Patents by Inventor Gary A. Zess

Gary A. Zess 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: 11473434
    Abstract: An airfoil includes pressure and suction sides that extend between a leading edge and a trailing edge. The airfoil has a camber line along an airfoil section that is equidistant between the exterior surface of the pressure and suction sides. The camber line extends from a 0% camber position at the leading edge to a 100% camber position at the trailing edge. A ratio of a maximum thickness to an axial chord length is between 0.2 and 0.5. The maximum thickness is located along the camber line between about 13% and 38% camber position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Timothy Charles Nash, Gary A. Zess, Eric A. Grover, Jin Hu
  • Publication number: 20210115803
    Abstract: An airfoil includes pressure and suction sides that extend between a leading edge and a trailing edge. The airfoil has a camber line along an airfoil section that is equidistant between the exterior surface of the pressure and suction sides. The camber line extends from a 0% camber position at the leading edge to a 100% camber position at the trailing edge. A ratio of a maximum thickness to an axial chord length is between 0.2 and 0.5. The maximum thickness is located along the camber line between about 13% and 38% camber position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2019
    Publication date: April 22, 2021
    Inventors: Timothy Charles Nash, Gary A. Zess, Eric A. Grover, Jin Hu
  • Patent number: 10100645
    Abstract: An airfoil for a gas turbine engine includes pressure and suction surfaces provided by pressure and suction walls that extend in a radial direction and are joined at a leading edge and a trailing edge. A cooling passage is arranged between the pressure and suction walls and extends to the trailing edge. Elongated pedestals are arranged in the cooling passage and interconnect the pressure and suction walls. The elongated pedestals are spaced apart from one another in the radial direction and extend from a plane to the trailing edge. A metering pedestal includes at least a portion that is arranged between the plane and the trailing edge. The portion is provided between adjacent elongated pedestals in the radial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Scott D. Lewis, Gary A. Zess
  • Patent number: 9366144
    Abstract: An airfoil includes a leading edge, a trailing edge, a suction surface, a pressure surface, a cooling passageway, and a plurality of oblong pedestals. The suction surface and the pressure surface both extend axially between the leading edge and the trailing edge, as well as radially from a root section to a tip section of the airfoil. The cooling passageway is located between the suction surface and the pressure surface. The oblong pedestals connect the suction surface to the pressure surface at the trailing edge of the airfoil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Gary A. Zess, Brandon W. Spangler, Dominic J. Mongillo, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20140044555
    Abstract: An airfoil for a gas turbine engine includes pressure and suction surfaces provided by pressure and suction walls that extend in a radial direction and are joined at a leading edge and a trailing edge. A cooling passage is arranged between the pressure and suction walls and extends to the trailing edge. Elongated pedestals are arranged in the cooling passage and interconnect the pressure and suction walls. The elongated pedestals are spaced apart from one another in the radial direction and extend from a plane to the trailing edge. A metering pedestal includes at least a portion that is arranged between the plane and the trailing edge. The portion is provided between adjacent elongated pedestals in the radial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Inventors: Scott D. Lewis, Gary A. Zess
  • Publication number: 20130251538
    Abstract: An airfoil includes a leading edge, a trailing edge, a suction surface, a pressure surface, a cooling passageway, and a plurality of oblong pedestals. The suction surface and the pressure surface both extend axially between the leading edge and the trailing edge, as well as radially from a root section to a tip section of the airfoil. The cooling passageway is located between the suction surface and the pressure surface. The oblong pedestals connect the suction surface to the pressure surface at the trailing edge of the airfoil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2012
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gary A. Zess, Brandon W. Spangler, Dominic J. Mongillo, JR.
  • Patent number: 6969232
    Abstract: A flow directing device of a gas turbine engine, comprising: an airfoil having a leading edge, trailing edge, suction side and pressure side; a wall abutting the airfoil; and a fillet between the airfoil and wall. The fillet has an enlarged section at the leading edge, along the suction and pressure sides, and towards the trailing edge. The device could be part of a vane segment. In addition to eliminating a horseshoe vortex, the device also reduces heat load on the airfoil by directing the cooler gas from the proximal end of the airfoil to the hotter gas at the medial section of the airfoil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2005
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Gary A. Zess, Joel Wagner
  • Publication number: 20050204582
    Abstract: An exhaust fan assembly is provided for expelling contaminated air from a building. The assembly includes fan housing connected to the building via a duct. The fan housing contains a fan the draws air from the building through the duct. An extension is mounted to the outlet end of the fan housing, and has a cylindrical upper end connected to a nozzle. A windband is connected to the upper end of the nozzle, and provides an air entrainment path that allows ambient air to mix with the exhaust air prior to exiting through an exhaust fan assembly outlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2005
    Publication date: September 22, 2005
    Inventors: Anthony Rossi, Michael Seliger, Scott Thomsen, Gary Zess
  • Publication number: 20040081548
    Abstract: A flow directing device of a gas turbine engine, comprising: an airfoil having a leading edge, trailing edge, suction side and pressure side; a wall abutting the airfoil; and a fillet between the airfoil and wall. The fillet has an enlarged section at the leading edge, along the suction and pressure sides, and towards the trailing edge. The device could be part of a vane segment. In addition to eliminating a horseshoe vortex, the device also reduces heat load on the airfoil by directing the cooler gas from the proximal end of the airfoil to the hotter gas at the medial section of the airfoil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2002
    Publication date: April 29, 2004
    Inventors: Gary A. Zess, Joel Wagner
  • Patent number: 6419446
    Abstract: A method for inhibiting radial transfer of core gas flow away from a center radial region and toward the inner and outer radial boundaries of a core gas flow path within a gas turbine engine is provided that includes the steps of: (1) providing a flow directing structure that includes an airfoil that abuts a wall surface, said airfoil having a leading edge, a pressure side, and a suction side; and (2) increasing the velocity of the core gas flow in the area where the leading edge of the airfoil abuts the wall. Increasing the velocity of the core gas flow in the area where the leading edge of the airfoil abuts the wall impedes the formation of a pressure gradient along the surface of the airfoil that forces core gas from the center region of the core gas toward the wall. The apparatus includes apparatus for diverting core gas flow away from the area where the airfoil abuts the wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2002
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: William A. Kvasnak, Friedrich O. Soechting, Karen A. Thole, Gary A. Zess