Patents by Inventor Christopher Bilson

Christopher Bilson 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: 8568087
    Abstract: The present technology relates generally to a device for the detection of a shaft fracture in a rotor of a turbine, for example a medium pressure turbine such as a gas turbine, in particular an aircraft engine, whereby at least one stator-side sensor element is positioned downstream from the turbine in the area of a stator-side guide vane ring of another turbine in particular, a low pressure turbine; and whereby a radially inner section of the last rotor-side moving blade ring (as seen in the direction of flow) of the turbine cooperates with at least one sensor element directly and/or proximally in the event of a shaft fracture in the rotor of the turbine to generate an electric signal corresponding to the shaft fracture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: MTU Aero Engines GmbH
    Inventors: Alastair McIntosh, Christopher Bilson
  • Patent number: 8371804
    Abstract: A device for detecting a shaft rupture in a rotor of a turbine, in particular a medium-pressure turbine, of a gas turbine, in particular of an aircraft engine, at least one stator-side sensor element being positioned downstream from the turbine, in particular in the area of a stator-side blade ring of another turbine, in particular a low-pressure turbine, and, in case of a shaft rupture of the rotor of the turbine, a radially externally situated segment of a last (seen in the direction of flow) rotor-side blade ring of the turbine working together with the, or with each, sensor element to generate an electrical signal corresponding to the shaft rupture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: MTU Aero Engines GmbH
    Inventors: Christopher Bilson, Derek Dewey, Andrew Cox
  • Patent number: 7780400
    Abstract: An arrangement is provided for detecting a shaft break on a rotor of a first turbine, especially a medium pressure turbine, of a gas turbine machine, especially an aircraft engine. A second turbine (11), especially a low pressure turbine, is positioned downstream from the first turbine. An actuating element (18) is positioned lying radially inwardly relative to a flow channel, between the rotor of the first turbine and a stator of the second turbine. A transmission element (22) is guided in the stator of the second turbine (11), in order to transmit a shaft break detected by the radially inwardly positioned actuating element (18) to a switching element (23) positioned radially outwardly relative to the flow channel on a housing (14) of the gas turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: MTU Aero Engines GmbH
    Inventor: Christopher Bilson
  • Patent number: 7758301
    Abstract: A gas turbine machine includes a second turbine (11), e.g. a low pressure turbine, positioned downstream from a first turbine (10), e.g. a medium pressure turbine. An arrangement for detecting a shaft break of a rotor shaft includes an operator element (16) positioned between the rotor of the first turbine (10) and a stator of the second turbine (11) radially inwardly relative to a flow channel, and a sensor element (21) guided in the stator of the second turbine (11), to convert a shaft break, detected by the radially inwardly positioned operator element (16), into an electrical signal and to transmit this electrical signal to a switching element which is positioned radially outwardly relative to the flow channel on a housing of the gas turbine machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: MTU Aero Engines GmbH
    Inventors: Christopher Bilson, Ian Fitzgerald
  • Publication number: 20090220333
    Abstract: A device for detecting a shaft rupture in a rotor of a turbine, in particular a medium-pressure turbine, of a gas turbine, in particular of an aircraft engine, at least one stator-side sensor element being positioned downstream from the turbine, in particular in the area of a stator-side blade ring of another turbine, in particular a low-pressure turbine, and, in case of a shaft rupture of the rotor of the turbine, a radially externally situated segment of a last (seen in the direction of flow) rotor-side blade ring of the turbine working together with the, or with each, sensor element to generate an electrical signal corresponding to the shaft rupture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2006
    Publication date: September 3, 2009
    Inventors: Christopher Bilson, Derek Dewey, Andrew Cox
  • Publication number: 20090148270
    Abstract: The present technology relates generally to a device for the detection of a shaft fracture in a rotor of a turbine, for example a medium pressure turbine such as a gas turbine, in particular an aircraft engine, whereby at least one stator-side sensor element is positioned downstream from the turbine in the area of a stator-side guide vane ring of another turbine in particular, a low pressure turbine; and whereby a radially inner section of the last rotor-side moving blade ring (as seen in the direction of flow) of the turbine cooperates with at least one sensor element directly and/or proximally in the event of a shaft fracture in the rotor of the turbine to generate an electric signal corresponding to the shaft fracture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2008
    Publication date: June 11, 2009
    Inventors: Alastair McIntosh, Christopher Bilson
  • Publication number: 20080069685
    Abstract: The invention relates to an arrangement for the detection of a shaft break on a rotor of a first turbine, especially a medium pressure turbine, of a gas turbine, especially an aircraft engine, whereby a second turbine (11), especially a low pressure turbine, is positioned downstream from the first turbine, with an actuating element (18) positioned lying radially inwardly relative to a flow channel, between the rotor of the first turbine and a stator of the second turbine (11), and with a transmission element (22) guided in the stator of the second turbine (11), in order to transmit a shaft break detected by the actuating element (18) positioned lying radially inwardly to a switching element (23), which is positioned lying radially outwardly relative to the flow channel on a housing (14) of the gas turbine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2005
    Publication date: March 20, 2008
    Inventor: Christopher Bilson
  • Publication number: 20070160457
    Abstract: The invention relates to an arrangement for detecting a shaft break in a rotor of a first turbine (10), particularly a medium pressure turbine, of a gas turbine, particularly of an aircraft engine, whereby a second turbine (11), particularly a low pressure turbine, is positioned downstream of the first turbine (10), with an operator element (16) positioned between the rotor of the first turbine (10) and a stator of the second turbine (11) radially inwardly relative to a flow channel, and with a sensor element (21) guided in the stator of the second turbine (11), in order to convert a shaft break, detected by the radially inwardly positioned operator element (16), into an electrical signal and to transmit this electrical signal to a switching element which is positioned radially outwardly relative to the flow channel on a housing of the gas turbine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2005
    Publication date: July 12, 2007
    Inventors: Christopher Bilson, Ian Fitzgerald