Patents by Inventor Bruce Calvert

Bruce Calvert 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: 12553346
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine is provided that includes a combustor, a rotational spool, a spool balancing system, and at least one access port. The rotational spool includes turbine and compressor sections, and a shaft that connects the turbine and compressor sections. The spool balancing system includes a circumferentially extending track component and a plurality of balance weights that are engaged with the track component. The balance weights are disposable in secured and unsecured configurations. The track component and the balance weights are disposed to rotate with the rotational spool. The access port is disposed within a non-rotational member of the gas turbine engine. The access port is configured to receive a tool for engagement with the balance weights.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2025
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2026
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Bruce Calvert, Ronald L. Robinson, Dave Menheere, David Beamish
  • Patent number: 12297748
    Abstract: A control system for a turbine engine assembly includes a controller operable to control operation of the turbine engine assembly and to determine a trim configuration to balance a rotating engine structure associated with the turbine engine assembly. The controller is programmed to determine the trim configuration based on information indicative of an out of balance condition of the rotating engine structure and an assigning a quality score based on a determined veracity of the information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2025
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Matthew Chiasson, Golnaz Shaverdi, Jason Tremblay, Guy Riverin, Faran Hafeez, Bruce Calvert
  • Publication number: 20240318563
    Abstract: A control system for a turbine engine assembly includes a controller operable to control operation of the turbine engine assembly and to determine a trim configuration to balance a rotating engine structure associated with the turbine engine assembly. The controller is programmed to determine the trim configuration based on information indicative of an out of balance condition of the rotating engine structure and an assigning a quality score based on a determined veracity of the information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2023
    Publication date: September 26, 2024
    Inventors: Matthew Chiasson, Golnaz Shaverdi, Jason Tremblay, Guy Riverin, Faran Hafeez, Bruce Calvert
  • Patent number: 10981675
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods and systems for propeller balancing of an aircraft comprising a propeller. Acceleration data is obtained from an acceleration sensor coupled to the aircraft. The acceleration data is filtered using a filter to obtain propeller-specific vibration data, the filter defining a range of acceptable frequencies associated with a frequency of rotation of the propeller. The propeller-specific vibration data is compared to trend data associated with the propeller. When the propeller-specific vibration data differs from the trend data beyond a predetermined threshold, an alert indicative of a balancing need for the propeller is issued.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Richard Brian Wirth, Robert Winchcomb, Bruce Calvert, Robert Wigny
  • Publication number: 20200198806
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods and systems for propeller balancing of an aircraft comprising a propeller. Acceleration data is obtained from an acceleration sensor coupled to the aircraft. The acceleration data is filtered using a filter to obtain propeller-specific vibration data, the filter defining a range of acceptable frequencies associated with a frequency of rotation of the propeller. The propeller-specific vibration data is compared to trend data associated with the propeller. When the propeller-specific vibration data differs from the trend data beyond a predetermined threshold, an alert indicative of a balancing need for the propeller is issued.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2020
    Publication date: June 25, 2020
    Inventors: Richard Brian WIRTH, Robert Winchcomb, Bruce Calvert, Robert Wigny
  • Patent number: 10611501
    Abstract: There is described herein a propeller balancing system and method that selects at least a portion of received propeller vibration data by comparing received aircraft data collected concurrently with the propeller vibration data with at least one customizable flight criterion, and identifying the portion of the vibration data acquired at a time when the aircraft data meets the at least one customizable flight criterion. The selected portion of the propeller vibration data is analyzed to assess a vibration level of the propeller and a balancing need is signaled when the vibration level reaches a threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Richard Brian Wirth, Robert Winchcomb, Bruce Calvert, Robert Wigny
  • Publication number: 20180371915
    Abstract: Devices and methods useful for balancing high-pressure spools of gas turbine engines are disclosed. An exemplary device may comprise: an input shaft configured to be coupled to an output of an accessory gear box driven by a high-pressure spool of a gas turbine engine; a first trigger rotatably coupled to the input shaft at a first speed ratio; and a sensor configured to detect the trigger at each revolution of the trigger. The first speed ratio may permit a rotational speed of the first trigger to be substantially the same as a rotational speed of the high-pressure spool. Upon detection of the trigger, the sensor may generate one or more signals representative of each associated revolution of the high-pressure spool of the gas turbine engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2018
    Publication date: December 27, 2018
    Inventors: Bruce CALVERT, Richard Brian WIRTH, Danny KRAUSE
  • Publication number: 20170275027
    Abstract: There is described herein a propeller balancing system and method that selects at least a portion of received propeller vibration data by comparing received aircraft data collected concurrently with the propeller vibration data with at least one customizable flight criterion, and identifying the portion of the vibration data acquired at a time when the aircraft data meets the at least one customizable flight criterion. The selected portion of the propeller vibration data is analyzed to assess a vibration level of the propeller and a balancing need is signaled when the vibration level reaches a threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2017
    Publication date: September 28, 2017
    Inventors: Richard Brian WIRTH, Robert WINCHCOMB, Bruce CALVERT, Robert WIGNY
  • Patent number: 9694915
    Abstract: There is described herein a propeller balancing system and method that determines a stable cruise condition of an aircraft during flight, and considers vibration data for propeller balancing collected while the aircraft is in the stable cruise condition. Parameters used to determine stable cruise condition may be unique for each flight and/or aircraft, and balancing solutions may be determined based on these unique parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Richard Brian Wirth, Robert Winchcomb, Bruce Calvert, Robert Wigny
  • Patent number: 9206692
    Abstract: Methods of assembling a rotor assembly of a gas turbine engine having a plurality of components. The method comprises, in one aspect, determining a static unbalance force of each component using the mass and the center of mass location, and determining an optimum assembly arrangement minimizing static unbalance forces. Optimal component stacking positions, among other things, may then be established.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Bruce Calvert, Jiemin Wang, Richard Benoit, Harry Harris, Ronald Robinson
  • Publication number: 20140026415
    Abstract: Methods of assembling a rotor assembly of a gas turbine engine having a plurality of components. The method comprises, in one aspect, determining a static unbalance force of each component using the mass and the center of mass location, and determining an optimum assembly arrangement minimizing static unbalance forces. Optimal component stacking positions, among other things, may then be established.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2013
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Applicant: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventors: Bruce CALVERT, Jiemin Wang, Richard Benoit, Harry Harris, Ronald Robinson
  • Patent number: 8567060
    Abstract: Methods of assembling a rotor assembly of a gas turbine engine having a plurality of components. The method comprises, in one aspect, determining a static unbalance force of each component using the mass and the center of mass location, and determining an optimum assembly arrangement minimizing static unbalance forces. Optimal component stacking positions, among other things, may then be established.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventors: Bruce Calvert, Jiemin Wang, Richard Benoit, Harry Harris, Ronald Robinson
  • Publication number: 20090165273
    Abstract: Methods of assembling a rotor assembly of a gas turbine engine having a plurality of components. The method comprises, in one aspect, determining a static unbalance force of each component using the mass and the center of mass location, and determining an optimum assembly arrangement minimizing static unbalance forces. Optimal component stacking positions, among other things, may then be established.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2007
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Inventors: Bruce Calvert, Jiemln Wang, Richard Benoit, Harry Harris, Ronald Robinson
  • Publication number: 20060168100
    Abstract: A computing device embodiment includes a processor, memory coupled to the processor, and computer executable instructions executable by the processor. Computer executable instructions are provided to the memory and executable by the processor to access a first provider's communications computing device, having a user's information thereon, through a data lookup utility used by the first carrier. The computer executable instructions can also retrieve the user's information from the first provider's communications computing device and transfer the retrieved information to a second provider's communications computing device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2005
    Publication date: July 27, 2006
    Inventors: Michael Kelly, Bruce Calvert