Patents Issued in September 6, 2011
  • Patent number: 8011852
    Abstract: A system and method for efficiently delivering an aqueous solution to plants includes a microporous hydrophobic tubing coated with a hydrophilic polymer that has a delivery portion positionable adjacent a root system of a plant and a lumen for channeling an aqueous solution from an inlet to the delivery portion. The tubing along the delivery portion has a porosity adapted for permitting a flow of the aqueous solution therethrough when acted upon by a surfactant root exudate generated by the roots due to water stress. A pressure regulating device is upstream of the tubing's inlet, and a reservoir adapted for holding the aqueous solution therein is situated in fluid communication with an upstream end of the pressure regulating device. Additional tubing can be provided for channeling a nutrient solution to the plant roots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Developmental Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Hyman D. Gesser, Donald R. T. LaFreniere, Edmund A. Sinda
  • Patent number: 8011853
    Abstract: A system and method for efficiently delivering an aqueous solution to plants includes a hydrophilic solution-channeling device having a delivery portion positionable adjacent a root system of a plant. The solution-channeling device has a lumen therethrough for channeling a solution from an inlet to the delivery portion. At least a portion of the delivery portion has a porosity adapted for permitting a flow of the solution therethrough when acted upon by at least one of a surfactant root exudate and negative root pressure generated by the plant roots, for example, when experiencing water stress and/or a need for nutrients. The system also includes a pressure regulating device for providing at least a minimum pressure value to permit fluid to flow through the lumen and at most a maximum pressure value above which fluid flows through the lumen even in the absence of surfactant root exudate or negative root pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Developmental Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Hyman D. Gesser, Donald R. T. LaFreniere, Edmund A. Sinda
  • Patent number: 8011854
    Abstract: An improved fish passage apparatus is combined with hydroelectric power generation to facilitate migration of fish between water bodies of different heights with minimal injury or trauma to fish. It may also be optimized for power generation when fish are not moving through it. The fish passage apparatus comprises a connecting tube providing fluid communication between upper and lower water bodies, an upper valve in the connecting tube adapted to control flow of water to or from an upper water body, a lower valve in the connecting tube adapted to control flow of water to or from a lower water body, and a working tube opening into the connecting tube between the upper and lower valves a working portion of which extends functionally vertical to above a water level of the upper body of water and to below a water level of the lower body and is vented at its top such that water can flow freely in and out of the working portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Inventor: Kenneth T Millard
  • Patent number: 8011855
    Abstract: A water or flood control and containment system is provided having foundations, sealed bases, supporting structure, and pumping system that gives the user control over water containment and movement either to reduce the water hazard or to store water. The bases are secured and sealed to paved surfaces with foundations that have been preset into the street or other prepared foundation. When deployed on multiple adjacent streets, the system creates a compartmented barrier containment system that mitigates flooding and storm surges. The invention is to be removed and stored off site when not in use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Inventor: Ronald Scott Bonds
  • Patent number: 8011856
    Abstract: The invention is a means to eliminate thermal or pressure walking of a pipeline by applying a constant axial force to the pipeline through the interposition of a constant-thrust device between a point fixed to the pipeline and a point on a foundation, which pair of points are otherwise unconstrained relative to each other in the longitudinal direction of the pipeline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Inventor: Mendel Nock
  • Patent number: 8011857
    Abstract: The present invention describes an extraction system (100,100a) for expediting removal of a footing (105) that is embedded in a seabed or marine floor. The extraction system provides a supply of pressurized fluid (140) to a chamber from where the pressurized fluid exudes through porous members (122,122a, etc) located on the base (114) of the footing (105). When an uplifting force is applied to the footing (105) for its removal, the pressurized fluid (140) exudes out through the porous member (122,122a, etc.) to compensate or reduce suction induced beneath the footing, without fluidizing or channeling of the seabed soil, thereby expediting removal of the footing (105).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignees: Offshore Technology Development Pte Ltd, National University of Singapore
    Inventors: Kok Seng Foo, Chin Kau Quah, Okky Ahmad Purwana, Yean Khow Chow, Chun Fai Leung
  • Patent number: 8011858
    Abstract: A riser tensioner for an offshore floating platform has a frame stationarily mounted to the upper portion of the riser. Pistons and cylinders are spaced circumferentially around the riser and connected between the frame and the floating platform. A tubular guide member is mounted to the floating platform for movement in unison in response to waves and currents. The riser extends through the guide member. A guide roller support is mounted to and extends downward from the frame around the guide member. At least one set of guide rollers is mounted to the guide roller support in rolling engagement with the guide member as the guide member moves in unison with the platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Vetco Gray Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph W. Pallini, Edward A. Mendoza
  • Patent number: 8011859
    Abstract: A soil reinforced structure and method of manufacturing the structure is disclosed, the structure includes fill, reinforcement strips including reinforcement sections extending in a reinforced area of the fill at the rear of a front face of the structure, and a facing along the front face, the reinforcement strips are anchored to the facing in anchoring regions, and at least one anchoring region includes a path formed for a reinforcement strip between two protruding points located on a rear face of the facing adjacent to the fill, and at least two reinforcement sections each prolong a rectilinear portion of a path beyond a protruding point and are connected together by at least one linking member and each of the reinforcement sections is a part of a reinforcement strip arranged according to the path, and the linking members are flexible strips fastened to the reinforcement strips above or underneath the reinforcement strips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Terre Armee Internationale
    Inventors: Nicolas Freitag, Jean-Claude Morizot
  • Patent number: 8011860
    Abstract: An earth anchor of the pivoting type having an essentially cylindrical body, a blind bore extending thereinto from a trailing axial end of the cylindrical body and a leading edge projecting from a leading end of the body, the leading edge being formed as a rounded surface adapted for penetration through reinforcement paths while minimizing severing of the strands of the mat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Foresight Products, LLC
    Inventor: William G. Stahm
  • Patent number: 8011861
    Abstract: A system for substantially continuously providing a solid material, for example pulverized coal, to a pressurized container. The system provides the solid material to a first container of a first pressure elevated above an initial pressure of the solid material. Generally, a screw conveyor augmented with a jet port is used to move the material where the jet port provides a gas to provide a make-up volume of the solid material. The system also provides the material to a second high pressure container after the material has been formed into a slurry. Therefore, the solid material may be substantially continuously provided in a system to a high pressure container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth Michael Sprouse, David R. Matthews, Albert E. Stewart
  • Patent number: 8011862
    Abstract: A transfer system for a carrier that features a flow supply tube in fluid communication with a flow supply generator and in fluid communication with a carrier transport tube network dimensioned for transfer reception of the carrier. The carrier transport tube network has a first carrier reception chamber provided with a first carrier stop point and a second carrier reception chamber with second carrier stop point. The flow supply tube has a single point contact with the carrier transport tube network to provide a single tube based flow connection with the carrier transport. Also, with the single point connection there can be positioned a brake valve in line with a first section of the carrier transport tube network and in line with a first section of said flow supply tube just a few feet above the stop point of one or both of the reception chambers to provide for rapid travel to the brake valve and efficient braking within just a few feet of the stop point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Hamilton Air Products, Inc
    Inventor: Lowell Scott
  • Patent number: 8011863
    Abstract: The monoblock surface milling cutter has a milling cutter body (10) to which cutting plates (16) made of polycrystalline diamond (PCD), monocrystalline diamond (MCD) or polycrystalline boron nitrite (PCB) are fastened in a material-to-material fashion. In order to improve the surface quality of the work pieces manufactured with the milling cutter, axially adjustable finishing inserts (18) are fixed in place in at least two substantially axially extending bores (26), which are open at the front, of the milling cutter body (10). The finishing inserts (18) can also be equipped with cutting plates made of PCD, MCD or PCB. Preferably the cutting edges (24) of the cutting plates (22) of the finishing insert (18) are forward curved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Jakob Lach GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Eugen Maurer
  • Patent number: 8011864
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for use in assessing the stability of simultaneous machining (SM) dynamics (which is also known as parallel machining). In SM, multiple cutters, which are generally driven by multiple spindles at different speeds, operate on the same work-piece. In an alternative implementation of SM, single milling cutters with non-uniformly distributed cutter flutes operate on a work-piece. When SM is optimized in the sense of maximizing the rate of metal removal constrained with or by the machined surface quality, “chatter instability” phenomenon appears. The present disclosure declares the complete stability picture of SM chatter within a mathematical framework of multiple time-delay systems (MTDS). A cluster treatment of characteristic roots (CTCR) procedure determines the regions of stability completely in the domain of the spindle speeds for varying chip thickness, thereby replicating the well-known “stability lobes” concept of STM for simultaneous machining.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: University of Connecticut
    Inventor: Nejat Olgac
  • Patent number: 8011865
    Abstract: A transverse railroad coil car coil restraint apparatus or system which includes a plurality of coil restraints attachable to each trough in a transverse railroad coil car to reduce the sideways shifting of coils positioned in the troughs. In certain embodiments, the coil restraints are attached in each trough and extend across the transverse coil car. In other embodiments, the coil restraints are attached in each trough along the length of the trough. In certain embodiments, when a coil is positioned in the trough, the coil compresses certain of the coil restraints and does not compress other of the coil restraints which prevents the sideways shifting of the coil during movement of the transverse coil car. In other embodiments, when a coil is positioned in the trough, the coil compresses certain of the compression members and does not compress other of the compression members which prevents the sideways shifting of the coil during movement of the transverse coil car.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Standard Car Truck Company
    Inventor: John D. Anderson
  • Patent number: 8011866
    Abstract: A locking fastener assembly comprising a nut and a washer. The nut and washer each have opposed load bearing surfaces which include a series of annularly extending, slightly inclined faces forming shallow undulations around each surface. The load bearing surface on the nut is generally spherically convex and the load bearing surface on the washer is generally spherically concave. The nut rotates as it is installed while the washer is prevented from rotating so that the undulating bearing surface on the nut slides over the undulating bearing surface on the washer against ever increasing resistance until the assembly is properly seated and the nut is effectively prevented from counter-rotating by interference between opposed, inclined faces. A concave clamping surface is formed on the outer end of the washer on a radially extending flange. The flange flexes when the assembly is installed and resiliently urges the washer against the nut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: MacLean-Fogg Company
    Inventor: David A. Harris
  • Patent number: 8011867
    Abstract: A mounting device for a screw including a head and a tip, the mounting device comprising a body and a plunger. The body is attachable to the head of the screw, and the plunger is adapted to extend from within the body upon receiving a downward force. Additionally, the plunger includes a plurality of knurls adapted to transfer torque to the tip of the screw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Dell Products, LP
    Inventor: Jason A. Shepherd
  • Patent number: 8011868
    Abstract: A fastening assembly includes a housing, a press, and a sealant material located in a chamber formed between surfaces of the housing and the press. The fastening assembly may be used to install cladding to a structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Fasten Seal Products, LLC
    Inventor: Greg Stephan
  • Patent number: 8011869
    Abstract: An adhesive application assembly is configured for use in a book binding station that includes a saddle for supporting a plurality of sheets. The adhesive application assembly includes an adhesive applicator, a movable support arm supporting the adhesive applicator, and a drive mechanism. The drive mechanism is coupled with the support arm and is configured to move the support arm and the adhesive applicator toward the saddle to apply adhesive to an outermost sheet on the saddle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Steven W. Trovinger, Ross R. Allen
  • Patent number: 8011870
    Abstract: A structure having floors for receiving and delivery of cars, and parking floors. Receiving and delivery floors have slat conveyors with platform carriers placed in slots in the conveyor. Cars are parked by patrons on the platform carriers. After the patron exits the car the conveyor conveys the carrier on which the car is parked to the front of an elevator. A power arm in the elevator draws the carrier into the elevator, and the elevator rises to a parking floor. On the parking floor the elevator power arm pushes the platform carrier with the car on top onto a waiting transfer module, which moves laterally to the front of an allotted parking slot. A power arm on the transfer module pushes the platform carrier with the car on top into the parking slot. Upon the patron's return the car is retrieved as described above but in reverse order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Inventors: Subramanian Venkatraman, Venkatraman Guruprasad
  • Patent number: 8011871
    Abstract: Reels of material are transported by being disposed on a first transport carriage which is, in turn, disposed on a second transport carriage. The second transport carriage travels between a reel storage area, that has a plurality of storage spaces, and a reel changer of a web-processing machine. The second transport carriage, together with the first transport carriage and the reel of material that is deposited on the first transport carriage then travels to an offload or unload position of the reel changer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Koenig & Bauer Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Erwin Paul Josef Lehrieder, Josef Herbert Olbort
  • Patent number: 8011872
    Abstract: A loader frame assembly is provided which comprises a support member adapted to mount a loader thereto and first and second legs each having first and second ends. The first ends are connected to the support member and the second ends are adapted for connection to a vehicle. The legs are spaced apart such that they partially define an open area such that a load can extend through the loader frame assembly. The frame assembly adapted for a rear-mounted loader vehicle, in cooperation with a rotatably mounted loader, can encompass a work area that includes the vehicle bed, the area adjacent to each side of the vehicle bed, and the area behind the vehicle bed. Due to the open area, the loader frame assembly also can work in cooperation with vehicle configurations including vehicles equipped with pushing and dumping functionality, dosed compartments, and towed devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Inventors: Jeffery S. McLellan, Robert J. Wagner
  • Patent number: 8011873
    Abstract: The current invention is a portable wheel lift device for lifting and towing vehicles comprising a boom which pivots up and down for connecting to and raising a portion of a vehicle which is to be towed. The invention comprises a mounting frame adapted to be attached to a towing vehicle and a two-stage cylinder assembly operatively connected to the mounting frame and the boom for tilting the pivoting boom relative to the mounting frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Inventor: Roger D. Kooima
  • Patent number: 8011874
    Abstract: A transfer apparatus includes a stationary base, a lift base, a lifting mechanism for vertically moving the lift base, a rotary base mounted to the lift base, a rotating mechanism for rotating the rotary base about a vertical rotation axis, a linear moving mechanism supported by the rotary base, and a work hand supported by the linear moving mechanism. The lifting mechanism includes a slide guide mechanism for vertical movement of the lift base, and first and second screw-feeding mechanisms. Each screw-feeding mechanism includes a rotatable vertical screw shaft, and a nut member provided on the lift base and screwed onto the screw shaft. The first and the second screw-feeding mechanisms are spaced from each other, with the rotation axis of the rotary base being located between the first and the second screw-feeding mechanisms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Daihen Corporation
    Inventors: Takafumi Uratani, Daisuke Sado, Hideki Matsuo
  • Patent number: 8011875
    Abstract: A controllable transmission system and a method thereof are provided. The controllable transmission system includes a first rotation device, a coupling device and a control device. The first rotation device includes a transmission shaft, a rotation body and a plurality of blade units connected with the rotation body, wherein each of the blade units includes an adjustable blade having a first and a second contact elements and having an opening corresponding to the adjustable blade. The coupling device is mounted beside the rotation device and includes a coupling unit having a first and a second contact surfaces. The control device is connected with the coupling device for controlling a movement of the coupling device to cause one of the contact surfaces positioned corresponding to a respective one of the first contact element and the second contact element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Cheng-Tsun Liu
    Inventor: David Liou
  • Patent number: 8011876
    Abstract: A wind driven power generator has a rotational shroud assembly for maximizing wind input and a turbine assembly with a shaft that rotates within the shroud assembly. The shaft end extends through the base of the shroud assembly. The turbine assembly has elongate arms attached to the top portion of the shaft of the turbine assembly. Each arm is essentially perpendicular to the shaft and has a vertical wind blade attached to each of the arm ends and spaced equidistance apart around the shaft of the turbine assembly. The shroud assembly covers approximately half of the turbine assembly during rotation and maintains a windward direction for maximum wind on the blade fronts while shielding the back sides of the blades from the incoming wind.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Inventors: Donald R. Gradwohl, Jonald R. Gradwohl
  • Patent number: 8011877
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine assembly having one or more blade rows with blades extending radially inwardly from a rotatable drum, one or more composite fiber material rings disposed circumferentially around the rotatable drum, and the composite fiber material rings including circumferentially extending high strength fibers or filaments. The rings may be axially aligned with the blade rows. Ring widths of the rings may be less wide than blade widths at blade bases of the blades at a radially inner surface of the drum. The rings may be made of a material including a plurality of circumferentially extending reinforcing structural fibers or filaments disposed in an integral matrix. The rotatable drum, rings, and blades extending radially inwardly from the drum may be incorporated in a gas turbine engine booster having one or more rotatable booster stages or in a counter rotatable low pressure turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jan Christopher Schilling, Nicholas Joseph Kray
  • Patent number: 8011878
    Abstract: A centrifugal fan includes a housing and an impeller. The housing includes a base plate, a side plate extending upwardly from a periphery of the base plate and a concave portion depressed downwardly from a central portion of the base plate. The concave portion includes a bottom wall spaced from the base plate and a side wall interconnects with the base plate. An air inlet is defined in the bottom wall. The impeller includes a hub and a plurality of blades extending radially from the hub. The impeller is rotatably arranged on the bottom wall of the concave portion. A bottom face of each of the blades extends into the concave portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignees: Furui Precise Component (Kunshan) Co., Ltd., Foxconn Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ching-Bai Hwang, Zhi-Hui Zhao, Ran Lin
  • Patent number: 8011879
    Abstract: A transition channel between a first turbine section and a second turbine section for a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The channel includes a first radially external annular wall including ring sector elements housed inside an annular ring and orifices for injecting a fluid into the channel in order to re-energize the boundary layer thereof, a second radially internal annular wall, and a fluid supply device arranged between the space outside the ring and the injection orifices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventors: Jean-Michel Guimbard, Philippe Jean-Pierre Pabion, Eric Schwartz, Jean-Luc Soupizon
  • Patent number: 8011880
    Abstract: The invention relates to a vacuum pump in which the gas bearing is coated with a hard layer, and to a process for preparing such gas bearing of a vacuum pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Oerliken Leybold Vacuum GmbH
    Inventors: Roland Blumenthal, Michael Froitzheim
  • Patent number: 8011881
    Abstract: A stator vane for a gas turbine engine having a cooling circuit that passes through the airfoil and both of the inner and the outer diameter endwalls to provide cooling for the airfoil and endwalls. Each endwall includes an intricate cooling circuit and is connected to the serpentine flow circuit within the airfoil to pass cooling air back and fourth from one endwall to the other through one of the legs in the serpentine flow circuit of the airfoil. A row of exit cooling holes is located in one or both of the endwalls and is connected to the last leg of the serpentine circuit to discharge cooling air. The airfoil and endwalls cooling circuit forms a series of passages that meander through the vane before discharging out through the exit holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Florida Turbine Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: George Liang
  • Patent number: 8011882
    Abstract: A vane assembly for a gas turbine engine, the assembly including a plurality of vanes 14 with an asymmetric organic metal/ceramic matrix composite lay up, such that when the vanes 14 are placed in tension or compression the profile of the vane 14 will alter by twisting or untwisting. Other materials may be provided for the vanes 14, and/or other methods may be used for placing the vanes 14 in tension or compression to provide positive changes to the profile thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Plc
    Inventor: Alison J. McMillan
  • Patent number: 8011883
    Abstract: A method for controlling blade tip clearance within a gas turbine engine includes a compressor having at least one first rotor assembly, wherein the blade tips in each of at least one first rotor assembly has a mating geometry with at least one of at least one blade seal surfaces, and a clearance distance extending between the blade tips and the blade seal surfaces; a turbine having at least one second rotor assembly, wherein the blade tips in each of at least one second rotor assembly has a mating geometry with at least one of at least one blade seal surfaces, and a clearance distance extending between the blade tips and the blade seal surfaces; providing an actuator selectively operable to move at least one rotor assembly relative to the shroud; providing an electronic engine controller having a control logic for operating the actuator; and moving at least one first rotor assemblies and at least one second rotor assembly relative to the shroud using the actuator at a response rate according to the control l
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Frederick M. Schwarz, J. Walter Smith
  • Patent number: 8011884
    Abstract: A small twin spool gas turbine engine with a forward end of the engine supported by bearings that are cooled by passing a cooling fluid such as cooling air bled off from the compressor with a liquid lubricant sprayed into the cooling air that is then passed through the bearing to prevent overheating. The cooling fluid is then discharged from the bearing cooling circuit out the front end of the engine through a number of discharge holes formed within the threaded nut that secures the fan blade assembly to the low speed rotor shaft. The threaded nut includes a plurality of slanted holes that slant outward from the rotational axis in the direction of fluid discharge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Florida Turbine Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen E Murray
  • Patent number: 8011885
    Abstract: A turbocharger has a sealing arrangement between the turbocharger shaft and the bearing housing adjacent to the turbine and/or the compressor housings to restrict leaking of gas into the bearing housing. At least a pair of spaced sealing rings project from an annular surface of the bearing housing into corresponding annular recesses formed on the shaft. The trailing face of the second ring or the opposite surface of the recess has a plurality of radial grooves that define leak passages that serve to maintain a very small flow of gas from the turbine or compressor housing into the bearing housing. Alternatively there is a slot in the second ring to provide the leak passage. This ensures that there is a minimum gas flow so that a large pressure gradient is not applied across the second seal thereby avoiding wear, overheating and collapse of the ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Cummins Turbo Technologies Limited
    Inventor: Matthew J. Purdey
  • Patent number: 8011886
    Abstract: A lift device for a wind turbine blade. The lift device includes a first sidewall and an opposing second sidewall. The lift device is configured to be coupled to the wind turbine blade along a leading edge of the wind turbine blade, and to generate lift when airflow is directed across a surface of the lift device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Balaji Subramanian, Kevin Richard Kirtley, Kevin James Standish
  • Patent number: 8011887
    Abstract: A rotor blade assembly is disclosed. The rotor blade assembly includes a main rotor blade, the main rotor blade including a pressure side and a suction side extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge, and an auxiliary rotor blade associated with the main rotor blade, the auxiliary rotor blade including a pressure side and a suction side extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge. The rotor blade assembly further includes a support member connecting the auxiliary rotor blade to the main rotor blade. The auxiliary rotor blade is configured to modify a lift force associated with the rotor blade assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Murray Fisher, Stefan Herr, David Cole Magnuson
  • Patent number: 8011888
    Abstract: A turbine rotor blade with a first cooling circuit to provide cooling for the leading edge region of the airfoil and a suction side surface of the blade tip, and a second cooling circuit to provide cooling for the mid-chord region of the blade and the pressure side surface of the blade tip. The first cooling circuit includes a cooling air supply channel connected to a leading edge impingement cavity having showerhead arrangement of film cooling holes. The cooling air supply channel is connected to the suction side tip cooling channel that extends along the tip. The second cooling circuit includes a 3-pass forward flowing serpentine circuit with the third leg connected to a pressure side tip cooling channel that extends along the pressure side edge of the blade tip. Rows of tip cooling holes connect to both of the tip channels to discharge cooling air through the blade tip sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Florida Turbine Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: George Liang
  • Patent number: 8011889
    Abstract: A turbine blade for use in an industrial gas turbine engine, especially for the first stage turbine blade, in which the blade includes a squealer tip with a pressure side tip rail extending all the way top the trailing edge of the tip and a suction side tip rail with a cut back adjacent to the trailing edge to form a cooling air flow path from the squealer pocket and up and over the cut back in the suction side tip rail. The floor of the squealer pocket includes a series of skewed trip strips in the location of the cut back in the tip end, the trip strips being skewed in a direction to direct the cooling air toward the cut back. Rows of film cooling holes extend along the pressure and suction sides of the blade just below the tip rails to provide cooling for the tip rails. Tip cooling holes are located on the squealer pocket floor upstream from the trip strips and along the tip rail walls to provide cooling within the pocket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Florida Turbine Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: George Liang
  • 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: 8011891
    Abstract: A centrifugal multiblade fan according to the present invention sucks air from one end side of an axial direction of a rotation axis to a radial inside, and blows the air to a radial outside. The centrifugal multiblade fan includes a plurality of blades located around the rotation axis. Each blade has a leading edge positioned at the radial inside, and a trailing edge positioned at a radial outside. The leading edge of each blade has an edge shape with a radius of curvature of 0.2 mm or less, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Toshinori Ochiai, Masaharu Sakai, Hideki Seki
  • Patent number: 8011892
    Abstract: A turbine blade damper-seal assembly includes a seal nested within a damper such that both the seal and damper are disposed to provide sealing between adjacent blade platforms. The seal traverses the seal slot in the damper and seals the gap between adjacent blade platforms for the full axial length of the neck cavity between adjacent blades. The damper is located in an aft most position and includes features to facilitate vibration-dampening performance. The damper also includes features that cause entrapment between blades and therefore avoids the conventionally required protrusions on the blade to retain it in the assembled position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Amarnath Ramlogan, Rajendra K. Agrawal, Stephen D. Doll
  • Patent number: 8011893
    Abstract: The invention concerns a module of a nacelle of a wind turbine, which is separately designed, manageable and comprise a housing part. The module is connectable to at least one further module of the nacelle, which is also separately designed, manageable and has a housing part, wherein the housing part of the module builds in the assembled status of the nacelle, which comprises several modules, a part of the housing of the nacelle. The invention concerns also a nacelle comprising several such modules, a wind turbine comprising such a nacelle as well as a method for the stepwise assembly of such a nacelle aloft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Henrik Stiesdal
  • Patent number: 8011894
    Abstract: A sealing system for sealing a gap between a dovetail tab of a bucket and a rotor. The sealing system may include a sealing slot positioned about the dovetail tab and a pivot plate positioned within the sealing slot. The sealing slot may include a pivot point and a rest ledge such that the pivot plate pivots about the pivot point and into the gap when the bucket rotates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Brian P. Arness, Louis Veltre, Ariel Kelsey Coleman Harter, John D. Wardell
  • Patent number: 8011895
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for controlling the operation of a pump in a pumping system, featuring sensing a no water or dead head condition of the flow of a medium in the pumping system operating at a set point pressure; and dynamically reducing the set-point pressure to a lower set point pressure that allows for the flow of the medium to continue at the lower set point pressure while further monitoring the flow of the medium through the pump to protect the pump against damage due to the no water or dead head condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: Matthew J. Ruffo
  • Patent number: 8011896
    Abstract: A fan system is electrically connected with a driving source generator and includes a first fan, a second fan and an energy storage element. The second fan is rotated by the first fan for generating an electric energy. The energy storage element is electrically connected with the second fan for storing the electric energy and keep supplying power when the driving source generator is out of order or the fan is rotating in lower rotation speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Delta Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Heng-Yu Wu, Chun-Lung Chiu, Ming-Shi Tsai
  • Patent number: 8011897
    Abstract: A cam driven piston compressor includes one or more cams powered by a motor, the cams being adapted to rotate through 360 degrees, and one or more cam followers, each of which is in contact with one of the cams. The compressor also includes one or more pistons wherein each of the pistons is attached to one of the cam followers, one or more cylinders wherein each of the cylinders encloses one of the pistons, and a compressor head in contact with the cylinders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Carleton Life Support Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy T. Raleigh, Sammy K Mickelson
  • Patent number: 8011898
    Abstract: A pump (100) includes a pump block (102) including a heater (140), a middle block member (120) and an upper block member (122). Cylinder sleeves (130) are disposed between the middle and upper block members, and a piston assembly (160) is disposed in the block with pistons (162) reciprocatingly disposed in the cylinder sleeves. A drive motor (90) drives a twin gear assembly (170) and slave gears (168) to drive the pistons. Headers (104, 105) channel fluid from an external source to the cylinder sleeves, and from the cylinder sleeves to the heater. The heater includes a plurality of heaters such as cartridge heaters (150) that heat the received fluid. In the preferred device, A-side and B-side component are simultaneously pumped. The heater includes A-side and B-side flow paths for heating the components. The pressurized fluid(s) is dispensed through outlets (108, 110).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Inventor: John P. Courier
  • Patent number: 8011899
    Abstract: A compact water pump assembly has a shaft extending from a first end to a second end. An annular groove is located on the shaft. A housing member is located about the shaft and intermediate the first and second ends. An impeller is coupled to the second end of the shaft. A plurality of bearing members are arranged in a single-row within the groove. The bearing members rotatably support the shaft in the housing. In addition, each bearing member includes a radial centerline. A pulley is coupled to the first end of the shaft. The pulley is capable of engaging a drive belt such that the centerline of the belt driving surface is in substantial alignment with the bearing centerlines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Metaldyne, LLC
    Inventor: James A. Crider
  • Patent number: 8011900
    Abstract: A heat dissipating system for a hermetic compressor includes a thermal energy transfer duct having a heat absorbing end mounted to the cylinder block of the compressor to absorb the heat generated by the compression of the refrigerant fluid in the cylinder block and a heat releasing end positioned away from the heat absorbing end and away from the cylinder block in order to release the heat conducted from the cylinder block by the transfer duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Whirlpool S.A.
    Inventors: Fabricio Caldeira Possamai, Leonard L. Vasiliev
  • Patent number: 8011901
    Abstract: A pump has a pump barrel formed from a larger diameter section and a smaller diameter section. Each section has a biased piston moveable within the section and the pistons are connected together to form a variable volume chamber between the pistons. As the connected pistons move toward the larger diameter section, a volume of fluid is moved through an inlet valve into the variable volume chamber of increasing volume. When the pistons are moved toward the smaller diameter section, a differential volume of fluid is discharged from the variable volume chamber of decreasing volume through a discharge valve into a discharge conduit. The pistons are actuated to move within the pump barrel by application and release of pressure at a remote end of the discharge conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Suncor Energy Inc.
    Inventor: Grant Duncan