Patents by Inventor Stephen Tuppen

Stephen Tuppen 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: 8685314
    Abstract: First and second components, which may be metallic components, are joined together in a process including introducing a sinterable powder between the components, the powder being retained within a receptacle, displacing the second component towards the first component to compress the powder, and subsequently applying heat and pressure to the powder to form a sintered bond.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: Stephen Tuppen, Daniel Clark
  • Patent number: 8387853
    Abstract: A component is repaired by removing a damaged region to form a cavity, in which layered repair inserts are installed. The profile of the cavity, and of the exposed surface of each repair insert is measured to serve as the basis for the contact surface of each subsequent repair insert. The repair inserts are fused to the wall of the cavity and to each other in a process in which heated locations of each repair insert are successively heated to minimize heat transfer within the repair inserts and in the underlying substrate material. The repair inserts may be made in a powder bed process from an alloy powder having the same composition as the material of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce, PLC
    Inventors: Stephen Tuppen, Daniel Clark
  • Patent number: 8168046
    Abstract: A surface treatment device for applying a surface treatment medium to an article is provided with the surface treatment device having an application member for applying the surface treatment medium to the article and an electrode, which applies an electrical potential between the application member and the article. The device provides localized treatment to the article and can remove oxide layers or the like from metallic materials without removing or damaging the underlying metallic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: Daniel Clark, Stephen Tuppen, Wayne Eric Voice
  • Patent number: 8141225
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a blisk comprising a disc joined to an aerofoil, wherein a union piece of partially sintered powder and having an alignment feature is provided. The union piece is connected between the disc and the aerofoil, which is aligned relative to the disc by the alignment feature of the union piece. Heat and pressure is subsequently applied to consolidate the first workpiece, union piece and second workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce, PLC
    Inventors: Stephen Tuppen, Wayne E. Voice
  • Patent number: 8066173
    Abstract: A method for joining first and second components, using brazing material to enable the formation of a brazed joint by heating the brazing material when the first and second components are in a juxtaposed position, comprises bringing the first and second components into a juxtaposed position so that the brazing material is in contact with the first and second components and plastically deforming the brazing material to interlock the first and second components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: Daniel Clark, Stephen Tuppen
  • Publication number: 20110180589
    Abstract: A component is repaired by removing a damaged region to form a cavity, in which layered repair inserts are installed. The profile of the cavity, and of the exposed surface of each repair insert is measured to serve as the basis for the contact surface of each subsequent repair insert. The repair inserts are fused to the wall of the cavity and to each other in a process in which heated locations of each repair insert are successively heated to minimise heat transfer within the repair inserts and in the underlying substrate material. The repair inserts may be made in a powder bed process from an alloy powder having the same composition as the material of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2010
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: Stephen TUPPEN, Daniel CLARK
  • Patent number: 7931775
    Abstract: A surface treatment device (10) is provided for applying a surface treatment medium to an article (60). The device comprises an application member (12, 14) for holding and applying the surface treatment medium to the article. The device has a securing arrangement (40) for securing the application member to the article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: Daniel Clark, Stephen Tuppen, Christopher Wynn
  • Publication number: 20110033331
    Abstract: First and second components 2, 4, which may be metallic components, are joined together in a process which comprises introducing a sinterable powder 20 between the components, the powder being retained within a receptacle 16, displacing the component 4 towards the component 2 to compress the powder, and subsequently applying heat and pressure to the powder 20 to form a sintered bond.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Publication date: February 10, 2011
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: Stephen Tuppen, Daniel Clark
  • Publication number: 20100281669
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a blisk comprising a disc joined to an aerofoil, wherein a union piece of partially sintered powder and having an alignment feature is provided. The union piece is connected between the disc and the aerofoil, which is aligned relative to the disc by the alignment feature of the union piece. Heat and pressure is subsequently applied to consolidate the first workpiece, union piece and second workpiece.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2008
    Publication date: November 11, 2010
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: Stephen Tuppen, Wayne E. Voice
  • Publication number: 20080169204
    Abstract: A surface treatment device for applying a surface treatment medium to an article is provided with the surface treatment device having an application member for applying the surface treatment medium to the article and an electrode, which applies an electrical potential between the application member and the article. The device provides localised treatment to the article and can remove oxide layers or the like from metallic materials without removing or damaging the underlying metallic material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2007
    Publication date: July 17, 2008
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: Daniel Clark, Stephen Tuppen, Wayne Eric Voice
  • Publication number: 20080160337
    Abstract: A method for joining first and second components, using brazing material to enable the formation of a brazed joint by heating the brazing material when the first and second components are in a juxtaposed position, comprises bringing the first and second components into a juxtaposed position so that the brazing material is in contact with the first and second components and plastically deforming the brazing material to interlock the first and second components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2007
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: Daniel Clark, Stephen Tuppen
  • Publication number: 20080035179
    Abstract: A surface treatment device (10) is provided for applying a surface treatment medium to an article (60). The device comprises an application member (12, 14) for holding and applying the surface treatment medium to the article. The device has a securing arrangement (40) for securing the application member to the article.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2007
    Publication date: February 14, 2008
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: Daniel Clark, Stephen Tuppen, Christopher Wynn
  • Publication number: 20060249562
    Abstract: In order to avoid excessive internal stress and micro structure problems inherent with previous fusion welding techniques utilised for component structure fabrication, the present method creates a relatively thin in situ brazing alloy layer upon first and second component edges which are brought together in order to create a component joint. This in situ brazing alloy layer 6, 23, 26 is created by deposition of brazing elements, such as copper or nickel, from an electrical discharge cutting process electrode depletion utilised in order to cut the component edges. A subsequent brazing technique then creates through interstitial migration between that brazing alloy layer and the underlying material substrate of the components a robust component joint. Furthermore, the in situ brazing alloy layer penetrates the respective component cut edge surface to only a limited depth such that the geometric effect is similarly limited, and the properties of the underlying component material structure are maintained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2006
    Publication date: November 9, 2006
    Inventors: Wayne Voice, Richard Dewes, Martin Bache, Stephen Tuppen, Hong Lee, David Aspinwall