Patents by Inventor Francisco J. Cunha
Francisco J. Cunha 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).
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Patent number: 8713909Abstract: A panel for use in a gas turbine engine exhaust case is disclosed. The panel has an airfoil section and a flow diverting structure adjacent a leading edge, wherein the flow diverting structure directs fluid flow into an area of the airfoil that lacks sufficient internal pressure for cooling fluid flow.Type: GrantFiled: March 4, 2009Date of Patent: May 6, 2014Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Francisco J. Cunha, Timothy S. Snyder
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Patent number: 8484943Abstract: A system comprises a bypass duct, a turbine case, a turbine exhaust ring and a splash plate. The turbine case is formed along a radially inner margin of the bypass duct, and the turbine exhaust ring is coaxially disposed within the turbine case. The splash plate extends axially along the turbine exhaust ring, radially spaced between the turbine exhaust ring and the turbine case. There are cooling fluid apertures in the turbine case to provide cooling fluid flow from the bypass duct onto the splash plate, and impingement holes in the splash plate to provide impingement flow onto the turbine exhaust ring.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 2011Date of Patent: July 16, 2013Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Francisco J. Cunha, Timothy S. Snyder
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Patent number: 8177506Abstract: A turbine engine component having improved cooling is provided. The turbine engine component includes an airfoil portion having a leading edge, a trailing edge, a pressure side, a suction side, a root, and a tip, and at least one cooling circuit in a wall of the airfoil portion. The at least one cooling circuit has at least one passageway extending between the root and the tip. The at least one passageway has an aspect ratio of no greater than 2:1, and preferably substantially unity.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 2006Date of Patent: May 15, 2012Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Francisco J. Cunha, William Abdel-Messeh
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Publication number: 20120045319Abstract: A system comprises a bypass duct, a turbine case, a turbine exhaust ring and a splash plate. The turbine case is formed along a radially inner margin of the bypass duct, and the turbine exhaust ring is coaxially disposed within the turbine case. The splash plate extends axially along the turbine exhaust ring, radially spaced between the turbine exhaust ring and the turbine case. There are cooling fluid apertures in the turbine case to provide cooling fluid flow from the bypass duct onto the splash plate, and impingement holes in the splash plate to provide impingement flow onto the turbine exhaust ring.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 28, 2011Publication date: February 23, 2012Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Timothy S. Snyder, Francisco J. Cunha
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Patent number: 8069648Abstract: A cooling system for a turbine exhaust assembly comprises an annular case, a flowpath ring and a splash plate. The flowpath ring is coaxially disposed within the annular case. The splash plate extends axially between the annular case and the flowpath ring. A plurality of cooling fluid apertures is formed in the annular case, in order to provide cooling fluid flow onto the splash plate. A plurality of impingement holes is formed in the splash plate, in order to provide impingement flow onto the flowpath ring.Type: GrantFiled: July 3, 2008Date of Patent: December 6, 2011Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Timothy S. Snyder, Francisco J. Cunha
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Publication number: 20110180620Abstract: A panel for use in a gas turbine engine exhaust case is disclosed. The panel has an airfoil section and a flow diverting structure adjacent a leading edge, wherein the flow diverting structure directs fluid flow into an area of the airfoil that lacks sufficient internal pressure for cooling fluid flow.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 4, 2009Publication date: July 28, 2011Applicant: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Francisco J. Cunha, Timothy S. Snyder
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Patent number: 7980822Abstract: A cooling arrangement for a pressure side of an airfoil portion of a turbine engine component is provided. The cooling arrangement comprises a pair of cooling circuits embedded within a wall forming the pressure side. The pair of cooling circuits includes a first serpentine cooling circuit and a second circuit offset from the first serpentine cooling circuit.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 2010Date of Patent: July 19, 2011Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Francisco J. Cunha, Matthew T. Dahmer
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Patent number: 7866370Abstract: An article includes a blade casting core combination. The combination includes a ceramic feedcore and a metallic core. The ceramic feedcore has: a root end; a tip end; a leading end; a trailing end; a first side; a second side; and a plurality of legs extending between the root and tip ends and arrayed between the leading and trailing ends. The metallic core has: a first face; a second face; a first portion extending from the feedcore trailing end; and a second portion extending from the tip end. The article may be a pattern where the core is embedded in a wax or may be a shell formed from such a pattern. The article may be used in a method for forming the resultant blade.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2007Date of Patent: January 11, 2011Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventor: Francisco J. Cunha
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Patent number: 7815414Abstract: A turbine engine component, such as a high pressure turbine vane, has an airfoil portion and at least one coolant system embedded within the airfoil portion. Each coolant system has an exit through which a cooling fluid flows, which exit has at least one device for preventing deposits from interfering with the flow of cooling fluid from the exit. The at least one device may be at least one depression and/or at least one grill structure formed from elongated ribs.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2007Date of Patent: October 19, 2010Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Matthew A. Devore, Francisco J. Cunha
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Publication number: 20100247328Abstract: A turbine engine component, such as a turbine blade, includes at least one cooling circuit having a plurality of legs through which a cooling fluid flows, and a plurality of cooling devices in at least one of the legs. Each of the cooling devices has a heat transfer multiplier in the range of from 1.8 to 2.4 and a reattachment length in the range of from 1.9 to 2.5.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 6, 2006Publication date: September 30, 2010Inventor: Francisco J. Cunha
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Patent number: 7798765Abstract: A cooled turbine exhaust case assembly includes a plenum defined at least in part by a forward outer diameter flowpath ring and a turbine case, a probe positioned at a probe opening formed in the forward outer diameter flowpath ring, and an inlet opening in the turbine case for introducing cooling air to the plenum.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 2007Date of Patent: September 21, 2010Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Timothy S. Snyder, Francisco J. Cunha
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Publication number: 20100150735Abstract: A cooling arrangement for a pressure side of an airfoil portion of a turbine engine component is provided. The cooling arrangement comprises a pair of cooling circuits embedded within a wall forming the pressure side. The pair of cooling circuits includes a first serpentine cooling circuit and a second circuit offset from the first serpentine cooling circuit.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 19, 2010Publication date: June 17, 2010Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Francisco J. Cunha, Matthew T. Dahmer
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Patent number: 7731481Abstract: A turbine engine component has an airfoil portion with a pressure side wall and a suction side wall and a cooling system. The cooling system has at least one cooling circuit disposed longitudinally along the airfoil portion. Each cooling circuit has a plurality of staggered internal pedestals for increasing heat pick-up.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2006Date of Patent: June 8, 2010Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Francisco J. Cunha, Edward F. Pietraszkiewicz
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Publication number: 20100126960Abstract: A cooling microcircuit for use in a turbine engine component is provided. The cooling microcircuit has at least one leg through which a cooling fluid flows. A plurality of cast vortex generators are positioned within the at least one leg to improve the cooling effectiveness of the cooling microcircuit.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 28, 2010Publication date: May 27, 2010Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventor: Francisco J. Cunha
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Patent number: 7722324Abstract: A cooling arrangement for a pressure side of an airfoil portion of a turbine engine component is provided. The cooling arrangement comprises a pair of cooling circuits embedded within a wall forming the pressure side. The pair of cooling circuits includes a first serpentine cooling circuit and a second circuit offset from the first serpentine cooling circuit.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 2006Date of Patent: May 25, 2010Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Francisco J. Cunha, Matthew T. Dahmer
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Patent number: 7722325Abstract: An article, such as a gas turbine engine turbine blade, includes a film cooling system having a trench recessed within a wall of the component, a passage that opens into the trench for discharging a coolant flow into the trench, and a guide member within the trench for influencing the coolant flow discharge from the passage.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 2006Date of Patent: May 25, 2010Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventor: Francisco J. Cunha
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Patent number: 7717676Abstract: A turbine engine component, such as a turbine blade, has an airfoil portion having a pressure side wall and a suction side wall, a first cooling circuit embedded within the pressure side wall, which first cooling circuit has at least two passageways embedded within the pressure side wall, a second cooling circuit embedded within the suction side wall, which second cooling circuit has at least two passageways embedded within the suction side wall, at least one cooling fluid supply cavity located between the pressure and suction side walls, each cooling fluid supply cavity having at least one projecting portion extending between adjacent ones of the embedded passageways in the first cooling circuit or adjacent ones of the embedded passageways in the second cooling circuit, and each projecting portion communicating with at least one film cooling hole. A method for forming the turbine blade component is also described.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2006Date of Patent: May 18, 2010Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Francisco J. Cunha, Scott W. Gayman
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Patent number: 7699583Abstract: A cooling microcircuit for use in a turbine engine component is provided. The cooling microcircuit has at least one leg through which a cooling fluid flows. A plurality of cast vortex generators are positioned within the at least one leg to improve the cooling effectiveness of the cooling microcircuit.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2006Date of Patent: April 20, 2010Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventor: Francisco J. Cunha
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Patent number: 7690893Abstract: A turbine engine component, such as a high pressure turbine blade, has an airfoil portion having a pressure side, a suction side, and a leading edge. A cooling system is provided within the leading edge. The cooling system includes at least one peripheral leading edge cooling channel for creating anti-Coriolis forces in the leading edge of the airfoil portion.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2006Date of Patent: April 6, 2010Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventor: Francisco J. Cunha
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Patent number: 7686582Abstract: A turbine engine component, such as a turbine blade has an airfoil portion with an airfoil mean line, a pressure side, and a suction side. A first region on the pressure side of the airfoil portion has a first array of cooling microcircuits embedded in a wall forming the pressure side. A second region on the pressure side has a second array of cooling microcircuits embedded in the wall. The first region is located on a first side of the mean line and the second region is located on a second side of the mean line.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2006Date of Patent: March 30, 2010Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventor: Francisco J. Cunha