Patents Issued in January 31, 2012
  • Patent number: 8105015
    Abstract: A method for determining total pressure distribution across a fan entry plane of a fan situated within a fan casing provided with struts which are positioned upstream of the fan, with respect to the normal air flow direction through the fan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: Barry D Moore, Andrew C R Wood
  • Patent number: 8105016
    Abstract: A damping arrangement for guide vanes, in particular for guide vanes of a gas turbine or an aircraft engine, is disclosed. Referring to this damping arrangement, the radially external ends of the guide vanes of a guide vane grid or a guide vane ring are mounted to a housing. The radially internal ends of the guide vanes form an inner shroud. At least one seal bearing is mounted to the inner shroud of the guide vanes. At least one spring element is installed between the inner shroud of the guide vanes and the, or each, seal bearing. The, or each, spring element is configured as a leaf spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: MTU Aero Engines GmbH
    Inventors: Carsten Butz, Werner Humhauser, Patrick Wackers, Walter Waschka, Moritz Wirth
  • Patent number: 8105017
    Abstract: The disclosed solid waste pump is a chopper pump, and preferably a chopper pump having a small rated motor and a semi-open impeller design. Particularly, a chopper pump having an impeller, at least one pump-out vane, an end plate, and a back plate including at least one cutting rib is disclosed. The impeller includes a back shroud and cutting vanes sharpened on a first edge extending opposite the back shroud and fixed on a first surface of the back shroud. The at least one pump-out vane is preferably fixed to a second surface of the back shroud opposite the first surface, while the end plate includes a surface adjacent to and facing the first edge of the cutting vanes and at least one internal cutting rib fixed to the end plate surface for shearing operation in combination with the sharpened edge of the cutting vanes of the impeller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Vaughan Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Glenn Robert Dorsch, Kent Harrison Keeran
  • Patent number: 8105018
    Abstract: An air turbine starter for starting an engine includes a housing, and a flow path communicating a flow of gas therethrough; a turbine member; a clutch; and a decoupler device at least partially housed within the output member of the clutch. The decoupler device includes a first shaft portion coupled to and rotating with the output member and a second shaft portion coupled to and rotating with the engine. The first and second shaft portions are axially aligned and configured to engage each another for rotation in a first direction and to separate from each other in a second direction to decouple the output member of the clutch from the engine. The starter further includes a bearing between the inner surface of the output member and the second shaft portion for reducing friction between the second shaft portion and the inner surface of the output member when the first and second shaft portions are decoupled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Rich Gockel, David Oman, Arun Kumar, Doug Smith, Joe Silk, Ben Ho
  • Patent number: 8105019
    Abstract: A turbine section of a gas turbine engine includes an arcuate vane platform segment having a substantially flat surface over which a rotational turbine vane may swing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Michael G. McCaffrey, Eric A. Hudson, James D. Hill, Shankar S. Magge, Joel H. Wagner
  • Patent number: 8105020
    Abstract: A turbocharger comprises a turbine wheel (5) mounted within a housing assembly (1, 3) for rotation about a turbine axis, a gas flow inlet passage (8) upstream of the turbine wheel (5), and a gas flow control mechanism (10, 16, 32) located within the housing assembly (1, 3) upstream of the turbine wheel (5) and operable to control gas flow through said gas flow inlet passage (9). An actuator assembly is mounted to the housing assembly and comprises: A lead screw including a lead screw shaft (37) defining a lead screw axis, and a lead screw nut (36) threadedly engaged on a threaded portion of the lead screw shaft (37). The lead screw (36, 37) being arranged so that rotation of one of said shaft and nut relative to the housing assembly produces linear movement in the other of said shaft and nut in the direction of the lead screw axis: The lead screw (36, 37) engages the gas flow control mechanism (10, 16, 32) at a location within a housing cavity defined within said housing assembly (1, 3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Cummins Turbo Technologies Limited
    Inventors: John Michael Bywater, Stephen Garrett, Henry David Lambton Carr
  • Patent number: 8105021
    Abstract: Gas turbine engine systems involving hydrostatic face seals with integrated back-up seals are provided. In this regard, a representative seal assembly for a gas turbine engine includes: a stator assembly and a rotor assembly configured to operatively engage each other to form a first seal and a second seal; the first seal being provided by a hydrostatic seal having a seal face and a seal runner; and the second seal being provided by a back-up seal such that responsive to a failure of the first seal, the back-up seal maintains at least a portion of a pressure differential established by the first seal prior to the failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: United Technologies Corp.
    Inventors: Jorn A. Glahn, Peter M. Munsell
  • Patent number: 8105022
    Abstract: A vane configuration for a steam dryer according to an example embodiment of the invention may include a plurality of primary vanes arranged in a radial pattern around (and spaced apart from) a center line. Each of the plurality of primary vanes may be a primary corrugated sheet having alternating primary ridges and primary furrows. As a result, adjacent primary vanes may define a winding flow path, the flow path having an entrance and an exit relative to the center line. The cross-sectional area of the flow path may decrease, increase, or remain constant from the entrance to the exit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas LLC
    Inventors: Khaled M. Ewida, Michael S. Defilippis, James P. Carneal
  • Patent number: 8105023
    Abstract: A steam turbine has: a casing; a rotor rotatably arranged in the casing; a nozzle diaphragm concentrically arranged with respect to the rotor, the nozzle diaphragm being engaged with the casing; moving blades arranged in circumferential direction on outer circumference of the rotor at positions adjacent to the nozzle diaphragm; seal strips circumferentially extending on tips of the moving blades, the seal strips protruding in radial outward direction; and an abradable structure rigidly connected to the nozzle diaphragm. The abradable structure faces the seal strips in radial direction at a facing surface, and has an abradable part made of an abradable material arranged at the facing surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Kazutaka Ikeda, Takashi Sasaki, Satoru Asai, Hitoshi Sakakida, Kenji Kamimura, Ryohei Ogino, Yasushi Ooishi
  • Patent number: 8105024
    Abstract: A seal assembly for a gas turbine is arranged in grooves of a rotor heat shield having several bends. The assembly comprises four seal portions overlapping one another and extending in the axial, radial, and circumferential direction with respect to the turbine rotor. A holding means retains the radial sections of one seal portion allowing a limited movement of said seal portion independent of another seal portion. The independent movement assures contact of the individual seal portions with all mating surfaces of the rotor heat shield and improved sealing function regardless of displacements of the rotor heat shield and tolerances of turbine parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd
    Inventors: Alexander Khanin, Arkadi Fokine, Maxim Konter, Sergey Vorontsov
  • Patent number: 8105025
    Abstract: A collecting chamber of a flow machine which expands in the direction of circumference, including at least one outer shell part and a contour insert is provided. The contour insert is provided with a groove which extends in the circumferential direction and is preferably configured as a helical spiral. The contour insert, is cut from a whole unit and is delimited at one end in the circumferential direction by a bent edge so that the flow losses are minimized during the passage from the collecting chamber into a subsequent diffuser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Heinrich Albrecht, Michael Jeske, Werner Jonen, Daniel Wentzel, Jan Weule
  • Patent number: 8105026
    Abstract: It is intended to provide a centrifugal blower capable of suppressing the generation of noise including periodic noise that is caused by interference between a tongue and an impeller. The centrifugal blower is provided with an impeller (2) provided with plural blades around a rotating shaft; a casing (3) which houses the impeller (2) and has a suction portion at one end in an axial line direction of the rotating shaft; a spiral flow passage (4) formed around the impeller (2) in the casing (3); and a tongue (6) for suppressing inflow of air from a winding end to a winding origin of the spiral flow passage (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Eguchi, Atsushi Suzuki, Mitsuhiro Nakao, Tetsuo Tominaga
  • Patent number: 8105027
    Abstract: A housing for an axial-flow fan includes a frame, a seat and a plurality of stationary blades. The frame has an air inlet and an air outlet. The seat is received in the frame and at a position where the air outlet is formed. Two ends of each stationary blade are respectively fixed to an outer periphery of the seat and an inner periphery of the frame. Furthermore, extending directions of any two adjacent stationary blades jointly define an included angle, and all of the included angles formed by all of the stationary blades are of more than two values in degrees, so that the stationary blades are not spaced with equal intervals. Consequently, while sucked air passes by the stationary blades, noises with the same tone can be suppressed effectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Sunonwealth Electric Machine Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Alex Horng, Ching-Sheng Horng
  • Patent number: 8105028
    Abstract: A control system for mitigating the effects of a wind turbine on a radar system is disclosed. The control system includes a sensor configured to detect an operating condition of the radar system; a processor configured to receive an operating condition of the wind turbine and determine a rotation modification sequence based on the operating condition of the radar system and the operating condition of the wind turbine; and a controller configured to apply the rotation modification sequence to the wind turbine. A method of mitigating the effects of a wind turbine on a radar system is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Technology Service Corporation
    Inventor: David A. Rugger
  • Patent number: 8105029
    Abstract: A method an apparatus of automatically controlling a wind turbine re provided. of: A time-series of measurement values of the aerodynamic flow property of the wind turbine rotor blade is determined; a predictive wind field model representing a structure of a wind field acting on the wind turbine rotor blade is generated based on the time-series of measurement values, and a control value is generated based on the wind-field model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Per Egedal, Rune Rubak, Henrik Stiesdal
  • Patent number: 8105030
    Abstract: Cooled airfoils and gas turbine engine systems involving such airfoils are provided. In this regard, a representative cooled airfoil includes: an exterior surface defining a leading edge, a trailing edge, a suction side and a pressure side; an interior surface defining an interior cavity; trenches in the exterior surface oriented spanwise along the leading edge; and cooling holes communicating between the interior cavity and the trenches such that cooling air provided to the interior cavity flows from the interior cavity though the cooling holes into the trenches, the cooling holes having exterior apertures located in the trenches and interior apertures located at the interior surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: William Abdel-Messeh, Michael F. Blair, Atul Kohli, Justin D. Piggush
  • Patent number: 8105031
    Abstract: A turbine component includes an aft cooling circuit that extends between a turbine midsection and a turbine trailing end. The aft cooling circuit includes a trailing end section proximate the trailing end, a first interior section proximate the turbine midsection, and a first intermediate section fluidly connected between the trailing end section and the first interior section. A forward cooling circuit of the turbine component extends between the turbine midsection and a turbine leading end. The forward cooling circuit includes a leading end section proximate the leading end, a second interior section proximate the turbine midsection, and a plurality of second intermediate sections fluidly connected between the leading end section and the second interior section. The leading end section, the second intermediate section, the first intermediate section, and the trailing end section each include a plurality of coolant discharge openings for facilitating cooling of the turbine component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Ricardo Trindade, Bryan P. Dube, William Abdel-Messeh
  • Patent number: 8105032
    Abstract: A system may cool a wheel of a steam turbine, the wheel being associated with a rotor of the steam turbine. The system may include an inlet passage and an outlet passage. The inlet passage may be positioned to communicate steam from an exterior of the rotor, through an interior of the rotor, and to the wheel. The outlet passage may be positioned to communicate steam from the wheel, through the interior of the rotor, and to the exterior of the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert James Bracken, Michael Earl Montgomery, Stephen Roger Swan
  • Patent number: 8105033
    Abstract: A cooling microcircuit for a turbine engine component has a first cooling passage which has at least one inlet oriented in a radially outward direction for preventing particles from entering the cooling passage and for dislodging particles which may become lodged in the at least one inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Eric A. Hudson
  • Patent number: 8105034
    Abstract: The invention relates to a vertical-axis wind turbine and at least 2 turbine blades, wherein every turbine blade is connected via a supporting arm and a connecting element that can be purely tensile-loaded to the rotatable vertical axis. According to the invention, between the connecting element that can be purely tensile-loaded and the supporting arm a blade is provided that is convex at an angle of attack side defined by the turbine blades and is concave at the other side. The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing a wind turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Ecofys Investments B.V.
    Inventor: Antonius Bernardus Schaap
  • Patent number: 8105035
    Abstract: The invention relates to a wind turbine rotor blade comprising a blade tip and a lightning protection system. The rotor blade includes at least one lightning receptor at the surface of the blade in an external distance (Lex) from the distal end of the blade tip, and a lightning receptor base inside the rotor blade arranged at an first internal distance (Li1) from the distal end of the blade tip. The rotor blade further includes means for changing at least one electric property of the rotor blade at the lightning receptor base, as compared to the electric properties of the ambient air by increasing the electric field supported between the lightning receptor base and the inner surface of the rotor blade. The invention further relates to a method for manufacturing a wind turbine rotor blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventor: Kim Bertelsen
  • Patent number: 8105036
    Abstract: A device is provided for the adjustment of the pitch of a rotor blade of a wind turbine comprising a pitch actuator acting on an adjusting plane for the adjustment of the pitch and a fixing device to which the pitch actuator is attached, the fixing device comprises a first and a second bearing shaft allowing a pendulum motion of the pitch actuator wherein both the first and the second bearing shaft are arranged respectively under a certain tilt angle relatively to the adjusting plane which tilt angle is respectively substantially different from 0° or 90°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Jesper Munch
  • Patent number: 8105037
    Abstract: An example airfoil assembly includes a base having an airfoil projecting radially therefrom. The base extends laterally away from the airfoil. The airfoil extends axially from an airfoil leading edge portion to an airfoil trailing edge portion. The base has a humped area forward the airfoil leading edge portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Eric A. Grover, Thomas J. Praisner, Noel Modesto-Madera, Renee J. Jurek
  • Patent number: 8105038
    Abstract: A row of moving blades for a steam turbine has moving blades elongated radially which are arranged peripherally around and secured to a turbine rotor. The row also has an intermediate support structure for holding the blades to each other at a radially intermediate position. The support structure has a shape of a streamline cross section. The support structure may include a tie wire secured to the blades, or lugs protruding from the blades and combined to each other. The support structure may include lugs protruding from the blades to each other, and a sleeve combining the lugs. The shape of a streamline cross section may have an obtuse-angle or acute-angle upstream part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Fumio Ootomo, Hisashi Matsuda, Asako Inomata, Hiroyuki Kawagishi, Yoshiki Niizeki, Naoki Shibukawa, Hiroshi Kawakami
  • Patent number: 8105039
    Abstract: A turbine disk includes a rotor and a plurality of turbine blades, each comprising a root at a proximal end secured to the rotor and a tip having a shroud at a distal end. The shroud includes a inner diameter surface, an outer diameter surface and a segmented sidewall surface separating the inner and outer diameter surfaces. The shrouds of adjacent turbine blades are separated by a tip shroud damper, and which includes a retention rail that cooperates with the outer diameter surface to maintain a positional relationship of the damper, a inner flange that engages the segmented sidewall surface, and a web that separates the retention rail and the inner flange. The tip shroud damper reduces the vibratory responses of modes involving axial and radial shroud motion to prevent high cycle fatigue (HCT).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: United Technologies Corp.
    Inventors: Yehia M. El-Aini, Stuart K. Montgomery
  • Patent number: 8105040
    Abstract: A wind turbine rotor blade is provided, the rotor blade comprising a root portion and a tip portion extending therefrom. The root portion comprises a plurality of inserts embedded therein, each insert being configured to receive respective connecting means for connecting the wind turbine rotor blade to a wind turbine hub. The inserts are of at least two different lengths such that they extend into the rotor blade by different distances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Tomas Vronsky, Frank Hoelgaard Hahn
  • Patent number: 8105041
    Abstract: An arrangement is presented for axially securing rotating blades in a rotor, having a shaft collar on whose external circumference rotating blade securing grooves which extend in the axial direction of the rotor are provided. At one end side face of the shaft a projection is arranged in the region of the securing grooves, in which projection a circumferential groove which is open radially towards the outside is provided and said projection having securing grooves which are arranged in each rotating bade, sheet-metal-shaped sealing elements which each engage in the circumferential groove and in the securing groove and form an end side sealing ring in the circumferential direction being provided for axially securing the rotating blades, and at least one of the sealing elements comprising a sheet metal strip which is attached to said sealing ring in order to secure the sealing elements against displacement in the circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Dieter Brillert, Harald Hoell, Armin Hülfenhaus, Claus Vögelin
  • Patent number: 8105042
    Abstract: An intermediate-manufactured composite airfoil includes first and second composite skins each having a plurality of fibers in a polymer matrix. A composite core is removably located between the first and second composite skins. The composite core includes a dry, three-dimensional, woven fiber network. The composite core may alternatively include a three-dimensional, woven fiber network in a fully cured polymer matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Parkin, Phillip Alexander, Carl Brian Klinetob, Steven Clarkson
  • Patent number: 8105043
    Abstract: A two-stage high pressure turbine includes a second stage blade having an airfoil with a profile substantially in accordance with at least an intermediate portion of the Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y and Z set forth in Table 2. The X and Y values are distances, which when smoothly connected by an appropriate continuing curve, define airfoil profile sections at each distance Z. The profile sections at each distance Z are joined smoothly to one another to form a complete airfoil shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventor: Panagiota Tsifourdaris
  • Patent number: 8105044
    Abstract: A compressor turbine includes a series of compressor turbine blades each having an airfoil with a profile substantially in accordance with at least an intermediate portion of the Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y and Z set forth in Table 2. The X and Y values are distances, which when smoothly connected by an appropriate continuing curve, define airfoil profile sections at each distance Z. The profile sections at each distance Z are joined smoothly to one another to form a complete airfoil shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventors: Remo Marini, Dan Olaru, Edward Vlasic, Silvio De Santis, Sophia Levy
  • Patent number: 8105045
    Abstract: Wind turbine blade includes a first blade part and a second blade part, the blade parts being bonded by bonding means forming a bond. To reduce peel stresses of the bond and reduce the risk of crack formation, an edge portion of the bond is covered by a low elastic modulus adhesive joint bridging a gap between the first blade part and the second blade part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventor: Ian Stewart
  • Patent number: 8105046
    Abstract: A propeller for watercraft having excellent abrasion resistance includes a propeller body having a blade and a hub portion, the propeller body being molded by casting an aluminum alloy, and an anodic oxide coating provided so as to cover a surface of the propeller body, the anodic oxide coating being obtained by performing a blast treatment for the surface of the propeller body and thereafter subjecting the surface to anodic oxidation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toru Kitsunai, Morimitsu Manabe, Yukihiro Kurimoto
  • Patent number: 8105047
    Abstract: A home appliance equipped with a drain function and a method of controlling the same are disclosed. A method of controlling a home appliance equipped with a drain apparatus includes switching ON/OFF the drain apparatus during a first time, switching on the drain apparatus during a second time after switching ON/OFF the drain apparatus, checking a variation of the water level according to a draining status, and controlling the drain apparatus based on the checked water-level variation result corresponding to the draining status.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yo Chul Ha
  • Patent number: 8105049
    Abstract: A hydraulic system for a transmission has a diffuser housing with a fluid inlet passage that feeds one or more pump inlet ports, and a fluid return passage, such as to return fluid from a pressure regulator valve, that is in fluid communication with the fluid inlet passage. The hydraulic system also has a filter housing with a filter outlet portion that is in fluid communication with the fluid inlet passage upstream of the pump inlet port(s). The fluid return passage is downstream of the filter outlet portion. Thus, flow through the fluid return passage can create suction, causing increased flow through the filter outlet portion, such as from a fluid sump. Specifically, the diffuser housing is configured so that the fluid inlet passage has a converging portion downstream of the filter outlet portion and a diverging portion downstream of the converging portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: John C. Schultz
  • Patent number: 8105050
    Abstract: A housing is configured into a tubular form and receives at least a portion of an ejector functional unit, which includes a nozzle and a body. A housing side opening radially penetrates through an outer peripheral wall surface and an inner peripheral wall surface of the housing and communicates with the fluid suction opening of the body. The housing side opening is adapted to join with a suction opening side external device, through which the fluid is drawn into the fluid suction opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Etsuhisa Yamada, Haruyuki Nishijima, Kazunori Mizutori, Gouta Ogata, Hideya Matsui, Hiroshi Oshitani, Youhei Nagano
  • Patent number: 8105051
    Abstract: A method of inhibiting combustion within a vacuum pump is provided. The method steps include monitoring and composition of a fluid within the pump and supplying purge gas to the pump to inhibit the onset of a combustion of the fluid. There is also provided a pumping arrangement comprising a vacuum pump (1) together with means (8) for supplying purge gas to the pump. Sensor means (21a, 21b, 21c) are provided for outputting a signal indicative of the onset of a combustion condition within the pump. Control means (22) receive the signal and, in turn, actuate the supply means (9) dependant on the signal received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Edwards Limited
    Inventors: Roland Gregor Paul Kusay, Clive Marcus Lloyd Tunna
  • Patent number: 8105052
    Abstract: A pumping mechanism that utilizes wave and tidal energy to operate. The mechanism relies on the depth of the fluid or sea and the length of the pump cylinder to accommodate shifting wave and tide patterns. Alternatively, the mechanism is imbedded or placed in an excavation in the fluid or ocean bed of sufficient depth and width to accommodate the piston cylinder, its' easing and the shifting wave and tide conditions. The invention relies on a buoy or float for the lift of a ballast weighted piston and the ballast weighted piston, when descending, provides the means of creating pressure on the water entrapped in the cylinder, thus causing a pumping action. The pump may be used individually or in concert with other pumps. The pump is intended to move large or small volumes of water at high or low pressures, singularly or in concert with other pumps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Inventor: Richard Newton Hill, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8105053
    Abstract: A turbocharger includes a housing, and a turbine shaft supported in a center hole in the housing through rolling bearings. A tank portion for storing lubrication oil is formed in the housing, and the lubricating oil is supplied from the tank portion to the rolling bearings through wick members extending from the tank portion respectively to the rolling bearings. The wick member includes a bundle of fibers made of a plastics material, and a distal end portion thereof is separated into a fibrous condition, and this distal end portion is held in contact with the bearing. The lubricating oil is supplied to the bearing by a capillary action of the wick member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Ueno, Toshihiko Shiraki, Akio Oshima, Tomonori Nakashita, Masaaki Ohtsuki, Shigenori Bando, Masaki Abe, Ryuji Nakata, Takehisa Kida
  • Patent number: 8105054
    Abstract: A scroll compressor is provided with an oil return tube having an outlet for directing oil toward a motor protector for an electric motor. The oil supply tube is positioned to be at an angle relative to the drive axis of a shaft driven by the electric motor. This ensures that the outlet of the oil supply tube can be properly positioned relative to the electric motor. Under normal conditions, an adequate flow of refrigerant will pull the oil from the oil supply tube and away from the motor protector. However, should there be an inadequate flow of refrigerant within the sealed compressor, the oil will contact the motor protector, which in turn may stop operation of the electric motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Scroll Technologies
    Inventors: Chong Yeow Oo, Zili Sun
  • Patent number: 8105055
    Abstract: A suction manifold mounting for a fluid end of a high pressure pump having a frame assembly. The fluid end has a body forging with a detachable suction manifold plate. The plate is pivotally attached at opposed ends to a pair of swivel arms through a cooperating pair of yoke limbs. The swivel arms are rigidly affixed to the frame member. When attachment bolts are removed from the manifold plate, the plate may pivot from a first closed position wherein the mounting holes in the plate are aligned with mounting holes in the forging to a second open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Fiac Tech Services, LLC
    Inventor: Tony M. Small
  • Patent number: 8105056
    Abstract: An aerating bag has a body, a connector, a check valve and an intake valve. The body has a connecting tube, a mounting tube and a chamber. The chamber communicates with the connecting tube and the mounting tube. The connector is detachably connected to the body and has a connecting pipe, an inserting pipe, a mounting recess, a release pipe and a cover. The release pipe is formed on and protrudes from the connector and communicates with the connecting pipe and the inserting pipe. The cover is mounted on the release pipe. The check valve mounted in the mounting recess and has an open end, a closed end and a slit. The slit is formed longitudinally in the check valve near the closed end and communicates with a clearance between the connecting pipe and the check valve. The intake valve is detachably mounted in the mounting tube of the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Inventor: Shu-Chen Chan
  • Patent number: 8105057
    Abstract: A fluid transportation device includes a flow-gathering module and multiple double-chamber actuating structures. The flow-gathering module includes two surfaces opposed to each other, multiple first flow paths and multiple second flow paths running through the two surfaces, an inlet channel arranged between the two surfaces and communicated with the multiple first flow paths, and an outlet channel arranged between the two surfaces and communicated with the multiple second flow paths. The multiple double-chamber actuating structures are arranged on the flow-gathering module side by side. Each double-chamber actuating structure includes a first chamber and a second chamber symmetrically arranged on the two surface of the flow-gathering module. Each of the first chamber and the second chamber includes a valve cap arranged over the flow-gathering module, a valve membrane arranged between the flow-gathering module and the valve cap, and an actuating member having a periphery fixed on the valve cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Microjet Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shih Chang Chen, Ying Lun Chang, Rong Ho Yu, Shih Che Chiu, Tsung Pat Chou
  • Patent number: 8105058
    Abstract: Drywall mud pump for pumping drywall joint compound, for instance, from a bucket into a drywall tool. The pump includes a cylinder, a piston, a rod, and a means, or a connection structure between the piston and the rod, for allowing the end of the rod to move laterally relative to the piston. Some embodiments have an elongated hole in the piston that receives a flattened or reduced diameter end of the rod, for example. Different embodiments include a pump head through which the rod passes, a handle, a linkage, a means for allowing the rod to pivot, a shortened guide, a means for preventing the piston from rotating about the rod, or a combination thereof. Pistons may include, for example, passageways with straight and curved sides, a flapper, an elongated washer to block the elongated hole, and a means for controlling the rotational position of the washer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Cinta Tools LLC
    Inventor: Werner L. Schlecht
  • Patent number: 8105059
    Abstract: A compressor includes a screw rotor and a gate rotor arranged to form a compression chamber. The screw rotor has an outer circumferential surface with at least one groove portion. The gate rotor has a plurality of tooth portions. Preferably, a first plane contains the screw rotor center axis, a second plane orthogonally intersects the screw rotor center axis, and a third plane orthogonally intersects the first plane and the second plane. The gate rotor center axis passes through an intersection point of the first, second and third planes. The gate rotor center axis is inclined relative to the second plane toward the same side as the groove portions of the screw rotor, as viewed in a direction perpendicular to the third plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kaname Ohtsuka, Takanori Murono
  • Patent number: 8105060
    Abstract: A target capsule includes (A) a pedestal having a central projection, (B) a pedestal aid attached to the central projection so as to define a sample-loading assembly, and (C) an impact-receiving member, wherein the components (A), (B), and (C) are detachable from each other. The impact target capsule can be readily loaded with a sample, allows the sample to be easily retrieved after application of impact pressure, and can be used repeatedly, and thereby the capsule can be preferably used as an impact compression apparatus in combination with a single-stage powder gun or a single-stage gas gun.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Kuraray Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideharu Iwasaki, Takayuki Ikeda, Hideaki Fujiwara, Yoshihisa Tsuji
  • Patent number: 8105061
    Abstract: A container mold exchanging apparatus includes: a container support body which supports the jacket of the container from which the lower sidewall mold is separated; a gripping mechanism which includes upper and lower gripping members and grips each tread mold so as to be interposed between the upper and lower gripping members in the vertical direction; first and second driving mechanisms which respectively elevate the upper and lower gripping members; a third driving mechanism which expands or contracts the upper and lower gripping members in the radial direction of the container; and a fourth driving mechanism which moves the gripping mechanism along the axis of the container relative to the container support body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshikatsu Hineno, Toshifumi Murakami
  • Patent number: 8105062
    Abstract: A system for curing tires that does not require a traditional bladder is described. The system disclosed has top and bottom assembly rings that are coupled to modified mold rings. The bottom assembly ring has a curing medium delivery system, which has ports and a diverter that disperses the curing medium thereby reducing the momentum of the curing medium striking a liner of the tire being cured. The system is adapted for easy installation to existing center post presses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Curing Concepts, Inc.
    Inventor: Don Cain
  • Patent number: 8105063
    Abstract: One aspect of the present invention relates to a molding system for use in packaging integrated circuits. The molding system includes a top cavity bar, a middle cavity bar, a bottom cavity bar, a tape and an injection unit. When an electronic substrate is positioned between the top and middle cavity bars, the top and middle cavity bars are arranged to sandwich the electronic substrate. The top and middle cavity bars are also arranged to help form one or more mold cavities over device areas of the electronic substrate. The tape is positioned below the middle cavity bar and is arranged to cover and relieve pressure on a bottom of each mold cavity. The bottom cavity bar is positioned below the tape and is arranged to support the tape. The injection unit is arranged to inject a molding material into the mold cavities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Lee Han Meng @Eugene Lee
  • Patent number: 8105064
    Abstract: For the purpose of molding a multilayered film/sheet having a highly precise thickness of each layer, movable choker bars (31, 32) are movably arranged in the middle of molten resin channels (111, 112), and a plurality of choker adjustment bolts (35, 36) are arranged at a predetermined pitch in the die width direction. The choker bars with the choker adjustment bolts are moved so as to adjust the gap in a choker portion. Thermal conductors (37, 38) are provided with the respective choker adjustment bolts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Toshiba Kikai Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Nozawa, Koji Mizunuma
  • Patent number: 8105065
    Abstract: An apparatus for the measurement of the temperature of a plastified plastic material at the exit of an extruder, characterised in that the function of the sound, velocity in dependence of the temperature is measured and memorised for at least one plastified plastic material, the sound velocity is measured during the extrusion of the plastic material, and the respective temperature is determined from the velocity measurement values and the function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Sikora AG
    Inventors: Harald Sikora, Torben Clausen