Patents by Inventor Joseph W. Bridges

Joseph W. Bridges 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: 11041677
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure are directed to a heat exchanger comprising: a first plurality of channels configured to convey a first medium at a first set of temperatures along a first span of the first plurality of channels, the first set of temperatures including a first inlet temperature and a first outlet temperature, a second plurality of channels configured to convey a second medium at a second set of temperatures along a second span of the second plurality of channels, the second set of temperatures being at least partially different from the first set of temperatures and including a second inlet temperature and a second outlet temperature, and a core region where the first plurality of channels and the second plurality of channels are co-mingled with respect to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Paul W. Duesler, Joseph W. Bridges, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10077663
    Abstract: A rotor stack assembly for a gas turbine engine includes a first rotor assembly and a second rotor assembly axially downstream from the first rotor assembly. The first rotor assembly and the second rotor assembly include a rim, a bore and a web that extends between the rim and the bore. A tie shaft is positioned radially inward of the bores. The tie shaft maintains a compressive load on the first rotor assembly and the second rotor assembly. The compressive load is communicated through a first load path of the first rotor assembly and a second load path of the second rotor assembly. At least one of the first load path and the second load path is radially inboard of the rims.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Eric W. Malmborg, David P. Houston, James R. Midgley, Robert A. Grelotti, Joseph W. Bridges
  • Publication number: 20170191762
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure are directed to a heat exchanger comprising: a first plurality of channels configured to convey a first medium at a first set of temperatures along a first span of the first plurality of channels, the first set of temperatures including a first inlet temperature and a first outlet temperature, a second plurality of channels configured to convey a second medium at a second set of temperatures along a second span of the second plurality of channels, the second set of temperatures being at least partially different from the first set of temperatures and including a second inlet temperature and a second outlet temperature, and a core region where the first plurality of channels and the second plurality of channels are co-mingled with respect to one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2016
    Publication date: July 6, 2017
    Inventors: Paul W. Duesler, Joseph W. Bridges, JR.
  • Patent number: 9080449
    Abstract: A seal assembly for a gas turbine engine includes an annular body and a flow-through tube that extends through the annular body. The flow-through tube includes an upstream orifice, a downstream orifice and a tube body that extends between the upstream orifice and the downstream orifice. The tube body establishes a gradually increasing cross-sectional area between the downstream orifice and the upstream orifice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph W. Bridges, David F. Cloud, David P. Houston, Eric W. Malmborg
  • Patent number: 8992168
    Abstract: An inner diameter vane seal for a gas turbine engine comprises an annular, ring-like body having inner and outer diameter rims, forward and aft faces and an air passage. The outer diameter rim extends circumferentially for engaging inner diameter ends of stator vanes. The inner diameter rim extends circumferentially and is spaced radially from the inner outer diameter rim. The forward and aft faces extend radially between the outer diameter rim and the inner diameter rim. The air passage extends from the forward face to the aft face between the inner and outer diameter rims.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: James W. Norris, Joseph W. Bridges, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8769817
    Abstract: A seal assembly includes a body having two circumferential sides, a leading end, and a trailing end. At least one of the circumferential sides includes a first channel sidewall, a second channel sidewall, and a channel bottom wall that together define a seal channel for receiving a seal. The seal channel includes a slot that cooperates with a tab on the seal to facilitate securing the seal within the seal channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph W. Bridges, Jr., Tracy A. Propheter-Hinckley
  • Patent number: 8757974
    Abstract: A cooled airfoil includes an impingement rib having a multiple of openings which supply a cooling airflow from a cooling circuit flow path toward an airfoil leading edge. The multiple of openings are offset in the impingement rib opposite an outer airfoil wall which includes gill holes. Offsetting the multiple of openings opposite an outer airfoil wall which includes the gill holes focuses the cooling airflow across turbulators to increase the cooling airflow dwell time to increase the thermal transfer therefrom in higher temperature airfoil areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Tracy A. Propheter-Hinckley, Young H. Chon, Joseph W. Bridges, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8651802
    Abstract: Embodiments of a cover plate and material blank for forming the cover plate may include features and characteristics to accommodate tolerance issues in a turbine vane assembly. In one embodiment, the cover plate is formed from a material blank configured to provide the cover plate with a flexible flange area that can be secured to the turbine vane assembly. The flange area may have a range of motion that may be responsive to an installation force, which effectively modifies the configuration of the cover plate to such degree as to seal the cover plate to the turbine vane assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Russell J. Bergman, Joseph W. Bridges, Kevin R. Richter
  • Publication number: 20130108425
    Abstract: An inner diameter vane seal for a gas turbine engine comprises an annular, ring-like body having inner and outer diameter rims, forward and aft faces and an air passage. The outer diameter rim extends circumferentially for engaging inner diameter ends of stator vanes. The inner diameter rim extends circumferentially and is spaced radially from the inner outer diameter rim. The forward and aft faces extend radially between the outer diameter rim and the inner diameter rim. The air passage extends from the forward face to the aft face between the inner and outer diameter rims.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Inventors: James W. Norris, Joseph W. Bridges, JR.
  • Publication number: 20130081406
    Abstract: A rotor stack assembly for a gas turbine engine includes a first rotor assembly and a second rotor assembly axially downstream from the first rotor assembly. The first rotor assembly and the second rotor assembly include a rim, a bore and a web that extends between the rim and the bore. A tie shaft is positioned radially inward of the bores. The tie shaft maintains a compressive load on the first rotor assembly and the second rotor assembly. The compressive load is communicated through a first load path of the first rotor assembly and a second load path of the second rotor assembly. At least one of the first load path and the second load path is radially inboard of the rims.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2011
    Publication date: April 4, 2013
    Inventors: Eric W. Malmborg, David P. Houston, James R. Midgley, Robert A. Grelotti, Joseph W. Bridges
  • Publication number: 20130047431
    Abstract: A seal assembly includes a body having two circumferential sides, a leading end, and a trailing end. At least one of the circumferential sides includes a first channel sidewall, a second channel sidewall, and a channel bottom wall that together define a seal channel for receiving a seal. The seal channel includes a slot that cooperates with a tab on the seal to facilitate securing the seal within the seal channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2012
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Joseph W. Bridges, JR., Tracy A. Propheter-Hinckley
  • Publication number: 20130045089
    Abstract: A seal assembly for a gas turbine engine includes an annular body and a flow-through tube that extends through the annular body. The flow-through tube includes an upstream orifice, a downstream orifice and a tube body that extends between the upstream orifice and the downstream orifice. The tube body establishes a gradually increasing cross-sectional area between the downstream orifice and the upstream orifice.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2011
    Publication date: February 21, 2013
    Inventors: Joseph W. Bridges, David F. Cloud, David P. Houston, Eric W. Malmborg
  • Patent number: 8360716
    Abstract: A nozzle segment for a gas turbine engine includes a flange which extends from a vane platform, the flange includes a hollow cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Russell J. Bergman, Stephen J. Yea, Leonard A. Bach, Joseph W. Bridges, Jr., Lawrence J. Willey, Brandon W. Spangler
  • Patent number: 8308428
    Abstract: A seal assembly includes a body having two circumferential sides, a leading end, and a trailing end. At least one of the circumferential sides includes a first channel sidewall, a second channel sidewall, and a channel bottom wall that together define a seal channel for receiving a seal. The seal channel includes a slot that cooperates with a tab on the seal to facilitate securing the seal within the seal channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph W. Bridges, Jr., Tracy A. Propheter-Hinckley
  • Patent number: 8182208
    Abstract: Systems involving feather seals are provided. A representative vane assembly for a gas turbine engine includes: a first mounting platform having a first slot; a first airfoil extending from the first mounting platform; and a feather seal having opposing faces, a first side extending between the faces, and a first tab, the first tab extending outwardly beyond the first side; the first slot being sized and shaped to receive the feather seal including the first tab.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: United Technologies Corp.
    Inventors: Joseph W. Bridges, Jr., Tracy A Propheter-Hinckley
  • Patent number: 8083485
    Abstract: A turbine airfoil comprises a wall portion, a cooling channel, an impingement rib, impingement rib nozzles, turbulators and leading edge cooling holes. The wall portion comprises a leading edge, a trailing edge, an outer diameter end, and an inner diameter end. The cooling channel receives cooling air and extends through an interior of the wall portion between the inner diameter end and the outer diameter end. The impingement rib is positioned within the wall portion forward of the cooling channel and between the outer diameter end and the inner diameter end to define a peanut cavity. The impingement rib nozzles extend through the impingement rib for receiving cooling air from the cooling channel. The turbulators are positioned within the peanut cavity to locally influence the flow of the cooling air. The leading edge cooling holes discharge the cooling air from the peanut cavity to an exterior of the wall portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Young H. Chon, Dominic J. Mongillo, Tracy A. Propheter-Hinckley, Joseph W. Bridges, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20110236199
    Abstract: A nozzle segment for a gas turbine engine includes a flange which extends from a vane platform, the flange includes a hollow cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2010
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Inventors: Russell J. Bergman, Stephen J. Yee, Leonard A. Bach, Joseph W. Bridges, JR., Lawrence J. Willey, Brandon W. Spangler
  • Publication number: 20110229305
    Abstract: Embodiments of a cover plate and material blank for forming the cover plate may include features and characteristics to accommodate tolerance issues in a turbine vane assembly. In one embodiment, the cover plate is formed from a material blank configured to provide the cover plate with a flexible flange area that can be secured to the turbine vane assembly. The flange area may have a range of motion that may be responsive to an installation force, which effectively modifies the configuration of the cover plate to such degree as to seal the cover plate to the turbine vane assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2010
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Applicant: Pratt & Whitney
    Inventors: Russell J. Bergman, Joseph W. Bridges, Kevin R. Richter
  • Publication number: 20100310367
    Abstract: A method of impingement cooling a turbine airfoil with a large platform to airfoil fillet radius which includes coring the airfoil fillet such that the fillet wall is maintained at a minimum thickness. An impingement tube is used which follows the fillet contour as it transitions from airfoil to platform and supplies impingement air to the airfoil walls. The air subsequently flows across the airfoil internal wall and finally exits the airfoil through airfoil holes to provide film cooling to the airfoil fillet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Publication date: December 9, 2010
    Inventors: Matthew A. Devore, Joseph W. Bridges, JR., Corneil S. Paauwe
  • Publication number: 20090092485
    Abstract: A seal assembly includes a body having two circumferential sides, a leading end, and a trailing end. At least one of the circumferential sides includes a first channel sidewall, a second channel sidewall, and a channel bottom wall that together define a seal channel for receiving a seal. The seal channel includes a slot that cooperates with a tab on the seal to facilitate securing the seal within the seal channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2007
    Publication date: April 9, 2009
    Inventors: Joseph W. Bridges, JR., Tracy A. Propheter-Hinckley