Patents by Inventor James E. Rhoda

James E. Rhoda 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: 6511294
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine rotor assembly including a rotor having a radially outer rim with an outer surface shaped to reduce circumferential rim stress concentration between each blade and the rim. Additionally, the shape of the outer surface directs air flow away from an interface between a blade and the rim to reduce aerodynamic performance losses between the rim and blades. In an exemplary embodiment, the outer surface of the rim has a concave shape between adjacent blades with apexes located at interfaces between the blades and the rim.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Mark J. Mielke, James E. Rhoda, David E. Bulman, Craig P. Burns, Paul M. Smith, Daniel G. Suffoletta, Steven M. Ballman, Richard P. Zylka, Lawrence J. Egan
  • Patent number: 6234747
    Abstract: A compressor casing is configured to surround blade tips in a compressor stage. The casing includes stall grooves with adjoining lands defining respective local gaps with the blade tips. At least one of the lands is offset to locally increase a corresponding one of the gaps larger than the nominal gap for the casing to reduce tip rubbing thereat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2001
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Mark J. Mielke, Michael D. Carroll, Mark W. Marusko, James E. Rhoda, David E. Bulman
  • Patent number: 6139261
    Abstract: A bushing assembly as a means to enable guided movement of a shaft in an opening of a housing comprises a stationary bushing support carried by a housing internal wall. The bushing support has a support internal wall defining a bushing support opening through the bushing support to receive a movable shaft. Carried by the shaft is a removable wear sleeve having a wear sleeve outer wall in juxtaposition with and spaced apart from the support internal wall to permit relative axial movement of the wear sleeve with the shaft within the bushing support opening. Disposed between and for contact with the support internal wall and with the wear sleeve outer wall is an anti-friction layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2000
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Michael J. Bishop, Andrew J. Lammas, James E. Rhoda
  • Patent number: 5620307
    Abstract: Gas turbine engine blade with a metallic airfoil having a radially outer tip extending chordwise between a leading edge and a trailing edge and at least one laser shock peened surface extending radially along at least a portion of the tip and a region having deep compressive residual stresses imparted by laser shock peening (LSP) extending into the airfoil from the laser shock peened surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 15, 1997
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Seetharamaiah Mannava, Albert E. McDaniel, William D. Cowie, Herbert Halila, James E. Rhoda, Stephen J. Ferrigno
  • Patent number: 5591009
    Abstract: Gas turbine engine fan blade with a metallic airfoil having a leading edge, a trailing edge, and a radially outer tip, and at least one laser shock peened surface located along the leading edge with a region having deep compressive residual stresses imparted by laser shock peening (LSP) extending into the airfoil from the laser shock peened surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 7, 1997
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Seetharamaiah Mannava, Albert E. McDaniel, William D. Cowie, Herbert Halila, James E. Rhoda, James E. Gutknecht
  • Patent number: 5486095
    Abstract: A blade support includes first and second abutting disks, with the first disk having a plurality of axial dovetail slots at one end thereof, and a circumferential dovetail first half-slot at an opposite end thereof, with the second disk having a circumferential dovetail second half-slot therein. A plurality of rotor blades have axial dovetails disposed in respective ones of the axial dovetail slots, and circumferential dovetails disposed in part in each of the first and second half-slots. The first and second disks are retained together so that the first and second half-slots collectively support the circumferential dovetails.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 23, 1996
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: James E. Rhoda, Thomas A. Bradley, Mark J. Mielke
  • Patent number: 5137426
    Abstract: A bladed rotor having blades with blade shrouds includes a deformable protective coating applied to the blades to increase the damage tolerance of the blades during foreign object ingestion. The protective coating deforms upon impact between the shroud and airfoil of adjacent blades. The deformation absorbs impact energy and improves distribution of the impact load transferred between the blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1992
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: James E. Rhoda