Patents by Inventor Christopher J. Kroger

Christopher J. Kroger 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).

  • Variable pitch fans for turbomachinery engines
    Patent number: 11946437
    Abstract: A turbomachinery engine can include a fan assembly with a plurality of variable pitch fan blades. The fan blades are configured such that they define a first VPF parameter and a second VPF parameter. The first VPF parameter is within a range of 0.10 to 0.40 and is defined as the hub-to-tip radius ratio divided by the fan pressure ratio. The second VPF parameter is within a range of 1-30 lbf/in2 and is defined as the bearing spanwise force divided by the fan area. In certain examples, the turbomachinery engine further includes a pitch change mechanism, a vane assembly, a core engine, and a gearbox.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Daniel A. Niergarth, Martin Manning, Nicholas M. Daggett, Christopher J. Kroger, Ian F. Prentice
  • VARIABLE PITCH FANS FOR TURBOMACHINERY ENGINES
    Publication number: 20230126551
    Abstract: A turbomachinery engine can include a fan assembly with a plurality of variable pitch fan blades. The fan blades are configured such that they define a first VPF parameter and a second VPF parameter. The first VPF parameter is within a range of 0.10 to 0.40 and is defined as the hub-to-tip radius ratio divided by the fan pressure ratio. The second VPF parameter is within a range of 1-30 lbf/in2 and is defined as the bearing spanwise force divided by the fan area. In certain examples, the turbomachinery engine further includes a pitch change mechanism, a vane assembly, a core engine, and a gearbox.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2022
    Publication date: April 27, 2023
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Daniel A. Niergarth, Martin Manning, Nicholas M. Daggett, Christopher J. Kroger, Ian F. Prentice
  • Variable pitch fans for turbomachinery engines
    Patent number: 11454195
    Abstract: A turbomachinery engine can include a fan assembly with a plurality of variable pitch fan blades. The fan blades are configured such that they define a first VPF parameter and a second VPF parameter. The first VPF parameter is defined as the hub-to-tip radius ratio divided by the fan pressure ratio. The second VPF parameter is defined as the bearing spanwise force divided by the fan area. In some instances, the first VPF parameter is within a range of 0.1 to 0.25, and the second VPF parameter is within a range of 2-30 lbf/in2. In other instances, the first VPF parameter is within a range of 0.1 to 0.4 and the second VPF parameter is within a range of 5.25-30 lbf/in2. In certain examples, the turbomachinery engine further includes a pitch change mechanism, a vane assembly, a core engine, and a gearbox.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Daniel A. Niergarth, Christopher J. Kroger, Ian F. Prentice
  • VARIABLE PITCH FANS FOR TURBOMACHINERY ENGINES
    Publication number: 20220275774
    Abstract: A turbomachinery engine can include a fan assembly with a plurality of variable pitch fan blades. The fan blades are configured such that they define a first VPF parameter and a second VPF parameter. The first VPF parameter is defined as the hub-to-tip radius ratio divided by the fan pressure ratio. The second VPF parameter is defined as the bearing spanwise force divided by the fan area. In some instances, the first VPF parameter is within a range of 0.1 to 0.25, and the second VPF parameter is within a range of 2-30 lbf/in2. In other instances, the first VPF parameter is within a range of 0.1 to 0.4 and the second VPF parameter is within a range of 5.25-30 lbf/in2. In certain examples, the turbomachinery engine further includes a pitch change mechanism, a vane assembly, a core engine, and a gearbox.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2021
    Publication date: September 1, 2022
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Daniel A. Niergarth, Christopher J. Kroger, Ian F. Prentice