Patents by Inventor Robert Shinavski

Robert Shinavski 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: 11820716
    Abstract: A method of fabricating cooling features on a CMC component may comprise compressing a fabric preform within tooling including holes and/or recesses facing the fabric preform. During the compression, portions of the fabric preform are pushed into the holes and/or recesses. Gases are delivered through the tooling to deposit a matrix material on exposed surfaces of the fabric preform while the fabric preform is being compressed. The matrix material builds up on the portions of the fabric preform pushed into the holes and/or recesses, and a rigidized preform with surface protrusions is formed. The tooling is removed, and the rigidized preform is densified, thereby forming a CMC component including raised surface features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignees: ROLLS ROYCE NORTH AMERICAN TECHNOLOGIES INC., ROLLS-ROYCE HIGH TEMPERATURE COMPOSITES INC., ROLLS-ROYCE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ted Freeman, Aaron Sippel, Robert Shinavski, Chris Barrett
  • Publication number: 20220055957
    Abstract: A method of making a ceramic matrix composite that exhibits chemical resistance has been developed. The method comprises depositing a compliant layer comprising boron nitride, silicon-doped boron nitride, and/or pyrolytic carbon on silicon carbide fibers, depositing a barrier layer having a high contact angle with molten silicon on the compliant layer, and depositing a wetting layer comprising silicon carbide, boron carbide, and/or pyrolytic carbon on the barrier layer. After depositing the wetting layer, a fiber preform comprising the silicon carbide fibers is infiltrated with a slurry. After slurry infiltration, the fiber preform is infiltrated with a melt comprising silicon, and then the melt is cooled, thereby forming a ceramic matrix composite.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2021
    Publication date: February 24, 2022
    Applicant: Rolls-Royce High Temperature Composites Inc.
    Inventors: Sungbo Shim, Richard Kidd, Kelly Kranjc, Robert Shinavski
  • Publication number: 20220055955
    Abstract: A method of making a ceramic matrix composite that exhibits moisture and environmental resistance has been developed. The method includes depositing a diffusion barrier layer comprising boron nitride on silicon carbide fibers and depositing a moisture-tolerant layer comprising silicon-doped boron nitride on the diffusion barrier layer, where a thickness of the moisture-tolerant layer is from about 3 to about 300 times a thickness of the diffusion barrier layer. Thus, a compliant multilayer including the moisture-tolerant layer and the diffusion barrier layer is formed. A wetting layer comprising silicon carbide, boron carbide, and/or pyrolytic carbon is deposited on the compliant multilayer layer. After depositing the wetting layer, a fiber preform comprising the silicon carbide fibers is infiltrated with a slurry. After slurry infiltration, the fiber preform is infiltrated with a melt comprising silicon and then the melt is cooled, thereby forming a ceramic matrix composite.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2020
    Publication date: February 24, 2022
    Inventors: Richard Kidd, Sungbo Shim, Kelly Kranjc, Robert Shinavski
  • Patent number: 11192829
    Abstract: The disclosure describes techniques for forming a surface layer of an article including a CMC using a cast. In some examples, the surface layer includes three-dimensional surface features, which may increase adhesion between the CMC and a coating on the CMC. In some examples, the surface layer may include excess material, with or without three-dimensional surface features, which is on the CMC. The excess material may be machined to remove some of the excess material and facilitate conforming the article to dimensional tolerances, e.g., for fitting the article to another component. The excess material may reduce a likelihood that the CMC (e.g., reinforcement material in the CMC) is damaged by the machining.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce High Temperature Composites, Inc., Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Sungbo Shim, Robert Wesley Thibault, Robert Shinavski, Kang N. Lee
  • Patent number: 11161792
    Abstract: A method for infiltrating a porous preform for a gas turbine engine is provided, which comprises providing a chamber for infiltrating a porous preform. The porous preform is positioned within a slurry confinement fixture within the chamber. A vacuum is created in the chamber. A solvent is added to the slurry confinement fixture until a pressure in the chamber is substantially equal to an equilibrium partial pressure of the solvent. A slurry is added to the slurry confinement fixture. The slurry includes the solvent and a particulate. The pressure in the chamber is increased, and the slurry is urged into the porous preform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE HIGH TEMPERATURE COMPOSITES INC.
    Inventors: Thomas E. Krause, Robert Shinavski, Kevin Mark Lukhard
  • Patent number: 11117838
    Abstract: A method of making a fiber preform for ceramic matrix composite (CMC) fabrication that utilizes a fugitive binder and a machining step is described. The method includes, according to one embodiment, laying up a plurality of plies to form a stack, where each ply comprises an arrangement of fibers. The stack is infiltrated with a polymer at an elevated temperature to form an infiltrated stack that is cooled to form a rigid preform. The rigid fiber preform is machined to have a predetermined shape, such that a machined fiber preform is formed. A composite assembly including the machined fiber preform is formed and then the composite assembly is heated at a sufficient temperature to pyrolyze the polymer. Thus, a porous preform of a predetermined geometry is formed for further processing into a CMC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE HIGH TEMPERATURE COMPOSITES INC.
    Inventors: Wayne Steffier, Michael Jacquinto, Stephen Harris, Robert Shinavski, Todd Engel
  • Patent number: 11046618
    Abstract: A ceramic matrix composite (CMC) is formed by infiltrating a metal or alloy into a fiber preform in a reactor or furnace that is separated into multiple discrete temperature zones. The gradual cooling of the CMC is controlled, such that upon solidification, a narrow, planar, solidification front is created which allows the expanding metal or alloy to move into a hotter section of the fiber preform, opposed to the surface of the CMC. A discrete solidification front is established that moves through the ceramic matrix composite (CMC) as the composite cools.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignees: ROLLS-ROYCE CORPORATION, ROLLS-ROYCE HIGH TEMPERATURE COMPOSITES INC.
    Inventors: Robert Shinavski, Joseph Doyle, Andrew Ritchey, Stephen Harris
  • Publication number: 20210024426
    Abstract: A method of forming a barrier layer on a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) is described. The method includes forming a particulate surface layer comprising silicon particles on an outer surface of a fiber preform. The particulate surface layer is nitrided to convert the silicon particles to silicon nitride particles. After the nitriding, the fiber preform and the particulate surface layer are infiltrated with a molten material comprising silicon. Following infiltration, the molten material is cooled, thereby forming a ceramic matrix composite with a barrier layer thereon, where the barrier layer comprises silicon nitride and less than 5 vol. % free silicon. The barrier layer may also include silicon carbide and/or one or more refractory metal silicides.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2020
    Publication date: January 28, 2021
    Applicant: Rolls-Royce High Temperature Composites Inc.
    Inventors: Sungbo Shim, Robert Shinavski, Pathikumar Sellappan
  • Publication number: 20210009479
    Abstract: A method for infiltrating a porous preform for a gas turbine engine is provided, which comprises providing a chamber for infiltrating a porous preform. The porous preform is positioned within a slurry confinement fixture within the chamber. A vacuum is created in the chamber. A solvent is added to the slurry confinement fixture until a pressure in the chamber is substantially equal to an equilibrium partial pressure of the solvent. A slurry is added to the slurry confinement fixture. The slurry includes the solvent and a particulate. The pressure in the chamber is increased, and the slurry is urged into the porous preform.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Publication date: January 14, 2021
    Applicant: Rolls-Royce High Temperature Composites Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas E. Krause, Robert Shinavski, Kevin Mark Lukhard
  • Patent number: 10822279
    Abstract: In some examples, a technique for infiltrating a porous preform with a slurry to form an infiltrated-preform, where the slurry includes a plurality of solid particles, where the plurality of solid particles include a plurality of fine ceramic particles defining an average fine particle diameter, a plurality of coarse ceramic particles defining an average coarse particle diameter, and a plurality of diamond particles, where the average fine particle diameter is less than the average coarse particle diameter, and infiltrating the infiltrated-preform with a molten metal infiltrant to form a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce High Temperature Composites, Inc.
    Inventors: Sungbo Shim, Robert Shinavski
  • Patent number: 10774010
    Abstract: Techniques for infiltrating a CMC substrate may include infiltrating the CMC substrate with a first slurry to at least partially fill at least some inner spaces of the CMC substrate, where the first slurry includes first solid particles, drying the first slurry to form an infiltrated CMC including the first solid particles, depositing a second slurry including a carrier material and second solid particles on a surface of the infiltrated CMC, where the second solid particles include a plurality of fine ceramic particles, a plurality of coarse ceramic particles, and a plurality of diamond particles, drying the second slurry to form an article having an outer surface layer including the second solid particles on the infiltrated CMC, and infiltrating the article with a molten infiltrant to form a composite article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce High Temperature Composites, Inc.
    Inventors: Sungbo Shim, Andrew Joseph Lazur, Robert Shinavski
  • Patent number: 10745803
    Abstract: A method of forming a moisture-tolerant coating on a silicon carbide fiber includes exposing a silicon carbide fiber to a gaseous N precursor comprising nitrogen at an elevated temperature, thereby introducing nitrogen into a surface region of the silicon carbide fiber, and exposing the silicon carbide fiber to a gaseous B precursor comprising boron at an elevated temperature, thereby introducing boron into the surface region of the silicon carbide fiber. Silicon-doped boron nitride is formed at the surface region of the silicon carbide fiber without exposing the silicon carbide fiber to a gaseous Si precursor comprising Si. Thus, a moisture-tolerant coating comprising the silicon-doped boron nitride is grown in-situ on the silicon carbide fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE HIGH TEMPERATURE COMPOSITES INC.
    Inventors: Richard W. Kidd, Robert Shinavski
  • Publication number: 20200123067
    Abstract: A method of fabricating cooling features on a CMC component may comprise compressing a fabric preform within tooling including holes and/or recesses facing the fabric preform. During the compression, portions of the fabric preform are pushed into the holes and/or recesses. Gases are delivered through the tooling to deposit a matrix material on exposed surfaces of the fabric preform while the fabric preform is being compressed. The matrix material builds up on the portions of the fabric preform pushed into the holes and/or recesses, and a rigidized preform with surface protrusions is formed. The tooling is removed, and the rigidized preform is densified, thereby forming a CMC component including raised surface features.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2019
    Publication date: April 23, 2020
    Applicants: Rolls-Royce High Temperature Composites Inc., Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Ted Freeman, Aaron Sippel, Robert Shinavski, Chris Barrett
  • Publication number: 20190389782
    Abstract: The disclosure describes techniques for forming a surface layer of an article including a CMC using a cast. In some examples, the surface layer includes three-dimensional surface features, which may increase adhesion between the CMC and a coating on the CMC. In some examples, the surface layer may include excess material, with or without three-dimensional surface features, which is on the CMC. The excess material may be machined to remove some of the excess material and facilitate conforming the article to dimensional tolerances, e.g., for fitting the article to another component. The excess material may reduce a likelihood that the CMC (e.g., reinforcement material in the CMC) is damaged by the machining.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2019
    Publication date: December 26, 2019
    Inventors: Sungbo Shim, Robert Wesley Thibault, Robert Shinavski, Kang N. Lee
  • Publication number: 20190359531
    Abstract: A method of making a fiber preform for ceramic matrix composite (CMC) fabrication that utilizes a fugitive binder and a machining step is described. The method includes, according to one embodiment, laying up a plurality of plies to form a stack, where each ply comprises an arrangement of fibers. The stack is infiltrated with a polymer at an elevated temperature to form an infiltrated stack that is cooled to form a rigid preform. The rigid fiber preform is machined to have a predetermined shape, such that a machined fiber preform is formed. A composite assembly including the machined fiber preform is formed and then the composite assembly is heated at a sufficient temperature to pyrolyze the polymer. Thus, a porous preform of a predetermined geometry is formed for further processing into a CMC.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2018
    Publication date: November 28, 2019
    Inventors: Wayne Steffier, Michael Jacquinto, Stephen Harris, Robert Shinavski, Todd Engel
  • Patent number: 10399911
    Abstract: The disclosure describes techniques for forming a surface layer of an article including a CMC using a cast. In some examples, the surface layer includes three-dimensional surface features, which may increase adhesion between the CMC and a coating on the CMC. In some examples, the surface layer may include excess material, with or without three-dimensional surface features, which is on the CMC. The excess material may be machined to remove some of the excess material and facilitate conforming the article to dimensional tolerances, e.g., for fitting the article to another component. The excess material may reduce a likelihood that the CMC (e.g., reinforcement material in the CMC) is damaged by the machining.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce High Temperature Composites, Inc.
    Inventors: Sungbo Shim, Robert Wesley Thibault, Robert Shinavski, Kang N. Lee
  • Publication number: 20180363132
    Abstract: A method of forming a moisture-tolerant coating on a silicon carbide fiber includes exposing a silicon carbide fiber to a gaseous N precursor comprising nitrogen at an elevated temperature, thereby introducing nitrogen into a surface region of the silicon carbide fiber, and exposing the silicon carbide fiber to a gaseous B precursor comprising boron at an elevated temperature, thereby introducing boron into the surface region of the silicon carbide fiber. Silicon-doped boron nitride is formed at the surface region of the silicon carbide fiber without exposing the silicon carbide fiber to a gaseous Si precursor comprising Si. Thus, a moisture-tolerant coating comprising the silicon-doped boron nitride is grown in-situ on the silicon carbide fiber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2018
    Publication date: December 20, 2018
    Applicant: Rolls-Royce High Temperature Composites Inc.
    Inventors: Richard W. Kidd, Robert Shinavski
  • Patent number: 10150708
    Abstract: A method of melt infiltration for producing a ceramic matrix composite comprises applying a surface slurry onto one or more outer surfaces of an impregnated porous preform. The surface slurry comprises a solvent and particulate solids, and the preform comprises a framework of ceramic fibers loaded with particulate matter. The surface slurry is dried to form a porous layer comprising the particulate solids on the one or more outer surfaces of the impregnated porous preform. After forming the porous layer, an end portion of the impregnated porous preform that includes at least part of the porous layer is immersed in a molten material, and the molten material is infiltrated into the impregnated porous preform from the end portion. The porous layer serves as a wick to transport the molten material over the one or more outer surfaces, thereby enabling melt infiltration of the impregnated porous preform from other portions thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE HIGH TEMPERATURE COMPOSITES INC.
    Inventors: Sungbo Shim, Andrew Lazur, Robert Shinavski
  • Publication number: 20180312442
    Abstract: A ceramic matrix composite (CMC) is formed by infiltrating a metal or alloy into a fiber preform in a reactor or furnace that is separated into multiple discrete temperature zones. The gradual cooling of the CMC is controlled, such that upon solidification, a narrow, planar, solidification front is created which allows the expanding metal or alloy to move into a hotter section of the fiber preform, opposed to the surface of the CMC. A discrete solidification front is established that moves through the ceramic matrix composite (CMC) as the composite cools.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2018
    Publication date: November 1, 2018
    Applicants: Rolls-Royce High Temperature Composites Inc., Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Shinavski, Joseph Doyle, Andrew Ritchey, Stephen Harris
  • Patent number: 10071936
    Abstract: A method of forming a composite article includes impregnating an inorganic fiber preform with a slurry composition. The slurry composition includes a particulate, a solvent, and a pre-gellant material. Gelling of the pre-gellant material in the slurry composition is initiated to immobilize the particulate and yield a gelled article, and substantially all solvent is removed from the gelled article to form a green composite article. The green composite article is then infiltrated with a molten infiltrant to form the composite article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce High Temperature Composites, Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony Martin Goetz, Robert Shinavski, Stephen Isaiah Harris, Sean E. Landwehr