Patents by Inventor Paul Lacy

Paul Lacy 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: 9931695
    Abstract: An article and a method for making shaped cooling holes in an article are provided. The method includes the steps of depositing a metal alloy powder to form an initial layer including at least one aperture, melting the metal alloy powder with a focused energy source to transform the powder layer to a sheet of metal alloy, sequentially depositing an additional layer of the metal alloy powder to form a layer including at least one aperture corresponding to the at least one aperture in the initial layer, melting the additional layer of the metal alloy powder with the focused energy source to increase the sheet thickness, and repeating the steps of sequentially depositing and melting the additional layers of metal alloy powder until a structure including at least one aperture having a predetermined profile is obtained. The structure is attached to a substrate to make the article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Benjamin Paul Lacy, David Edward Schick, Srikanth Chandrudu Kottilingam
  • Patent number: 9909432
    Abstract: Aft frame assemblies for a gas turbine transition pieces include a body comprising an exterior surface and a plurality of interior surfaces, one or more exterior cooling holes disposed on the exterior surface of the body for capturing compressor discharge air outside of the transition piece, and a supplemental component bonded to at least one of the plurality of interior surfaces of the body. At least one cooling channel is at least partially defined by the supplemental component and the interior surface that the supplemental component is bonded to, wherein the at least one cooling channel fluidly connects at least one of the one or more exterior cooling holes to one or more interior cooling outlets that discharge the compressor discharge air captured from the at least one of the one or more exterior cooling holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Srikanth Chandrudu Kottilingam, Benjamin Paul Lacy, Brian Lee Tollison, David Edward Schick
  • Patent number: 9897006
    Abstract: A cooling system for a hot gas path component includes a substrate having an outer surface and an inner surface. The inner surface defines at least one interior space. A passage is formed in the substrate between the outer surface and the inner surface. An access passage is formed in the substrate and extends from the outer surface to the inner space. The access passage is formed at a first acute angle to the passage and includes a particle collection chamber. The access passage is configured to channel a cooling fluid to the passage. Furthermore, the passage is configured to channel the cooling fluid therethrough to cool the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Carlos Miguel Miranda, Benjamin Paul Lacy
  • Publication number: 20180030837
    Abstract: Turbine components are disclosed including a component wall defining a constrained portion, a manifold having an impingement wall, and a post-impingement cavity disposed between the manifold and the component wall. The impingement wall includes a wall thickness and defines a plenum and a tapered portion. The tapered portion tapers toward the constrained portion and includes a plurality of impingement apertures and a wall inflection. The wall inflection is disposed proximal to the constrained portion, and the tapered portion is integrally formed as a single, continuous object. The wall inflection may include an inflection radius of less than about 3 times the wall thickness of the impingement wall, or the tapered portion may include a consolidated portion with the impingement wall extending across the plenum. A method for forming the turbine component is also disclosed, including forming the tapered portion as a single, continuous tapered portion by an additive manufacturing technique.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2016
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Inventors: Sandip DUTTA, Benjamin Paul LACY, Gary Michael ITZEL, Joseph Anthony WEBER, David Edward SCHICK
  • Patent number: 9849510
    Abstract: Provided are an article and a method of forming an article. The method includes providing a metallic powder, heating the metallic powder to a temperature sufficient to joint at least a portion of the metallic powder to form an initial layer, sequentially forming additional layers in a build direction by providing a distributed layer of the metallic powder over the initial layer and heating the distributed layer of the metallic powder, repeating the steps of sequentially forming the additional layers in the build direction to form a portion of the article having a hollow space formed in the build direction, and forming an overhang feature extending into the hollow space. The article includes an article formed by the method described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Benjamin Paul Lacy, Srikanth Chandrudu Kottilingam, Sandip Dutta, David Edward Schick
  • Patent number: 9828872
    Abstract: A cooling structure for a turbomachine. In one embodiment, the cooling structure is for a seal slot of the turbomachine. The cooling structure includes a body coupled to a surface of the seal slot. The body includes a passageway on a first surface of the body for providing a cooling fluid to the seal slot. In an other embodiment, a apparatus includes a first component and a second component adjacent the first component. The apparatus also includes a seal slot extending between the first component and the second component, and a cooling structure positioned within the seal slot. The cooling structure includes a body coupled to a surface of the seal slot. The body has a passageway on a first surface of the body for providing a cooling fluid to the seal slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Benjamin Paul Lacy, Brian Peter Arness, David Edward Schick
  • Patent number: 9828915
    Abstract: A method for providing micro-channels in a hot gas path component includes forming a first micro-channel in an exterior surface of a substrate of the hot gas path component. A second micro-channel is formed in the exterior surface of the hot gas path component such that it is separated from the first micro-channel by a surface gap having a first width. The method also includes disposing a braze sheet onto the exterior surface of the hot gas path component such that the braze sheet covers at least of portion of the first and second micro-channels, and heating the braze sheet to bond it to at least a portion of the exterior surface of the hot gas path component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Carlos Miguel Miranda, Srikanth Chandrudu Kottilingam, Benjamin Paul Lacy
  • Publication number: 20170334188
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the disclosure include a turbomachine component. and methods of forming such a component. Some embodiments include a turbomachine component including: a first portion including at least one of a stainless steel or an alloy steel; and a second portion joined with the first portion, the second portion including a nickel alloy including an arced cooling feature extending therethrough, the second portion having a thermal expansion coefficient substantially similar to a thermal expansion coefficient of the first portion, wherein the arced cooling feature is located within the second portion to direct a portion of a coolant to a leakage area of the turbomachine component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2017
    Publication date: November 23, 2017
    Inventors: Benjamin Paul Lacy, Srikanth Chandrudu Kottilingam, Christopher Donald Porter, David Edward Schick
  • Patent number: 9796048
    Abstract: An article and a process of producing an article are provided. The article includes a base material, a cooling feature arrangement positioned on the base material, the cooling feature arrangement including an additive-structured material, and a cover material. The cooling feature arrangement is between the base material and the cover material. The process of producing the article includes manufacturing a cooling feature arrangement by an additive manufacturing technique, and then positioning the cooling feature arrangement between a base material and a cover material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Benjamin Paul Lacy, Ariel Caesar Prepena Jacala, Srikanth Chandrudu Kottilingam, David Edward Schick
  • Publication number: 20170260873
    Abstract: A host gas flow path component includes a body including a leading edge, a trailing edge, a first side edge, a second side edge, and a pair of opposed lateral sides. A first lateral side is configured to interface with a cavity having a cooling fluid. The hot gas flow path component includes a supply channel disposed within the body and extending from the cavity to adjacent the leading edge or the trailing edge. The hot gas flow path component includes a channel disposed within the body adjacent the trailing edge or the leading edge. The channel extends across the body in a direction from the first side edge toward the second side edge. The channel is configured to receive the cooling fluid from the cavity to cool the trailing edge or the leading edge via an intermediate channel extending between the supply channel and the channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2016
    Publication date: September 14, 2017
    Inventors: Benjamin Paul Lacy, Marc Lionel Benjamin, San Jason Nguyen
  • Patent number: 9757936
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the disclosure include a turbomachine component. and methods of forming such a component. Some embodiments include a turbomachine component including: a first portion including at least one of a stainless steel or an alloy steel; and a second portion joined with the first portion, the second portion including a nickel alloy including an arced cooling feature extending therethrough, the second portion having a thermal expansion coefficient substantially similar to a thermal expansion coefficient of the first portion, wherein the arced cooling feature is located within the second portion to direct a portion of a coolant to a leakage area of the turbomachine component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Benjamin Paul Lacy, Srikanth Chandrudu Kottilingam, Christopher Donald Porter, David Edward Schick
  • Patent number: 9752440
    Abstract: A component for a turbine engine includes a substrate that includes a first surface, and an insert coupled to the substrate proximate the substrate first surface. The component also includes a channel. The channel is defined by a first channel wall formed in the substrate and a second channel wall formed by at least one coating disposed on the substrate first surface. The component further includes an inlet opening defined in flow communication with the channel. The inlet opening is defined by a first inlet wall formed in the substrate and a second inlet wall defined by the insert.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Carlos Miguel Miranda, Andrew Lee Trimmer, Srikanth Chandrudu Kottilingam, Benjamin Paul Lacy
  • Publication number: 20170226892
    Abstract: A system having an impingement sleeve configured to receive a cooling flow is provided. The impingement sleeve includes a column of ports extending from an outer surface of the impingement sleeve, wherein each port of the column of ports is configured to direct an impingement stream toward a heated structure, and each impingement stream includes a portion of the cooling flow. Further, one or more pins are disposed outside the outer surface relative to the cooling flow, wherein each pin of the one or more pins is coupled between pairs of ports of the column of ports.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2016
    Publication date: August 10, 2017
    Inventors: Benjamin Paul Lacy, David Edward Schick, Sandip Dutta
  • Publication number: 20170198587
    Abstract: The present invention is an article containing internal cooling channels located near at least one surface. In an embodiment, the cooled article includes a base material, a first layer, and a second layer. Here, the first layer is bonded to the base material and the second layer is bonded to the first layer, wherein at least one closed cooling channel is disposed within a portion of the first layer and a portion of the second layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2016
    Publication date: July 13, 2017
    Inventors: Srikanth Chandrudu Kottilingam, Benjamin Paul Lacy, David Edward Schick
  • Publication number: 20170175580
    Abstract: A shroud segment that includes a body including a leading edge, a trailing edge, a first side edge, a second side, and a pair of opposed lateral sides. A first lateral side is configured to interface with a cavity having a cooling fluid, and a second lateral side is oriented toward a hot gas flow path. The shroud segment includes a first channel disposed within the body having a first end portion and a second end portion and a second channel disposed within the body having a third end portion and a fourth end portion. The first and second channels are configured to receive the cooling fluid from the cavity to cool the body. The first end portion and the fourth end portion each include a hook-shaped portion having a free end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2015
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Inventors: Marc Lionel Benjamin, Benjamin Paul Lacy, Gregory Thomas Foster, San Jason Nguyen
  • Publication number: 20170175575
    Abstract: A system includes a shroud segment for use in a turbine and includes a body having a leading and trailing edge, first and second side edge, and a pair of opposed lateral sides between the leading and trailing edges and the first and second side edges. A first lateral side interfaces with a cavity having a cooling fluid. A first channel includes a first and second end portion. A second channel includes a third end portion and a fourth end portion. The first and second channels receive the cooling fluid from the cavity to cool the body. The second end portion includes a first segmented channel with first metering feature and the third end portion includes a second segmented channel with second exit feature. The first and second exit features meter a flow of the cooling fluid within the first and second channels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2015
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Inventors: Marc Lionel Benjamin, Benjamin Paul Lacy, Luis Alfonso Gonzalez, Michael Scott Soden
  • Publication number: 20170175573
    Abstract: A shroud segment that includes a body including a leading edge, a trailing edge, a first side edge, a second side, and a pair of opposed lateral sides. A first lateral side is configured to interface with a cavity having a cooling fluid, and a second lateral side is oriented toward a hot gas flow path. The shroud segment includes at least one channel disposed within the body, wherein the at least one channel includes a first portion extending from upstream of the trailing edge towards the trailing edge in a first direction from the leading edge to the trailing edge, a second portion extending from the trailing edge to upstream of the trailing edge in a second direction from the trailing edge to the leading edge, and a third portion extending from upstream of the trailing edge towards the trailing edge in the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2015
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Inventors: Marc Lionel Benjamin, Benjamin Paul Lacy, Dipankar Pal, San Jason Nguyen
  • Publication number: 20170176012
    Abstract: A gas turbine that includes a row of circumferentially spaced stator blades in a turbine. Each of the stator blades may include an airfoil defined between a concave pressure side face and a laterally opposed convex suction side face. At least one of the stator blades within the row may include a fuel injector that includes: a transverse nozzle extending through the airfoil between an inlet formed through the pressure side face and an outlet formed through the suction side face of the airfoil; and a fuel channel formed through the airfoil of the stator blade, the fuel channel having an upstream end, at which an inlet port fluidly connects the fuel channel to a fuel supply, and a downstream end, at which an outlet port fluidly connects the fuel channel to the transverse nozzle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2015
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Inventor: Benjamin Paul Lacy
  • Publication number: 20170175576
    Abstract: A shroud segment for use in gas turbines, includes a body, leading edge, trailing edge, a first and second side edge, and a pair of opposed lateral sides between the leading and trailing edges and the first and second side edges. A first lateral side of the lateral sides interface with a cavity having a cooling fluid. A second lateral side interfaces with a hot gas flow path. A first channel disposed within the body includes a first and second end portion. A second channel is disposed within the body includes a third and fourth end portion. The first and second channels receive the cooling fluid from the cavity to cool the body. The first and fourth end portion have portions with free ends having a width greater than an adjacent portion coupled to the free end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2015
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Inventors: Marc Lionel Benjamin, Gregory Thomas Foster, Benjamin Paul Lacy, Thomas James Brunt, San Jason Nguyen
  • Publication number: 20170167270
    Abstract: An article and method of forming an article are provided. The article includes a body portion having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface defining an inner region, and at least one cooling feature positioned within the inner region. The body portion includes a first material and the at least one cooling feature includes a second material, the second material having a higher thermal conductivity than the first material. The method includes manufacturing a body portion by an additive manufacturing technique and manufacturing at least one cooling feature by the additive manufacturing technique. The body portion includes a first material and the at least one cooling feature includes a second material, the second material having a higher thermal conductivity than the first material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2015
    Publication date: June 15, 2017
    Inventors: Gary Michael ITZEL, Benjamin Paul LACY