Patents by Inventor Christopher A. Powell

Christopher A. Powell 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: 8718975
    Abstract: A method and system for accepting or rejecting a curved surface of a body under evaluation involves conducting a comparison between the curvature of a surface profile for the surface under evaluation and higher and lower curvature tolerance boundaries. The higher and lower curvature tolerance boundaries are determined from a desired surface profile. The curvature at a plurality of locations on the curve profile under evaluation may be defined with reference to a geometric variable for said curved surface and may be plotted on a graph. The higher and lower curvature tolerance boundaries may also be plotted on the graph so as to determine whether the plot of curvature for the surface under evaluation falls within the bounds of the higher and lower tolerance boundaries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce, PLC
    Inventors: Hugo M P Lobato, Ian R Gower, Christopher A Powell, Nicholas B Orchard
  • Publication number: 20110301915
    Abstract: A method and system for accepting or rejecting a curved surface of a body under evaluation involves conducting a comparison between the curvature of a surface profile for the surface under evaluation and higher and lower curvature tolerance boundaries. The higher and lower curvature tolerance boundaries are determined from a desired surface profile. The curvature at a plurality of locations on the curve profile under evaluation may be defined with reference to a geometric variable for said curved surface and may be plotted on a graph. The higher and lower curvature tolerance boundaries may also be plotted on the graph so as to determine whether the plot of curvature for the surface under evaluation falls within the bounds of the higher and lower tolerance boundaries.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2010
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: Hugo M. P. Lobato, Ian R. Gower, Christopher A. Powell, Nicholas B. Orchard
  • Publication number: 20090068015
    Abstract: An integrally bladed rotor is constructed from a plurality of layers of organic matrix composite material wound together in a spiral fashion to form the disc portion of the rotor, and at each rotor blade position at least the outermost one of the layers is turned substantially radially outwards from the periphery of the rotor disc to form a blade. Each blade is finished with further pieces of organic matrix composite material bonded into position on the. An encircling blade tip shroud may be formed by further layers of material wound around the tips of the blades in conjunction with closed loop inserts in the spaces between blades.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2006
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: Christopher A. Powell, David A. Williams
  • Patent number: 7128536
    Abstract: A damped airfoil structure comprises an airfoil having a first wall and a second opposing wall, and vibration damping means for damping relative movement of the first and second wall. The damping means comprises at least two cooperating damping elements, a first damping element mounted to the first wall of the structure and a second damping element mounted to the second wall of the structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: David A. Williams, Christopher A. Powell
  • Patent number: 7070390
    Abstract: A component such as a blade for use in a gas turbine engine comprises a body 2 formed from outer panels 8, 10 defining an internal cavity 12. A damping element 14 is provided in the cavity 12 and is secured at one end between the panels 8, 10 at one end of the body 2, for example adjacent the root of the blade. Damping material fills the cavity 12 and so extends between the damping element 14 and the panels 8, 10. Vibration induced in the blade causes relative movement between the body 2 of the blade and the damping element 14, causing energy loss in the damping material which damps the vibration. The components 8, 10, 14 may be secured by a diffusion bonding process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2006
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventor: Christopher A. Powell
  • Publication number: 20040253115
    Abstract: A damped aerofoil structure comprises an aerofoil having a first wall and a second opposing wall, and vibration damping means for damping relative movement of the first and second wall. The damping means comprises at least two cooperating damping elements, a first damping element mounted to the first wall of the structure and a second damping element mounted to the second wall of the structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2004
    Publication date: December 16, 2004
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: David A. Williams, Christopher A. Powell
  • Publication number: 20040249922
    Abstract: A computer network controlled/monitored automation system for a residence (such as a home, a business, an office, etc.) in which a residential server controls and monitors security and other computer controllable systems within the residence. To provide maximum security, the residential server is configured to deny any inbound connections. The residential server initiates a secure connection to a central system controller's server so that the residential server can receive commands and other communications from the central system controller's server, some of which may have been communicated to the central system controller's server by an authorized remote user/occupant of the residence over the Internet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2004
    Publication date: December 9, 2004
    Inventors: Thomas J. Hackman, Christopher A. Powell