that is connected to the outer race of the bearing. The spring finger housing includes an arrangement of spring fingers that yields a lightweight housing capable of withstanding very high radial loads combined with very high torsional windup and axial thrust load. Dowel pins extending radially from the bearing housing and through the engine's interface shell limit the deflection and self-arrest the distortion of the housing. A gas turbine engine includes the retention housing described above.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ravindra Shankar Ganiger, Bruce Alan Carter, Charles Andrew Corman
  • Patent number: 10001029
    Abstract: A bearing assembly for use in a gas turbine engine is provided. The bearing assembly includes a bearing retainer having an inner portion, an outer portion spaced radially apart from the inner portion, and an intermediate portion connecting the inner portion and the outer portion, wherein the inner portion and the outer portion define a space there-between. The bearing assembly also includes a bearing housing having an extended portion positioned within the space. The bearing assembly also includes a locking assembly comprising a locking plate and an axial keyway that extends axially away from the locking plate. The locking plate is coupled to the bearing retainer and the axial keyway is coupled to the extended portion of the bearing housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Bruce Alan Carter, Ravindra Shankar Ganiger, Richard Charles Wainwright, Venkatachalapathy Moongilpalayam Chenniappan, Krzysztof Chelstowski
  • Patent number: 9909451
    Abstract: In one aspect, a bearing assembly for supporting a rotor shaft relative to a support structure of a gas turbine engine may generally include a bearing including an outer race and an inner race, an outer bearing housing configured to extend radially between the outer race of the bearing and the support structure of the gas turbine engine and an inner bearing support configured to extend radially between the inner race of the bearing and the rotor shaft. In addition, the outer bearing housing and the inner bearing support each include at least one radially extending spring arm such that the outer bearing housing and the inner bearing support collectively form two springs coupled in series between the support structure and the rotor shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Bruce Alan Carter, Ravindra Shankar Ganiger, Bhaskar Nanda Mondal, Jacob Patrick Miller, Sivakumar Mahesh, Kevin L. Kirkeng, Veeraraju Vanapalli
  • Patent number: 9869205
    Abstract: A housing for retention of the outer race of a bearing of a gas turbine engine includes an arrangement of spring fingers that yields a lightweight housing capable of withstanding very high radial loads combined with very high torsional windup and axial thrust load. Controlled circumferential gaps on both sides of each spring finger limit the deflection and self-arrest the distortion of the housing. An axial gap is created on the aft end by a portion of the spring finger beam structure that opposes an axial face of the housing and limits the axial distortion. A radial gap created between interface hardware of the housing and the inner retention housing also acts to retain the spring finger housing under load in a radial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ravindra Shankar Ganiger, Bruce Alan Carter, Nitin Deepak Rupnar, Charles Andrew Corman
  • Publication number: 20170226894
    Abstract: A retention housing for the outer race of a bearing of a gas turbine engine includes a spring finger housing connected to and overlying a bearing housing that is connected to the outer race of the bearing. The spring finger housing includes an arrangement of spring fingers that yields a lightweight housing capable of withstanding very high radial loads combined with very high torsional windup and axial thrust load. Dowel pins extending radially from the bearing housing and through the engine's interface shell limit the deflection and self-arrest the distortion of the housing. A gas turbine engine includes the retention housing described above.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2016
    Publication date: August 10, 2017
    Inventors: Ravindra Shankar Ganiger, Bruce Alan Carter, Charles Andrew Corman
  • Publication number: 20170226927
    Abstract: A retention housing for the outer race of a bearing of a gas turbine engine includes a spring finger housing connected to and overlying a bearing housing that is connected to the outer race of the bearing. The spring finger housing includes an arrangement of spring fingers that yields a lightweight housing capable of withstanding very high radial loads combined with very high torsional windup and axial thrust load. A plurality of edge recesses are defined in the bearing housing and a plurality of lug tabs extending radially from the engine's interface shell limit are disposed in the edge recess to limit the deflection and self-arrest the distortion of the retention housing. A gas turbine engine includes the retention housing described above.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2016
    Publication date: August 10, 2017
    Inventors: Ravindra Shankar Ganiger, Bruce Alan Carter, Charles Andrew Corman
  • Publication number: 20170145855
    Abstract: A housing for retention of the outer race of a bearing of a gas turbine engine includes an arrangement of spring fingers that yields a lightweight housing capable of withstanding very high radial loads combined with very high torsional windup and axial thrust load. Controlled circumferential gaps on both sides of each spring finger limit the deflection and self-arrest the distortion of the housing. An axial gap is created on the aft end by a portion of the spring finger beam structure that opposes an axial face of the housing and limits the axial distortion. A radial gap created between interface hardware of the housing and the inner retention housing also acts to retain the spring finger housing under load in a radial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2015
    Publication date: May 25, 2017
    Inventors: Ravindra Shankar Ganiger, Bruce Alan Carter, Nitin Deepak Rupnar, Charles Andrew Corman
  • Publication number: 20170089220
    Abstract: A bearing housing for supporting a bearing within a gas turbine engine may generally include a mounting flange and a bearing support ring positioned radially inwardly from the mounting flange. The bearing support ring may be configured to at least partially surround an outer race of the bearing. The bearing housing may also include a support beam spaced axially apart from the mounting flange and the bearing ring, a plurality of inner spring fingers extending axially between the bearing support ring and the support beam and a plurality of outer spring fingers extending axially between the mounting flange and the support beam. At least a portion of each inner spring finger may be spaced apart radially from at least a portion of each outer spring finger. In addition, the inner spring fingers may be circumferentially offset from the outer spring fingers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2016
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Inventors: Bruce Alan CARTER, Ravindra Shankar GANIGER, Patil PRAVIN, Diego NAVARRO
  • Publication number: 20170009603
    Abstract: In one aspect, a bearing assembly for supporting a rotor shaft relative to a support structure of a gas turbine engine may generally include a bearing including an outer race and an inner race, an outer bearing housing configured to extend radially between the outer race of the bearing and the support structure of the gas turbine engine and an inner bearing support configured to extend radially between the inner race of the bearing and the rotor shaft. In addition, the outer bearing housing and the inner bearing support each include at least one radially extending spring arm such that the outer bearing housing and the inner bearing support collectively form two springs coupled in series between the support structure and the rotor shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Publication date: January 12, 2017
    Inventors: Bruce Alan CARTER, Ravindra Shankar GANIGER, Bhaskar Nanda MONDAL, Jacob Patrick MILLER, Sivakumar MAHESH, Kevin L. KIRKENG, Veeraraju VANAPALLI
  • Publication number: 20160341073
    Abstract: A bearing assembly for use in a gas turbine engine is provided. The bearing assembly includes a bearing retainer having an inner portion, an outer portion spaced radially apart from the inner portion, and an intermediate portion connecting the inner portion and the outer portion, wherein the inner portion and the outer portion define a space there-between. The bearing assembly also includes a bearing housing having an extended portion positioned within the space. The bearing assembly also includes a locking assembly comprising a locking plate and an axial keyway that extends axially away from the locking plate. The locking plate is coupled to the bearing retainer and the axial keyway is coupled to the extended portion of the bearing housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2014
    Publication date: November 24, 2016
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Bruce Alan CARTER, Ravindra Shankar GANIGER, Richard Charles WAINWRIGHT, Venkatachalapathy MOONGILPALAYAM CHENNIAPPAN, Krzysztof CHELSTOWSKI
  • Patent number: 9500100
    Abstract: A damper bearing assembly for a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The damper bearing assembly is designed to define forward and aft axial gaps which allow for normal deflection under standard operating thrust loads, but then close during a fan blade out event to allow the increased load to transfer to the damper housing. Frictional forces between contacting parts limit torsional windup and increase torsional resistance with increasing load. The damper bearing assembly includes a damper housing configured substantially within a U-shaped spring finger housing and a spanner nut with a radial hook portion coupled to the spring finger housing. The damper housing is coupled to the spring finger housing such that it is substantially confined within the U-shaped void. The spanner nut is coupled to the spring finger housing such that the radial hook portion is configured to limit the deflection of the spring finger housing and damper housing during a fan blade out event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Bruce Alan Carter, Ravindra Shankar Ganiger, Stephanie Frances Drummond, Vivek Nema
  • Patent number: 9033581
    Abstract: Dynamically-lubricated bearings and methods of dynamically lubricating bearings, including bearings used in gas turbine engines. Such a bearing includes an inner race having an inner race groove between a pair of inner race cage lands, an outer race having an outer race groove between a pair of outer race cage lands and opposes the inner race groove, rolling elements disposed between the inner and outer races and in rolling contact with the inner and outer race grooves, and a cage disposed between the inner and outer races to maintain separation between the rolling elements. A lubricant is introduced into a cavity between the inner and outer races, and rotation of the inner race relative to the outer race causes the lubricant to exit the cavity through recessed surface features in at least one of the inner and outer race cage lands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Bruce Alan Carter, Pradeep Hemant Sangli, Santosh Kumar Potnuru, Deepak Govindan
  • Publication number: 20150098826
    Abstract: A damper bearing assembly for a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The damper bearing assembly is designed to define forward and aft axial gaps which allow for normal deflection under standard operating thrust loads, but then close during a fan blade out event to allow the increased load to transfer to the damper housing. Frictional forces between contacting parts limit torsional windup and increase torsional resistance with increasing load. The damper bearing assembly includes a damper housing configured substantially within a U-shaped spring finger housing and a spanner nut with a radial hook portion coupled to the spring finger housing. The damper housing is coupled to the spring finger housing such that it is substantially confined within the U-shaped void. The spanner nut is coupled to the spring finger housing such that the radial hook portion is configured to limit the deflection of the spring finger housing and damper housing during a fan blade out event.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2013
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Inventors: Bruce Alan Carter, Ravindra Shankar Ganiger, Stephanie Frances Drummond, Vivek Nema
  • Patent number: 8979383
    Abstract: Dynamically-lubricated bearings and methods of dynamically lubricating bearings, including bearings used in gas turbine engines. Such a bearing includes an inner race having an inner race groove, an outer race having an outer race groove that opposes the inner race groove, rolling elements disposed between the inner and outer races and in rolling contact with the inner and outer race grooves, and a cage disposed between the inner and outer races to maintain separation between the rolling elements. A lubricant is introduced into a cavity between the inner and outer races, and rotation of the inner race relative to the outer race causes air to enter pockets of the cage that contain the rolling elements, which in turn causes the lubricant to exit the cavity of the bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Bruce Alan Carter, Pradeep Hemant Sangli, Santosh Kumar Potnuru, Laxmikant Chourasia
  • Publication number: 20130336608
    Abstract: Bearing assemblies, such as for use with a turbine engine, are disclosed. An example the bearing assembly may include an outer ring comprising an oil drainage aperture defined therein; an inner ring disposed coaxially within the outer ring, the inner ring including an oil supply aperture defined therein; and a plurality of rolling elements engaged between the outer ring and the inner ring, wherein the plurality of rolling elements are constructed of a ceramic material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2013
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jacob Patrick Miller, Bruce Alan Carter, Michael Gilbert Johnson, Gary Paul Moscarino, David William Pugh, Jonothan Allen Scheetz, Thomas DeWitt Woodrow
  • Publication number: 20130087412
    Abstract: Dynamically-lubricated bearings and methods of dynamically lubricating bearings, including bearings used in gas turbine engines. Such a bearing includes an inner race having an inner race groove between a pair of inner race cage lands, an outer race having an outer race groove between a pair of outer race cage lands and opposes the inner race groove, rolling elements disposed between the inner and outer races and in rolling contact with the inner and outer race grooves, and a cage disposed between the inner and outer races to maintain separation between the rolling elements. A lubricant is introduced into a cavity between the inner and outer races, and rotation of the inner race relative to the outer race causes the lubricant to exit the cavity through recessed surface features in at least one of the inner and outer race cage lands.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2011
    Publication date: April 11, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Bruce Alan Carter, Pradeep Hemant Sangli, Santosh Kumar Potnuru, Deepak Govindan
  • Publication number: 20130087413
    Abstract: Dynamically-lubricated bearings and methods of dynamically lubricating bearings, including bearings used in gas turbine engines. Such a bearing includes an inner race having an inner race groove, an outer race having an outer race groove that opposes the inner race groove, rolling elements disposed between the inner and outer races and in rolling contact with the inner and outer race grooves, and a cage disposed between the inner and outer races to maintain separation between the rolling elements. A lubricant is introduced into a cavity between the inner and outer races, and rotation of the inner race relative to the outer race causes air to enter pockets of the cage that contain the rolling elements, which in turn causes the lubricant to exit the cavity of the bearing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2011
    Publication date: April 11, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Bruce Alan Carter, Pradeep Hemant Sangli, Santosh Kumar Potnuru, Laxmikant Chourasia