Patents by Inventor John T. Pickens
John T. Pickens 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: 12055066Abstract: A component for a gas turbine engine includes an airfoil having a plurality of channels with a main body extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge. The main body forms a portion of one side of the airfoil and the entirety of an opposing side of the airfoil. A cover is secured to the main body about a perimeter by a weld. The cover extends across a majority of the one side of the airfoil. A plurality of ribs extends from the cover in a direction toward the main body to define the channels. The ribs are secured to an inner surface of the main body by an adhesive. A gas turbine engine and a method are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2023Date of Patent: August 6, 2024Assignee: RTX CorporationInventor: John T. Pickens
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Publication number: 20240200458Abstract: A component for a gas turbine engine includes an airfoil having a plurality of channels with a main body extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge. The main body forms a portion of one side of the airfoil and the entirety of an opposing side of the airfoil. A cover is secured to the main body about a perimeter by a weld. The cover extends across a majority of the one side of the airfoil. A plurality of ribs extends from the cover in a direction toward the main body to define the channels. The ribs are secured to an inner surface of the main body by an adhesive. A gas turbine engine and a method are also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2023Publication date: June 20, 2024Inventor: John T. Pickens
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Patent number: 11867084Abstract: A component for a gas turbine engine includes an airfoil having a plurality of channels with a main body extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge. The main body forms a portion of one side of the airfoil and the entirety of an opposing side of the airfoil. A cover is secured to the main body about a perimeter by a weld. The cover extends across a majority of the one side of the airfoil. A plurality of ribs extends from the cover in a direction toward the main body to define the channels. The ribs are secured to an inner surface of the main body by an adhesive. A gas turbine engine and a method are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2022Date of Patent: January 9, 2024Assignee: RTX CorporationInventor: John T. Pickens
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Patent number: 10935452Abstract: A method is provided for inspecting a component. During this method, a theoretical moment weight of the component is determined. The theoretical moment weight of the component is compared to a measured moment weight of the component to determine a difference between the theoretical moment weight of the component and the measured moment weight of the component. A fault notification is provided where the difference between the theoretical moment weight of the component and the measured moment weight of the component is greater than a predetermined value.Type: GrantFiled: December 7, 2018Date of Patent: March 2, 2021Assignee: Raytheon Technologies CorporationInventor: John T. Pickens
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Patent number: 10816429Abstract: A method is provided during which surface data indicative of a measured surface geometry of a component is received. The surface data is processed to provide model data indicative of a solid model of the component. The model data is processed to determine a center of gravity distance of the component. A moment weight of the component is determined based on the center of gravity distance of the component and a measured weight of the component. The moment weight is communicated with the component.Type: GrantFiled: December 7, 2018Date of Patent: October 27, 2020Assignee: Raytheon Technologies CorporationInventor: John T. Pickens
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Publication number: 20200182730Abstract: A method is provided for inspecting a component. During this method, a theoretical moment weight of the component is determined. The theoretical moment weight of the component is compared to a measured moment weight of the component to determine a difference between the theoretical moment weight of the component and the measured moment weight of the component. A fault notification is provided where the difference between the theoretical moment weight of the component and the measured moment weight of the component is greater than a predetermined value.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 7, 2018Publication date: June 11, 2020Inventor: John T. Pickens
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Publication number: 20200182731Abstract: A method is provided during which surface data indicative of a measured surface geometry of a component is received. The surface data is processed to provide model data indicative of a solid model of the component. The model data is processed to determine a center of gravity distance of the component. A moment weight of the component is determined based on the center of gravity distance of the component and a measured weight of the component. The moment weight is communicated with the component.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 7, 2018Publication date: June 11, 2020Inventor: John T. Pickens
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Patent number: 10232474Abstract: An exemplary gas turbine engine component assembly includes, among other things, a case having a generally cylindrical outer surface. At least one synchronizing ring is received at least partially about the outer surface of the case. A plurality shims situated between an inner surface on the at least one synchronizing ring and the outer surface of the case at a plurality of shim locations are circumferentially spaced about the case outer surface. Each shim location includes at least one of the shims. A radial thickness of the shims at a first one of the shim locations is different than the radial thickness of the shims at a second one of the shim locations.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2016Date of Patent: March 19, 2019Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventor: John T. Pickens
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Publication number: 20140093362Abstract: An exemplary gas turbine engine component assembly includes, among other things, a case having a generally cylindrical outer surface. At least one synchronizing ring is received at least partially about the outer surface of the case. A plurality shims situated between an inner surface on the at least one synchronizing ring and the outer surface of the case at a plurality of shim locations are circumferentially spaced about the case outer surface. Each shim location includes at least one of the shims. A radial thickness of the shims at a first one of the shim locations is different than the radial thickness of the shims at a second one of the shim locations.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 5, 2012Publication date: April 3, 2014Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventor: John T. Pickens
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Patent number: 8608446Abstract: A compressor disk for a turbine engine includes a plurality of blades mounted about the circumference. To assemble the blades onto the disk a lock assembly is inserted within a blade slot on the disk. A blade is assembled into the blade slot and slider seals are inserted between the blade and the disk to limit air from entering the blade slot. Additional blades are assembled until the end of the slider seals are reached. The process is repeated until all the blades have been assembled onto the disk. After the last blade has been assembled a spacer seal is placed at each lock assembly to take up the slack. Once all the blades and spacer seals are assembled the lock assemblies can be moved to a locked position.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 2006Date of Patent: December 17, 2013Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: John T. Pickens, Stanley J. Szymanski
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Patent number: 8573940Abstract: A compressor for a turbine engine includes multiple compressor disks having rotor blades mounted about the circumference of each of the disks. A plurality of stator blades extend between the rotor blades of axially adjacent disks. A knife edge seal is supported and retained by retaining flanges extending from a rim on each disk, and contacts the stator blades to limit the recirculation of air within the compressor. A plurality of lock assemblies are spaced about the circumference of disk backbones formed in each disk, with a plurality of knife edge seals located between each lock assembly. When in the lock position the lock assemblies reduce the slack used for assembly of the final knife edge seal to prevent shifting and rotating during operation.Type: GrantFiled: July 7, 2006Date of Patent: November 5, 2013Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: John T. Pickens, Tuy Tran, Allan R. Penda
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Patent number: 7720649Abstract: A method of reverse engineering a component of a gas turbine engine having a root attachment feature includes scanning the root attachment feature a plurality of times to obtain raw scan data, creating a best fit line relative to pressure faces of the root attachment feature as a function of the raw scan data, determining a pressure face angle as a function of the relationship between the best fit lines of the pressure faces, bisecting the pressure face angle to determine a symmetry plane for the root attachment feature, establishing a master attachment data set in relation to the local coordinate system by averaging the best fit lines and the raw scan data for each scan of the root attachment feature, and verifying symmetry of the master attachment data set.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 2007Date of Patent: May 18, 2010Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventor: John T. Pickens
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Patent number: 7470113Abstract: A compressor for a turbine engine includes multiple compressor disks having rotor blades mounted about the circumference of each of the disks. A plurality of stator vanes extend between the rotor blades of axially adjacent disks. A knife edge seal segment is supported by each disk backbone extending from the disks and contacts the stator vanes to restrict leakage of compressed air from between the stator vane and the compressor rotor to limit the recirculation of air. Retaining flanges extend from each disk rim to retain the knife edge seal segments to the disk backbone and spacer bridges integral to the knife edge seal segments prevent axial movement of the knife edge seal segments. A plurality of lock assemblies are spaced about the circumference of the disk backbone to prevent circumferential shifting and rotating of the knife edge seal segments during operation.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2006Date of Patent: December 30, 2008Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Tuy Tran, John T. Pickens
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Publication number: 20080229579Abstract: A method of reverse engineering a component of a gas turbine engine having a root attachment feature includes scanning the root attachment feature a plurality of times to obtain raw scan data, creating a best fit line relative to pressure faces of the root attachment feature as a function of the raw scan data, determining a pressure face angle as a function of the relationship between the best fit lines of the pressure faces, bisecting the pressure face angle to determine a symmetry plane for the root attachment feature, establishing a master attachment data set in relation to the local coordinate system by averaging the best fit lines and the raw scan data for each scan of the root attachment feature, and verifying symmetry of the master attachment data set.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 20, 2007Publication date: September 25, 2008Applicant: United Technologies CorporationInventor: John T. Pickens
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Publication number: 20080008582Abstract: A compressor for a turbine engine includes multiple compressor disks having rotor blades mounted about the circumference of each of the disks. A plurality of stator blades extend between the rotor blades of axially adjacent disks. A knife edge seal is supported and retained by retaining flanges extending from a rim on each disk, and contacts the stator blades to limit the recirculation of air within the compressor. A plurality of lock assemblies are spaced about the circumference of disk backbones formed in each disk, with a plurality of knife edge seals located between each lock assembly. When in the lock position the lock assemblies reduce the slack used for assembly of the final knife edge seal to prevent shifting and rotating during operation.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 7, 2006Publication date: January 10, 2008Inventors: John T. Pickens, Tuy Tran, Allan R. Penda
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Publication number: 20070297897Abstract: A compressor for a turbine engine includes multiple compressor disks having rotor blades mounted about the circumference of each of the disks. A plurality of stator vanes extend between the rotor blades of axially adjacent disks. A knife edge seal segment is supported by each disk backbone extending from the disks and contacts the stator vanes to restrict leakage of compressed air from between the stator vane and the compressor rotor to limit the recirculation of air. Retaining flanges extend from each disk rim to retain the knife edge seal segments to the disk backbone and spacer bridges integral to the knife edge seal segments prevent axial movement of the knife edge seal segments. A plurality of lock assemblies are spaced about the circumference of the disk backbone to prevent circumferential shifting and rotating of the knife edge seal segments during operation.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 22, 2006Publication date: December 27, 2007Inventors: Tuy Tran, John T. Pickens
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Publication number: 20070280831Abstract: A compressor disk for a turbine engine includes a plurality of blades mounted about the circumference. To assemble the blades onto the disk a lock assembly is inserted within a blade slot on the disk. A blade is assembled into the blade slot and sliders seals are inserted between the blade and the disk to limit air from entering the blade slot. Additional blades are assembled until the end of the slider seals are reached. The process is repeated until all the blades have been assembled onto the disk. After the last blade has been assembled a spacer seal is placed at each lock assembly to take up the slack. Once all the blades and spacer seals are assembled the lock assemblies can be moved to a locked position.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 5, 2006Publication date: December 6, 2007Inventors: John T. Pickens, Stanley J. Szymanski
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Patent number: 6884025Abstract: The present invention relates to a bumper system for use with a compressor variable vane system. The bumper system broadly comprises a synchronizing ring, a bumper, a shim for defining a gap between a bumper pad and the bumper, a pin for preventing rotation of the bumper relative to the synchronizing ring, and a device for fully trapping the shim. In a first embodiment, the device for fully trapping the shim comprises a sleeve passing through the synchronizing ring. In a second embodiment, the device for fully trapping the shim comprises a pin which passes through the synchronizing body. In a third embodiment, the device for fully trapping the shim comprises a fastener with a shoulder.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2002Date of Patent: April 26, 2005Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: John T. Pickens, Phillip Alexander, Anthony R. Bifulco, Kevin J. Cummings
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Publication number: 20040062641Abstract: The present invention relates to a bumper system for use with a compressor variable vane system. The bumper system broadly comprises a synchronizing ring, a bumper, a shim for defining a gap between a bumper pad and the bumper, a pin for preventing rotation of the bumper relative to the synchronizing ring, and a device for fully trapping the shim. In a first embodiment, the device for fully trapping the shim comprises a sleeve passing through the synchronizing ring. In a second embodiment, the device for fully trapping the shim comprises a pin which passes through the synchronizing body. In a third embodiment, the device for fully trapping the shim comprises a fastener with a shoulder.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 30, 2002Publication date: April 1, 2004Inventors: John T. Pickens, Phillip Alexander, Anthony R. Bifulco, Kevin J. Cummings