Patents by Inventor Michael Klecka

Michael Klecka 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: 9433957
    Abstract: A cold spray system includes a powder generator and a powder feeder. The powder generator has a powder source disposed within a housing. The powder feeder is in fluid communication with the housing and the powder generator within the housing. A closed circuit defined from the powder generator to the powder feeder conveys powder from the powder generator to the powder feeder without exposing the powder to contaminates from outside the closed circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Aaron T. Nardi, Michael A. Klecka, Daniel V. Viens
  • Publication number: 20160237573
    Abstract: One embodiment includes a method for enhancing bond strength between a powder deposit and a substrate. Powder is deposited on the substrate. Powder is shot peened with peening media that is harder than both the powder and the substrate to produce bond strength between the powder and the substrate that is at least twice bond strength between the powder and the and peening material substrate without shot peening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2014
    Publication date: August 18, 2016
    Applicant: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Aaron T. Nardi, Tahany Ibrahim El-Wardany, William Werkheiser, Michael A. Klecka
  • Publication number: 20160230288
    Abstract: A process of forming a MAXMET composite coating or component on an article, that in the case of components can be removed, comprising providing an article having a substrate. The process includes providing at least one powder containing the MAXMET composite, wherein the MAXMET composite comprises a mixture of MAX phase particles and metal. Cold spraying the at least one powder on the substrate at a critical velocity. Forming a layer of the MAXMET composite on the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2015
    Publication date: August 11, 2016
    Inventors: Shahram Amini, Christopher W Strock, John A. Sharon, Michael A. Klecka, Aaron T. Nardi
  • Publication number: 20160221014
    Abstract: A cold spray nozzle assembly includes a conduit for carrying at least one of a heated gas and a powder; a nozzle; and a compression tube fitting connecting the nozzle to the conduit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2014
    Publication date: August 4, 2016
    Applicant: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Aaron T. NARDI, Michael A. KLECKA, Justin R. HAWKES, Thomas H. LAWTON
  • Publication number: 20160221084
    Abstract: One embodiment includes a powder spheroidizing method. The method includes loading a powder into a fluidized bed assembly, fluidizing at least some of the powder in the fluidized bed assembly using an inert gas, and heating the powder while fluidized in the fluidized bed assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2014
    Publication date: August 4, 2016
    Applicant: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Michael A. Klecka, Ying She, Tahany Ibrahim El-Wardany, Aaron T. Nardi
  • Publication number: 20160222520
    Abstract: A powder feeder for a cold spray system includes a rotatable drum body, a housing surrounding the drum body, and a support structure. The support structure couples to the housing and supports the housing such that the drum body rotates about a rotation axis to provide in-situ blending of powder disposed within an interior of the drum body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2014
    Publication date: August 4, 2016
    Inventors: Matthew B. Kennedy, Justin R. Hawkes, Aaron T. Nardi, Michael A. Klecka
  • Publication number: 20160175930
    Abstract: A system comprises a furnace, a fluidized bed assembly and a powder bed. The fluidized bed assembly is positioned in the furnace and comprises an outer chamber having an outer chamber inlet for receiving gas, an inner chamber positioned inside of the outer chamber. The inner chamber comprises an inner chamber inlet in fluid communication with the outer chamber, and an outlet through which the gas may exit the inner chamber and the outer chamber. The powder bed is disposed in the inner chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2014
    Publication date: June 23, 2016
    Inventors: Ying She, Aaron T. Nardi, Michael A. Klecka
  • Publication number: 20160168721
    Abstract: A cold spray nozzle assembly is disclosed that includes a nozzle body formed from a first material and an adapter body formed from a second material wherein each body has a passage the communicates with one another along an axis. The nozzle body is formed from a polymeric material and the adapter body formed from a metallic material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2014
    Publication date: June 16, 2016
    Inventors: Aaron T. Nardi, Michael A. Klecka, Victor K. Champagne
  • Publication number: 20160144427
    Abstract: A method includes introducing metallic powder into a fluidizing chamber of a fluidized bed reactor. A fluidization gas is flowed into the fluidizing chamber. The metallic power becomes entrained in the flow of the fluidization gas. Adsorbed water is removed from the metallic powder by exposing the metallic powder to the fluidization gas for a duration of time and at a treatment temperature to cause the adsorbed water to be removed from the metallic powder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2014
    Publication date: May 26, 2016
    Inventors: Aaron T. Nardi, Michael A. Klecka, Ying She, Zissis A. Dardas
  • Publication number: 20160130703
    Abstract: A nozzle assembly for a cold spray deposition system includes a nozzle body with an axial bore. The axial bore defines a converging segment, a diverging segment downstream of the converging segment, and a throat fluidly connected between the converging and diverging segments of the axial bore. A particulate conduit is fixed within the axial bore and extends along the axial bore diverging segment for issuing solid particulate into the diverging segment of the axial bore.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2015
    Publication date: May 12, 2016
    Inventors: Aaron T. Nardi, Michael A. Klecka, Louis Chiappetta, Martin Haas
  • Publication number: 20160053380
    Abstract: A portable gas heater includes a housing, a pressure vessel arranged in the housing, a layer of thermal insulation disposed on an interior wall of the pressure vessel, a heating element arranged within the layer of thermal insulation, and a gas diffuser arranged upstream from the heating element. A cold spray system including the portable gas heater and a method of heating gas are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2014
    Publication date: February 25, 2016
    Inventors: Michael A. Klecka, Aaron T. Nardi, Justin R. Hawkes, Matthew B. Kennedy
  • Publication number: 20160024942
    Abstract: An article (104;140) has an airfoil (100). The airfoil has a leading edge (114), a trailing (116) edge, a pressure side (118), and a suction side (120) and the airfoil extends from a first end (110) to a tip (112). The article comprises an aluminum alloy or titanium alloy substrate (352) and a coating at the tip. The coating comprises a cold sprayed nickel or cobalt matrix (352) and an abrasive (354).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2013
    Publication date: January 28, 2016
    Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Paul R. Faughnan, JR., Aaron T. Nardi, Michael A. Klecka
  • Publication number: 20150360292
    Abstract: A method of making an integrally bladed rotor with hollow blades. A plurality of segmented layers are sequentially placed to form each one of a plurality of blades on a radially outward surface of a hub. This is done using an additive manufacturing process. The placement of the segmented layers also comprises omitting portions of one or more of the plurality of segmented layers to form one or more cavities and intermittently removing a quantity of particles from the one or more cavities using an evacuation tool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2014
    Publication date: December 17, 2015
    Inventors: Raja Kountanya, Michael A. Klecka
  • Publication number: 20150360289
    Abstract: An additive manufacturing method for forming a component is disclosed. The method includes the steps of forming a first layer of additive material on a substrate. The first layer of additive material is deep rolled. A second layer of additive material is then formed on the first layer of additive material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2015
    Publication date: December 17, 2015
    Applicant: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Joe J. Liou, Michael A. Klecka, Andrzej Ernest Kuczek, Tahany Ibrahim El-Wardany, Lee A. Hoffman, Daniel V. Viens
  • Publication number: 20150285837
    Abstract: An embedded sensor apparatus for enabling wireless signal transmission while protecting an embedded sensor is disclosed. In various embodiments, an embedded sensor apparatus may comprise a substrate with a cavity, a wireless sensor embedded in the cavity of the substrate, a protective cover coupled to the wireless sensor, and a ferrite layer covering the protective cover. Further, the embedded sensor apparatus may comprise an electromagnetic reflector coupled between the wireless sensor and the substrate. In addition, the ferrite layer may be a ferrite plug, a deposited ferrite layer, or a combination thereof. Furthermore, in various embodiments, covering the protective cover with the ferrite layer may comprise depositing the ferrite layer on the protective cover using a cold spray process. In another embodiment, covering the protective cover with the ferrite layer may comprise depositing the ferrite layer on the protective cover using a thermal spray process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2015
    Publication date: October 8, 2015
    Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: JOSEPH V. MANTESE, NICHOLAS CHARLES SOLDNER, MICHAEL A. KLECKA, DANIEL V. VIENS
  • Publication number: 20150190824
    Abstract: A cold spray system includes a powder generator and a powder feeder. The powder generator has a powder source disposed within a housing. The powder feeder is in fluid communication with the housing and the powder generator within the housing. A closed circuit defined from the powder generator to the powder feeder conveys powder from the powder generator to the powder feeder without exposing the powder to contaminates from outside the closed circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2015
    Publication date: July 9, 2015
    Inventors: Aaron T. Nardi, Michael A. Klecka, Daniel V. Viens
  • Publication number: 20140277669
    Abstract: A computing device includes a processor, is operative on a plurality of constraints associated with a component, and integrates the constraints with a design optimization methodology across multiple variables including additive manufacturing constraints to generate a specification for the component. The component may be fabricated in accordance with the specification.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation
    Inventors: Aaron T. Nardi, Tahany Ibrahim El-Wardany, Daniel V. Viens, Matthew E. Lynch, Arthur Hsu, Michael A. Klecka, Wenjiong Gu