Patents by Inventor Nicholas Joseph Kray

Nicholas Joseph Kray 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: 10920595
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to turbine engine components having multiple controlled metallic grain orientations. In general, the primary grain orientation is aligned substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the turbine engine component while the secondary grain orientation is aligned substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis. Such controlled grain orientations provide the blades and vanes with increased strength to withstand the thermal-mechanical stresses of the turbine operation. The disclosure also relates to turbines having these fortified components, and methods of manufacturing the components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Narendra Digamber Joshi, Nicholas Joseph Kray, Samar Jyoti Kalita, Paul Marsland, Wayne Spence
  • Patent number: 10920607
    Abstract: A blade for a propulsion apparatus. The blade includes a body having opposed pressure and suction sides. The blade extends in span between a root and a tip and the blade extends in chord between a leading edge and a trailing edge. The blade includes a fracture structure that is defined within the body and positioned such that it is spaced-away from the tip. The fracture structure includes at least one chamber. A first fracture wall is disposed between the at least one chamber and the pressure side, and a second fracture wall is disposed between the at least one chamber and the suction side. The fracture structure is configured to fail when a predetermined force is applied to the tip such that the tip separates from the remainder of the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nitesh Jain, Kishore Budumuru, Nicholas Joseph Kray, Daniel Edward Mollmann
  • Publication number: 20210032992
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine defining a radial direction is provided. The gas turbine engine includes a tie shaft; a compressor section including a last rotor stage, the compressor section assembled to a first portion of the tie shaft; a separable shaft disposed between the compressor section and the tie shaft, the separable shaft having a radial outward portion and a radial inward portion, the radial outward portion of the separable shaft in contact with a portion of the last rotor stage at an interface; and a seal assembly operable with a portion of the separable shaft proximate the radial inward portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2019
    Publication date: February 4, 2021
    Inventors: Nicholas Joseph Kray, Steven Mark Ballman
  • Publication number: 20210017877
    Abstract: A propulsion system including a casing surrounding a fan rotor assembly is provided. An example casing includes an outer layer material, an inner layer material including first openings extended partially through the inner layer material along a radial direction of a first side of the inner layer material, and second openings extended partially through the inner layer material along the radial direction of a second side of the inner layer material opposite the first side, and a spring member coupled to the outer layer material and the inner layer material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2020
    Publication date: January 21, 2021
    Inventors: Nicholas Joseph Kray, Nitesh Jain, Manoj Kumar Jain
  • Publication number: 20200378273
    Abstract: A composite fan casing for a gas turbine engine defining a central axis is generally provided. The composite fan casing includes a core having a plurality of core layers of reinforcing fibers bonded together with a thermosetting polymeric resin and having an outer surface. The composite fan casing further includes at least one stiffener integrally coupled to an aft portion of the outer surface of the core relative to the central axis. Additionally, the at least one stiffener comprises an elastic material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2019
    Publication date: December 3, 2020
    Inventors: Abhijeet Jayshingrao Yadav, Nagamohan Govinahalli Prabhakar, Nicholas Joseph Kray, Shivam Mittal, Praveen Sharma, Bhujabal Prashant Mahadeo, Ravindra Shankar Ganiger
  • Patent number: 10837286
    Abstract: An airfoil defining a span extending between a root and a tip and a chord at each point along the span extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge. The airfoil includes a blade extending between the root and tip and extending between the leading edge and trailing edge. The blade includes a pressure side and a suction side defining a thickness therebetween at each point along the span. The blade defines a first chord reduction on at least one of the leading edge or trailing edge along a first portion of the span. Further, the blade defines a frangible line extending from the first chord reduction at least partially along the chord at a point along the span within the first portion of the span.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nitesh Jain, Nicholas Joseph Kray, Kishore Budumuru
  • Patent number: 10837457
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine blade root shim for use between a composite blade root and a wall of a slot in a rotor includes a longitudinally extending base having distal first and second transversely spaced apart ends, first and second longitudinally extending legs acutely angled inwardly towards the base from the first and second ends, and one or more apertures disposed through each of the longitudinally extending first and second legs. Apertures may include rectangular slots having rounded edges along the first and second outwardly facing surfaces of the first and second legs respectively and/or rounded corners between the first and second outwardly facing surfaces and the first and second inwardly facing surfaces of the first and second legs. Low coefficient of friction coatings may be disposed on outwardly facing surfaces, of the legs. Coatings may include polytetrafluoroethylene powder dispersed in a resin binder and other coatings having polytetrafluoroethylene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nicholas Joseph Kray, Qiang Li
  • Patent number: 10830067
    Abstract: An airfoil for a turbomachinery rotor includes: a body having a first density, the body defining a pressure side and a suction side, the pressure side and suction side intersecting at a leading edge and a trailing edge; and a mass positioned within the body and having a second density, wherein the second density is greater than the first density, wherein the mass is offset from a center of gravity of the body in at least one axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Nicholas Joseph Kray, Paul Gerard Marsland, Wayne Allen Spence, Abhijeet Yadav, Samar Jyoti Kalita, Nitesh Jain, Narendra D. Joshi
  • Patent number: 10815816
    Abstract: A propulsion system including a casing surrounding a fan rotor assembly is provided. The casing includes an outer layer material defining a first coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) and an inner layer material. The casing further includes a spring member disposed between the outer layer material and the inner layer material coupling the outer layer material and the inner layer material. The spring member is coupled to each of the outer layer material and the inner layer material within a flow passage defined between the outer layer material and the inner layer material. The spring member defines a second CTE greater than the first CTE.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Nicholas Joseph Kray, Nitesh Jain, Manoj Kumar Jain
  • Patent number: 10815798
    Abstract: A blade for the fan section of a turbine engine comprising a composite core defining a pressure side and a suction side extending axially between a core leading edge and a core trailing edge defining a chord-wise direction and extending radially between a core root and a core tip defining a span-wise direction and a leading edge strip made of materials with different elasticity and mounted to the core leading edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nicholas Joseph Kray, Gregory Carl Gemeinhardt, Douglas Duane Ward, David William Crall
  • Patent number: 10815795
    Abstract: A blade for a propulsion apparatus that includes a body formed of a first material. The body includes opposed pressure and suction sides and extends in span between a root and a tip. The body extends in court between a leading edge and a trailing edge. A tension element is positioned within the body and extends between the root and the tip. The tension element includes at least one string that is configured to be under tension such that at least a portion of the blade between the root and the tip is under compression.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ravindra Shankar Ganiger, Viswanadha Gupta Sakala, Nicholas Joseph Kray
  • Publication number: 20200318486
    Abstract: A component for a gas turbine engine. The component includes a continuous fiber blade including an airfoil extending radially between a root and a tip and a blade attachment feature positioned at or adjacent to the root. The component further includes a platform coupled to the root of the continuous fiber blade. The platform includes a plurality of chopped fibers. Additionally, the component includes a thermoplastic polymer contained in both the continuous fiber blade and the platform. Moreover, the continuous fiber blade and platform are coupled together such that the continuous fiber blade and platform form a monolithic composite body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2019
    Publication date: October 8, 2020
    Inventors: Gregory Carl Gemeinhardt, Nicholas Joseph Kray, Andreas Mastorakis
  • Patent number: 10788053
    Abstract: A noise reducing airfoil defining a span extending between a root and a tip and a chord at each point along the span extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge. The airfoil includes a pressure side, a suction side, and a trailing edge sheath including an outer surface coupled to the trailing edge of the airfoil. The trailing edge sheath extends at least partially along the chord on the pressure and suction sides at each point along the span within the trailing edge sheath. The trailing edge sheath defines a fluid passageway extending along at least a portion of the span. Further, the trailing edge sheath defines at least one aperture on at least one of the pressure side, the suction side, or trailing edge fluidly coupling the fluid passageway to the outer surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Arun Kumar, Nitesh Jain, Nicholas Joseph Kray, Thomas Ory Moniz, Andrew Breeze-Stringfellow
  • Patent number: 10760428
    Abstract: An airfoil defining a span extending between a root and a tip and a chord at each point along the span extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge. The airfoil includes a leading edge sheath coupled to the leading edge of the airfoil. The leading edge sheath includes a flange extending from a frangible line toward the tip along the span and defining a first width along the chord at each point along the span S. The leading edge sheath further includes a base extending from the frangible line at least partially along the span to the root and defining a second width along the chord at a point along the span of the frangible line such that the second width is greater than the first width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nicholas Joseph Kray, Nitesh Jain
  • Patent number: 10751958
    Abstract: A composite woven outlet guide vane (32) and method of forming are depicted. The guide vane (32) is formed by use of a preform structure (100) with a core (150) which is removed following the manufacture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nicholas Joseph Kray, Mark Ernest Vermilyea
  • Patent number: 10746045
    Abstract: An airfoil defining a span extending between a root and a tip. The airfoil includes a retaining member extending at least partially between a leading edge and a trailing edge defining a frangible line extending at least partially along a chord at a point along the span of the retaining member. The airfoil further includes a frangible airfoil portion extending between the tip and the frangible line. The frangible airfoil portion includes a first plurality of composite plies, at least one composite ply of the first plurality of composite plies wraps around the retaining member. The airfoil includes a residual airfoil portion extending from the frangible line to the root including a second plurality of composite plies, at least one composite ply of the second plurality of composite plies wraps around the retaining member. Further, the residual airfoil portion meets the frangible airfoil portion at the frangible line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nicholas Joseph Kray, Nitesh Jain
  • Patent number: 10738630
    Abstract: A platform apparatus for a propulsion rotor having an annular array of airfoils carried by a rotor disk. The apparatus includes: at least one forward segment comprising an arcuate forward body having a plurality of spaced-apart axially-extending forward fingers, each of the forward fingers bounded by a curved first lateral edge interconnected to a straight second lateral edge by an aft edge, wherein the forward segment defines a flow path surface and an opposed back surface; at least one aft segment comprising an arcuate aft body having a plurality of spaced-apart actually-extending aft fingers, each of the aft fingers bounded by a curved first lateral edge interconnected to a straight second lateral edge by a forward edge, wherein the aft segment defines a flow path surface and an opposed back surface, and wherein the aft edges have a shape complementary to a shape of the forward edges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Qiang Li, Nicholas Joseph Kray, Gerald Alexander Pauley, Ming Xie, Jorge Orlando Lamboy, Tod Winton Davis
  • Patent number: 10724376
    Abstract: A blade and a turbomachine engine having the blade are disclosed. The blade includes an airfoil having a root portion, a tip portion, and a plurality of fins integrally coupled to the root portion. The plurality of fins is disposed along a thickness of the airfoil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Nicholas Joseph Kray, Nitesh Jain, Nagashiresha Gontla, Narendra Digamber Joshi, Paul Gerard Marsland, Wayne Allen Spence
  • Patent number: 10703452
    Abstract: An apparatus and system for a marine propeller assembly are provided. An aft retention member that may be used with the marine propeller assembly includes a base, an opposing nose and a conic body extending therebetween along a centerline normal to the base. The aft retention member also includes at least one protuberance extending radially away from a surface of the conic body. The protuberance extends axially along a surface of the aft retention member from the base arcuately convergent to a predetermined point between the base and a tip of the nose.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nicholas Joseph Kray, Peggy Lynn Baehmann, Stefaan Guido Van Nieuwenhove
  • Patent number: 10704414
    Abstract: A containment structure for surrounding a rotatable machine includes a double-walled inner shell having a forward end, an aft end, and a substantially cylindrical body extending therebetween. The inner shell includes an inner wall at least partially surrounding a bladed portion of the bladed rotor, and an outer portion that branches radially outward from the inner wall. The containment structure also includes a substantially cylindrical back sheet coupled to the outer portion and disposed radially outward of the inner wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nitesh Jain, Nicholas Joseph Kray, Manoj Kumar Jain, Mojibur Rahman, Nagamohan Govinahalli Prabhakar, Scott Roger Finn, Thomas Chadwick Waldman, Apostolos Pavlos Karafillis