Patents by Inventor Ronald Cairo

Ronald Cairo 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: 20070246575
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are injectors and methods for use thereof. In one embodiment the injector comprises: an inner tip, a slurry tip disposed around the inner tip forming a second flow channel, and a wear insert disposed within the slurry tip and in contact with the second flow channel. The inner tip comprises a first flow channel attached to a first supply conduit that can supply a first media to the first flow channel. Attached to the slurry tip is a second supply conduit, which can supply a second media to the second flow channel. The wear insert comprises a metal oxide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2006
    Publication date: October 25, 2007
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ronald Cairo, Henry Chan, Wei Chen
  • Publication number: 20070245680
    Abstract: A method of assembling a wind turbine tower is provided, wherein the method includes providing a plurality of tower members having a top end and a bottom end, and coupling the bottom end of a first tower member to the top end of a second tower member such that the bottom end of the first tower member is interlocked within at least a portion of the top end of the second tower member. The method also includes coupling at least one support member to each of the plurality of tower members.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2006
    Publication date: October 25, 2007
    Inventor: Ronald Cairo
  • Publication number: 20070154317
    Abstract: A wind turbine blade assembly is provided. The assembly includes at least one wind turbine blade. The blade includes a blade root portion. The assembly also includes at least one blade root hub fitting coupled to the blade root portion. The blade root hub fitting is configured to couple to a rotatable hub.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2006
    Publication date: July 5, 2007
    Inventor: Ronald Cairo
  • Publication number: 20070154307
    Abstract: A gas turbine stator includes a vane assembly, and a platform that is configured to receive the vane assembly. The vane assembly includes a vane and a cap. The vane extends radially from the cap. The vane includes a pressure side shell and a separate suction side shell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2006
    Publication date: July 5, 2007
    Inventor: Ronald Cairo
  • Publication number: 20070119042
    Abstract: A fixture assembly and inspection method by which the internal diameter and/or concentricity of a segmented annular seal can be readily inspected and optionally measured prior to final installation. The fixture assembly has at least two fixture segments supported on a base, by which an annular fixture housing is defined having an outer rim and a groove with a cross-sectional shape corresponding to a cross-sectional shape of the annular seal. The fixture assembly further includes a device or apparatus for assessing at least one dimensional characteristic of the annular seal when installed in the groove of the fixture housing and as the assessing device/apparatus travels along the interior circumference of the fixture housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2005
    Publication date: May 31, 2007
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Anthony Thermos, Ronald Cairo, Mehmet Demiroglu, Nitin Bhate
  • Publication number: 20070122266
    Abstract: An assembly and method for controlling thermal stresses within ceramic-based articles when subjected to high temperatures while supported by a metallic article. The assembly includes a first body formed of a metallic material and having oppositely-disposed first and second surfaces, and a second body formed of a ceramic-based material and supported by the first body from the first surface thereof. The first and second bodies are located in a hot gas path such that the second body and the first surface of the first body are directly impinged by flowing hot gases. The assembly further includes a substantially uniform pattern of fins protruding from the second surface of the first body, and/or an interface structure between the first and second bodies that positively retains the second body to the first body and thermally insulates the first body from the first body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2005
    Publication date: May 31, 2007
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Ronald Cairo, John Greene
  • Publication number: 20070114798
    Abstract: A structure for a hub of a rotor includes a space frame having truss members configured to carry primary torsion, bending, and direct loading. The structure also includes a shell on the space frame configured to stabilize the space frame and carry shear loading.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2005
    Publication date: May 24, 2007
    Inventor: Ronald Cairo
  • Publication number: 20070104584
    Abstract: A blade for a rotor has integral stiffeners with at least one of unidirectional caps configured to carry blade bending loads in axial tension or webs to carry transverse shear resulting from blade bending.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2005
    Publication date: May 10, 2007
    Inventor: Ronald Cairo
  • Publication number: 20070105431
    Abstract: A method for making a blade includes stacking a plurality of modular segments having formed conduits, threading and tensioning cables through the conduits of the stacked segments, and clamping the cables to hold the modular segments together.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2005
    Publication date: May 10, 2007
    Inventor: Ronald Cairo
  • Publication number: 20070104934
    Abstract: A lightweight nacelle includes a plurality of wound carbon fibers embedded in an epoxy matrix around a hollow region. The nacelle is made by a process that includes winding the plurality of carbon fibers around a mandrel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2005
    Publication date: May 10, 2007
    Inventor: Ronald Cairo
  • Publication number: 20070098546
    Abstract: A damper and seal system for a stage of a turbine that includes inner shrouds disposed circumferentially of a hot gas path through the turbine stage and shroud body(s) for supporting the inner shroud(s). A damper block engages a backside surface of the inner shroud and a damping mechanism is carried by the shroud body and connected to the damper block for applying a load to the damper block and inner shroud through the engagement of the block with the backside surface of the inner shroud, thereby damping vibratory movement of the inner shroud. The seal system includes at least one primary, integral seal and at least one secondary, non-integral seal to limit axial and radial hot gas leakage through the stage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2005
    Publication date: May 3, 2007
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ronald Cairo, Kevin Bruce, Thomas Farrell
  • Publication number: 20070065285
    Abstract: A stator vane assembly for a gas turbine includes a ceramic matrix composite airfoil held between radially inner and outer metal platforms wherein an interface between the airfoil and at least one of the radially inner and outer platforms is shaped to create a circuitous leakage path for gas from the gas turbine hot gas path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2005
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ronald Cairo, Nitin Bhate
  • Publication number: 20050220611
    Abstract: A seal having a first seal mechanism adapted for insertion between a first structure and a second structure, wherein the first structure is in communication with a first medium and the second structure is in communication with a second medium. The seal also includes a second seal mechanism, which is pressuringly biasable against the first seal mechanism and against the second structure by the second medium. In certain embodiments, a system has a first structure in communication with a first medium and a second structure houses a seal assembly between the first and second structures. The seal assembly includes an interface seal disposed against the first structure and a flexible seal pressuringly biased against the second structure and the interface seal by a second medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2004
    Publication date: October 6, 2005
    Inventors: Nitin Bhate, Raymond Chupp, Kevin Bruce, Alberto Negroni, Ronald Cairo
  • Publication number: 20050158168
    Abstract: A method facilitates assembling a stator assembly for a turbine engine. The method comprises positioning a shroud fabricated from a ceramic matrix composite material adjacent a metallic stator block, and coupling the shroud to the stator block using a coupling arrangement such that a predetermined radial clearance is defined between the shroud and a rotor assembly coupled radially inward thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2004
    Publication date: July 21, 2005
    Inventors: Kevin Bruce, David Bucci, Ronald Cairo, David Mitchell
  • Publication number: 20050116580
    Abstract: A magnetic shield assembly for confining rotor windings in a generator includes a substantially cylindrical tubular shield of two or more part-annular segments adapted to enclose the rotor windings; a plurality of axially spaced rings located on the tubular shield; and a plurality of annular spacers radially between the tubular shield and the plurality of rings and axially between adjacent rings to thereby present physical barriers to axial migration of the plurality of rings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2003
    Publication date: June 2, 2005
    Inventor: Ronald Cairo
  • Publication number: 20050113229
    Abstract: A universal mandrel includes a core mandrel having an outside diameter, and at least one adapter sleeve having an inside diameter sized to engage the core mandrel outside diameter. An interlocking mechanism is secured between the core mandrel and the at least one adapter sleeve. The interlocking mechanism serves to prevent the adapter sleeve from rotating relative to the core mandrel. The design allows a prototype composite ring to be filament wound even though the final ring diameter would be subject to change.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2003
    Publication date: May 26, 2005
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Ronald Cairo
  • Publication number: 20050093214
    Abstract: The damper system includes a ceramic composite shroud in part defining the hot gas path of a turbine and a spring-biased piston and damper block which bears against the backside surface of the shroud to tune the vibratory response of the shroud relative to pressure pulses of the hot gas path in a manner to avoid near or resonant frequency response. The damper block has projections specifically located to bear against the shroud to dampen the frequency response of the shroud and provide a thermal insulating layer between the shroud and the damper block.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2003
    Publication date: May 5, 2005
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Mark Schroder, Ronald Cairo, Christopher Grace, Todd Wetzel, Kevin Bruce, Andrew Miller, Ronald Nimmer
  • Publication number: 20050073215
    Abstract: An enclosure for a rotor in a generator including the rotor, rotor windings and a stator, the enclosure comprising a plurality of composite rings located adjacent one another along a length dimension of the rotor so as to contain the rotor windings on the rotor, the rings each comprising at least two layers selected from the group consisting essentially of metals, glass fiber laminates and graphite fiber laminates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2003
    Publication date: April 7, 2005
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Yu Wang, Christopher Kaminski, Erwin Liang, Ronald Cairo, Wendy Lin, Andrew Salem