Patents by Inventor Sebastien Bolduc

Sebastien Bolduc 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: 11613995
    Abstract: A rotary internal combustion engine has: a rotor; a housing circumscribing a rotor cavity, the rotor received within the rotor cavity, the housing having a peripheral wall and a side housing assembly secured to the peripheral wall, the side housing assembly having plates located at spaced apart ends of the peripheral wall, the plates defining seal running surfaces in sealing engagement with opposed end faces of the rotor, the plates made of silicon carbide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: David Gagnon-Martin, Bruno Villeneuve, Sebastien Bolduc, Jean-Philippe Simoneau, Jean-Gabriel Gauvreau, Johnny Vinski
  • Patent number: 11333068
    Abstract: A housing for a rotary engine has: a peripheral wall defining two end faces and an inner face transverse to the two end faces; two side walls sealingly engaged to the two end faces of the peripheral wall, a core of a side wall of the two side walls having a core face, the core face having a cavity section facing the rotor cavity and an abutment section annularly extending around the cavity section, the abutment section facing an end face of the two end faces, the abutment section having a flared portion flaring away from the end face; and a coating on the core face, the coating made of a material harder than a material of the core of the side wall, the coating covering the cavity section and ending at a coating edge located on the flared portion, the coating edge free of contact with the end face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Vincent Savaria, David Gagnon-Martin, Johnny Vinski, Sébastien Bolduc
  • Patent number: 10968824
    Abstract: A compound cycle engine having an output shaft; at least two rotary units each defining an internal combustion engine, a first stage turbine, and a turbocharger is discussed. The first stage turbine includes a rotor in driving engagement with the output shaft between two of the rotary units. The exhaust port of each rotary unit is in fluid communication with the flowpath of the first stage turbine upstream of its rotor. The outlet of the compressor of the turbocharger is in fluid communication with the inlet port of each rotary unit. The inlet of the second stage turbine of the turbocharger is in fluid communication with the flowpath of the first stage turbine downstream of its rotor. The first stage turbine has a lower reaction ratio than that of the second stage turbine. A method of compounding at least two rotary engines is also discussed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Sebastien Bolduc, Mike Fontaine, Luc Landry, Jean Thomassin
  • Patent number: 10883414
    Abstract: An engine assembly including an engine core including at least one internal combustion engine each including a rotor sealingly and rotationally received within a respective internal cavity to provide rotating chambers of variable volume in the respective internal cavity, a compressor having an outlet in fluid communication with an inlet of the engine core, a first intake conduit in fluid communication with an inlet of the compressor and with a first source of air, a second intake conduit in fluid communication with the inlet of the compressor and with a second source of air warmer than the first source of air, and a selector valve configurable to selectively open and close at least the fluid communication between the inlet of the compressor and the first intake conduit. A method of supplying air to a compressor is also discussed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Jean Thomassin, Sebastien Bolduc, Bruno Villeneuve, Stephane Berube, Mike Fontaine, David Gagnon-Martin, Andre Julien, Mark Cunningham, Serge Lafortune, Pierre-Yves Legare
  • Publication number: 20200200009
    Abstract: A rotary internal combustion engine has: a rotor; a housing circumscribing a rotor cavity, the rotor received within the rotor cavity, the housing having a peripheral wall and a side housing assembly secured to the peripheral wall, the side housing assembly having plates located at spaced apart ends of the peripheral wall, the plates defining seal running surfaces in sealing engagement with opposed end faces of the rotor, the plates made of silicon carbide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2019
    Publication date: June 25, 2020
    Inventors: David GAGNON-MARTIN, Bruno VILLENEUVE, Sebastien BOLDUC, Jean-Philippe SIMONEAU, Jean-Gabriel GAUVREAU, Johnny VINSKI
  • Publication number: 20200116076
    Abstract: An engine assembly including an engine core including at least one internal combustion engine each including a rotor sealingly and rotationally received within a respective internal cavity to provide rotating chambers of variable volume in the respective internal cavity, a compressor having an outlet in fluid communication with an inlet of the engine core, a first intake conduit in fluid communication with an inlet of the compressor and with a first source of air, a second intake conduit in fluid communication with the inlet of the compressor and with a second source of air warmer than the first source of air, and a selector valve configurable to selectively open and close at least the fluid communication between the inlet of the compressor and the first intake conduit. A method of supplying air to a compressor is also discussed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Publication date: April 16, 2020
    Inventors: Jean THOMASSIN, Sebastien BOLDUC, Bruno VILLENEUVE, Stephane BERUBE, Mike FONTAINE, David GAGNON-MARTIN, Andre JULIEN, Mark CUNNINGHAM, Serge LAFORTUNE, Pierre-Yves LEGARE
  • Publication number: 20200102884
    Abstract: An engine assembly has an engine core comprising at least two stacks of rotary internal combustion engines drivingly connected to a common load. The engine further comprises a compressor section having an outlet in fluid communication with an inlet of the engine core, and a turbine section having an inlet in fluid communication with an outlet of the engine core.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2019
    Publication date: April 2, 2020
    Inventors: Mike FONTAINE, Sebastien BOLDUC, Bruno VILLENEUVE, Andre JULIEN, Jean THOMASSIN, David GAGNON-MARTIN, Serge DUSSAULT
  • Patent number: 10533489
    Abstract: A compound engine assembly including a common air conduit having an inlet in fluid communication with ambient air, a compressor, at least one internal combustion engine having an inlet in fluid communication with an outlet of the compressor, a turbine section having an inlet in fluid communication with an outlet of the at least one internal combustion engine, the turbine section configured to compound power with the at least one internal combustion engine, and at least one heat exchanger in fluid communication with the common air conduit, each of the at least one heat exchanger configured to circulate a fluid of the engine assembly in heat exchange relationship with an airflow from the common air conduit circulating therethrough. The compressor has an inlet in fluid communication with the common air conduit upstream of the at least one heat exchanger. The internal combustion engine may be a reciprocating engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventors: Jean Thomassin, Sebastien Bolduc, Bruno Villeneuve, Stephane Berube, Mike Fontaine, David Gagnon-Martin, Andre Julien, Mark Cunningham, Serge Lafortune, Pierre-Yves Legare
  • Patent number: 10533487
    Abstract: An engine assembly including an engine core including at least one internal combustion engine each including a rotor sealingly and rotationally received within a respective internal cavity to provide rotating chambers of variable volume in the respective internal cavity, a compressor having an outlet in fluid communication with an inlet of the engine core, a first intake conduit in fluid communication with an inlet of the compressor and with a first source of air, a second intake conduit in fluid communication with the inlet of the compressor and with a second source of air warmer than the first source of air, and a selector valve configurable to selectively open and close at least the fluid communication between the inlet of the compressor and the first intake conduit. A method of supplying air to a compressor is also discussed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventors: Jean Thomassin, Sebastien Bolduc, Bruno Villeneuve, Stephane Berube, Mike Fontaine, David Gagnon-Martin, Andre Julien, Mark Cunningham, Serge LaFortune, Pierre-Yves Legare
  • Patent number: 10344870
    Abstract: In one aspect, described is a rotor for a Wankel engine comprising two circumferentially spaced apart apex seals at each of the apex portions with each apex seal protruding axially from both end faces, and each apex seal having a first biasing member biasing the apex seal radially outwardly away from the peripheral face of the body, and a second biasing member biasing the apex seal axially outwardly away from a respective one of the end faces, the two apex seals of a same one of the apex portions being biased by the respective second biasing member in opposite axial directions from one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventors: Eugene Gekht, Jean Thomassin, Sebastien Bolduc, David Gagnon-Martin
  • Publication number: 20190040794
    Abstract: A compound cycle engine having an output shaft; at least two rotary units each defining an internal combustion engine, a first stage turbine, and a turbocharger is discussed. The first stage turbine includes a rotor in driving engagement with the output shaft between two of the rotary units. The exhaust port of each rotary unit is in fluid communication with the flowpath of the first stage turbine upstream of its rotor. The outlet of the compressor of the turbocharger is in fluid communication with the inlet port of each rotary unit. The inlet of the second stage turbine of the turbocharger is in fluid communication with the flowpath of the first stage turbine downstream of its rotor. The first stage turbine has a lower reaction ratio than that of the second stage turbine. A method of compounding at least two rotary engines is also discussed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2018
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Inventors: Sebastien BOLDUC, Mike FONTAINE, Luc LANDRY, Jean THOMASSIN
  • Patent number: 10107195
    Abstract: A compound cycle engine having an output shaft; at least two rotary units each defining an internal combustion engine, a first stage turbine, and a turbocharger is discussed. The first stage turbine includes a rotor in driving engagement with the output shaft between two of the rotary units. The exhaust port of each rotary unit is in fluid communication with the flowpath of the first stage turbine upstream of its rotor. The outlet of the compressor of the turbocharger is in fluid communication with the inlet port of each rotary unit. The inlet of the second stage turbine of the turbocharger is in fluid communication with the flowpath of the first stage turbine downstream of its rotor. The first stage turbine has a lower reaction ratio than that of the second stage turbine. A method of compounding at least two rotary engines is also discussed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Sebastien Bolduc, Mike Fontaine, Luc Landry, Jean Thomassin
  • Publication number: 20180187591
    Abstract: An engine assembly including an engine core including at least one internal combustion engine each including a rotor sealingly and rotationally received within a respective internal cavity to provide rotating chambers of variable volume in the respective internal cavity, a compressor having an outlet in fluid communication with an inlet of the engine core, a first intake conduit in fluid communication with an inlet of the compressor and with a first source of air, a second intake conduit in fluid communication with the inlet of the compressor and with a second source of air warmer than the first source of air, and a selector valve configurable to selectively open and close at least the fluid communication between the inlet of the compressor and the first intake conduit. A method of supplying air to a compressor is also discussed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Publication date: July 5, 2018
    Inventors: Jean THOMASSIN, Sebastien BOLDUC, Bruno VILLENEUVE, Stephane BERUBE, Mike FONTAINE, David GAGNON-MARTIN, Andre JULIEN, Mark CUNNINGHAM, Serge LAFORTUNE, Pierre-Yves LEGARE
  • Patent number: 9970295
    Abstract: An engine assembly having an internal combustion engine, a turbine module including a turbine casing, a support casing rigidly connecting the turbine casing to a remainder of the assembly, and an inlet scroll connected to the turbine casing without any direct rigid connection to the support casing. The inlet scroll includes an inlet pipe for each engine exhaust port. An exhaust pipe is provided for each exhaust port, connected to and providing fluid communication between the respective exhaust port and inlet pipe. The exhaust pipe is movable relative to at least one of the exhaust port and the inlet pipe at a corresponding connection therewith. One of the exhaust and inlet pipes floatingly extends through an opening defined in the support casing. The assembly may be a compound engine assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Mike Fontaine, Sebastien Bolduc, Bruno Villeneuve
  • Patent number: 9932892
    Abstract: A compound engine assembly having an engine core including at least one internal combustion engine in driving engagement with an engine shaft, a compressor having an outlet in fluid communication with an inlet of the engine core and including at least one rotor rotatable about an axis coaxial with the engine shaft, the engine shaft in driving engagement with the compressor rotor, and a turbine section having an inlet in fluid communication with an outlet of the engine core and including at least one rotor engaged on a rotatable turbine shaft, the turbine shaft configured to compound power with the engine shaft. The turbine and engine shafts are parallel to and radially offset from one another, and the turbine shaft and the axis of the compressor rotor are parallel to and radially offset from one another. A method of driving a rotatable load of an aircraft is also discussed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Jean Thomassin, Sebastien Bolduc, Bruno Villeneuve, Stephane Berube, Mike Fontaine, David Gagnon-Martin, Jade Bilodeau, Andre Julien, Pierre-Yves Legare, Jason Nichols
  • Patent number: 9896998
    Abstract: A compound engine assembly including a compressor, an engine core including at least one rotary internal combustion engine and having an inlet in fluid communication with an outlet of the compressor, a turbine section having an inlet in fluid communication with an outlet of the engine core and configured to compound power with the engine core, and an air conduit having at least one heat exchanger extending thereacross. An outer wall of the air conduit has a plurality of openings defined therethrough downstream of the heat exchanger(s), each selectively closable by a pivotable flap movable between a retracted position where the opening is obstructed and an extended position away from the opening. Each opening defines a fluid communication between the air conduit and the ambient air when the respective flap is in the extended position. A method of directing flow through a compound engine assembly is also discussed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Jean Thomassin, Sebastien Bolduc, Bruno Villeneuve, Stephane Berube, Mike Fontaine, David Gagnon-Martin, Andre Julien, Mark Cunningham, Serge Lafortune, Pierre-Yves Legare
  • Publication number: 20180030883
    Abstract: A compound engine assembly including a common air conduit having an inlet in fluid communication with ambient air, a compressor, at least one internal combustion engine having an inlet in fluid communication with an outlet of the compressor, a turbine section having an inlet in fluid communication with an outlet of the at least one internal combustion engine, the turbine section configured to compound power with the at least one internal combustion engine, and at least one heat exchanger in fluid communication with the common air conduit, each of the at least one heat exchanger configured to circulate a fluid of the engine assembly in heat exchange relationship with an airflow from the common air conduit circulating therethrough. The compressor has an inlet in fluid communication with the common air conduit upstream of the at least one heat exchanger. The internal combustion engine may be a reciprocating engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2017
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Inventors: Jean THOMASSIN, Sebastien BOLDUC, Bruno VILLENEUVE, Stephane BERUBE, Mike FONTAINE, David GAGNON-MARTIN, Andre JULIEN, Mark CUNNINGHAM, Serge LAFORTUNE, Pierre-Yves LEGARE
  • Patent number: 9879591
    Abstract: An intake assembly for a compressor providing compressed air to an internal combustion engine core, including an air conduit having at least one heat exchanger extending thereacross, an intake plenum for the compressor, a first intake conduit connected to the air conduit upstream of the heat exchanger(s), a second intake conduit connected to the air conduit downstream of the heat exchanger(s), and a selector valve configurable between a first configuration to allow a fluid communication between the intake plenum and the air conduit through the first intake conduit and a second configuration to prevent the fluid communication through the first intake conduit. Fluid communication between the intake plenum and the air conduit through the second intake conduit is allowed at least when the selector valve is in the second configuration. An engine assembly and method of supplying air to a compressor are also discussed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Jean Thomassin, Sebastien Bolduc, Bruno Villeneuve, Stephane Berube, Mike Fontaine, David Gagnon-Martin, Andre Julien, Mark Cunningham, Serge Lafortune, Pierre-Yves Legare
  • Patent number: 9856789
    Abstract: A compound cycle engine having an output shaft, at least two rotary units each including an internal combustion engine with the rotor of each rotary unit mounted on the output shaft and in driving engagement therewith, and a turbine including a rotor in driving engagement with the output shaft. The exhaust port of each rotary unit housing is in fluid communication with the flowpath of the turbine upstream of its rotor. The turbine is disposed co-axially between two of the rotary units. The engine may further include a compressor in fluid communication with the inlet port of each housing and a second turbine having an inlet in fluid communication with the flowpath of the first turbine downstream of its rotor. A method of compounding rotary engines is also discussed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Sebastien Bolduc, Mike Fontaine, Luc Landry, Jean Thomassin
  • Patent number: 9850758
    Abstract: A rotor for a rotary internal combustion engine with a first face seal biased axially outwardly away from the first end face has opposed curled ends abutting a first end seal of a respective one of the adjacent apex portions, and a second face seal biased axially outwardly away from the second end face has opposed curled ends abutting a second end seal of a respective one of the adjacent apex portions. A rotary internal combustion engine and a method of sealing chambers of a Wankel engine are also discussed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Eugene Gekht, Jean Thomassin, Sebastien Bolduc, David Gagnon-Martin