Patents by Inventor David A. Litton

David A. Litton 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: 20180237910
    Abstract: An apparatus for depositing a coating on a part comprises: a chamber; a source of the coating material, positioned to communicate the coating material to the part in the chamber; a plurality of thermal hoods; and means for moving a hood of the plurality of thermal hoods from an operative position and replacing the hood with another hood of the plurality of hoods.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2018
    Publication date: August 23, 2018
    Applicant: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: David A. Litton, Peter F. Gero, Kevin W. Schlichting
  • Publication number: 20180226222
    Abstract: A system for measuring a temperature of a rotating workpiece comprises a deposition chamber, a crucible within the deposition chamber, an energy source, a drive system, a temperature sensor, first and second sensor wires, a dynamic electrical connection, and a control system. The crucible is configured to hold a deposition feedstock material. The energy source is configured to evaporate the deposition feedstock material. The drive system is configured to rotate the workpiece such that the evaporated deposition feedstock material can impinge the rotating workpiece. The temperature sensor is configured to sense the temperature of the rotating workpiece. The first and second sensor wires are electrically connected to the temperature sensor. The dynamic electrical connection is configured to electrically communicate the signal indicative of the sensed temperature from the rotatable workpiece holder to the stationary portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2017
    Publication date: August 9, 2018
    Inventors: James W. Neal, Michael J. Maloney, Kevin W. Schlichting, David A. Litton
  • Patent number: 9988716
    Abstract: An apparatus for depositing a coating on a part comprises: a chamber; a source of the coating material, positioned to communicate the coating material to the part in the chamber; a plurality of thermal hoods; and means for moving a hood of the plurality of thermal hoods from an operative position and replacing the hood with another hood of the plurality of hoods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: David A. Litton, Peter F. Gero, Kevin W. Schlichting
  • Publication number: 20180073129
    Abstract: An electron beam vapor deposition process for depositing coatings includes placing a source coating material in a crucible of a vapor deposition apparatus; energizing the source coating with an electron beam raster pattern that delivers a controlled power density to the material in the crucible forming a vapor cloud from the source coating material; and depositing the source coating material onto a surface of a work piece.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2016
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Applicant: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: James W. Neal, Michael J. Maloney, Kevin W. Schlichting, Eric Jorzik, David A. Litton
  • Patent number: 9885110
    Abstract: A method or control strategy in a coating apparatus for use in a coating process can include controlling differential gas pressures among multiple selected localized zones in a coating chamber with respect to each other. The controlled differential gas pressure of the multiple selected localized zones is used to influence how a coating deposits on at least one component. The localized zones can be selected from a first localized zone around the component, a second localized zone adjacent the source of coating material, a third localized zone that diverges from the second localized zone toward the first localized zone, and a fourth localized zone that circumscribes at least the third localized zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Dmitri Novikov, Sergei F. Burlatsky, David Ulrich Furrer, David A. Litton
  • Publication number: 20180030597
    Abstract: An apparatus for depositing a coating on a part comprises: a chamber; a source of the coating material, positioned to communicate the coating material to the part in the chamber; a plurality of thermal hoods; and means for moving a hood of the plurality of thermal hoods from an operative position and replacing the hood with another hood of the plurality of hoods.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Applicant: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: David A. Litton, Peter F. Gero, Kevin W. Schlichting
  • Publication number: 20180010232
    Abstract: A coating system for coating a part (10), such as a turbine blade or vane, has a mask (14) positioned adjacent to a first portion (16) of the part (10) to be coated and a mechanism (30) for moving the mask (14) relative to the part (10). The mechanism (30) may be a gear mechanism or a magnetic mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2017
    Publication date: January 11, 2018
    Applicant: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: James W. Neal, David A. Litton, Russell A. Beers, Benjamin Joseph Zimmerman, Michael J. Maloney
  • Patent number: 9790585
    Abstract: A coating system for coating a part (10), such as a turbine blade or vane, has a mask (14) positioned adjacent to a first portion (16) of the part (10) to be coated and a mechanism (30) for moving the mask (14) relative to the part (10). The mechanism (30) may be a gear mechanism or a magnetic mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: James W Neal, David A Litton, Russell A Beers, Benjamin Joseph Zimmerman, Michael J. Maloney
  • Publication number: 20170145557
    Abstract: An embodiment of an apparatus includes a deposition chamber, a workpiece fixture including a first workpiece holder, and a first crucible. The workpiece holder is configured to retain a first workpiece in the deposition chamber. The first crucible includes a body including at least one wall defining a non-circular upper recess with a base. A first lower recess is formed below the base of the upper recess and configured to retain a first primary coating feedstock therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2016
    Publication date: May 25, 2017
    Inventors: James W. Neal, Kevin W. Schlichting, Brian T. Hazel, David A. Litton, Eric Jorzik, Michael J. Maloney
  • Publication number: 20170144181
    Abstract: An embodiment of an apparatus includes a first crucible in communication with a deposition chamber, an energy source, and a workpiece fixture. The first crucible includes a plurality of walls defining an upper recess and a first lower recess, at least the upper recess open to an interior of the deposition chamber. The energy source is configured to selectively apply and direct energy within the deposition chamber, including toward the first crucible. The workpiece fixture includes tooling and a plurality of workpiece holders configured to retain at least one workpiece selectively within the deposition chamber. The tooling includes at least one wall separating at least a first of the plurality of workpiece holders from a second of the plurality of workpiece holders.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2016
    Publication date: May 25, 2017
    Inventors: James W. Neal, Kevin W. Schlichting, Brian T. Hazel, David A. Litton, Eric Jorzik, Michael J. Maloney
  • Publication number: 20170101709
    Abstract: A method includes forming a multi-layered ceramic barrier coating under a chamber pressure of greater than 1 Pascals. In the method, low- and high-dopant ceramic materials are evaporated using input evaporating energies that fall, respectively, above and below a threshold for depositing the materials in a columnar microstructure (low-dopant) and in a branched columnar microstructure (high-dopant).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2015
    Publication date: April 13, 2017
    Inventors: James W. Neal, Michael J. Maloney, Kevin W. Schlichting, Eric Jorzik, David A. Litton, Brian T. Hazel
  • Publication number: 20170101874
    Abstract: An article includes a substrate and a multi-layered ceramic barrier coating on a substrate. The coating includes, from the substrate outward, a first layer of a low-dopant ceramic material and a second layer high-dopant ceramic material. The first layer has a columnar microstructure and the second layer has a branched columnar microstructure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2015
    Publication date: April 13, 2017
    Inventors: James W. Neal, Michael J. Maloney, Kevin W. Schlichting, Brian T. Hazel, David A. Litton, Eric Jorzik
  • Publication number: 20160362796
    Abstract: The thermal barrier coating system comprises a matrix of a first chemistry with multiple embedded second phases of a second chemistry. The matrix comprises a stabilized zirconia. The second regions comprise at least 40 mole percent of oxides having the formula Ln2O3, where Ln is selected from the lanthanides La through Lu, Y, Sc, In, Ca, and Mg with the balance zirconia (ZrO2), hafnia (HfO2), titania (TiO2), or mixtures thereof. The second phases have a characteristic thickness (T6) of less than 2.0 micrometers (?m). The spacing between second phases has a characteristic thickness (T5) of less than 8.0 micrometers (?m).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2016
    Publication date: December 15, 2016
    Applicant: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: David A. Litton, Brian S. Tryon
  • Publication number: 20160348516
    Abstract: A coated component with a coating applied by Electron Beam Physical Vapor Deposition (EB-PVD) includes at least one Non Line of Sight (NLOS) area and at least one Line of Sight (LOS) area, a coating on the workpiece defines a ratio greater than about 10% NLOS/LOS.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2015
    Publication date: December 1, 2016
    Inventors: James W Neal, David A Litton, Kevin W Schlichting, Eric Jorzik, Brian T Hazel, Michael J Maloney
  • Publication number: 20160333465
    Abstract: A method for use in a physical vapor deposition coating process includes depositing a ceramic coating material from a plume onto at least one substrate to form a ceramic coating thereon, and during the deposition, rotating the at least one substrate at rotational speed selected with respect to deposition rate of the ceramic coating material onto the at least one substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2015
    Publication date: November 17, 2016
    Applicant: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Mladen F. Trubelja, David A. Litton, Joseph A. DePalma, James W. Neal, Michael Maloney, Russell A. Beers, Brian T. Hazel, Glenn A. Cotnoir
  • Publication number: 20160326628
    Abstract: A method for use in a coating process includes pre-heating a substrate in the presence of a coating material and shielding the substrate during the pre-heating from premature deposition of the coating material by establishing a gas screen between the substrate and the coating material. An apparatus for use in a coating process includes a chamber, a crucible that is configured to hold a coating material in the chamber, an energy source operable to heat the interior of the chamber, a coating envelope situated with respect to the crucible, and at least one gas manifold located near the coating envelope. The at least one gas manifold is configured to provide a gas screen between the coating envelope and the crucible. A second manifold provides gas during a later coating deposition to compress a vapor plume of the coating material and focus the plume on the substrate to increase deposition rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2015
    Publication date: November 10, 2016
    Applicant: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph A. DePalma, Mladen F. Trubelja, David A. Litton, Dmitri L. Novikov, Sergei F. Burlatsky
  • Patent number: 9428837
    Abstract: The thermal barrier coating system comprises a matrix of a first chemistry with multiple embedded second phases of a second chemistry. The matrix comprises a stabilized zirconia. The second regions comprise at least 40 mole percent of oxides having the formula Ln2O3, where Ln is selected from the lanthanides La through Lu, Y, Sc, In, Ca, and Mg with the balance zirconia (ZrO2), hafnia (HfO2), titania (TiO2), or mixtures thereof. The second phases have a characteristic thickness (T6) of less than 2.0 micrometers (?m). The spacing between second phases has a characteristic thickness (T5) of less than 8.0 micrometers (?m).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: David A. Litton, Brian S. Tryon
  • Publication number: 20160214350
    Abstract: A coating-substrate combination includes: a Ni-based superalloy substrate comprising, by weight percent: 2.0-5.1 Cr; 0.9-3.3 Mo; 3.9-9.8 W; 2.2-6.8 Ta; 5.4-6.5 Al; 1.8-12.8 Co; 2.8-5.8 Re; 2.8-7.2 Ru; and a coating comprising, exclusive of Pt group elements, by weight percent: Ni as a largest content 5.8-9.3 Al; 4.4-25 Cr; 3.0-13.5 Co; up to 6.0 Ta, if any; up to 6.2 W, if any; up to 2.4 Mo, if any; 0.3-0.6 Hf; 0.1-0.4 Si; up to 0.6 Y, if any; up to 0.4 Zr, if any; up to 1.0 Re, if any.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2013
    Publication date: July 28, 2016
    Applicant: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Joel Larose, Alan D. Cetel, David A. Litton, Brian S. Tryon
  • Publication number: 20160195272
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods for coating gas turbine engine components, such as combustor panels. In one embodiment, a method includes forming a first layer to a substrate to form a bond coat, and forming a second layer over the first layer. The second layer may be formed by a material having a thermal conductivity within the range of 4.45 to 30 Kcal/(m hoC). According to one or more embodiments, the first layer may be formed by at least one of a high velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) source, an electric-arc source and low pressure plasma spraying. According to one or more embodiments, the second layer, and as a result a thermal barrier coating, may be formed by at least one of air plasma spraying, suspension plasma spraying, and electronic beam physical vapor deposition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2015
    Publication date: July 7, 2016
    Inventors: John S. Tu, Philip J. Kirsopp, David A. Litton, Mark F. Zelesky, Dennis M. Moura, Aaron S. Butler
  • Patent number: 9382605
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an improved low-cost metallic coating to be deposited on gas turbine engine components. The metallic coating consists of 1.0 to 18 wt % cobalt, 3.0 to 18 wt % chromium, 5.0 to 15 wt % aluminum, 0.01 to 1.0 wt % yttrium, 0.01 to 0.6 wt % hafnium, 0.0 to 0.3 wt % silicon, 0.0 to 1.0 wt % zirconium, 0.0 to 10 wt % tantalum, 0.0 to 9.0 wt % tungsten, 0.0 to 10 wt % molybdenum, 0.0 to 43.0 wt % platinum, and the balance nickel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Brian S. Tryon, David A. Litton, Russell A. Beers