Patents by Inventor Jeffrey D. Melman
Jeffrey D. Melman 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: 8863528Abstract: A combustor assembly having a support assembly between a metal support assembly and a ceramic combustor can section that accommodates a thermal expansion difference therebetween. An air fuel mixer and an igniter are mounted to the support assembly secured to the ceramic combustion can which receives the ignition products of the ignited fuel and air mixture.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2006Date of Patent: October 21, 2014Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Jun Shi, David J. Bombara, Jason Lawrence, Richard S. Tuthill, Jeffrey D. Melman
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Patent number: 8572979Abstract: A combustor liner cap assembly is provided for use in a multiple fuel nozzle combustor of a gas turbine. The combustor liner cap assembly includes a tube plate having a plurality of fuel nozzle openings and a plurality of open ended premix tubes extending aft from the tube plate. Each premix tube has a forward end having a forward edge, the forward end being received in a corresponding one of the fuel nozzle openings. Each premix tube is secured to the tube plate aft of the forward edge of the forward end of the premix tube, for example, metallurgically bonded, such as by welding or brazing, to the tube plate or threaded into the tube plate.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2010Date of Patent: November 5, 2013Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Craig F. Smith, Hannes A. Alholm, Jonathan J. Eastwood, Dennis J. Duhamel, David A. Burns, Claude I. Barnett, Jr., Randy J. Danburg, Jeffrey D. Melman, David R. Wiley, Monica Pacheco-Tougas
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Patent number: 8122727Abstract: A combustion system for an engine, such as a gas turbine engine is provided. The combustion system has a ceramic component, such as ceramic combustor liner, and at least one metal support component, such as a metal ring or a plurality of metal cones, for providing radial and axial support to the ceramic component. The at least one metal support component includes a structure, such as axial slots or radial slots, for minimizing stress and for increasing compliance of the metal support component with respect to the ceramic component.Type: GrantFiled: November 5, 2009Date of Patent: February 28, 2012Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Jun Shi, Jason Lawrence, David J. Bombara, Richard S. Tuthill, Jeffrey D. Melman
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Publication number: 20110314823Abstract: A combustor liner cap assembly is provided for use in a multiple fuel nozzle combustor of a gas turbine. The combustor liner cap assembly includes a tube plate having a plurality of fuel nozzle openings and a plurality of open ended premix tubes extending aft from the tube plate. Each premix tube has a forward end having a forward edge, the forward end being received in a corresponding one of the fuel nozzle openings. Each premix tube is secured to the tube plate aft of the forward edge of the forward end of the premix tube, for example, metallurgically bonded, such as by welding or brazing, to the tube plate or threaded into the tube plate.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 24, 2010Publication date: December 29, 2011Applicant: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Craig F. Smith, Hannes A. Alholm, Jonathan J. Eastwood, Dennis J. Duhamel, David A. Burns, Claude I. Barnett, JR., Randy J. Danburg, Jeffrey D. Melman, David R. Wiley, Monica Pacheco-Tougas
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Patent number: 8083465Abstract: A method of repairing a turbine exhaust case strut heat shield vane includes removing a damaged portion of the vane, solution heat treating the vane, attaching a replacement section to the vane, and relieving local stresses in an attachment area between the replacement section and the vane.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 2008Date of Patent: December 27, 2011Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Eric Herbst, Jeffrey D. Melman
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Patent number: 7762076Abstract: A combustor assembly includes a metal section having an axial slot that receives a ceramic section. A clamp is received about the axial slot to secure the metal section and ceramic section together. Tabs on the metal section, a gasket between the metal section and the ceramic section, and springs within the clamp deform an amount that is greater than a thermal expansion difference between the metal section and the ceramic section to maintain a clamping force of the clamp.Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 2005Date of Patent: July 27, 2010Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Jun Shi, Jason Lawrence, David J. Bombara, David C. Jarmon, Michael T. Weber, Richard S. Tuthill, Jeffrey D. Melman
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Publication number: 20100101232Abstract: A combustion system for an engine, such as a gas turbine engine is provided. The combustion system has a ceramic component, such as ceramic combustor liner, and at least one metal support component, such as a metal ring or a plurality of metal cones, for providing radial and axial support to the ceramic component. The at least one metal support component includes a structure, such as axial slots or radial slots, for minimizing stress and for increasing compliance of the metal support component with respect to the ceramic component.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 5, 2009Publication date: April 29, 2010Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Jun Shi, Jason Lawrence, David J. Bombara, Richard S. Tuthill, Jeffrey D. Melman
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Publication number: 20100061846Abstract: A method of repairing a turbine exhaust case strut heat shield vane includes removing a damaged portion of the vane, solution heat treating the vane, attaching a replacement section to the vane, and relieving local stresses in an attachment area between the replacement section and the vane.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 5, 2008Publication date: March 11, 2010Applicant: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Eric Herbst, Jeffrey D. Melman
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Patent number: 7647779Abstract: A combustion system for an engine, such as a gas turbine engine is provided. The combustion system has a ceramic component, such as ceramic combustor liner, and at least one metal support component, such as a metal ring or a plurality of metal cones, for providing radial and axial support to the ceramic component. The at least one metal support component includes a structure, such as axial slots or radial slots, for minimizing stress and for increasing compliance of the metal support component with respect to the ceramic component.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2005Date of Patent: January 19, 2010Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Jun Shi, Jason Lawrence, David J. Bombara, Richard S. Tuthill, Jeffrey D. Melman
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Publication number: 20080010990Abstract: A combustor assembly includes a metal section having an axial slot that receives a ceramic section. A clamp is received about the axial slot to secure the metal section and ceramic section together. Tabs on the metal section, a gasket between the metal section and the ceramic section, and springs within the clamp deform an amount that is greater than a thermal expansion difference between the metal section and the ceramic section to maintain a clamping force of the clamp.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 20, 2005Publication date: January 17, 2008Inventors: Jun Shi, Jason Lawrence, David J. Bombara, David C. Jarmon, Michael T. Weber, Richard S. Tuthill, Jeffrey D. Melman
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Patent number: 6098407Abstract: A premixing, tangential entry fuel injector (10) for a gas turbine engine features a secondary fuel-air injection insert (40) positively secured to a centerbody shell (38) by a braze joint (98). A secondary fuel supply tube (42), positively secured to both a centerbody base (36) and to the insert (40), is curved in at least two dimensions. In an exemplary embodiment, the tube is coiled into a spiral shape covering a single 360.degree. cycle. During engine operation, the centerbody expands axially in response to elevated temperatures in the engine's interior, causing the insert (40) to be displaced away from the base (36). The curvature of the tube allows the tube to flex slightly to accommodate the displacement. Ideally the curvature of the tube is such that the tube's natural frequency is well above the maximum vibratory frequency that the tube will experience during engine operation.Type: GrantFiled: June 8, 1998Date of Patent: August 8, 2000Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: John J. Korzendorfer, Jeffrey D. Melman, Alan J. Goetschius
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Patent number: 6038862Abstract: A vibration damper 38 for a fuel nozzle 24 having a central axis about which are disposed an inner 34 and outer 36 concentric fuel tubes. The damper includes a sleeve 40 and at least two legs 42, each leg having a radial portion extending from the sleeve and a resilient, longitudinally extending portion 46. The sleeve engages the inner tube while the longitudinally extending portions of the legs bear against the inner surface 37 of the outer tube to dampen vibrations between the concentric tubes. Besides damping objectionable vibratory forces experienced by the fuel tubes in the fuel nozzle, the present invention offers minimal fuel flow blockage in the concentric fuel tubes.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 1997Date of Patent: March 21, 2000Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Jeffrey D. Melman, Aaron S. Butler