Patents by Inventor Byron Andrew Pritchard, Jr.

Byron Andrew Pritchard, Jr. 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).

  • Publication number: 20240198979
    Abstract: A robotic assembly configured to service an engine, wherein the robotic assembly includes an environmental capture device configured to provide information associated with an environment in which the engine is disposed to one or more computing devices, and wherein the one or more computing devices are configured to use the information to inspect the engine before and after repair operations associated with the service to check for repair equipment, or parts thereof, left in the engine after the repair.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 29, 2024
    Publication date: June 20, 2024
    Inventors: Andrew Crispin Graham, David Scott Diwinsky, Byron Andrew Pritchard, JR., Julian Matthew Foxall
  • Patent number: 11992952
    Abstract: Systems and methods of servicing engines including a method of servicing an engine, the method including navigating at least a portion of a robotic assembly to a location associated with the engine; applying, from the robotic assembly, a medium to one or more adjustable components of the engine while the engine is at an elevated temperature; waiting a duration of time; and with the robotic assembly, operating on the one or more adjustable components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignees: General Electric Company, Oliver Crispin Robotics Limited
    Inventors: Andrew Crispin Graham, David Scott Diwinsky, Byron Andrew Pritchard, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20240159162
    Abstract: A system and method of using a tool assembly is provided. The system includes a body, a first camera and a second camera fixed to the body, and a controller. The controller is configured to receive data indicative of images of a reference feature from the first camera, determine data indicative of a first spatial position of the first camera based at least in part on the received data indicative of the images of the reference feature, and determine data indicative of a second spatial position of the second camera based on the first spatial position, a known spatial relationship between the first location and the second location, or both. Further, the controller may be configured to receive data indicative of images of a target feature using the second camera, derive dimensions of the target feature based on the images, and generate a three-dimensional representation of the target feature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2024
    Publication date: May 16, 2024
    Inventors: Mandar Diwakar Godbole, Byron Andrew Pritchard, JR., Kirti Arvind Petkar, Vamshi Krishna Reddy Kommareddy, Sandeep Kumar, Andrew Crispin Graham
  • Publication number: 20240139951
    Abstract: Systems and methods of servicing engines including a method of servicing an engine, the method including navigating at least a portion of a robotic assembly to a location associated with the engine; applying, from the robotic assembly, a medium to one or more adjustable components of the engine while the engine is at an elevated temperature; waiting a duration of time; and with the robotic assembly, operating on the one or more adjustable components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2023
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Inventors: Andrew Crispin Graham, David Scott Diwinsky, Byron Andrew Pritchard, JR.
  • Patent number: 11938907
    Abstract: A robotic assembly configured to service an engine, wherein the robotic assembly includes an environmental capture device configured to provide information associated with an environment in which the engine is disposed to one or more computing devices, and wherein the one or more computing devices are configured to use the information to inspect the engine before and after repair operations associated with the service to check for repair equipment, or parts thereof, left in the engine after the repair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignees: Oliver Crispin Robotics Limited, General Electric Company
    Inventors: Andrew Crispin Graham, David Scott Diwinsky, Byron Andrew Pritchard, Jr., Julian Matthew Foxall
  • Patent number: 11918943
    Abstract: A turbine engine having a compressor section, a combustor section, a turbine section, and a rotatable drive shaft that couples a portion of the turbine section and a portion of the compressor section. A bypass conduit couples the compressor section to the turbine section while bypassing at least the combustion section. At least one particle separator is located in the turbine engine having a separator inlet that receives a bypass stream, a separator outlet that receives a reduced-particle stream flows, and a particle outlet that receives a concentrated-particle stream comprising separated particles. A conduit, fluidly coupled to the particle outlet, extends through an interior of at least one stationary vane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Timothy Deryck Stone, Gregory Michael Laskowski, Robert Proctor, Curtis Stover, Robert Francis Manning, Victor Hugo Silva Correia, Jared Peter Buhler, Robert Carl Murray, Corey Bourassa, Byron Andrew Pritchard, Jr., Jonathan Russell Ratzlaff
  • Patent number: 11913345
    Abstract: A system and method of using a tool assembly is provided. The system includes a body, a first camera and a second camera fixed to the body, and a controller. The controller is configured to receive data indicative of images of a reference feature from the first camera, determine data indicative of a first spatial position of the first camera based at least in part on the received data indicative of the images of the reference feature, and determine data indicative of a second spatial position of the second camera based on the first spatial position, a known spatial relationship between the first location and the second location, or both. Further, the controller may be configured to receive data indicative of images of a target feature using the second camera, derive dimensions of the target feature based on the images, and generate a three-dimensional representation of the target feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignees: General Electric Company, Oliver Crispin Robotics Limited
    Inventors: Mandar Diwakar Godbole, Byron Andrew Pritchard, Jr., Kirti Arvind Petkar, Vamshi Krishna Reddy Kommareddy, Sandeep Kumar, Andrew Crispin Graham
  • Patent number: 11898497
    Abstract: A coated component for a gas turbine engine is provided. The coated component includes a substrate having a surface and a ceramic coating. The ceramic coating includes one or more linear slots and one or more non-linear slots. The one or more non-linear slots intersect the one or more linear slots. The plurality of linear slots and the plurality of non-linear slots form segments of ceramic coating material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Hrishikesh Keshavan, Curtis Alan Johnson, Hongqiang Chen, Bernard Patrick Bewlay, Byron Andrew Pritchard, Jr., Mehmet M. Dede
  • Publication number: 20240011413
    Abstract: A method of repairing a component of a gas turbine engine in situ, wherein the component includes a deposit, includes directing a flow of gas, which may be an oxygen-containing gas, to the deposit of the component; and heating the component including the deposit while the component is installed in the gas turbine engine and for a duration sufficient to substantially remove the deposit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2023
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Inventors: Michael Robert Millheam, Andrew Crispin Graham, Byron Andrew Pritchard, JR., David Scott Diwinsky, Jeremy Clyde Bailey, Michael Edward Eriksen, Ambarish Jayant Kulkarni
  • Patent number: 11788421
    Abstract: Methods for preparing slotted ceramic coatings and the resulting components comprising the same are provided. The methods and products include the incorporation of a coating system comprising a ceramic coating with cooling holes disposed throughout the ceramic coating and slots defined in the thermal barrier coating and disposed in relation to the cooling holes. The resulting ceramic coating has improved resistance to CMAS infiltration and improved compliance resulting in an increased life of the coated component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Curtis Alan Johnson, Hrishikesh Keshavan, Shankar Sivaramakrishnan, Byron Andrew Pritchard, Jr., Hongqiang Chen, Bernard Patrick Bewlay
  • Publication number: 20230271723
    Abstract: A method for inspecting and repairing a surface of a component of a gas turbine engine, the method including: inserting an inspection and repair tool into an interior of the gas turbine engine; inspecting the surface of the component with the inspection and repair tool; performing a repair of the surface of the component with the inspection and repair tool from within the interior of the gas turbine engine, the inspection and repair tool remaining within the interior of the gas turbine engine between inspecting the component and performing the repair of the surface of the component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2023
    Publication date: August 31, 2023
    Inventors: Todd William Danko, Ambarish Jayant Kulkarni, Margeaux Wallace, Hrishikesh Keshavan, Bernard Patrick Bewlay, Byron Andrew Pritchard, JR., Michael Dean Fullington, Andrew Crispin Graham, Trevor Owen Hawke, Julian Matthew Foxall, Ahmed M. ELKady
  • Patent number: 11739695
    Abstract: A maintenance tool for gas turbine engine includes a rail system having a plurality of rail segments insertable through one or more inspection holes of the gas turbine engine for assembly within a core air flowpath of the gas turbine engine. The maintenance tool additionally includes a maintenance head movable along the plurality of rail segments of the rail system for performing maintenance operations within the core air flowpath.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Mehmet M. Dede, Byron Andrew Pritchard, Jr., David Scott Diwinsky, Wayne Ray Grady, Marc Metz, Gary Lee Ward
  • Publication number: 20230226476
    Abstract: A turbine engine having a compressor section, a combustor section, a turbine section, and a rotatable drive shaft that couples a portion of the turbine section and a portion of the compressor section. A bypass conduit couples the compressor section to the turbine section while bypassing at least the combustion section. At least one particle separator is located in the turbine engine having a separator inlet that receives a bypass stream, a separator outlet that receives a reduced-particle stream flows, and a particle outlet that receives a concentrated-particle stream comprising separated particles. A conduit, fluidly coupled to the particle outlet, extends through an interior of at least one stationary vane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2022
    Publication date: July 20, 2023
    Inventors: Timothy Deryck STONE, Gregory Michael LASKOWSKI, Robert PROCTOR, Curtis STOVER, Robert Francis Manning, Victor Hugo Silva CORREIA, Jared Peter BUHLER, Robert Carl MURRAY, Corey BOURASSA, Byron Andrew PRITCHARD, JR., Jonathan Russell RATZLAFF
  • Patent number: 11702956
    Abstract: A turbine system includes a foam generating assembly having an in situ foam generating device at least partially positioned within the fluid passageway of the turbine engine, such that the in situ foam generating device is configured to generate foam within the fluid passageway of the turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ambarish Jayant Kulkarni, Byron Andrew Pritchard, Jr., Bernard Patrick Bewlay, Michael Edward Eriksen, Nicole Jessica Tibbetts
  • Patent number: 11702955
    Abstract: A method of repairing a component of a gas turbine engine in situ, wherein the component includes a deposit, includes directing a flow of gas, which may be an oxygen-containing gas, to the deposit of the component; and heating the component including the deposit while the component is installed in the gas turbine engine and for a duration sufficient to substantially remove the deposit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignees: General Electric Company, Oliver Crispin Robotics Limited
    Inventors: Michael Robert Millhaem, Andrew Crispin Graham, Byron Andrew Pritchard, Jr., David Scott Diwinsky, Jeremy Clyde Bailey, Michael Edward Eriksen, Ambarish Jayant Kulkarni
  • Patent number: 11679898
    Abstract: A method for inspecting and repairing a surface of a component of a gas turbine engine, the method including: inserting an inspection and repair tool into an interior of the gas turbine engine; inspecting the surface of the component with the inspection and repair tool; performing a repair of the surface of the component with the inspection and repair tool from within the interior of the gas turbine engine, the inspection and repair tool remaining within the interior of the gas turbine engine between inspecting the component and performing the repair of the surface of the component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignees: General Electric Company, Oliver Crispin Robotics Limited
    Inventors: Todd William Danko, Ambarish Jayant Kulkarni, Margeaux Wallace, Hrishikesh Keshavan, Bernard Patrick Bewlay, Byron Andrew Pritchard, Jr., Michael Dean Fullington, Andrew Crispin Graham, Trevor Owen Hawke, Julian Matthew Foxall, Ahmed M ELKady
  • Patent number: 11649735
    Abstract: A method of cleaning a component within a turbine that includes disassembling the turbine engine to provide a flow path to an interior passageway of the component from an access point. The component has coked hydrocarbons formed thereon. The method further includes discharging a flow of cleaning solution towards the interior passageway from the access point, wherein the cleaning solution is configured to remove the coked hydrocarbons from the component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Michael Robert Millhaem, Nicole Jessica Tibbetts, Byron Andrew Pritchard, Jr., Bernard Patrick Bewlay, Keith Anthony Lauria, Ambarish Jayant Kulkarni, Mark Rosenzweig, Martin Matthew Morra, Timothy Mark Sambor, Andrew Jenkins
  • Patent number: 11591928
    Abstract: Embodiments in accordance with the present disclosure include a meta-stable detergent based foam generating device of a turbine cleaning system includes a manifold configured to receive a liquid detergent and an expansion gas, a gas supply source configured to store the expansion gas, and one or more aerators fluidly coupled with, and between, the gas supply source and the manifold. Each aerator of the one or more aerators comprises an orifice through which the expansion gas enters the manifold, and wherein the orifice of each aerator is sized to enable generation of a meta-stable detergent based foam having bubbles with bubble diameters within a range of 10 microns (3.9×10?4 inches inches) and 5 millimeters (0.2 inches), having a half-life within a range of 5 minutes and 180 minutes, or a combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ambarish Jayant Kulkarni, Bernard Patrick Bewlay, Byron Andrew Pritchard, Jr., Nicole Jessica Tibbetts, Michael Edward Eriksen, Stephen Wilton
  • Publication number: 20230024295
    Abstract: A system and method of using a tool assembly is provided. The system includes a body, a first camera and a second camera fixed to the body, and a controller. The controller is configured to receive data indicative of images of a reference feature from the first camera, determine data indicative of a first spatial position of the first camera based at least in part on the received data indicative of the images of the reference feature, and determine data indicative of a second spatial position of the second camera based on the first spatial position, a known spatial relationship between the first location and the second location, or both. Further, the controller may be configured to receive data indicative of images of a target feature using the second camera, derive dimensions of the target feature based on the images, and generate a three-dimensional representation of the target feature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Publication date: January 26, 2023
    Inventors: Mandar Diwakar Godbole, Byron Andrew Pritchard, JR., Kirti Arvind Petkar, Vamshi Krishna Reddy Kommareddy, Sandeep Kumar, Andrew Crispin Graham
  • Patent number: 11555413
    Abstract: Systems and methods for treating a component of an installed and assembled gas turbine engine are provided. Accordingly, the method includes operably coupling a delivery assembly to an annular inlet of a core gas turbine engine. A portion of treating fluid is atomized with the delivery assembly to develop a treating mist having a plurality of atomized droplets. The atomized droplets are suspended within any path of the core gas turbine engine from the annular inlet to an axial position downstream of a compressor of the core gas turbine engine. A portion of the treating mist is impacted or precipitated onto the component so as to wet the component, and a portion of the deposits on the component is dissolved by the treating mist.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignees: General Electric Company, Oliver Crispin Robotics Limited
    Inventors: Byron Andrew Pritchard, Jr., Keith Anthony Lauria, Erica Elizabeth Sampson, Bernard Patrick Bewlay, Ambarish Jayant Kulkarni, Michael Robert Millhaem, William Francis Navojosky, Nicole Jessica Tibbetts, Gongguan Wang, Andrew Crispin Graham