Patents by Inventor Jan Christopher Schilling

Jan Christopher Schilling 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).

  • Publication number: 20090064683
    Abstract: A power take-off system for a gas turbine engine includes a starter coupled to a second spool, and a clutch assembly coupled between the starter and a first spool, the clutch assembly configured to couple the first spool to the starter when starting the gas turbine engine assembly. A method of assembling a gas turbine engine assembly that includes the power take-off system, and a gas turbine engine assembly including the power take-off system are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2007
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Inventors: Thomas Ory Moniz, Jan Christopher Schilling, Robert Joseph Orlando, Raymond Felix Patt
  • Publication number: 20090053070
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a rotor blade includes fabricating a rotor blade that includes a dovetail and an airfoil coupled to the dovetail, the airfoil including a first side, a second side, and a plurality of openings extending therethrough, and weaving a composite material through the openings such that the airfoil has an aerodynamic profile that is substantially smooth from an airfoil leading edge to an airfoil trailing edge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2006
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Inventor: Jan Christopher Schilling
  • Publication number: 20090053067
    Abstract: An airfoil is disclosed having a concave pressure side and a convex suction side defining a chord length, and a leading edge and a trailing edge. A leading edge protective strip is adhered by a bond layer to and protectively covers the leading edge and respective predetermined portions of the pressure side and suction side of the airfoil body from the leading edge downstream towards the trailing edge. The leading edge protective strip includes a multiplicity of inwardly-facing grooves in which the bond layer is embedded. The grooves define adjacent segments of a predetermined size sufficiently small that, if detached from the vane during engine operation, impact with downstream engine components will not cause damage to the downstream engine components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2007
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Jan Christopher Schilling, Michael Harvey Schneider, Robert George Baur
  • Publication number: 20090025365
    Abstract: An airfoil is disclosed having a concave pressure side and a convex suction side defining a chord length, and a leading edge and a trailing edge. A leading edge protective strip is adhered by a bond layer to and protectively covers the leading edge and respective predetermined portions of the pressure side and suction side of the airfoil body from the leading edge downstream towards the trailing edge. The predetermined portion of the suction side covered by the leading edge protective strip is less than the predetermined portion of the pressure side covered by the leading edge protective strip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2007
    Publication date: January 29, 2009
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Jan Christopher Schilling, Michael Harvey Schneider, Robert George Baur
  • Publication number: 20080148707
    Abstract: A turbofan engine assembly includes a core gas turbine engine including a high-pressure compressor, a combustor disposed downstream from the high-pressure compressor, and a high-pressure turbine coupled to the high-pressure compressor using a shaft, counter-rotating booster compressor coupled to the core gas turbine engine, the counter-rotating booster compressor comprising a first rotor section configured to rotate in a first direction and a second rotor section configured to rotate in an opposite second direction, a single stage fan assembly coupled to the first rotor section, a drive shaft coupled between the low-pressure turbine and the fan assembly, and a gearbox coupled between the drive shaft and the second rotor section such that the low-pressure turbine drives the gearbox and such that the gearbox drives the second rotor section. A method of assembling the above turbofan engine assembly is also described herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2006
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Inventor: Jan Christopher Schilling
  • Publication number: 20080148881
    Abstract: A power take-off system for a gas turbine engine includes a starter coupled to a first spool using a first shaft, and a generator coupled to the second spool using a second shaft, the first shaft is circumferentially offset by the second shaft by an angle ?. A method of assembling a gas turbine engine assembly that includes the power take-off system, and a gas turbine engine assembly including the power take-off system are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2006
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Inventors: Thomas Ory Moniz, Jan Christopher Schilling, Robert Joseph Orlando, Raymond Felix Patt
  • Publication number: 20080120839
    Abstract: A turbofan engine assembly includes a core gas turbine engine including a high-pressure compressor, a combustor, and a high-pressure turbine, a first fan assembly disposed upstream from the core gas turbine engine, a first gearbox coupled to the first fan assembly, and a second gearbox coupled to a booster compressor such that the booster compressor rotates in a rotational direction that is opposite to the rotational direction of the first fan assembly. A method of assembling the above turbofan engine assembly is also described herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2006
    Publication date: May 29, 2008
    Inventor: Jan Christopher Schilling
  • Patent number: 7374404
    Abstract: A method for assembling a turbine engine to facilitate preventing ice accumulation on the turbine engine during engine operation, the gas turbine engine including a fan assembly. The method includes coupling a plurality of fan blades to a fan rotor, and applying a polyurethane material to at least a portion of at least one of the fan blades to facilitate preventing ice accumulation on the at least one fan blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Jan Christopher Schilling
  • Publication number: 20080098713
    Abstract: A method of assembling a gas turbine assembly includes providing a core gas turbine engine including a high-pressure compressor, a combustor, and a turbine, coupling a low-pressure turbine to the core gas turbine engine, coupling a booster compressor to a gearbox, and coupling the gearbox to the low-pressure turbine such that the booster compressor is driven by the low-pressure turbine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2006
    Publication date: May 1, 2008
    Inventors: Robert Joseph Orlando, Thomas Ory Moniz, Jan Christopher Schilling
  • Publication number: 20080025839
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a turbine stator vane includes coupling an airfoil to a vane stem, said comprising a first sidewall and a second sidewall, said first and second sidewalls joined at a leading edge and at an axially-spaced trailing edge, and forming an opening at least partially through the vane stem, the opening sized to receive a light probe therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2006
    Publication date: January 31, 2008
    Inventor: Jan Christopher Schilling
  • Publication number: 20080022653
    Abstract: A method of assembling a gas turbine assembly includes providing a core gas turbine engine including a high-pressure compressor, a combustor, and a turbine, coupling a low-pressure turbine axially aft from the core gas turbine engine, coupling a fan assembly axially forward from the core gas turbine engine, and coupling a booster compressor to the low-pressure turbine such that the booster compressor and the low-pressure turbine rotate at a first rotational speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2006
    Publication date: January 31, 2008
    Inventor: Jan Christopher Schilling
  • Patent number: 7322797
    Abstract: A turbine blade includes an airfoil, platform, shank, and dovetail integrally joined together. A cooling chamber is located under the platform and has a portal exposed outwardly from the shank. A damper seat surrounds the portal and is recessed under the platform for receiving a vibration damper to sealingly close the chamber across the portal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ching-Pang Lee, Steven Robert Brassfield, Jan Christopher Schilling
  • Patent number: 7278819
    Abstract: A variable stator vane assembly for a gas turbine engine including an actuation ring including an upper surface, a lower surface, a first side, a second side, and at least one recess that is defined between the upper surface, the lower surface, the first side, and the second side, a plurality of variable stator vanes, and a lever arm assembly coupled between the actuation ring and at least one of the variable stator vanes, the lever arm assembly including an articulating block inserted at least partially into the actuation ring recess such that the articulating block is movable in a first axis; and a lever arm coupled to the articulating block and at least one of the variable stator vanes such that the lever arm is movable in a second axis that is different than the first axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Jan Christopher Schilling
  • Patent number: 7260892
    Abstract: A method facilitates the assembly of a stator assembly for a turbine engine. The method includes providing a cantilevered shell including a first end and a second end, and coupling a second member within the turbine engine. The method also includes coupling the shell to a frame such that the shell extends circumferentially around at least a portion of the second member such that a non-uniform circumferential radial gap is defined radially between the second member and the shell using methods other than directing machining of an inner surface of the shell, and wherein the non-uniform circumferential radial clearance gap becomes substantially uniform during operation of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jan Christopher Schilling, Daniel Edward Mollmann, Barry Lynn Allmon, Anthony Durchholz
  • Patent number: 7249933
    Abstract: A turbine stage includes a row of airfoils and their platforms spaced laterally apart to define flow passages therebetween. Each airfoil is integrally joined to its platform at a funnel-shaped fillet along the pressure side of the airfoil which decreases in size from the leading edge towards the trailing edge. A field of film cooling holes extends through the platform along the fillet for discharging film cooling air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ching-Pang Lee, Jan Christopher Schilling, Aspi Rustom Wadia
  • Patent number: 7244101
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine rotor blade includes an airfoil, platform, shank, and dovetail integrally joined together. A dust escape hole extends through the platform adjacent a fillet bridging the platform and shank to bleed dust therefrom during operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ching-Pang Lee, Darek Tomasz Zatorski, Brian Alan Norton, Jan Christopher Schilling
  • Patent number: 7056053
    Abstract: A two-piece washer to allow tilting movement of the washer elements. One annular washer element includes a convex annular surface that engages with a concave annular surface of a second annular washer element. When the convex and concave surfaces of the respective washer elements are placed in face-to-face engagement, the elements of the two-piece washer can pivot relative to each other. When utilized in a bolted connection, such two-piece washers can allow shifting of the bolted components relative to each other without imposing bending loads on the connecting bolt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jan Christopher Schilling, James Edward Gutknecht
  • Patent number: 6767183
    Abstract: A method enables a variable vane assembly for a gas turbine engine to be coupled to an engine casing. The variable vane assembly includes a bushing assembly and at least one variable vane that includes a platform and a vane stem. The method comprises coupling a first bushing to the engine casing in a press fit, coupling a second bushing to the variable vane, and coupling the variable vane to the engine casing such that at least a portion of the first bushing is between the engine casing and the second bushing, and such that at least a portion of the second bushing is between the first bushing and the vane stem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2004
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jan Christopher Schilling, Thomas George Wakeman, Steward Joseph Cline
  • Publication number: 20040101384
    Abstract: A two-piece washer to allow tilting movement of the washer elements. One annular washer element includes a convex annular surface that engages with a concave annular surface of a second annular washer element. When the convex and concave surfaces of the respective washer elements are placed in face-to-face engagement, the elements of the two-piece washer can pivot relative to each other. When utilized in a bolted connection, such two-piece washers can allow shifting of the bolted components relative to each other without imposing bending loads on the connecting bolt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2002
    Publication date: May 27, 2004
    Inventors: Jan Christopher Schilling, James Edward Gutknecht
  • Publication number: 20040052636
    Abstract: A method enables a variable vane assembly for a gas turbine engine to be coupled to an engine casing. The variable vane assembly includes a bushing assembly and at least one variable vane that includes a platform and a vane stem. The method comprises coupling a first bushing to the engine casing in a press fit, coupling a second bushing to the variable vane, and coupling the variable vane to the engine casing such that at least a portion of the first bushing is between the engine casing and the second bushing, and such that at least a portion of the second bushing is between the first bushing and the vane stem.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2002
    Publication date: March 18, 2004
    Inventors: Jan Christopher Schilling, Thomas George Wakeman, Steward Joseph Cline