Patents by Inventor Charles Robert Granitz

Charles Robert Granitz 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: 20090288384
    Abstract: A system for reducing oil usage from a sump in a gas turbine engine. Two sources of oil usage, which usage includes leakage and consumption, have been identified: (1) during idle, leakage of oil from an oil sump through seals and (2) during high-power operation, consumption of oil entrained in vent air exiting from the sump. At idle, the invention reduces pressure in the sump, to thereby increase airflow across the seals into the sump, to inhibit the oil leakage across the seals. At high power operation, the pressure reduction is terminated, but flow exiting the vent is artificially restricted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2009
    Publication date: November 26, 2009
    Inventors: Charles Robert Granitz, Mark Eden Zentgraf
  • Patent number: 7584619
    Abstract: A system for reducing oil usage from a sump in a gas turbine engine. Two sources of oil usage, which usage includes leakage and consumption, have been identified: (1) during idle, leakage of oil from an oil sump through seals and (2) during high-power operation, consumption of oil entrained in vent air exiting from the sump. At idle, the invention reduces pressure in the sump, to thereby increase airflow across the seals into the sump, to inhibit the oil leakage across the seals. At high power operation, the pressure reduction is terminated, but flow exiting the vent is artificially restricted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Charles Robert Granitz, Mark Eden Zentgraf
  • Patent number: 7426834
    Abstract: A method facilitates assembling a gas turbine engine that includes an oil supply and scavenge system, wherein the oil supply and scavenge system includes at least one sump cavity that includes a first scavenge port and a second scavenge port, a first oil pump and a second oil pump such that the first oil pump is in flow communication with and receives scavenge oil from the first scavenge port and the second oil pump is in flow communication with and receives scavenge oil from the second scavenge port. In addition, an oil supply source is coupled in flow communication with the first and second oil pumps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Charles Robert Granitz, Mark Eden Zentgraf
  • Publication number: 20030097872
    Abstract: A system for reducing oil usage from a sump in a gas turbine engine. Two sources of oil usage, which usage includes leakage and consumption, have been identified: (1) during idle, leakage of oil from an oil sump through seals and (2) during high-power operation, consumption of oil entrained in vent air exiting from the sump. At idle, the invention reduces pressure in the sump, to thereby increase airflow across the seals into the sump, to inhibit the oil leakage across the seals. At high power operation, the pressure reduction is terminated, but flow exiting the vent is artificially restricted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2001
    Publication date: May 29, 2003
    Inventors: Charles Robert Granitz, Mark Eden Zentgraf
  • Publication number: 20020166317
    Abstract: A sump evacuation system for a gas turbine facilitates reducing oil leakage from bearing assembly sumps in a cost-effective and reliable manner. The engine includes at least one bearing assembly housed within a sump pressurization cavity. The sump evacuation system includes a sump pressurization cavity, a sump oil cavity, an air/oil separator, and an air pump. The bearing assembly and the sump oil cavity are coupled in flow communication with the sump pressurization cavity, and the air/oil separator is coupled in flow communication with the sump oil cavity. Furthermore, the air pump is coupled in flow communication with the air/oil separator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2001
    Publication date: November 14, 2002
    Inventors: James Charles Przytulski, Charles Robert Granitz, Frederic Gardner Haaser, Awtar Singh Khera
  • Patent number: 6470666
    Abstract: A sump evacuation system for a gas turbine facilitates reducing oil leakage from bearing assembly sumps in a cost-effective and reliable manner. The engine includes at least one bearing assembly housed within a sump pressurization cavity. The sump evacuation system includes a sump pressurization cavity, a sump oil cavity, an air/oil separator, and an air pump. The bearing assembly and the sump oil cavity are coupled in flow communication with the sump pressurization cavity, and the air/oil separator is coupled in flow communication with the sump oil cavity. Furthermore, the air pump is coupled in flow communication with the air/oil separator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2002
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: James Charles Przytulski, Charles Robert Granitz, Frederic Gardner Haaser, Awtar Singh Khera