Patents by Inventor Michael Terry Bucaro

Michael Terry Bucaro 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: 8726669
    Abstract: A combustor dome assembly includes a dome plate with upstream and downstream faces and an aperture therein; a deflector with body and a tube section, the deflector fixedly attached to the dome plate adjacent the downstream face with the tube section in the aperture; a retainer having an annular body with a central opening therein, an annular flange, and at least one hook defining a slot, the retainer being fixedly attached to the dome plate adjacent the upstream face of the dome plate with the flange received in the aperture; and an annular mixer with a radial array of swirl vanes and an annular mounting flange, with a retention tab extending radially outward from the mounting flange. The mixer is disposed adjacent the upstream face with the mounting flange against the retainer. The retention tab is engaged in the slot to prevent axial withdrawal of the mixer from the retainer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Daniel Dale Brown, Glenn Edward Wiehe, Michael Terry Bucaro, Stephen William Freund
  • Publication number: 20130004906
    Abstract: A combustor dome assembly includes a dome plate with upstream and downstream faces and an aperture therein; a deflector with body and a tube section, the deflector fixedly attached to the dome plate adjacent the downstream face with the tube section in the aperture; a retainer having an annular body with a central opening therein, an annular flange, and at least one hook defining a slot, the retainer being fixedly attached to the dome plate adjacent the upstream face of the dome plate with the flange received in the aperture; and an annular mixer with a radial array of swirl vanes and an annular mounting flange, with a retention tab extending radially outward from the mounting flange. The mixer is disposed adjacent the upstream face with the mounting flange against the retainer. The retention tab is engaged in the slot to prevent axial withdrawal of the mixer from the retainer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Daniel Dale Brown, Glenn Edward Wiehe, Michael Terry Bucaro, Stephen William Freund
  • Patent number: 7856826
    Abstract: A method of assembling a combustor for use in a turbine engine is disclosed. The method includes providing a dome assembly ring including a plurality of assembly ring openings, positioning a plurality of elongated rings on the dome assembly ring, providing a cowl assembly including an inner cowl portion and an outer cowl portion that are fabricated from sheet metal, and coupling the inner and outer cowl portions to the dome assembly ring such that each of the plurality of elongated rings is coupled to the dome assembly ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Daniel Dale Brown, Michael Terry Bucaro, Jeff Martini
  • Patent number: 7765809
    Abstract: A method of assembling a dome assembly for use in a turbine engine combustor is disclosed. The method includes providing a dome assembly ring, an inner liner portion, and an outer liner portion. The method also includes coupling the inner liner portion and the outer liner portion to the dome assembly ring, positioning a plurality of rings on the dome assembly ring, and coupling at least one of an inner cowl and an outer cowl to the dome assembly ring such that each of the plurality of rings and at least one of the inner and outer cowls are removable without uncoupling the dome assembly ring from either the inner or outer liner portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Daniel Dale Brown, Michael Terry Bucaro
  • Patent number: 7597537
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine thermal control apparatus includes at least one annular spray tube having spray holes oriented to impinge thermal control air onto a fillet between an outer casing and a forward thermal control ring and, in a more particular embodiment, into a center of the fillet. The apparatus may include an annular segmented stator shroud attached to the outer casing and circumscribing radial outer blade tips of turbine blades of a turbine rotor. A thermal air distribution manifold encircling a portion of the outer casing includes an annular supply tube connected in fluid supply relationship to plenums of header assemblies. The annular spray tube is connected to at least one of the plenums and may be elongated radially inwardly and axially. Baffles attached to radially outwardly facing surfaces of the panels may be contoured to form exhaust passages having exhaust passage inlets and outlets between the baffles and the panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Michael Terry Bucaro, Rafael Jose Ruiz, Robert Joseph Albers, Scott Anthony Estridge, Roger Francis Wartner
  • Patent number: 7503179
    Abstract: An exemplary thermal air exhaust system includes circumferentially extending exhaust passages to exhaust thermal control air from an annular region between an outer casing and a distribution manifold encircling an axially extending portion of the casing after the thermal control air has been sprayed on at least one thermal control ring attached to the outer casing and/or onto the outer casing by spray tubes with spray holes. Baffles attached to base panels of the distribution manifold and contoured to form the exhaust passages between the baffles and base panels. The exhaust passages having exhaust passage inlets formed by radially facing exhaust holes through the baffles and exhaust passage outlets formed by circumferentially facing exhaust passage outlets between the baffles and the base panels. Thermal control air is sprayed on at least one thermal control ring and/or onto the outer casing and then circumferentially exhausted through the exhaust passages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Scott Anthony Estridge, Roger Francis Wartner, Michael Terry Bucaro
  • Publication number: 20080110022
    Abstract: A method of assembling a combustor for use in a turbine engine is disclosed. The method includes providing a dome assembly ring including a plurality of assembly ring openings, positioning a plurality of elongated rings on the dome assembly ring, providing a cowl assembly including an inner cowl portion and an outer cowl portion that are fabricated from sheet metal, and coupling the inner and outer cowl portions to the dome assembly ring such that each of the plurality of elongated rings is coupled to the dome assembly ring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2006
    Publication date: May 15, 2008
    Inventors: Daniel Dale Brown, Michael Terry Bucaro, Jeff Martini
  • Publication number: 20080110174
    Abstract: A method of assembling a dome assembly for use in a turbine engine combustor is disclosed. The method includes providing a dome assembly ring, an inner liner portion, and an outer liner portion. The method also includes coupling the inner liner portion and the outer liner portion to the dome assembly ring, positioning a plurality of rings on the dome assembly ring, and coupling at least one of an inner cowl and an outer cowl to the dome assembly ring such that each of the plurality of rings and at least one of the inner and outer cowls are removable without uncoupling the dome assembly ring from either the inner or outer liner portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2006
    Publication date: May 15, 2008
    Inventors: Daniel Dale Brown, Michael Terry Bucaro