Patents by Inventor Richard A. Schmidt

Richard A. Schmidt 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).

  • Publication number: 20190085721
    Abstract: A turbomachine includes a spool and a turbine section including a turbine and a turbine center frame. The turbine includes a first plurality of turbine rotor blades and a second plurality of turbine rotor blades alternatingly spaced along the axial direction and rotatable with one another. The turbomachine also includes a bearing assembly substantially completely supporting rotation of the turbine, the bearing assembly including a total of four total bearings, each of the four bearings aligned with, or positioned aft of, the turbine center frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2017
    Publication date: March 21, 2019
    Inventors: Peeyush Pankaj, Shashank Suresh Puranik, Darek Tomasz Zatorski, Christopher Charles Glynn, Richard Schmidt, Bhaskar Nanda Mondal, Ramana Reddy Kollam
  • Publication number: 20190085701
    Abstract: A turbomachine includes a turbine section including a turbine, the turbine having a plurality of turbine rotor blades spaced along the axial direction, each turbine rotor blade extending generally along the radial direction between a radially inner end and a radially outer end. The plurality of turbine rotor blades include a first turbine rotor blade; and a second turbine rotor blade spaced from the first turbine rotor blade along the axial direction, the radially outer end of the first turbine rotor blade coupled to the radially outer end of the second turbine rotor blade. The plurality of turbine rotor blades additionally includes a third turbine rotor blade spaced from the second turbine rotor blade along the axial direction, the radially inner end of the second turbine rotor blade coupled to the radially inner end of the third turbine rotor blade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2017
    Publication date: March 21, 2019
    Inventors: Peeyush Pankaj, Shashank Suresh Puranik, Darek Tomasz Zatorski, Christopher Charles Glynn, Richard Schmidt
  • Patent number: 10183886
    Abstract: A quartz glass tube as a semi-finished product for an optical component that has an inner bore extending along a tube center axis for the acceptance of a core rod and a tube wall limited by an inner casing surface and an outer casing surface is already known; within said tube wall an inner region made of a first quartz glass and an outer region made of a second quartz glass with a different index of refraction surrounding the inner region contact one another at a contact surface which runs around the center axis. In order to provide a quartz glass on this basis that facilitates the production of optical components for special applications such as laser-activated optical components in wand or fiber form, the invention states that the contact surface has a non-round course in the radial cross-section and the inner casing surface has a circular course.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: Heraeus Quarzglas GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Gerhard Schötz, Karsten Bräuer, Richard Schmidt, Peter Bauer, Andreas Schultheis, Clemens Schmitt, Andreas Langner
  • Publication number: 20180347405
    Abstract: A compliant mounting adapter for mounting an engine to a test stand includes: a body having: a first mounting interface configured for being coupled to the test stand; a second mounting interface configured for being coupled to the engine, the second mounting interface spaced-away from the first mounting interface; and a spanning element interconnecting the first and second mounting interfaces. The body is sufficiently flexible so as to permit movement relative movement of the two mounting interfaces, in response to forces generated by engine operation, in at least two degrees of freedom, and has a predetermined stiffness in each of the at least two degrees of freedom, with the predetermined stiffness of each degree of freedom being substantially independent from the stiffness of the other degrees of freedom.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2017
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Inventor: Richard Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20180340470
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a method of turbine section thermal management for a gas turbine engine. The engine includes a first turbine bearing defining an outer air bearing disposed radially adjacent to a low speed turbine rotor hub of a low speed turbine rotor and an inner bearing disposed radially adjacent to a high pressure (HP) shaft coupled to a high speed turbine rotor, wherein a first manifold is in fluid communication from a pressure plenum of a combustion section to the first turbine bearing, and wherein a second manifold is in fluid communication from the first turbine bearing to a pressure regulating valve and an outer diameter secondary flowpath of the turbine section, and wherein a third manifold is in fluid communication from the pressure plenum of the combustion section to the pressure regulating valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2017
    Publication date: November 29, 2018
    Inventors: Alan Roy Stuart, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Richard Schmidt, Thomas Ory Moniz
  • Publication number: 20180340423
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a gas turbine engine defining a longitudinal direction, an axial centerline extended along the longitudinal direction, an upstream end and a downstream end opposite of the upstream end along the longitudinal direction, a radial direction, and a circumferential direction. The gas turbine engine includes a high speed turbine rotor coupled to a high pressure (HP) shaft and HP compressor, a low speed turbine rotor comprising an axially extended hub, and a first turbine bearing disposed radially between the low speed turbine rotor and the high speed turbine rotor. The high speed turbine rotor defines a turbine cooling conduit through the high speed turbine rotor. The low speed turbine rotor includes a rotating nozzle adjacent to the turbine cooling conduit. The first turbine bearing defines an outer air bearing and an inner air bearing. The first turbine bearing defines a stationary nozzle adjacent to the rotating nozzle of the first turbine rotor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2017
    Publication date: November 29, 2018
    Inventors: Alan Roy Stuart, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Richard Schmidt, Thomas Ory Moniz
  • Publication number: 20180340469
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a gas turbine engine defining a longitudinal direction, a radial direction extended from an axial centerline, and a circumferential direction. The gas turbine engine includes a compressor section, a combustion section, and a turbine section in serial flow arrangement along the longitudinal direction. The gas turbine engine includes a low speed turbine rotor comprising a hub extended along the longitudinal direction and radially within the combustion section; a high speed turbine rotor comprising a high pressure (HP) shaft coupling the high speed turbine rotor to a HP compressor in the compressor section; a first turbine bearing disposed radially between the hub of the low speed turbine rotor and the HP shaft. The HP shaft extends along the longitudinal direction and radially within the hub of the low speed turbine rotor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2017
    Publication date: November 29, 2018
    Inventors: Alan Roy Stuart, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Richard Schmidt, Thomas Ory Moniz
  • Publication number: 20180340446
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a gas turbine engine defining a longitudinal direction, a radial direction extended from an axial centerline, and a circumferential direction. The gas turbine engine includes a compressor section, a combustion section, and a turbine section in serial flow arrangement along the longitudinal direction. The gas turbine engine includes a low speed turbine rotor including a hub extended along the longitudinal direction and radially within the combustion section; a high speed turbine rotor including a high pressure (HP) shaft coupling the high speed turbine rotor to a HP compressor in the compressor section; and a first turbine bearing disposed radially between the hub of the low speed turbine rotor and the HP shaft. The HP shaft extends along the longitudinal direction and radially within the hub of the low speed turbine rotor. The high speed turbine rotor defines a turbine cooling conduit extended within the high speed turbine rotor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2017
    Publication date: November 29, 2018
    Inventors: Alan Roy Stuart, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Richard Schmidt, Thomas Ory Moniz
  • Publication number: 20180320491
    Abstract: A method of creating and finishing perforations in a hydrocarbon well having a well wall that includes causing a high velocity jet of a material to shoot into the well wall, thereby creating a perforation in the well wall. The method further includes introducing a gas blast into the perforation, for a blast time duration, the gas blast creating an increasing pressure at the perforation until a maximum pressure is reached; and allowing the pressure of the gas blast to undergo a period of rapid decline to a level of less than 50% of the maximum pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2018
    Publication date: November 8, 2018
    Inventors: Adam C. Schmidt, Jaia D. Schmidt, Richard A. Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20180274365
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a gas turbine engine defining a longitudinal direction, a radial direction, and a circumferential direction, and wherein the gas turbine engine defines an upstream end and a downstream end along the longitudinal direction. The gas turbine engine includes a turbine section that includes a first rotating component and a second rotating component. The first rotating component includes an inner shroud and an outer shroud outward of the inner shroud in the radial direction. The outer shroud defines a plurality of outer shroud airfoils extended inward of the outer shroud along the radial direction. The first rotating component further includes at least one connecting airfoil coupling the inner shroud and the outer shroud. The second rotating component is upstream of the one or more connecting airfoils of the first rotating component along the longitudinal direction. The second rotating component includes a plurality of second airfoils extended outward in the radial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2017
    Publication date: September 27, 2018
    Inventors: Alan Roy Stuart, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Richard Schmidt, Thomas Ory Moniz
  • Publication number: 20180209336
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a gas turbine engine defining a radial direction, a circumferential direction, an axial centerline along a longitudinal direction, and wherein the gas turbine engine defines an upstream end and a downstream end long the longitudinal direction. The gas turbine engine includes a turbine section including a low speed turbine rotor, a high speed turbine rotor, and an intermediate speed turbine rotor. The low speed turbine rotor includes an inner shroud and an outer shroud outward of the inner shroud in the radial direction. The outer shroud defines a plurality of outer shroud airfoils extended inward of the outer shroud along the radial direction. The low speed turbine rotor further includes at least one connecting airfoil coupling the inner shroud to the outer shroud. The high speed turbine rotor is disposed upstream of the one or more connecting airfoils of the low speed turbine rotor along the longitudinal direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2017
    Publication date: July 26, 2018
    Inventors: Alan Roy Stuart, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Richard Schmidt, Thomas Ory Moniz
  • Publication number: 20180209335
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a method of operating a gas turbine engine with an interdigitated turbine section. The engine includes a fan rotor, an intermediate pressure compressor, a high pressure compressor, a combustion section, and a turbine section in serial flow arrangement. The turbine section includes, in serial flow arrangement, a first stage of a low speed turbine rotor, a high speed turbine rotor, a second stage of the low speed turbine rotor, an intermediate speed turbine rotor, and one or more additional stages of the low speed turbine rotor. The low speed turbine rotor is coupled to the fan rotor via a low pressure shaft. The intermediate speed turbine rotor is coupled to the intermediate pressure compressor via an intermediate pressure shaft. The high speed turbine rotor is coupled to the high pressure compressor via a high pressure shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2017
    Publication date: July 26, 2018
    Inventors: Alan Roy Stuart, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Richard Schmidt, Thomas Ory Moniz
  • Patent number: 10024145
    Abstract: A method of creating and finishing perforations in a hydrocarbon well, starting by shooting a high velocity jet of metal particles into the well wall, thereby creating a perforation in the well wall. After this, a gas blast is pushed into the perforation, for a blast time duration, the gas blast creating an increasing pressure at the perforation, until a maximum is reached, the pressure of the gas then undergoing a period of rapid decline to a level of less than 50% of the maximum pressure. The period of rapid decline takes less than one-sixth of the blast time duration. Accordingly, the time pattern of speed and pressure of the gas blast results in a higher maximum pressure at the perforation, resulting in localized fracturing, emanating from the perforation, which permits a greater flow of hydrocarbons into the perforation and from the perforation into the well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: THE GASGUN, INC.
    Inventors: Adam C. Schmidt, Jaia D. Schmidt, Richard A. Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20180139601
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, associating a global-to-local network profile with a user profile of a first communications network and detecting a number of local networks managed separately from the first communications network. The local networks include local user profiles, wherein access to resources of a local network is based on credentials available by way of a local user profile associated with the user. A location of the user is determined and a proximity of the user to a first local network is determined based on the location of the user. Information is transferred between the global-to-local network profile and a local user profile based on the proximity of the user to the first local network, wherein the transferring of the information supports a registration status of the user with the first local network of the plurality of local networks. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2016
    Publication date: May 17, 2018
    Inventors: Sangar Dowlatkhah, Venson Shaw, Richard Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20180128342
    Abstract: A controllable magneto-rheological device includes an annular cylinder formed by inner and outer walls connected at first and second opposing ends and forming an inner shaft configured to receive an operational component of an engine, generator or other device including one or more rotating structures. A magneto-rheological fluid is provided to fill a volume between the inner and outer walls of the annular cylinder. A plurality of electro-magnetic coils are positioned around the outer wall of the annular cylinder. One or more current controllers are coupled to the plurality of electro-magnetic coils for introducing a current through each of the electro-magnetic coils and corresponding magnetic flux through the magneto-rheological fluid. A level of current provided to each of the plurality of electro-magnetic coils directly affects the viscosity of the magneto-rheological fluid and thus the stiffness and damping levels of the controllable magneto-rheological device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2016
    Publication date: May 10, 2018
    Inventors: Shuvajyoti Ghosh, Narayanan Payyoor, Surender Reddy Bhavanam, Richard Schmidt, Tod Robert Steen
  • Patent number: 9932858
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine is provided including a shaft coupling a compressor of a compressor section to a turbine of a turbine section. An aft bearing assembly, including at least two bearings, is positioned at least partially in an aft sump and supports the shaft within the turbine section. The aft sump is configured to receive lubrication oil from a lubrication oil supply extending through at least a portion of a turbine center frame of the turbine section, and provide such lubrication to the at least two bearings of the aft bearing assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Brandon Wayne Miller, Richard Schmidt, Daniel Alan Niergarth
  • Publication number: 20170356304
    Abstract: A fluid viscosity system for use in a gas turbine engine includes an induction assembly coupled to a fluid line within the gas turbine engine. The induction assembly includes an electromagnet. The induction assembly further includes an electronic oscillator electronically coupled to the electromagnet. The electronic oscillator is configured to generate an alternating current (AC) that is transmitted to the electromagnet at a predetermined frequency and magnitude such that a viscosity of a fluid channeled through the fluid line is reduced at least partially due to induction heating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2016
    Publication date: December 14, 2017
    Inventor: Richard Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20170260871
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a system for monitoring an acoustic signal in a gas turbine engine. The system includes a gas turbine engine component that emits the acoustic signal. A microphone senses the acoustic signal and creates a microphone signal indicative of one or more characteristics of the acoustic signal. A controller receives the microphone signal and is configured to analyze the microphone signal to identify a gearbox event peak. If the gearbox event peak is present, the controller quantifies an amplitude of the gearbox event peak. The controller compares the amplitude of the gearbox event peak to a threshold to determine whether the gas turbine engine component needs maintenance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2016
    Publication date: September 14, 2017
    Inventors: Richard Schmidt, Joseph Robert Dickman, Daniel Roy Kiracofe
  • Publication number: 20170180505
    Abstract: Methods, computer-readable storage media and apparatuses for privacy information management are disclosed. A processor stores privacy information of a user, receives over a communication network associated with the network service provider, an inquiry directed to the user from a business entity, the business entity having previously conducted a transaction with the user, the inquiry in a polar question format, determines an answer responsive to the inquiry from the privacy information, and provides over the communication network associated with the network service provider, the answer to the business entity when a threshold of a number of inquiries from the business entity has not been exceeded for a time period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Inventors: Venson Shaw, Jin He, Richard Schmidt, Mark Easley
  • Publication number: 20170147173
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a GUI web-browser with functionality to create, edit, and retrieve GUI documents as GUI web pages. The GUI web-browser may be enabled to display a GUI document in a GUI document display format as a GUI web page. A user may be enabled to modify the GUI web page in a similar way as they would modify a GUI based document. The modified GUI document may be then saved as a GUI web page comprising edited GUI elements. A specification to the GUI document comprising the GUI elements may be saved in a storage format, and then loaded in a display format for display as the GUI web page.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2017
    Publication date: May 25, 2017
    Inventor: Donald Richard Schmidt