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).
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Patent number: 10274016Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 28, 2017Date of Patent: April 30, 2019Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Bruce Alan Carter, Anand Madihalli Srinivasan, Satish K. Yadav, Ravindra Shankar Ganiger
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Patent number: 10196980Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: February 8, 2016Date of Patent: February 5, 2019Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Ravindra Shankar Ganiger, Bruce Alan Carter, Charles Andrew Corman
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Publication number: 20180283456Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: March 28, 2017Publication date: October 4, 2018Inventors: Bruce Alan Carter, Anand Madihalli Srinivasan, Satish K. Yadav, Ravindra Shankar Ganiger
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Patent number: 10041534Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: February 8, 2016Date of Patent: August 7, 2018Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Ravindra Shankar Ganiger, Bruce Alan Carter, Charles Andrew Corman
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Patent number: 10001029Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 5, 2014Date of Patent: June 19, 2018Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Bruce Alan Carter, Ravindra Shankar Ganiger, Richard Charles Wainwright, Venkatachalapathy Moongilpalayam Chenniappan, Krzysztof Chelstowski
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Patent number: 9909451Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: June 30, 2016Date of Patent: March 6, 2018Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Bruce Alan Carter, Ravindra Shankar Ganiger, Bhaskar Nanda Mondal, Jacob Patrick Miller, Sivakumar Mahesh, Kevin L. Kirkeng, Veeraraju Vanapalli
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Patent number: 9869205Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: November 23, 2015Date of Patent: January 16, 2018Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Ravindra Shankar Ganiger, Bruce Alan Carter, Nitin Deepak Rupnar, Charles Andrew Corman
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Publication number: 20170226894Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: February 8, 2016Publication date: August 10, 2017Inventors: Ravindra Shankar Ganiger, Bruce Alan Carter, Charles Andrew Corman
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Publication number: 20170226927Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: February 8, 2016Publication date: August 10, 2017Inventors: Ravindra Shankar Ganiger, Bruce Alan Carter, Charles Andrew Corman
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Publication number: 20170145855Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: November 23, 2015Publication date: May 25, 2017Inventors: Ravindra Shankar Ganiger, Bruce Alan Carter, Nitin Deepak Rupnar, Charles Andrew Corman
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Publication number: 20170089220Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: July 1, 2016Publication date: March 30, 2017Inventors: Bruce Alan CARTER, Ravindra Shankar GANIGER, Patil PRAVIN, Diego NAVARRO
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Publication number: 20170009603Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2016Publication date: January 12, 2017Inventors: Bruce Alan CARTER, Ravindra Shankar GANIGER, Bhaskar Nanda MONDAL, Jacob Patrick MILLER, Sivakumar MAHESH, Kevin L. KIRKENG, Veeraraju VANAPALLI
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Publication number: 20160341073Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: December 5, 2014Publication date: November 24, 2016Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Bruce Alan CARTER, Ravindra Shankar GANIGER, Richard Charles WAINWRIGHT, Venkatachalapathy MOONGILPALAYAM CHENNIAPPAN, Krzysztof CHELSTOWSKI
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Patent number: 9500100Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: April 22, 2013Date of Patent: November 22, 2016Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Bruce Alan Carter, Ravindra Shankar Ganiger, Stephanie Frances Drummond, Vivek Nema
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Patent number: 9033581Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: October 10, 2011Date of Patent: May 19, 2015Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Bruce Alan Carter, Pradeep Hemant Sangli, Santosh Kumar Potnuru, Deepak Govindan
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Publication number: 20150098826Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: April 22, 2013Publication date: April 9, 2015Inventors: Bruce Alan Carter, Ravindra Shankar Ganiger, Stephanie Frances Drummond, Vivek Nema
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Patent number: 8979383Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: October 10, 2011Date of Patent: March 17, 2015Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Bruce Alan Carter, Pradeep Hemant Sangli, Santosh Kumar Potnuru, Laxmikant Chourasia
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Publication number: 20130336608Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: March 6, 2013Publication date: December 19, 2013Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: Jacob Patrick Miller, Bruce Alan Carter, Michael Gilbert Johnson, Gary Paul Moscarino, David William Pugh, Jonothan Allen Scheetz, Thomas DeWitt Woodrow
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Publication number: 20130087412Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: October 10, 2011Publication date: April 11, 2013Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Bruce Alan Carter, Pradeep Hemant Sangli, Santosh Kumar Potnuru, Deepak Govindan
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Publication number: 20130087413Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: October 10, 2011Publication date: April 11, 2013Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Bruce Alan Carter, Pradeep Hemant Sangli, Santosh Kumar Potnuru, Laxmikant Chourasia