Patents by Inventor David J. Thomas

David J. Thomas 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).

  • TURBINE BLADE WITH THREE-DIMENSIONAL CMC CONSTRUCTION ELEMENTS
    Publication number: 20180119549
    Abstract: An ceramic matrix composite blade for use in a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The ceramic matrix composite blade includes a root, an airfoil, and a platform located between the root and the airfoil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2016
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: Daniel K. Vetters, David J. Thomas
  • TURBINE WHEEL ASSEMBLY WITH CERAMIC MATRIX COMPOSITE COMPONENTS
    Publication number: 20180112543
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a turbine section having static turbine vane rings and turbine wheel assemblies. The vane rings are arranged to direct combustion products toward blades included in the turbine wheel assemblies to cause the turbine wheel assemblies to rotate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2016
    Publication date: April 26, 2018
    Inventors: David J. Thomas, Ted J. Freeman, Aaron D. Sippel, Daniel K. Vetters
  • TURBINE SHROUD WITH I-BEAM CONSTRUCTION
    Publication number: 20180106160
    Abstract: A turbine shroud assembly of a gas turbine engine includes a blade track having an I-beam construction including ceramic materials and defining a flow surface to guide exhaust products through a turbine section of the gas turbine engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2016
    Publication date: April 19, 2018
    Inventors: David J. Thomas, Jeffrey A. Walston
  • Segmented turbine shroud with seals
    Patent number: 9945256
    Abstract: A turbine shroud for a gas turbine engine includes a plurality of shroud segments arranged around a central axis. Each shroud segment includes a carrier segment, a blade track segment, and a radial seal element that seals a radial interface between the carrier segment and the blade track segment. The turbine shroud further includes a plurality of circumferential seals that seal circumferential interfaces between the shroud segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Ted J. Freeman, David J. Thomas, Joseph P. Lamusga, Aaron D. Sippel
  • Turbine shroud with sealed blade track
    Patent number: 9938846
    Abstract: A turbine shroud for a gas turbine engine includes a plurality of shroud segments arranged around a central axis. Each shroud segment includes a carrier component, a blade track component, and a retainer component that couples the blade track component to the carrier component. The turbine shroud further includes a plurality of circumferential seals that seal circumferential interfaces between the shroud segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc., Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Ted J. Freeman, David J. Thomas, Joseph P. Lamusga, Aaron D. Sippel
  • SPLIT LINE FLOW PATH SEALS
    Publication number: 20170370240
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine assembly adapted to separate a high pressure zone from a low pressure zone includes a seal assembly configured to block gasses from passing through the interface of two adjacent components. The seal assembly includes a rod.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2017
    Publication date: December 28, 2017
    Inventors: Aaron D. Sippel, Ted J. Freeman, David J. Thomas, Joseph P. Lamusga, Brian J. Shoemaker, Steven Hillier
  • Composite blade with an integral blade tip shroud and method of forming the same
    Patent number: 9845688
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine airflow member including a blade core portion, a shroud tip portion extending from the blade core portion, and an airfoil portion formed exteriorly to the blade core portion, where the blade core portion and the shroud tip portion are constructed as a first unitary structure and the airfoil portion is constructed as a second structure. A method of forming a gas turbine engine component is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: David J. Thomas, Ted J. Freeman, Richard C. Uskert, Larry A. Junod, Joseph Lamusga
  • TURBINE BLADE TRACK ASSEMBLY
    Publication number: 20170342852
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine is disclosed with a turbine section having at least one turbine rotor with a plurality of turbine blades, a plurality of blade tracks positioned circumferentially around the turbine blades, at least one dovetail shaped connecting member extending radially outward from each blade track, and a hanger connected to a structural member of the gas turbine engine and configured to releasably couple with the at least one dovetail shaped connecting member of a corresponding blade track.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2017
    Publication date: November 30, 2017
    Inventors: David J. Thomas, Richard C. Uskert
  • CERAMIC MATRIX COMPOSITE SEAL SEGMENT FOR A GAS TURBINE ENGINE
    Publication number: 20170321567
    Abstract: A ceramic matrix composite (CMC) seal segment for use in a segmented turbine shroud for radially encasing a turbine in a gas turbine engine. The CMC seal segment comprises an arcuate flange having a surface facing the turbine and a portion defining a bore for receiving an elongated pin, with the bore having a length that is at least 70% of the length of the elongated pin received therein. The CMC seal segment is carried by the carrier by at least one of the elongated pins being received within the bore. The CMC seal segment portion defining a pin-receiving bore is radially spaced from the arcuate flange by a spacing flange extending radially outward from the arcuate flange.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2017
    Publication date: November 9, 2017
    Applicants: ROLLS-ROYCE NORTH AMERICAN TECHNOLOGIES, INC., ROLLS-ROYCE CORPORATION, ROLLS-ROYCE HIGH TEMPERATURE COMPOSITES, INC.
    Inventors: Daniel K. Vetters, David J. Thomas, Ted Freeman, Joseph Lamusga, Rick Uskert, Douglas D. Dierksmeier, Jun Shi, Todd Engel, Matt Brandt
  • COMPARTMENTALIZATION OF COOLING AIR FLOW IN A STRUCTURE COMPRISING A CMC COMPONENT
    Publication number: 20170298764
    Abstract: A structure in a gas turbine engine comprises a spar and a CMC component adjoining the spar and separated from the spar by a cavity supplied by cooling air. At least one rope seal is installed in the cavity within a groove made in the spar to thus compartmentalize the cavity and control the flow of cooling air.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Publication date: October 19, 2017
    Inventors: Ted J. Freeman, David J. Thomas
  • Turbine blade track assembly
    Patent number: 9759082
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine is disclosed with a turbine section having at least one turbine rotor with a plurality of turbine blades, a plurality of blade tracks positioned circumferentially around the turbine blades, at least one dovetail shaped connecting member extending radially outward from each blade track, and a hanger connected to a structural member of the gas turbine engine and configured to releasably couple with the at least one dovetail shaped connecting member of a corresponding blade track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: David J. Thomas, Richard C. Uskert
  • Split line flow path seals
    Patent number: 9759079
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine assembly adapted to separate a high pressure zone from a low pressure zone includes a seal assembly configured to block gasses from passing through the interface of two adjacent components. The seal assembly includes a rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc., Rolls-Royce High Temperature Composites Inc., Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventors: Aaron D. Sippel, Ted J. Freeman, David J. Thomas, Joseph P. Lamusga, Brian J. Shoemaker, Steven Hillier
  • Gas turbine engine component having foam core and composite skin with cooling slot
    Patent number: 9759090
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a gas turbine engine component includes a foam based core and a composite skin member. Both the foam based core and the composite skin member can be used to structurally support the gas turbine engine component. The composite skin member can be a CMC material and is used to partially encapsulate the foam core. The gas turbine engine component can take the form of an airfoil member such as a blade or a vane, a combustor liner, etc. A first portion of the composite skin member includes a first surface extending past an edge of the component creating a step approximate an edge section. In another embodiment, composite skin members can be used to form a continuous shape for the edge section such that the foam core forms part of a gas path surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard C. Uskert, Ted J. Freeman, David J. Thomas
  • TURBINE BLADE WITH HEAT SHIELD
    Publication number: 20170254207
    Abstract: An airfoil assembly for use in a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The airfoil assembly includes a root, a tip shroud, and an airfoil located between the root and tip shroud. The airfoil includes a spar, a heat shield arranged around the spar, and a plurality of describe rigid load supports extending between the spar and the heat shield to transfer loads between the heat shield and the spar.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2016
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Inventors: Tara G. Schetzel, Ted J. Freeman, David J. Thomas
  • TURBINE BLADE WITH HEAT SHIELD
    Publication number: 20170254206
    Abstract: An airfoil assembly for use in a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The airfoil assembly includes a root, a tip shroud, and an airfoil located between the root and tip shroud. The airfoil includes a spar and a heat shield arranged around the spar.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2016
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Inventors: Tara G. Schetzel, Ted J. Freeman, David J. Thomas
  • Turbine shroud
    Patent number: 9752592
    Abstract: A turbine shroud for a gas turbine engine includes an annular metallic carrier, a ceramic blade track, and a cross-key connection formed between the annular metallic carrier and the ceramic blade track. The cross-key connection is formed between the annular metallic carrier and the ceramic blade track to locate the ceramic blade track relative to the annular metallic carrier. The cross-key connection includes a plurality of keys and a plurality of corresponding keyways.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron D. Sippel, Ted J. Freeman, Joseph P. Lamusga, David J. Thomas
  • Platform for ceramic matrix composite turbine blades
    Patent number: 9745856
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides for a turbine wheel having a blade platform disposed to compliantly secure ceramic turbine blades to a rotatable disk. The platform includes opposing ends to engage a portion of an airfoil of each turbine blade and radial extensions to engage a portion of a root of each turbine blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard C. Uskert, Matthew P. Basiletti, David J. Thomas, Ted J. Freeman, Michelle L. Tucker
  • Trenched cooling hole arrangement for a ceramic matrix composite vane
    Patent number: 9719357
    Abstract: One aspect of the present application provides an apparatus comprising a shape operable as a gas turbine engine component, an internal cavity within the shape including a radius, a trench on an external surface of the shape including a rear face tangential to an arc centered on the radius of the internal cavity, and a cooling hole extending from the internal cavity and exiting to the trench through the rear face of the trench wherein a cooling fluid introduced to the internal cavity flows through the cooling hole and into the trench during operation of the gas turbine engine component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jack K. Moody, Richard C. Uskert, Adam L. Chamberlain, David J. Thomas
  • Slurry-based coating techniques for smoothing surface imperfections
    Patent number: 9624583
    Abstract: An article may include a substrate defining a surface imperfection and a coating deposited over the substrate. The coating does not substantially reproduce the surface imperfection, and the coating comprises mullite and at least one rare earth silicate, rare earth oxide, alumina, boron oxide, alkali metal oxide, alkali earth metal oxide, silicon, barium strontium aluminosilicate, barium aluminosilicate, strontium aluminosilicate, calcium aluminosilicate, magnesium aluminosilicate, or lithium aluminosilicate. In some examples, the coating may be a first coating deposited from a slurry over the substrate, and a second coating may be deposited over the first coating. In other examples, a first coating that substantially reproduces the surface imperfection may be deposited over the substrate, and the coating that does not substantially reproduce the surface imperfection may be deposited over the first coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Kang N. Lee, David J. Thomas
  • FABRIC SEAL AND ASSEMBLY FOR GAS TURBINE ENGINE
    Publication number: 20170101880
    Abstract: A vane assembly for a gas turbine engine is disclosed in this paper. The vane assembly includes an inner platform, an outer platform, and a ceramic-containing airfoil. The ceramic-containing airfoil extends from the inner platform to the outer platform. A clamp mechanism couples the inner platform and the outer platform to the ceramic-containing airfoil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2015
    Publication date: April 13, 2017
    Inventors: David J. Thomas, Richard C. Uskert, Thomas D. Nixon