Patents by Inventor Courtney James Tudor

Courtney James Tudor 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: 20170101878
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine including a component having a first and a second component that are attached or integrally formed with each other. The first and the second component define an enclosed void. An insert is positioned within the enclosed void which is formed of a material having a relatively low Young's modulus. The insert may prevent resin from filling the enclosed void during assembly/manufacture of the component, while also reducing a weight of the component and an amount of stress on the component. The component may be a fan platform positioned between a plurality of fan blades, an outlet guide vane, or another component of the gas turbine engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2016
    Publication date: April 13, 2017
    Inventors: Mingchao Wang, Gerald Alexander Pauley, Courtney James Tudor, Elzbieta Kryj-Kos, Weizeng Kong
  • Patent number: 9303520
    Abstract: The assembly has a first guide vane having a first end, a second end opposed to the first end, and a second guide vane having a first end, a second end opposed to its first end. A first end structure spans between the first guide vane first end and the second guide vane first end. A second end structure spans between the first guide vane second end and the second guide vane second end. The first guide vane, the second guide vane, the first end structure, and the second end structure are integrally formed together to form a double vane with a continuous outer surface, and a continuous inner surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: William Howard Hasting, Courtney James Tudor
  • Patent number: 9303531
    Abstract: A quick engine change assembly, comprises a first circular frame member, a plurality of doublet supports spaced about the first circular frame member, the doublet supports being contoured along the axial direction, a flow surface defined between the plurality of doublet supports and, a plurality of cradles, each of the cradles including the doublet supports, the doublet supports from a lower portion of the cradle to the flow surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: William Howard Hasting, Courtney James Tudor
  • Patent number: 8734101
    Abstract: A vane includes a composite airfoil having a single dovetail root extending chordwise between or near leading and trailing edges of the airfoil. The root is connected to the airfoil and is slidably received in a dovetail slot in an inner vane mount. The dovetail slot has a triangular slot cross section and a flat slot bottom and flat slot pressure and suction side crush faces corresponding to pressure and suction sides of the airfoil. The root has a triangular root cross section, a flat root bottom, and flat dovetail root pressure and suction side crush faces. A biasing means urges the root bottom of the dovetail root away from the slot bottom and presses and preloads the dovetail root pressure and suction side crush faces against the slot pressure and suction side slot crush faces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Co.
    Inventors: Seth Alexander McDonald, William James Strock, Courtney James Tudor, William Howard Hasting, Frank Worthoff
  • Patent number: 8727721
    Abstract: A vane includes a composite airfoil having one or more pockets and one or more spars received therein respectively. The spars extending radially away from a bridge of a vane mount supporting airfoil. The spars may be integrally formed with the bridge. The spars may be adhesively bonded to the composite airfoil within the pockets. A passage may extend between an airfoil base and an airfoil tip. A gas turbine engine annular fan frame includes an annular row of the composite outlet guide vanes extending radially between and connecting radially inner and outer rings of the fan frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Courtney James Tudor, Frank Worthoff, David William Crall, Seth Alexander McDonald
  • Patent number: 8690531
    Abstract: A vane includes a composite airfoil having one or more outer pockets and one or more outer spars received therein respectively. The outer spars extending radially inwardly from an outer bridge of the outer vane mount outwardly supporting airfoil. The spars may be integrally formed with the bridge and adhesively bonded to the composite airfoil within the pockets with a passage extending between an airfoil base and an airfoil tip. A metallic leading edge tip may be disposed along the leading edge of the composite airfoil. A gas turbine engine annular fan frame incorporates the vanes in an annular row of composite outlet guide vanes extending radially between and connecting radially inner and outer rings of the fan frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: General Electroc Co.
    Inventors: Courtney James Tudor, Frank Worthoff, David William Crall, Seth Alexander McDonald
  • Patent number: 8550776
    Abstract: A vane includes a composite airfoil having chordwise spaced apart forward and aft dovetail feet at or near leading and trailing edges of the airfoil. Each foot includes a shank connecting a dovetail root to an airfoil base and each root is slidably received in a dovetail slot in an inner vane mount. The dovetail slot has a triangular slot cross section and a flat slot bottom and flat slot pressure and suction side crush faces corresponding to pressure and suction sides of the airfoil. The dovetail root having a triangular root cross section and a flat root bottom and flat dovetail root pressure and suction side crush faces. A biasing means urges the root bottom of the dovetail roots away from the slot bottom and presses and preloads the dovetail root pressure and suction side crush faces against the slot pressure and suction side slot crush faces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Seth Alexander McDonald, William James Strock, Courtney James Tudor, William Howard Hasting, Frank Worthoff
  • Publication number: 20120312924
    Abstract: A leading edge structure for use in an aerospace vehicle includes a body having a flowpath surface which defines a leading edge adapted to face an air flow during operation, and an opposed inner surface. The body is segmented into a plurality of portions having varying thermal properties and/or mechanical discontinuities, so as to promote stress concentrations in ice attached to the flowpath surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2012
    Publication date: December 13, 2012
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Edward Atwood Rainous, Barry Lynn Allmon, Jeffre Gerry Loewe, William Clarke Brooks, Lee Alan Blanton, Courtney James Tudor, Vicky Showalter Budinger
  • Patent number: 8245981
    Abstract: A leading edge structure for use in an aerospace vehicle includes a body having a flowpath surface which defines a leading edge adapted to face an air flow during operation, and an opposed inner surface. The body is segmented into a plurality of portions having varying thermal properties and/or mechanical discontinuities, so as to promote stress concentrations in ice attached to the flowpath surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Edward Atwood Rainous, Barry Lynn Allmon, Jeffre Gerry Loewe, William Clarke Brooks, Lee Alan Blanton, Courtney James Tudor, Vicky Showalter Budinger
  • Publication number: 20120171025
    Abstract: A vane includes a composite airfoil having one or more outer pockets and one or more outer spars received therein respectively. The outer spars extending radially inwardly from an outer bridge of the outer vane mount outwardly supporting airfoil. The spars may be integrally formed with the bridge and adhesively bonded to the composite airfoil within the pockets with a passage extending between an airfoil base and an airfoil tip. A metallic leading edge tip may be disposed along the leading edge of the composite airfoil. A gas turbine engine annular fan frame incorporates the vanes in an annular row of composite outlet guide vanes extending radially between and connecting radially inner and outer rings of the fan frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2010
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Inventors: Courtney James Tudor, Frank Worthoff, David William Crall, Seth Alexander McDonald
  • Publication number: 20120171028
    Abstract: A vane includes a composite airfoil having one or more pockets and one or more spars received therein respectively. The spars extending radially away from a bridge of a vane mount supporting airfoil. The spars may be integrally formed with the bridge. The spars may be adhesively bonded to the composite airfoil within the pockets. A passage may extend between an airfoil base and an airfoil tip. A gas turbine engine annular fan frame includes an annular row of the composite outlet guide vanes extending radially between and connecting radially inner and outer rings of the fan frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2010
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Inventors: Courtney James Tudor, Frank Worthoff, David William Crall, Seth Alexander McDonald
  • Publication number: 20120051923
    Abstract: A vane includes a composite airfoil having a dovetail root extending chordwise between or near leading and trailing edges of the airfoil. The root is connected to the airfoil and is slidably received in a dovetail slot in an inner vane mount. The dovetail slot has a triangular slot cross section and a flat slot bottom and flat slot pressure and suction side crush faces corresponding to pressure and suction sides of the airfoil. The root has a triangular root cross section, a flat root bottom, and flat dovetail root pressure and suction side crush faces. A biasing means urges the root bottom of the dovetail root away from the slot bottom and presses and preloads the dovetail root pressure and suction side crush faces against the slot pressure and suction side slot crush faces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Inventors: Seth Alexander McDonald, William James Strock, Courtney James Tudor, William Howard Hasting, Frank Worthoff
  • Publication number: 20120027604
    Abstract: A vane includes a composite airfoil having chordwise spaced apart forward and aft dovetail feet at or near leading and trailing edges of the airfoil. Each foot includes a shank connecting a dovetail root to an airfoil base and each root is slidably received in a dovetail slot in an inner vane mount. The dovetail slot has a triangular slot cross section and a flat slot bottom and flat slot pressure and suction side crush faces corresponding to pressure and suction sides of the airfoil. The dovetail root having a triangular root cross section and a flat root bottom and flat dovetail root pressure and suction side crush faces. A biasing means urges the root bottom of the dovetail roots away from the slot bottom and presses and preloads the dovetail root pressure and suction side crush faces against the slot pressure and suction side slot crush faces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2010
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Inventors: Seth Alexander McDonald, William James Strock, Courtney James Tudor, William Howard Hasting, Frank Worthoff
  • Patent number: 7992823
    Abstract: A leading edge structure for use in an aerospace vehicle includes a body having a flowpath surface which defines a leading edge adapted to face an air flow during operation; and a metallic icephobic plating comprising nickel applied to at least a portion of the flowpath surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Edward Atwood Rainous, Barry Lynn Allmon, Jeffre Gerry Loewe, William Clarke Brooks, Lee Alan Blanton, Courtney James Tudor, Vicky Showalter Budinger
  • Publication number: 20100080692
    Abstract: A fairing is disclosed, comprising a surface capable of bounding a fluid on the surface and a seal located at an edge portion on the fairing wherein the seal has at least one support flange and a contact face capable of engaging with an adjacent component to facilitate reducing a leakage of the fluid. A stator assembly is disclosed comprising a vane, a first fairing having a first seal and a second fairing having a second seal, wherein the first seal engages with an adjacent component to facilitate reducing leakage of a fluid in the stator assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Inventors: Courtney James Tudor, Scott Alan Garten, Eli B. Kalaani, Samir Mahendra Mehta, Steven Edward Dinser
  • Publication number: 20100077612
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an integrated seal on a component is disclosed, comprising the steps of supplying a component having an edge portion, forming a profile on the edge portion, supplying a seal, applying a bond preparation on a surface on the edge portion, applying a bonding material on the seal, mounting the seal to the edge portion, and curing the bond. A method of assembling a stator assembly is disclosed comprising the steps of providing a vane, providing a first fairing located near a first side of the vane, the first fairing having a first seal coupled to a first edge portion of the first fairing, providing a second fairing located near a second side of the vane, the second fairing having a second seal coupled to a second edge portion of the second fairing and engaging a portion of the first seal with a portion of the second seal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Inventors: Courtney James Tudor, Scott Alan Garten, Eli B. Kalaani, Samir Mahendra Mehta, Steven Edward Dinser
  • Publication number: 20090272095
    Abstract: A leading edge structure for use in an aerospace vehicle includes a body having a flowpath surface which defines a leading edge adapted to face an air flow during operation; and a metallic icephobic plating comprising nickel applied to at least a portion of the flowpath surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2008
    Publication date: November 5, 2009
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Edward Atwood Rainous, Barry Lynn Allmon, Jeffre Gerry Loewe, William Clarke Brooks, Lee Alan Blanton, Courtney James Tudor, Vicky Showalter Budinger
  • Publication number: 20090272850
    Abstract: A leading edge structure for use in an aerospace vehicle includes a body having a flowpath surface which defines a leading edge adapted to face an air flow during operation, and an opposed inner surface. The body is segmented into a plurality of portions having varying thermal properties and/or mechanical discontinuities, so as to promote stress concentrations in ice attached to the flowpath surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2008
    Publication date: November 5, 2009
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Edward Atwood Rainous, Barry Lynn Allmon, Jeffre Gerry Loewe, William Clarke Brooks, Lee Alan Blanton, Courtney James Tudor, Vicky Showalter Budinger
  • Patent number: 7189064
    Abstract: A hollow component for gas turbine engine, for example an outlet guide vane, is assembled from a body having at recessed pocket formed therein, and an aerodynamic cover bonded over the pocket. Both the cover and the body are constructed from materials which are not readily fusion weldable. The cover is attached to the body by a solid state bonding process, for example friction stir welding. The hollow component may also be built up from multiple individual components which are bonded to each other by a solid state bonding process such as friction stir welding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Earl Claude Helder, Timothy Joseph Trapp, John Robert Kelley, Vicky S. Budinger, Courtney James Tudor