Patents by Inventor Sean A Walters

Sean A Walters 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: 11814980
    Abstract: A bladed disc system for a turbine engine having a disk portion and a plurality of blade portions which are associated with a stator section and an intercavity sealing portion, disc portion shaped such that blade portions are able to fit within firtree slot in disc portion, blade portion having aerofoil section and root section, aerofoil section having portion shaped such that they extend proximate to intercavity sealing portion, disc portion extending from portion that connects with drum to outer edge at which blade portions are connected with disc portion having width transition region in which thickness of disc increases from point at which disc connects to drum to outer edge at which it holds blade portions, and wherein width transition region has curved width transition region with radius r, and an overhanging portion which extends into the intercavity spacing between the width transition region and the intercavity sealing portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Sean A Walters, John Irving, Nomesh P Kandaswamy, Jessica Kennedy, Benjamin Littley, Kali Charan Nayak, Guy D Snowsill
  • Patent number: 10677064
    Abstract: An assembly for receiving in a radially extending bucket groove (31) of a turbine disc (22), the assembly including a turbine blade having an elongate body (26) of aerofoil cross-section, a root portion (24) at one end of the elongate body (26) and a tip at the other. The root portion (24) configured to be retained in the bucket groove (31). A heat shield (27) configured to be received between an end of the root portion (24) and a radially inner surface of the bucket groove (31) and to interlock with the root portion (24) in a manner which deters separation in a radial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: Neal Carter, Sean A. Walters
  • Publication number: 20180195394
    Abstract: An assembly for receiving in a radially extending bucket groove (31) of a turbine disc (22), the assembly including a turbine blade having an elongate body (26) of aerofoil cross-section, a root portion (24) at one end of the elongate body (26) and a tip at the other. The root portion (24) configured to be retained in the bucket groove (31). A heat shield (27) configured to be received between an end of the root portion (24) and a radially inner surface of the bucket groove (31) and to interlock with the root portion (24) in a manner which deters separation in a radial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2018
    Publication date: July 12, 2018
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Neal Carter, Sean A. Walters
  • Patent number: 8011890
    Abstract: An air-cooled component such as a turbine stator vane, has a row of cooling passages extending from the interior of the vane to the exterior. The passages are inclined to a plane perpendicular to the row. The angle of inclination of each passage varies with the position of the passage along the row. The arrangement assists in avoiding local overheating of the vane surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: Sean A. Walters, Kevin P. Self, Brian G. Cooper
  • Patent number: 7993106
    Abstract: A core, for use in a casting mould to form a cavity in a cast component such as a blade or vane of a gas turbine engine. The core has a relatively fragile thin-walled region. A bead is formed along a lateral edge of the thin-walled portion in order to reduce cracking or other damage in the thin-walled portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventor: Sean A. Walters
  • Patent number: 7938621
    Abstract: A pressure actuated tip clearance system for a shroud structure of a gas turbine engine rotary stage includes an annular plenum chamber formed between an annular arrangement of a plurality of shroud liners on the inner circumference of the chamber and a generally cylindrical casing on the radially outer side, and, in use, a hot gas stream radially inwards of the shroud liners. Each shroud liner comprises a hollow box section comprising upstream and downstream walls, radially inner and outer walls, and side walls, the downstream and radially inner and outer walls being closed, the upstream wall having an air inlet aperture, and at least one of the side walls having at least one outlet aperture. The inlet aperture is in flow communication with a source of high pressure air at a pressure higher than that of the gas stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: Julian G Balsdon, Sean A Walters
  • Patent number: 7819627
    Abstract: An aerofoil made from a sheet metal blank which is bent in the shape of an aerofoil such that it has a leading edge, a trailing edge, a pressure side and a suction side, and the blank is joined at the trailing edge. The regions of the sheet metal blank that form the leading edge, trailing edge and pressure side of the aerofoil comprise a plurality of perforations. The suction side region of the sheet metal blank is imperforate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventor: Sean A Walters
  • Patent number: 7572103
    Abstract: A component comprises a multiplicity of cooling passages arranged in two intersecting arrays to form a multiplicity of cooling passage intersections. Air jet interactions are generated at cooling passage intersections when air is passed through the cooling passages. The spacing of the passages in at least one of the arrays is chosen to provide a predetermined range of intersection density in a selected region or regions of the component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventors: Sean A Walters, Daniel P Moss, Mark T Mitchell
  • Publication number: 20080138208
    Abstract: A core 14, for use in a casting mould to form a cavity in a cast component such as a blade or vane of a gas turbine engine, has a relatively fragile thin-walled region 22. A bead 38 is formed along a lateral edge 26 of the thin-walled portion 22 in order to reduce cracking or other damage in the thin-walled portion 22.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2007
    Publication date: June 12, 2008
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventor: Sean A. Walters
  • Publication number: 20080131284
    Abstract: An air-cooled component such as a turbine stator vane, has a row of cooling passages 8 extending from the interior 4 of the vane to the exterior. The passages 8 are inclined to a plane perpendicular to the row. The angle of inclination of each passage 8 varies with the position of the passage 8 along the row. The arrangement assists in avoiding local overheating of the vane surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2007
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: Sean A. Walters, Kevin P. Self, Brian G. Cooper
  • Publication number: 20070297898
    Abstract: An aerofoil made from a sheet metal blank which is bent in the shape of an aerofoil such that it has a leading edge, a trailing edge, a pressure side and a suction side, and the blank is joined at the trailing edge. The regions of the sheet metal blank that form the leading edge, trailing edge and pressure side of the aerofoil comprise a plurality of perforations. The suction side region of the sheet metal blank is imperforate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2007
    Publication date: December 27, 2007
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventor: Sean A. Walters
  • Patent number: 6773230
    Abstract: An air cooled component with an internal air cooling system comprising an internal cavity which is divided into at least two compartments. The compartments are arranged in flow sequence by communication through side wall chambers formed in the wall of the component. At least one of the side wall chambers is sub-divided into a plurality of cells in flow parallel and each of the cells has at least one air entry aperture and at least one air exit aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2004
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: Simon Bather, Michael J. Jago, Sean A Walters
  • Publication number: 20030059305
    Abstract: An air cooled component with an internal air cooling system comprising an internal cavity which is divided into at least two compartments. The compartments are arranged in flow sequence by communication through side wall chambers formed in the wall of the component. At least one of the side wall chambers is sub-divided into a plurality of cells in flow parallel and each of the cells has at least one air entry aperture and at least one air exit aperture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2002
    Publication date: March 27, 2003
    Applicant: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventors: Simon Bather, Michael J. Jago, Sean A. Walters