Patents by Inventor Florian Stefan Hoefler

Florian Stefan Hoefler 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).

  • Patent number: 11885229
    Abstract: The present disclosure pertains to electric machines such as electric propulsion systems for aircraft that integrated cooling systems, and methods of cooling such an electric machine. Exemplary electric machines include an electric motor that has a stator, a rotor, and a drive shaft operably coupled to the rotor. Exemplary electric machines further include a motor cooling conduit that defines a pathway for conveying a cooling fluid through or around at least a portion of the electric motor, a casing assembly that circumferentially surrounds at least a portion of the electric motor, a casing assembly conduit integrally formed within at least a portion of the casing assembly which defines a pathway for conveying the cooling fluid through the at least a portion of the casing assembly, and a pump or compressor operably coupled to the drive shaft and configured to circulate the cooling fluid through the motor cooling conduit and the casing assembly conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: William Dwight Gerstler, Florian Stefan Hoefler, Mark Aaron Chan Chan
  • Publication number: 20210013778
    Abstract: The present disclosure pertains to electric machines such as electric propulsion systems for aircraft that integrated cooling systems, and methods of cooling such an electric machine. Exemplary electric machines include an electric motor that has a stator, a rotor, and a drive shaft operably coupled to the rotor. Exemplary electric machines further include a motor cooling conduit that defines a pathway for conveying a cooling fluid through or around at least a portion of the electric motor, a casing assembly that circumferentially surrounds at least a portion of the electric motor, a casing assembly conduit integrally formed within at least a portion of the casing assembly which defines a pathway for conveying the cooling fluid through the at least a portion of the casing assembly, and a pump or compressor operably coupled to the drive shaft and configured to circulate the cooling fluid through the motor cooling conduit and the casing assembly conduit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2020
    Publication date: January 14, 2021
    Inventors: William Dwight Gerstler, Florian Stefan Hoefler, Mark Aaron Chan Chan
  • Patent number: 10784750
    Abstract: The present disclosure pertains to electric machines such as electric propulsion systems for aircraft that integrated cooling systems, and methods of cooling such an electric machine. Exemplary electric machines include an electric motor that has a stator, a rotor, and a drive shaft operably coupled to the rotor. Exemplary electric machines further include a motor cooling conduit that defines a pathway for conveying a cooling fluid through or around at least a portion of the electric motor, a casing assembly that circumferentially surrounds at least a portion of the electric motor, a casing assembly conduit integrally formed within at least a portion of the casing assembly which defines a pathway for conveying the cooling fluid through the at least a portion of the casing assembly, and a pump or compressor operably coupled to the drive shaft and configured to circulate the cooling fluid through the motor cooling conduit and the casing assembly conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: William Dwight Gerstler, Florian Stefan Hoefler, Mark Aaron Chan Chan
  • Publication number: 20190379257
    Abstract: The present disclosure pertains to electric machines such as electric propulsion systems for aircraft that integrated cooling systems, and methods of cooling such an electric machine. Exemplary electric machines include an electric motor that has a stator, a rotor, and a drive shaft operably coupled to the rotor. Exemplary electric machines further include a motor cooling conduit that defines a pathway for conveying a cooling fluid through or around at least a portion of the electric motor, a casing assembly that circumferentially surrounds at least a portion of the electric motor, a casing assembly conduit integrally formed within at least a portion of the casing assembly which defines a pathway for conveying the cooling fluid through the at least a portion of the casing assembly, and a pump or compressor operably coupled to the drive shaft and configured to circulate the cooling fluid through the motor cooling conduit and the casing assembly conduit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2018
    Publication date: December 12, 2019
    Inventors: William Dwight Gerstler, Florian Stefan Hoefler, Mark Aaron Chan Chan
  • Patent number: 10125687
    Abstract: A turbine engine assembly includes a core compressor configured to discharge a first airflow at a first temperature and a first pressure. The turbine engine assembly also includes a cooling system turbine configured to receive the first airflow at the first temperature and the first pressure and discharge a second airflow at a second pressure less than the first pressure. The turbine engine assembly further includes a heat exchanger configured to receive the second airflow and discharge a third airflow at a second temperature less than the first temperature. The turbine engine assembly also includes a cooling system compressor rotatably coupled to the cooling system turbine. The cooling system compressor is configured to receive the third airflow and discharge a fourth airflow at a third pressure greater than the first pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Florian Stefan Hoefler, Cathal Clancy, Andrew Maxwell Peter
  • Publication number: 20170248079
    Abstract: A turbine engine assembly includes a core compressor configured to discharge a first airflow at a first temperature and a first pressure. The turbine engine assembly also includes a cooling system turbine configured to receive the first airflow at the first temperature and the first pressure and discharge a second airflow at a second pressure less than the first pressure. The turbine engine assembly further includes a heat exchanger configured to receive the second airflow and discharge a third airflow at a second temperature less than the first temperature. The turbine engine assembly also includes a cooling system compressor rotatably coupled to the cooling system turbine. The cooling system compressor is configured to receive the third airflow and discharge a fourth airflow at a third pressure greater than the first pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 29, 2016
    Publication date: August 31, 2017
    Inventors: Florian Stefan Hoefler, Cathal Clancy, Andrew Maxwell Peter