Patents by Inventor Elizabeth F. Vinson

Elizabeth F. Vinson 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: 20180066529
    Abstract: An airfoil retention assembly for a gas turbine engine includes, among other things, a disk, a coverplate, and a retaining ring. The disk defines a disk axis and an array of slots for receiving airfoil blades. The coverplate is dimensioned to radially overlap the array of slots relative to the disk axis. The retaining ring includes a ring body extending circumferentially about the disk axis between first and second ring ends to define a ring length. First and second retaining features continue along first and second circumferential faces of the ring body, respectively, to define first and second lengths, respectively. At least one of the first and second lengths is less than the ring length.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2016
    Publication date: March 8, 2018
    Inventors: Noah Wadsworth, Elizabeth F. Vinson
  • Patent number: 9890645
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a compressor section, a combustor fluidly connected to the compressor section, and a turbine section fluidly connected to the combustor and mechanically connected to the compressor section via a shaft. Multiple rotors are disposed in one of the compressor section and the turbine section. Each of the rotors includes a rotor disk portion having a radially inward bore, and is static relative to the shaft. Each rotor is axially adjacent at least one other rotor and a gap is defined between each rotor and an adjacent rotor. A cooling passage for a cooling flow is defined between the shaft and the rotors, and a cooling flow redirection component is disposed at the gap and is operable to redirect the cooling flow in the cooling passage into the gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Michael G. McCaffrey, Elizabeth F. Vinson
  • Patent number: 9777591
    Abstract: A resonant frequency testing system for airfoils comprises a broach block, a clamp, an acoustic speaker, a laser vibrometer, and a control processor assembly. The broach block has a slot disposed to receive the airfoil in an airfoil location. The clamp has a torque-actuated shutoff, and is disposed to lock the airfoil in the broach block slot under a fixed clamping force. The acoustic sensor is disposed adjacent the airfoil location to emit sonic pulses, and the laser vibrometer is oriented towards the airfoil location to sense vibration signatures of the airfoil when excited by the sonic pulses. The control processor assembly is configured to control the acoustic speaker and laser vibrometer, to decompose the sensed vibration signatures into resonant frequencies of the airfoil, and to store the resonant frequencies in a digital storage database, correlated with a unique ID corresponding to the airfoil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Steven Tine, Richard A. Lomenzo, Jr., Kevin J. Klinefelter, Elizabeth F. Vinson, Kaitlin Olsen, Thomas R. Davis
  • Publication number: 20160230588
    Abstract: A resonant frequency testing system for airfoils comprises a broach block, a clamp, an acoustic speaker, a laser vibrometer, and a control processor assembly. The broach block has a slot disposed to receive the airfoil in an airfoil location. The clamp has a torque-actuated shutoff, and is disposed to lock the airfoil in the broach block slot under a fixed clamping force. The acoustic sensor is disposed adjacent the airfoil location to emit sonic pulses, and the laser vibrometer is oriented towards the airfoil location to sense vibration signatures of the airfoil when excited by the sonic pulses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2015
    Publication date: August 11, 2016
    Inventors: Steven Tine, Richard A. Lomenzo,, JR., Kevin J. Klinefelter, Elizabeth F. Vinson, Kaitlin Olsen, Thomas R. Davis
  • Publication number: 20160130963
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to a hydrostatic advanced low leakage seal having a shoe supported by at least two beams. An anti-vibration beam spacer is disposed in contact with two adjacent beams and operative to mitigate an externally induced vibratory response of the beams.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2015
    Publication date: May 12, 2016
    Inventors: Ross Wilson, Michael G. McCaffrey, John R. Farris, Theodore W. Hall, John J. Korzendorfer, Elizabeth F. Vinson, Jeffrey Michael Jacques, Edwin Otero, John E. Paul
  • Publication number: 20160115804
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to sealing systems for gas turbine engines. In one embodiment, a seal support structure for a gas turbine engine includes a seal support configured to retain a circumferential seal and an engine support configured for mounting the seal support structure to a gas turbine engine mount. The engine support includes at least one channel configured to provide radial movement of the seal support structure and circumferential retention of the seal support. Another embodiment is directed to a sealing system including a circumferential seal and seal support structure configured to provide radial movement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2015
    Publication date: April 28, 2016
    Inventors: Ross Wilson, Michael G. McCaffrey, John R. Farris, Theodore W. Hall, John J. Korzendorfer, Elizabeth F. Vinson, Jeffrey Michael Jacques, John E. Paul, Alan W. Stoner, Edwin Otero
  • Publication number: 20160115825
    Abstract: A seal support structure is provided for a circumferential seal. In one embodiment, the seal support structure includes an engine support structure, a seal support, and a shoulder joining the engine support and seal support. The shoulder offsets the engine support from the seal support, and the shoulder and the seal support structure are configured to dampen vibration for the circumferential seal. The seal support structure may employ one or more dampening elements or materials to interoperate with a seal support structure to dampen vibration to a seal system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2015
    Publication date: April 28, 2016
    Inventors: Ross Wilson, Michael G. McCaffrey, John R. Farris, Theodore W. Hall, John J. Korzendorfer, Elizabeth F. Vinson, Jeffrey Michael Jacques, John E. Paul, Alan W. Stoner, Edwin Otero
  • Publication number: 20160109025
    Abstract: A seal ring system is provided. The seal ring system comprises a segment defining a slot, a pedal along the slot, and an opening offset from the slot. A retention fastener may be disposed in the opening. A seal ring system is also provided comprising a first segment defining a first opening, a second segment defining a second opening, and a retention fastener extending through the first and second openings. The retention fastener configured to allow relative radial movement of the first segment and the second segment. A seal is further provided comprising a seal ring having a central axis, a petal extending radially inward with respect to the central axis of the seal ring, and a sealing disk axially proximate the seal ring. The sealing disk may have a seal shoe configured as a primary seal. The petal may extend toward the seal shoe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2015
    Publication date: April 21, 2016
    Applicant: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Michael G. McCaffrey, John R. Farris, Theodore W. Hall, John J. Korzendorfer, Elizabeth F. Vinson, Jeffrey Michael Jacques, John E. Paul, Ross Wilson, Edwin Otero, Alan W. Stoner
  • Publication number: 20160102570
    Abstract: Non-contacting dynamic seals having wave springs are disclosed herein. A non-contacting dynamic seal may have a shoe coupled to an outer ring by an inner beam and an outer beam. A wave spring may be located between the inner beam and the outer beam, between the shoe and the inner beam, or between the outer beam and the outer ring. The wave spring may damp vibrations in the inner beam and the outer beam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2015
    Publication date: April 14, 2016
    Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ross Wilson, John R. Farris, Michael G. McCaffrey, Theodore W. Hall, John J. Korzendorfer, Elizabeth F. Vinson, Jeffrey Michael Jacques, John E. Paul, Edwin Otero, Alan W. Stoner
  • Publication number: 20160097294
    Abstract: A brush seal plate may comprise a flat ring with bristles protruding from an inner diameter of the flat ring. The brush seal plate may have a racetrack slot to allow the flat ring to move in a radial direction relative to a retention pin. The bristles may protrude from the inner diameter of the flat ring at an angle. A slot may be formed through the flat ring, and the slot may be angled. The flat ring may be circumferentially discontinuous. The flat ring may further comprise a retention opening configured to fix the flat ring in place relative to a retention pin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2015
    Publication date: April 7, 2016
    Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ross Wilson, Michael G. McCaffrey, John R. Farris, Theodore W. Hall, John W. Korzendorfer, Elizabeth F. Vinson, Jeffrey Michael Jacques, John E. Paul, Edwin Otero, Alan W. Stoner
  • Publication number: 20160069193
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a compressor section, a combustor fluidly connected to the compressor section, and a turbine section fluidly connected to the combustor and mechanically connected to the compressor section via a shaft. Multiple rotors are disposed in one of the compressor section and the turbine section. Each of the rotors includes a rotor disk portion having a radially inward bore, and is static relative to the shaft. Each rotor is axially adjacent at least one other rotor and a gap is defined between each rotor and an adjacent rotor. A cooling passage for a cooling flow is defined between the shaft and the rotors, and a cooling flow redirection component is disposed at the gap and is operable to redirect the cooling flow in the cooling passage into the gap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2015
    Publication date: March 10, 2016
    Inventors: Michael G. McCaffrey, Elizabeth F. Vinson