Patents by Inventor Michael A. Weisse

Michael A. Weisse 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: 11396884
    Abstract: A fan blade includes a metallic body, a first composite cover, and a second composite cover. The metallic body may have a first side, a second side, a plurality of first retention slots, and a plurality of second retention slots, in accordance with various embodiments. The first and second retention slots may extend from the first side to the second side of the metallic body. The first composite cover may be coupled to the first side of the metallic body and may include a plurality of first fingers that extend through the first retention slots and are coupled to the second side of the metallic body. The second composite cover may be coupled to the second side of the metallic body and may include a plurality of second fingers that extend through the second retention slots and are coupled to the first side of the metallic body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Michael A. Weisse
  • Patent number: 11225874
    Abstract: A rotor blade is provided for a turbine engine. This rotor blade includes an airfoil extending longitudinally between a leading edge and a trailing edge. The airfoil extends spanwise to a tip. The airfoil is configured with a plurality of projections arranged longitudinally along the tip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Michael A. Weisse
  • Patent number: 11174737
    Abstract: An airfoil for a gas turbine engine according to an example of the present disclosure includes, among other things, an airfoil body defining a recessed region and including at least one rib dimensioned to loop about a respective pocket within a perimeter of the recessed region. At least one cover skin is welded to the airfoil body along the at least one rib to enclose the recessed region. The at least one cover skin is welded to the at least one rib along a respective weld path. The weld path defines a weld width, the at least one rib defines a rib width, and a ratio of the weld width to the rib width is equal to or greater than 3:1 for each position along the weld path. A method of forming a gas turbine engine component is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Robert C. Dolan, Michael A. Weisse, Daniel A. Bales, Steven T. Gordon, Dmitri Novikov, Eric W. Malmborg, Francis B. Parisi
  • Publication number: 20210189884
    Abstract: A rotor blade is provided for a turbine engine. This rotor blade includes an airfoil extending longitudinally between a leading edge and a trailing edge. The airfoil extends spanwise to a tip. The airfoil is configured with a plurality of projections arranged longitudinally along the tip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Inventor: Michael A. Weisse
  • Publication number: 20200392854
    Abstract: An airfoil for a gas turbine engine according to an example of the present disclosure includes, among other things, an airfoil body defining a recessed region and including at least one rib dimensioned to loop about a respective pocket within a perimeter of the recessed region. At least one cover skin is welded to the airfoil body along the at least one rib to enclose the recessed region. The at least one cover skin is welded to the at least one rib along a respective weld path. The weld path defines a weld width, the at least one rib defines a rib width, and a ratio of the weld width to the rib width is equal to or greater than 3:1 for each position along the weld path. A method of forming a gas turbine engine component is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2020
    Publication date: December 17, 2020
    Inventors: Robert C. Dolan, Michael A. Weisse, Daniel A. Bales, Steven T. Gordon, Dmitri Novikov, Eric W. Malmborg, Francis B. Parisi
  • Patent number: 10823190
    Abstract: A fan blade having an opening on one side exposing one or more cavities, and a composite cover that fits over the opening, is provided. The composite cover has a variable thickness resulting from the layering of cover plies having different shapes, and is designed to achieve a lightweight fan blade having an optimal level of stiffness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael A. Weisse, Kwan Hui, Larry Foster
  • Patent number: 10808550
    Abstract: Disclosed is a fan blade for a gas turbine engine, including: an airfoil, a cavity formed in the airfoil, a cover configured to cover the cavity, the cover when secured to the airfoil encloses the cavity in the airfoil, a conduit extending from the cavity to an exterior surface of the fan blade, and a check valve located in the conduit, the check valve configured to regulate an internal pressure of the cavity when the cover is secured to the airfoil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daniel A. Bales, Michael A. Weisse
  • Patent number: 10808718
    Abstract: A fan blade includes a blade body, a composite segment and a cover. The blade body extends from a blade root to an opposed blade tip along a longitudinal axis. The blade body defines a leading edge and a trailing edge. A first airfoil surface extends from the leading edge to the trailing edge. A pocket is defined between the leading edge, the trailing edge, the blade root and the blade tip. The pocket has a bottom surface that opposes the first airfoil surface across the blade body. The composite segment is disposed in the pocket. The cover is mounted to the composite segment and to the blade body to form a second airfoil surface opposed to the first airfoil surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kwan Hui, Michael A. Weisse
  • Publication number: 20200277964
    Abstract: A fan blade includes a metallic body, a first composite cover, and a second composite cover. The metallic body may have a first side, a second side, a plurality of first retention slots, and a plurality of second retention slots, in accordance with various embodiments. The first and second retention slots may extend from the first side to the second side of the metallic body. The first composite cover may be coupled to the first side of the metallic body and may include a plurality of first fingers that extend through the first retention slots and are coupled to the second side of the metallic body. The second composite cover may be coupled to the second side of the metallic body and may include a plurality of second fingers that extend through the second retention slots and are coupled to the first side of the metallic body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2020
    Publication date: September 3, 2020
    Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Michael A. Weisse
  • Patent number: 10760592
    Abstract: A turbomachine airfoil element includes an airfoil that has pressure and suction sides spaced apart from one another in a thickness direction and joined to one another at leading and trailing edges. The airfoil extends in a radial direction a span that is in a range of 17.2-18.2 inches (436-462 mm). A chord length extends in a chordwise direction from the leading edge to the trailing edge at 50% span is in a range of 10.0-11.0 inches (255-281 mm). The airfoil element includes at least two of a first mode with a frequency of 51±10% Hz, a second mode with a frequency of 147±10% Hz, a third mode with a frequency of 267±10% Hz, a fourth mode with a frequency of 350±10% Hz, a fifth mode with a frequency of 454±10% Hz and a sixth mode with a frequency of 619±10% Hz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Xuedong Zhou, Jordan J. Franklin, Michael A. Weisse, Lee Drozdenko, Mouhamadou Diop, Daniel W. Yebo, Linda S. Li
  • Publication number: 20200190992
    Abstract: Disclosed is a fan blade for a gas turbine engine, including: an airfoil, a cavity formed in the airfoil, a cover configured to cover the cavity, the cover when secured to the airfoil encloses the cavity in the airfoil, a conduit extending from the cavity to an exterior surface of the fan blade, and a check valve located in the conduit, the check valve configured to regulate an internal pressure of the cavity when the cover is secured to the airfoil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2018
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Inventors: Daniel A. Bales, Michael A. Weisse
  • Patent number: 10677068
    Abstract: A fan of a gas turbine engine includes a plurality of fan blades secured to a rotor, each of the plurality of fan blades having an airfoil secured to the rotor at one end, wherein the airfoil comprises pockets filled with an elastomeric composite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: James O. Hansen, William R. Graves, Michael A. Weisse, Christopher J. Hertel, Daniel A. Bales
  • Patent number: 10641098
    Abstract: A fan blade includes first and second portions that are secured to one another and provide a cavity. The first and second portions form an exterior airfoil surface that extends in a radial direction from a root to a tip and in a chord-wise direction from a leading edge to a trailing edge. Radial ribs extend in a radial direction from the root toward the tip and are spaced apart from one another in the chord-wise direction. First and second angled ribs intersect one another at a first apex. The radial ribs intersect at least one of the first and second angled ribs. The first and second angled ribs are at an angle relative to one of the radial ribs. The angle is in a range of 45°+/?30°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Eric W. Malmborg, Michael A. Weisse
  • Patent number: 10570917
    Abstract: A fan blade includes a metallic body, a first composite cover, and a second composite cover. The metallic body may have a first side, a second side, a plurality of first retention slots, and a plurality of second retention slots, in accordance with various embodiments. The first and second retention slots may extend from the first side to the second side of the metallic body. The first composite cover may be coupled to the first side of the metallic body and may include a plurality of first fingers that extend through the first retention slots and are coupled to the second side of the metallic body. The second composite cover may be coupled to the second side of the metallic body and may include a plurality of second fingers that extend through the second retention slots and are coupled to the first side of the metallic body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Michael A. Weisse
  • Patent number: 10502064
    Abstract: An airfoil including an airfoil body, a recessed portion of a first depth in a first side of the airfoil body, the recessed portion including a plurality of pockets of a second depth located within the recessed portion and ribs of the first depth located between the pockets, a cover configured to fit into the recessed portion such that an interior surface of the cover engages the ribs and an exterior surface of the cover is about flush with an exterior surface of the first side of the airfoil body, and a high energy beam weld configuration extending through the cover and into the ribs and positioned to attach the cover to the ribs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel A. Bales, Dmitri Novikov, Robert C. Dolan, Kenneth A. Frisk, Steven T. Gordon, William R. Graves, Eric W. Malmborg, Francis B. Parisi, Randy P. Salva, Michael A. Weisse, Russell A. Beers, Xuedong Zhou, Christopher Treese, Tri Nguyen
  • Patent number: 10443612
    Abstract: An airfoil for a turbine engine includes an airfoil body with a cover mounting support, a first cover, and a second cover. The airfoil body includes a solid perimeter portion surrounding a recess formed into at least one of a suction side and a pressure side of the airfoil body, while the cover mounting support extends through the recess. The first cover can be engaged with a first edge of the recess and joined to a first portion of the cover mounting support by a first stir weld. The second cover can be engaged with a second edge of the recess, and joined to a second portion of the cover mounting support by a second stir weld.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Frederick M. Schwarz, Michael A. Weisse
  • Patent number: 10371165
    Abstract: A fan blade has a blade body, a composite rib and a cover. The blade body extends from a blade root to an opposed blade tip along a longitudinal axis. The blade body defines a leading edge and a trailing edge. A first airfoil surface extends from the leading edge to the trailing edge A pocket is defined between the leading edge, the trailing edge, the blade root, and the blade tip. The pocket has a bottom surface that opposes the first airfoil surface across the blade body. The composite rib is disposed in the pocket. The cover is mounted to the composite rib and the blade body to form a second airfoil surface opposed to the first airfoil surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael A. Weisse, Kwan Hui
  • Publication number: 20190218914
    Abstract: A fan of a gas turbine engine includes a plurality of fan blades secured to a rotor, each of the plurality of fan blades having an airfoil secured to the rotor at one end, wherein the airfoil comprises pockets filled with an elastomeric composite.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2018
    Publication date: July 18, 2019
    Inventors: James O. Hansen, William R. Graves, Michael A. Weisse, Christopher J. Hertel, Daniel A. Bales
  • Patent number: 10294958
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to a cover for a fan blade. The cover encloses a hollowed portion formed in the fan blade and includes at least one extending portion that wraps around at least one of a trailing edge, a leading edge, and a root of the fan blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kwan Hui, Michael A. Weisse
  • Patent number: 10273816
    Abstract: A fan blade of a gas turbine engine includes an airfoil, a root received in a slot of a hub, and a wear pad covering at least a portion of the root and made of an integrally bonded woven composite laminate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jay T. Abraham, Ethan C. Drew, Scott C. Billings, Michael A. Weisse, James O. Hansen, Venkatarama K. Seetharaman