Patents by Inventor Rolf Hetico

Rolf Hetico 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).

  • Methods and apparatus for reducing flow across compressor airfoil tips
    Patent number: 7270519
    Abstract: An airfoil for a gas turbine engine includes a leading edge, a trailing edge, a tip, a first side wall that extends in radial span between an airfoil root and the tip, wherein the first side wall defines a first side of said airfoil, and a second side wall connected to the first side wall at the leading edge and the trailing edge, wherein the second side wall extends in radial span between the airfoil root and the tip, such that the second side wall defines a second side of the airfoil. The airfoil also includes a rib extending outwardly from at least one of the first side wall and the second side wall, wherein the rib is configured to reduce airflow spillage past the tip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Aspi R. Wadia, Rolf Hetico, Robert Bruce Dickman, Hsin-Yi Yen, Peter Wood
  • Shrouded turbofan bleed duct
    Publication number: 20070130912
    Abstract: A bleed duct is configured for bleeding fan air from the fan bypass duct in a turbofan aircraft engine. The bleed duct includes a tubular conduit having an inlet and outlet at opposite ends. The conduit is configured in flow area for recovering pressure from speeding fan air bled therethrough. A shroud extends forwardly from the duct inlet for suppressing dynamic pressure oscillations inside the conduit without degrading the pressure recovery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2005
    Publication date: June 14, 2007
    Inventors: Robert Kraft, Nelson Gibbens, Rolf Hetico, William Groll, William Bailey, James Stoker
  • Methods and apparatus for structurally supporting airfoil tips
    Patent number: 6779979
    Abstract: An airfoil for a gas turbine engine includes a leading edge, a trailing edge, a tip, a first side wall that extends in radial span between an airfoil root and the tip, wherein the first side wall defines a first side of said airfoil, and a second side wall connected to the first side wall at the leading edge and the trailing edge, wherein the second side wall extends in radial span between the airfoil root and the tip, such that the second side wall defines a second side of the airfoil. The airfoil also includes a rib that extends outwardly from at least one of the first side wall and the second side wall, such that a natural frequency of chordwise vibration of the airfoil is increased to a frequency that is not present within the gas turbine engine during engine operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2004
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Aspi R. Wadia, Rolf Hetico, Robert Bruce Dickman, Hsin-Yi Yen, Peter Wood
  • Methods and apparatus for reducing flow across compressor airfoil tips
    Publication number: 20040091361
    Abstract: An airfoil for a gas turbine engine includes a leading edge, a trailing edge, a tip, a first side wall that extends in radial span between an airfoil root and the tip, wherein the first side wall defines a first side of said airfoil, and a second side wall connected to the first side wall at the leading edge and the trailing edge, wherein the second side wall extends in radial span between the airfoil root and the tip, such that the second side wall defines a second side of the airfoil. The airfoil also includes a rib extending outwardly from at least one of the first side wall and the second side wall, wherein the rib is configured to reduce airflow spillage past the tip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2002
    Publication date: May 13, 2004
    Inventors: Aspi R. Wadia, Rolf Hetico, Robert Bruce Dickman, Hsin-Yi Yen, Peter Wood