Patents by Inventor Kirk Douglas Gallier

Kirk Douglas Gallier 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: 20170328216
    Abstract: Ceramic matrix composite airfoils for gas turbine engines are provided. In an exemplary embodiment, an airfoil includes opposite pressure and suction sides extending radially along a span. The pressure and suction sides define an outer surface of the airfoil. The airfoil further includes opposite leading and trailing edges extending radially along the span, the pressure and suction sides extending axially between the leading and trailing edges. The airfoil also includes a filler pack defining the trailing edge; the filler pack comprises a ceramic matrix composite material. Moreover, the airfoil includes a plenum defined within the airfoil for receiving a flow of cooling fluid, and a cooling passage defined within the filler pack for directing the flow of cooling fluid from the plenum to the outer surface of the airfoil. Methods for forming airfoils for gas turbine engines also are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2016
    Publication date: November 16, 2017
    Inventor: Kirk Douglas Gallier
  • Publication number: 20170268345
    Abstract: An airfoil having a radial direction extending away from an engine axis is provided. The airfoil includes an airfoil wall having an airfoil outer surface and an airfoil inner surface, with the airfoil extending radially from a first end to a second end. The airfoil defines a cooling channel interior to the inner surface with a thickness being defined between the airfoil outer surface and the airfoil inner surface. The thickness varies in the radial direction from the first end to the second end along at least one radial cross-section of the airfoil. A turbine nozzle of a turbine engine is also provided, which may include an outer band, an inner band, and the airfoil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2016
    Publication date: September 21, 2017
    Inventors: Robert Charles Groves, II, Kirk Douglas Gallier, Ronald Scott Bunker
  • Publication number: 20170167275
    Abstract: A turbine blade is described herein, the turbine blade including a blade root, a blade tip, and an airfoil extending between the blade root and the blade tip. The airfoil has opposite pressure and suction sides extending between a forward leading edge and an aft trailing edge of the airfoil, and a maximum thickness located between the leading edge and the trailing edge. The blade tip includes a winglet extending laterally outward from at least one of the pressure side and the suction side from a leading point between the leading edge and the maximum thickness aftward to a trailing point between the maximum thickness and the trailing edge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2015
    Publication date: June 15, 2017
    Inventors: Eric Joseph Schroeder, Paul Hadley Vitt, Timothy John Swenson, Kirk Douglas Gallier, Aspi Rustom Wadia
  • Publication number: 20170107837
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine arcuate leaf seal assembly includes arcuate leaf seal extending radially and circumferentially between adjacent first and second turbine components. Upper and lower leaf seal portions of leaf seal are in radially spaced apart arcuate upper and lower grooves in the first and second turbine components respectfully. The seal includes an arcuate body and a circumferential retention tab extending radially away from body and disposed in a notch in a wall of grooves. Seal may have a thickness between 3 mils and 35 mils and/or torsional stiffness between 0.015 and 0.15 lb/in. Turbine components may be radially adjacent turbine nozzle upper and lower components. The upper or lower component may be made of a ceramic matrix composite material. Annular cooling air plenum including flow cavities in inner support ring segments may be in lower component and in flow communication with hollow fairing airfoils.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2015
    Publication date: April 20, 2017
    Inventors: Benjamin Scott Huizenga, Kevin Robert Feldmann, Robert Alan Frederick, Robert Charles Groves, II, Kirk Douglas Gallier, Timothy Francis Andrews, Darrell Senile
  • Patent number: 9128005
    Abstract: A pressure probe includes an elongated cable provided with a sensing tip, a portion of the elongated cable and sensing tip enclosed within a ceramic shroud, the ceramic shroud at least partially formed of a metalized ceramic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Zachary John Snider, Kirk Douglas Gallier, Jacob John Kittleson, Burt Richard Skiba
  • Patent number: 8398359
    Abstract: An exhaust diffuser including an outer flow guide surface and an inner flow guide surface defining an inlet, a first collection chute having an outlet in fluid communication with the inlet, the first collection chute operative to diffuse a flow of a fluid, a second collection chute having an outlet in fluid communication with the inlet, the second collection chute operative to diffuse the flow of the fluid, and the outer flow guide surface and the inner flow guide surface are operative to guide and direct the flow of the fluid to the first collection chute and the second collection chute.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Kirk Douglas Gallier, Sudhakar Neeli
  • Publication number: 20110200421
    Abstract: An exhaust diffuser including an outer flow guide surface and an inner flow guide surface defining an inlet, a first collection chute having an outlet in fluid communication with the inlet, the first collection chute operative to diffuse a flow of a fluid, a second collection chute having an outlet in fluid communication with the inlet, the second collection chute operative to diffuse the flow of the fluid, and the outer flow guide surface and the inner flow guide surface are operative to guide and direct the flow of the fluid to the first collection chute and the second collection chute.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2010
    Publication date: August 18, 2011
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Kirk Douglas Gallier, Sudhakar Neeli