Patents by Inventor George F. Griffiths

George F. Griffiths 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: 9657590
    Abstract: An aircraft comprising a cabin air system, a gas turbine engine including an engine core coupled to the cabin air system to provide compressed bleed air to the cabin air system and a cleaning agent supply connector coupled to the engine core to conduct a cleaning agent to the engine core, and a pneumatic coupling system including a first valve coupled between the cabin air system and the engine core, a second valve coupled between the engine core and the cleaning agent supply connector, and a controller coupled to the first valve, the controller configured to automatically close the first valve and block compressed bleed air that may contain cleaning agent moving through the engine core from moving into the cabin air system in response to receipt of an input associated with a cleaning cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: George F. Griffiths, Prahlad R. D. Heggere, Jeffrey A. Green
  • Publication number: 20160160679
    Abstract: A turbine engine fleet wash management system is configured to electronically communicate with a turbine engine system, a fleet management service, and a cleaning management service. The turbine engine fleet wash system causes a cleaning of a turbine engine to occur based on information received from the turbine engine system and other sources. The turbine engine fleet wash management system includes a cleaning schedule optimizer that generates a cleaning schedule based on engine health monitoring data, engine operation data, maintenance schedules for the turbine engine, and cleaning regimen data. The cleaning schedule optimizer estimates turbine engine performance improvements based on the selected cleaning regimen, and calculating an estimate of carbon credits earned based on the predicted improvement in turbine engine performance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2015
    Publication date: June 9, 2016
    Inventors: George F. Griffiths, Prahlad R.D. Heggere, Jeffrey A. Green
  • Publication number: 20160067750
    Abstract: Wands are used as parts of cleaning systems to conduct cleaning agents into gas turbine engine cores. Wands according to the present disclosure include inlet assemblies adapted to connect to cleaning agents, dispensers adapted to discharge cleaners into gas turbine engines, and conduits that extend from the inlet assemblies to the dispensers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2015
    Publication date: March 10, 2016
    Inventors: George F. Griffiths, Prahlad R.D. Heggere, Jeffrey A. Green
  • Publication number: 20160032761
    Abstract: A cleaning system for performing a cleaning cycle on a turbine engine mounted to an airframe includes a mobile supply unit. The mobile supply unit includes a cleaning agent supply that introduces cleaning agent into the turbine engine. The aircraft includes at least one valve configured to block cleaning agent from moving from the turbine engine into a passenger cabin of the aircraft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2015
    Publication date: February 4, 2016
    Inventors: George F. Griffiths, Prahlad R.D. Heggere, Jeffrey A. Green
  • Publication number: 20160010497
    Abstract: A turbofan gas turbine engine for use in an aircraft includes a fan, an engine core, and a cleaning system. The fan and engine core cooperate to provide thrust for an aircraft when in use but may suffer performance degradation when dirty. The cleaning system is configured to conduct a cleaning agent from a supply into the turbofan gas turbine engine to clean the turbofan gas turbine engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2015
    Publication date: January 14, 2016
    Inventors: George F. Griffiths, Prahlad R.D. Heggere, Jeffrey A. Green
  • Publication number: 20150016970
    Abstract: A blade track assembly is disclosed having a variety of features. The assembly can have annular or segmented components, or a combination of the two. In one form the assembly includes blade tracks having a forward and aft edge that can be received in an opening of respective hangers. The hangers can include anti-movement features to discourage movement of a blade track. A rib can extend between hangers and in one form can be used as part of a seal assembly. Clips can be used to secure the blade track in openings of the respective hangers, as well as to discourage movement of the blade track.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventors: Clayton C. Smith, George F. Griffiths, Ted Joseph Freeman, William Westphal
  • Publication number: 20120224960
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention is a unique gas turbine engine case. Another embodiment is a unique method of manufacturing a gas turbine engine case. Other embodiments include apparatuses, systems, devices, hardware, methods, and combinations for gas turbine engine cases. Further embodiments, forms, features, aspects, benefits, and advantages of the present application will become apparent from the description and figures provided herewith.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2011
    Publication date: September 6, 2012
    Inventors: Raymond Ruiwen Xu, George F. Griffiths, Kenneth Alan Green, Andy H. Iesalnieks