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: 20070172703
    Abstract: A turbine engine component is provided which has a substrate and a thermal barrier coating applied over the substrate. The thermal barrier coating comprises alternating layers of yttria-stabilized zirconia and a molten silicate resistant material. The molten silicate resistant outer layer may be formed from at least one oxide of a material selected from the group consisting of lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, promethium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, lutetium, scandium, indium, zirconium, hafnium, and titanium or may be formed from a gadolinia-stabilized zirconia. If desired, a metallic bond coat may be present between the substrate and the thermal barrier coating system. A method for forming the thermal barrier coating system of the present invention is described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2006
    Publication date: July 26, 2007
    Inventors: Melvin Freling, Kevin W. Schlichting, Michael J. Maloney, David A. Litton, John G. Smeggil, David B. Snow
  • Publication number: 20070160873
    Abstract: A process of coating an article includes the steps of (1) applying upon at least one surface of an article at least one graded layer of at least one ceramic based compound comprising at least one metal selected from the group consisting of lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, promethium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, lutelium, indium, scandium, yttrium, zirconium, hafnium, titanium, and mixtures thereof; (2) optionally drying the coated article; and (3) optionally repeating steps (1) and (2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2006
    Publication date: July 12, 2007
    Inventors: Melvin Freling, Michael Maloney, David Litton, Kevin Schlichting, John Smeggil, David Snow
  • Patent number: 7226672
    Abstract: A turbine component has a substrate formed from a ceramic material selected from the group consisting of a monolithic ceramic material and a composite ceramic material and a thermal barrier coating bonded to the substrate. In one embodiment, the ceramic material forming the substrate is selected from the group of silicon nitride and self-reinforced silicon nitride. In another embodiment, the ceramic material forming the substrate is selected from the group consisting of a silicon carbide-silicon carbide material and a carbon-carbon material. At least one bond coat layer may be interposed between the substrate and the thermal barrier coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: David A. Litton, Nicholas E. Ulion, Mladen F. Trubelja, Michael J. Maloney, Sunil Govinda Warrier
  • Publication number: 20070048534
    Abstract: A method for applying a hybrid thermal barrier coating, comprising masking at least a portion of a first surface of a component with a first maskant; applying a first coating material to at least a portion of a second surface of said component; removing said first maskant; optionally masking at least a portion of said second surface of said component with a second maskant; applying a second coating material to at least a portion of said first surface of said component; and removing said second maskant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2005
    Publication date: March 1, 2007
    Inventors: Edward Pietraszkiewicz, Kevin Schlichting, David Litton, Heather Terry
  • Publication number: 20060162050
    Abstract: Articles of apparel are disclosed that include one of a variety of pleated structures. In general, the pleated structures include a material element with one or more folds that place surfaces of the material element in an overlapping configuration. A bonding element is positioned between the overlapping surfaces and is bonded or otherwise secured to at least one of the overlapping surfaces. The bonding element may join the overlapping surfaces together, or the bonding element may be bonded to only one of the overlapping surfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2005
    Publication date: July 27, 2006
    Applicant: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Rebecca Kaufman, David Litton, Rebecca Bilbaeno, Pamela Stafford
  • Publication number: 20050244663
    Abstract: A spallation resistant metallic article comprising a metallic substrate, at least one ceramic thermal barrier coating comprising a zirconia base and at least one other element selected from the group consisting of La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Sc, In, Y, Mo and C, rare earth oxides, scandium, and indium, and a ceramic bond coat located on at least a portion of the substrate and between the metallic substrate and the at least one ceramic thermal barrier coating wherein the ceramic bond coat is composed of yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2004
    Publication date: November 3, 2005
    Inventors: Nicholas Ulion, Mladen Trubelja, Michael Maloney, David Litton
  • Publication number: 20050208337
    Abstract: A method for reducing thermal conductivity in thermal barrier coatings (TBC) through the incorporation of porosity comprising the steps of depositing a mixture comprising a TBC matrix and a fugitive material upon a part to form a layer, and heating the layer at a temperature and for a duration sufficient to liberate a portion of the fugitive material to form a porous network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2004
    Publication date: September 22, 2005
    Inventors: Nicholas Ulion, Donald Broadhurst, Michael Maloney, Claude Clavette, David Litton, Mladen Trubelja
  • Publication number: 20040175597
    Abstract: A turbine component has a substrate formed from a ceramic material selected from the group consisting of a monolithic ceramic material and a composite ceramic material and a thermal barrier coating bonded to the substrate. In one embodiment, the ceramic material forming the substrate is selected from the group of silicon nitride and self-reinforced silicon nitride. In another embodiment, the ceramic material forming the substrate is selected from the group consisting of a silicon carbide-silicon carbide material and a carbon-carbon material. At least one bond coat layer may be interposed between the substrate and the thermal barrier coating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2004
    Publication date: September 9, 2004
    Inventors: David A. Litton, Nicholas E. Ulion, Mladen F. Trubelja, Michael J. Maloney, Sunil Govinda Warrier
  • Patent number: 6730422
    Abstract: A ceramic material having particular utility as a thermal insulating or thermal barrier coating on metallic substrates is provided. The ceramic material broadly comprises at least one oxide and the balance comprising a first oxide selected from the group consisting of zirconia, ceria, and hafnia. The at least one oxide has a formula A2O3 where A is selected from the group consisting of La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Th, In, Sc, Y, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, and mixtures thereof. The present invention also broadly relates to an article having a metal substrate and a thermal barrier coating as discussed above.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2004
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: David A. Litton, Nicholas E. Ulion, Mladen F. Trubelja, Michael J. Maloney, Sunil Govinda Warrier
  • Publication number: 20040038086
    Abstract: A ceramic material having particular utility as a thermal insulating or thermal barrier coating on metallic substrates is provided. The ceramic material broadly comprises at least one lanthanide sesquioxide and the balance comprising a first oxide selected from the group consisting of zirconia, ceria, and hafnia. The lanthanide sesquioxide has a formula A2O3 where A is selected from the group consisting of La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Tb, In, Sc, Y, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, and mixtures thereof. The present invention also broadly relates to an article having a metal substrate and a thermal barrier coating as discussed above.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2002
    Publication date: February 26, 2004
    Inventors: David A. Litton, Nicholas E. Ulion, Mladen F. Trubelja, Michael J. Maloney, Sunil Govinda Warrier
  • Publication number: 20040038085
    Abstract: A ceramic material having particular utility as a thermal insulating or thermal barrier coating on metallic substrates is provided. The ceramic material broadly comprises at least one oxide and the balance comprising a first oxide selected from the group consisting of zirconia, ceria, and hafnia. The at least one oxide has a formula A2O3 where A is selected from the group consisting of La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Tb, In, Sc, Y, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, and mixtures thereof. The present invention also broadly relates to an article having a metal substrate and a thermal barrier coating as discussed above.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2003
    Publication date: February 26, 2004
    Inventors: David A. Litton, Nicholas E. Ulion, Mladen F. Trubelja, Michael J. Maloney, Sunil Govinda Warrier
  • Publication number: 20030152814
    Abstract: A superalloy article is disclosed having a thermal barrier coating. The article comprises a superalloy substrate, an adherent alumina layer on the substrate, and a ceramic, thermally insulating layer on the alumina layer. The ceramic layer has an overall thickness and comprises a relatively strain tolerant, columnar grain ceramic on the alumina layer and relatively more thermally insulating ceramic on the columnar grain ceramic. The alumina layer may be formed using an alumina forming layer such as an overlay or aluminide bond coat, or the superalloy may comprise a material that is capable of forming an alumina layer. The ceramic layers may be formed of a stabilized zirconia or other suitable material, and may have the same or different compositions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2002
    Publication date: August 14, 2003
    Inventors: Dinesh Gupta, David L. Lambert, Mladen F. Trubelja, Michael J. Maloney, Nicholas E. Ulion, David A. Litton