Patents Issued in July 15, 2014
  • Patent number: 8777534
    Abstract: In the case of a connection system having a housing (10) and a nut (16) which can be arranged on the housing (10), the aim is to provide a solution by means of which it is possible to prevent the nut (16) from being released inadvertently from the housing (10). This is intended to be achieved in that the nut (16) is formed from an elastic material and latching elements (24) are formed on the nut (16), which latching elements (24) can be latched to mating latching elements (26) which are formed on the housing (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Phoenix Contact GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Olaf Wallbaum, Jens Gerullis
  • Patent number: 8777535
    Abstract: A system for fastening a cover to a body of an explosion-proof enclosure using a plurality of fastening devices. Each fastening device can include a first load distributing member disposed on a body flange of a body of the explosion-proof enclosure. Each fastening device can also include a second load distributing member disposed on a cover flange of a cover of the explosion-proof enclosure. Each fastening device can further include a fastener positioned atop the first load distributing member, where the fastener traverses the first load distributing member, the cover flange, and the body flange. Each fastening device can also include a fastener receiver positioned under the second load distributing member and mechanically coupled to the fastener.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Cooper Technologies Company
    Inventor: Joseph Michael Manahan
  • Patent number: 8777536
    Abstract: A cable lug and a method of use is provided. The cable lug has a receiving tube section for a cable, a flat piece-connecting section that is molded on and is provided with a bore, and a nut which is captively and preferably rotatably mounted on the flat piece-connecting section. The nut does not penetrate the flat piece-connecting section while being mounted by a shaped mounting material section of the flat piece-connecting section, which extends into an undercut in the nut. The mounting material section is in the undercut with an axial clearance. The mounting material section is rooted in a lowered in a step-type manner in the flat piece-connecting section. The lowered area is rotationally symmetrical and is provided with a conical section which opens outward and vertically and encompasses at least one conical area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Gustav Klauke GmbH
    Inventor: Egbert Frenken
  • Patent number: 8777537
    Abstract: A fastener is disclosed including a threaded male fastener and a shear bushing for coupling thin walled structures together. The shear bushing having an internal through opening and a shear ring constructed to project across an interface of adjacent walls is operable for absorbing shear loads transmitted into the fastener from a fastened structure. The male fastener includes a threaded portion extending through the shear ring for engaging a threaded female receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Theodore J. Fritsch
  • Patent number: 8777538
    Abstract: A bonding fastener having two components which electrically bonds metallic surfaces through serrated metal teeth on the underside of the head of the first component and on the inside surface of the second component which embed into each metal surface as a fastener is tightened. In one embodiment, the fastener is a nut and bolt combination, and in another embodiment the fastener is a two-part rivet. A sealing material circumferentially outward from the teeth on both the first component and second component creates an air-tight and water-tight seal around the teeth, protecting the bonding location from air and water infiltration from the outside. The second component also has an internal seal, sealing around the shank of the first component to prevent axial infiltration of air or water along the shank and protecting the bonding locations from corrosion from contaminants entering along that route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Renewable Energy Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Strizki, Jason Snyder, James Strizki
  • Patent number: 8777539
    Abstract: A lower sealing valve unit for a charging system of a shaft furnace includes a housing having a pair of inlets and at least one outlet; a valve seat associated with each inlet; and a flap associated with each valve seat and adapted for, in a closed position, engaging the valve seat to sealingly close the inlet, each flap being supported by a pivotable shaft allowing displacement between the closed position and an open position off the associated valve seat, where a common structure, mounted to one side of the housing, includes a pair of drive mechanisms, each connected to one of the pivotable shafts for independent actuation thereof, the shafts passing coaxially though the housing side and being supported by the common structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Paul Wurth S.A.
    Inventors: Ettore Rizzuti, Jeannot Loutsch
  • Patent number: 8777540
    Abstract: An apparatus for storing contamination-sensitive flat articles, in particular for storing semiconductor wafers, comprises a plurality of box-like compartments stationary arranged on a fixed mounting rack. The compartments are open on a front side and are arranged in rows and columns side by side and one above the other on the fixed mounting rack. The compartments each have a plurality of slotted holders for receiving the flat articles, and they surround a first handling unit configured for automatically inserting and removing the flat articles into and out of the slotted holders. A closed housing forms a clean room where both the plurality of compartments and the first handling unit are arranged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Dynamic Microsystems Semiconductor Equipment GmbH
    Inventors: Lutz Rebstock, Michael Meichsner
  • Patent number: 8777541
    Abstract: A conveyor control apparatus of liquid crystal panel substrates and a control method thereof is disclosed. The apparatus has multiple first side pillars and multiple second side pillars mounted opposite to the first side pillars. A movement control assembly is mounted outside the first side pillars and the second side pillars. The movement control assembly is used to move to a slot where the liquid crystal panel substrate is to move is inserted, and control the certain liquid crystal panel substrate inserted in the slot to move out from the conveyor control apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Wen-da Cheng
  • Patent number: 8777542
    Abstract: The advanced life has brought the use of strollers, wheelchairs and carriers for easing the life and human care. However, handling these objects in and out of a vehicle has turned to be a practical problem. Commonly these units are lifted for placement in the trunk or inside a vehicle, however, manipulation of these units which have a noticeable weight and a rough shape are difficult and labor intensive. Particularly, by some mothers that does not have enough reserve doing other chores. This activity will increase the pain of those who just had C-sections or it can cause a new back and joint pains or worsen the existing ones. This application introduces methods and means to allow such a process to be done easily. This application introduces new units and methods which allows strollers and carriers and similar units to be placed inside a box means which is attached to the rear of a vehicle by use of a door that opens and stands on the ground to function as a ramp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Inventor: Yousef Daneshvar
  • Patent number: 8777543
    Abstract: A rollback carrier includes a vehicle chassis, a truck bed assembly supported on the vehicle chassis and displaceable between a transport position and a loading position, and a front actuating arm acting between the truck bed assembly and the vehicle chassis. The front actuating arm dampens a tilt position of the truck bed relative to the vehicle chassis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Jerr-Dan Corporation
    Inventors: Sanjeev T. Kuriakose, Jeffrey L. Addleman
  • Patent number: 8777544
    Abstract: A storage means and transportation method for at least one (1) motorcycle is herein disclosed, comprising a platform plate supported at corner locations by rotating casters. A vertical edging is provided along the long edges of the platform to prevent the motorcycle from rolling off. At least one (1) handles is provided along the long edge to aid in manipulating each motorcycle along a floor surface for shipping or storage. At each end portion of the platform are fold-down ramps to allow each motorcycle to be rolled on and off of the platform. Each ramp comprises a support to anchor the platform against the floor surface by lifting the casters slightly off of the floor. Once the platform is secured in this fashion, each motorcycle can be rolled on and off the platform safely. Each motorcycle is covered by a fiberglass hard cover which is attached thereto the platform for long-term storage and/or shipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Inventor: Robert H. Carpenter
  • Patent number: 8777545
    Abstract: A multi-lift mast for a forklift has hydraulic circuitry that provides free lift and negative lift capabilities for the forklift. The mast comprises a stationary member, at least one extensible member slideable on the stationary member and a carriage slideable on an extensible member. The extensible mast members are raised and lowered by double acting hydraulic actuators extending between the stationary member and an extensible member. The carriage is raised and lowered by a positively connected double acting carriage hydraulic actuator extending between an extensible mast and the carriage. The circuitry employs identical pairs of counterbalance valves controlling the supply and exit of hydraulic fluid for the bore and rod ends of the actuators, set to cause the carriage to fully extend before the extensible mast members extend, providing free lift, and set to cause the extensible mast members to fully lower before the carriage lowers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Bright Coop, Inc.
    Inventor: Francois Roux
  • Patent number: 8777546
    Abstract: A carrier is provided for releasably attaching a tool to the lift arms of a work machine. The carrier comprises a lift arm attachment point for attachment to the lift arm, a tool attachment point for releasable attachment of the tool to the carrier, and a contact pad, for contacting the tool in use. In use, the lift arm and contact pad lie in the same vertical plane. Providing a contact pad between the carrier and tool in line with the lift arm removes any transverse bending forces on the carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Henry A. Lanting, Scott R. Jamieson, Radu T. Guja
  • Patent number: 8777547
    Abstract: A substrate transporting robot apparatus is disclosed which is adapted to transport a substrate to and from a chamber of an electronic device processing system. The apparatus may include an upper arm rotatable in an X-Y plane, a forearm rotatable relative to the upper arm in the X-Y plane, and a wrist member rotatable relative to the forearm in the X-Y plane, the wrist member including an end effector adapted to carry a substrate. The wrist member may be subjected to independent rotation such that various degrees of yaw may be imparted to the wrist member. In some aspects, the independent rotation is provided without a motive power device (e.g., motor) being provided on the arms or wrist member, i.e., the wrist member may be remotely driven. Systems and methods using the robot apparatus are also provided as are numerous other aspects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Izya Kremerman, Jeffrey C. Hudgens
  • Patent number: 8777548
    Abstract: A pick-and-place apparatus for handling glass substrate is disclosed and which comprises a chassis and a transportation platform which includes a transferring device disposed on the chassis and includes a first frame and a plurality of transferring rods rotationally disposed across the first frame along a first reference direction. A vertical displacing mechanism is provided for moving the transportation platform to move vertically to a pre-determined height. And a horizontal displacing device is provided for moving the transportation platform to more along the first reference direction such that the transferring device can be moved in and out of the cartridge, wherein the first transferring rods rotationally move the glass substrate into the cartridge or out of the cartridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Weibing Yang, Chun Hao Wu, Kun Hsien Lin, Yongqiang Wang, Erqing Zhu, Xiande Li
  • Patent number: 8777549
    Abstract: A system and method for partially or completely inverting (rotating) a die and subsequently returning the die to its normal operating position. Systems of the invention include a roll-over unit that engages a roll frame or similar structure to which a die of interest is temporarily secured. The roll-over unit includes a drive motor that is used to rotate the roll frame and the die that is releasably coupled thereto. A deceleration assembly is provided to bring rotation of the die to a slow and controlled stop in one or both rotational directions. When the drive motor is a hydraulic motor, the deceleration assembly may include deceleration valves that are actuated by a rack gear that is caused to move linearly during rotation of the drive motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dustin M. Shock, Johnrobert J. Teets
  • Patent number: 8777550
    Abstract: A stacking device includes a drive mechanism coupled to a movable band. The movable band is configured to move along an orbital path, and a twin roller with first and second portions engages the movable band and folds the movable band into at least two portions. In some cases, the drive mechanism can also include, or be attached to, two additional rollers that are inside the band and move along the orbital path. A stacking device may also include a roller set with first and second portions that press against a band. A mechanism may cause the band to orbit along a path such that it causes the band to receive a stackable item and move it to a predetermined location. At the predetermined location, the band releases the stackable item while continuing to orbit along the path, but while having zero total velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Inventor: Niklas Pettersson
  • Patent number: 8777551
    Abstract: An apparatus for separating and moving a selected number of items, such as a sheets, boards or blanks is provided in which a robotic arm is constructed with forks capable of securely compressing a desired number of items therebetween for displacement from a stack of the items. The items to be grasped by the arm are initially separated from the remainder of the stack by a separation mechanism that can be mounted directly to the arm or to a support structure for the stack of items. The separation mechanism engages and lifts the desired number of items from the stack to enable the forks on the arm to engage each side of the items. The apparatus can be quickly reconfigured to engage and remove any desired number of items from the stack and/or to accommodate changes I the shape, size and/or thickness of the items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Automatan, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Widder, Daniel Davis, Joseph Clussman, Daniel Schneider
  • Patent number: 8777552
    Abstract: A method of forming layered stacks of bundles includes providing a gripping appliance comprising a first gripping assembly and a second gripping assembly. The first gripping assembly is configured for grasping one or more first bundles and the second gripping assembly is configured for grasping one or more second bundles. The first and second gripping assemblies are configured such that first and second bundles grasped thereby may be reoriented relative to one another. The method further includes retrieving from a first location one or more first bundles with the first gripping assembly and one or more second bundles with the second gripping assembly and transporting the first and second bundles to a second location, During transport of the first and second bundles, the bundles are reoriented relative to one another. The bundles are deposited at a selected position in the second location to form at least a partial layer of a layered stack of bundles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: J&L Group International, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Ward, Craig Gendreau
  • Patent number: 8777553
    Abstract: Adverse effects when a carrier is open, such as particles adhesion to the substrate or natural oxidation film deposits on the substrate, as well as a rise in oxygen concentration and contamination of the substrate transfer chamber are prevented. Semiconductor manufacturing apparatus includes a carrier in which a cover unit is provided on a substrate loading/unloading opening for loading and unloading a substrate, a carrier open/close chamber continuously arranged to the carrier, a substrate transfer chamber continuously arranged to the carrier open/close chamber, a substrate processing chamber continuously arranged to the substrate transfer chamber, an exhaust means for exhausting the atmosphere in the carrier open/close chamber by suction, and an exhaust quantity adjuster means for adjusting the suction exhaust quantity of the exhaust means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc.
    Inventors: Makoto Hirano, Akinari Hayashi, Makoto Tsuri, Haruyuki Miyata
  • Patent number: 8777554
    Abstract: A fan system is disclosed having a forward fan stage configured to pressurize an airflow and an aft fan stage having a tip-fan configured to pressurize a first portion of a pressurized air flow from the forward fan stage wherein the aft fan stage is driven by a second portion of the pressurized airflow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: John Lewis Baughman
  • Patent number: 8777555
    Abstract: A tidal turbine system includes yaw drive for rotating the turbine between a first position associated with tidal flow and a second position associated with tidal ebbs. The yaw drive is capable of moving the tidal turbine to a position where the tidal turbine is pointed substantially directly into the tidal flow in the first position and substantially into the tidal ebb in a second position. A method for harvesting tidal energy includes rotating the tidal turbine between one of the first position and the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin Balbir, Richard J. Handwerg, Tejbir Arora, Richard P. Clark
  • Patent number: 8777556
    Abstract: The CWE Concepts are designed to extract the maximum possible wind energy passing through a given square footage area of influencing machine interface at given calculated velocities, to deliver that energy to two power take off shafts for end user's useful work (electrical power generation and other requirements). A multi-bucket “S” rotor, airfoils, baffles and cowling combined, utilize one hundred percent of that moving air volume most efficiently. Our strategies are to use smaller units, yielding more power than existing designs while being installed at much lower levels, urban friendly, less visible, nearly-enclosed rotating machinery, quieter, and safer for indigenous wildlife populations. We plan to market for commercial and residential customers, in turn providing HVAC and electrical power augmentation to utility companies—a reliable and robust addition to the national power grid. Our goals—reduce dependency on foreign oil and provide a clean alternative.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Inventor: John Lee O'Neil
  • Patent number: 8777557
    Abstract: The present invention provides a controllable compound rotor system for the WECS, with a pilot rotor working under low wind speed conditions and a main rotor working under high speed conditions. By proper switching of the clutch, the WECS can not only achieve a greater starting torque under low wind speed conditions, as well as to capture and utilize the low wind-speed wind energy after being started, but also give full play to the advantage of the main rotor having the excellent wind capturing efficiency under high wind speed and high turning speed conditions. Thus the WECS can capture and utilize wind energy under both low and high wind speed conditions, which greatly expands the speed and zone range wherein the WECS can be applied, facilitating wide application of the WECS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignees: Shanghai Forevoo Windpower Technology Co., Ltd., Shanghai Powerfood Energy System Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yunlong Zhang, Hongying Zhang
  • Patent number: 8777558
    Abstract: A casing for a turbomachine rotor wheel includes a plurality of circumferential grooves, each of substantially constant section, with the section areas of the circumferential grooves decreasing from upstream to downstream on going from the first groove to the last groove. By treating the casing in this way, the efficiency of the rotor wheel is optimized and its surge margin is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventors: Antoine Robert Alain Brunet, Olivier Stephane Domercq, Laurent Jablonski, Vincent Paul Gabriel Perrot
  • Patent number: 8777559
    Abstract: A cooling system of ring segment is provided with: a collision plate that has a plurality of small holes; a cooling space that is enclosed by the collision plate and a main body of the segment body; a first cavity that arranged is the upstream end portion of the segment body in the flow direction of the combustion gas so as to be perpendicular to the axial direction of a rotating shaft; a first cooling passage that communicates from the cooling space to the first cavity; and a second cooling passage that communicates from the first cavity to a fire combustion gas d gas space in the downstream end portion of the segment body in the flow direction of the combustion gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidemichi Koyabu, Satoshi Hada
  • Patent number: 8777560
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing a selected tonal noise generated by a fan operating in a non-uniform flow by locating at least one obstruction in the non-uniform flow such that the at least one obstruction generates a noise that is out of phase with the selected tonal noise. The noise generated by the at least one obstruction interferes with the selected tonal noise, thus reducing the selected tonal noise. It is also contemplated to use additional obstructions to reduce other tonal noises generated by the fan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignees: Socpra—Sciences et Genie, S.E.C., Universite de Poitiers, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
    Inventors: Anthony Gerard, Alain Berry, Patrice Masson, Yves Gervais, Michel Besombes
  • Patent number: 8777561
    Abstract: An example compressor shroud assembly includes a shroud body extending along an axis and having a hollow bore. An enlarged flange is located at one axial end of the shroud body. The enlarged flange provides a rotating surface for a retention plate on a first side and a rotating surface for a drive ring on an opposing, second side. The enlarged flange establishes a channel that receives the retention plate. The channel has a ratio of the channel depth to the channel width that is between 0.0216 and 0.0251.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Craig M. Beers, Brent J. Merritt
  • Patent number: 8777562
    Abstract: An air seal for use with rotating parts includes a thermal barrier coating layer adhered to a substrate. An abradable layer is adhered to the thermal barrier coating layer. The abradable layer comprises a matrix of agglomerated hexagonal boron nitride and a metallic alloy. Another hexagonal boron nitride is interspersed with the matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: United Techologies Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher W. Strock, Melvin Freling
  • Patent number: 8777563
    Abstract: A brush seal assembly for turbomachinery having a rotor can include a stationary seal component, a floating seal component coupled to the stationary seal component and circumferentially angled bristles arranged in a bristle pack, disposed in the floating seal component and extended axially with respect to the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Neelesh Nandkumar Sarawate, Norman Arnold Turnquist, William Edward Adis, Robert Gerard Baran, Rodrigo Rodriguez Erdmenger, Robbert Christiaan Pannekeet, Keith Michael Parker, Xiaoqing Zheng
  • Patent number: 8777564
    Abstract: Airfoils according to embodiments of this invention result in a hybrid controlled flow concept that reduces leakage loss by creating a different vortexing concept near endwall regions of the airfoils than at the core region of the airfoils. Specifically, a turbine static nozzle airfoil is disclosed having a variable, non-linear, throat dimension, s, divided by a pitch length, t, distribution (“s/t distribution”) across its radial length. In one embodiment, a plurality of static nozzle airfoils are provided, with each static nozzle airfoil configured such that a throat distance between adjacent static nozzle airfoils is larger proximate the hub regions of the airfoils than proximate the core regions of the airfoils, and the throat distance between adjacent static nozzle airfoils is smaller proximate the tip regions of the airfoils than proximate the core regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Xiaoqiang Zeng, Jonathon Edward Slepski
  • Patent number: 8777565
    Abstract: A steam turbine has an outer casing that is divided into an upper casing and a lower casing (a lower block) on a horizontal plane through which a rotor passes. The upper casing is divided into a middle block having a through hole and an upper block having a top panel, that is, into a portion including at least a part of the through hole through which the rotor penetrates. With this configuration, machining of a bellows fitting unit provided in an end-plate cone portion can be performed in existing facilities such as a factory, in a state that the lower block and the middle block are assembled without assembling the upper block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Kondo, Tamiaki Nakazawa, Takashi Nakano, Yasuyuki Tatsumi
  • Patent number: 8777566
    Abstract: A casing includes an inner shell and an outer shell that surrounds the inner shell and comprises a plurality of inflection points. An annular flange is between the inner shell and the outer shell, and a plurality of joints attach the inner shell to the annular flange. A connector is between the annular flange and the outer shell at each of the plurality of inflection points. A method for assembling a casing includes joining a plurality of curved sections to one another to generally define an arcuate inner shell and surrounding the arcuate inner shell with an outer shell. The method further includes attaching the arcuate inner shell to an annular flange at first attachment points and connecting the annular flange to the outer shell at second attachment points spaced approximately equidistantly from the first attachment points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Stephen Christopher Chieco, Henry Grady Ballard, Ian David Wilson, Martel Alexander McCallum, Kenneth Damon Black, Christopher Paul Cox
  • Patent number: 8777567
    Abstract: A turbine blade includes a first side wall including a first tip edge, a second side wall opposite the first side wall and including a second tip edge, a tip wall between the first and second side walls, the tip wall recessed from the first tip edge of the first side wall and the second tip edge of the second side wall forming a coolant cavity, a tip recess cavity, a first parapet wall on the first side wall, and a second parapet wall on the second side wall, the coolant cavity defined by the tip wall, and the tip recess cavity defined by the tip wall, and the first and second parapet walls, a step formed between the first tip edge and the tip wall, a cooling hole through the first parapet wall, the step, and the tip wall, the cooling hole including an open and a closed channel section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Kin Poon, Malak Fouad Malak, Ardeshir Riahi, David Chou
  • Patent number: 8777568
    Abstract: A platform cooling arrangement in a turbine rotor blade having a platform at an interface between an airfoil and a root, wherein the rotor blade includes an interior cooling passage that in operation, includes at least a high-pressure coolant region and a low-pressure coolant region, and wherein the platform includes a platform underside. The platform cooling arrangement may include: a plate that comprises a plate topside; a channel formed on the plate topside, the channel comprising an upstream end and a downstream end, and being open through the plate topside such that, upon attaching the plate to the platform, the platform underside comprises a channel ceiling; a high-pressure connector that connects the upstream end of the channel to the high-pressure coolant region of the interior cooling passage; and a low-pressure connector that connects the downstream end of the channel to the low-pressure coolant region of the interior cooling passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Scott Edmond Ellis, John Wesley Harris, Jr., Adrian Lional Scott
  • Patent number: 8777569
    Abstract: A turbine stator vane with cooling air cavities each having an impingement cooling insert secured therein, and an impingement cooling insert secured within each cavity. A leading edge impingement insert and a mid-chord impingement insert have a section on the pressure side wall with impingement holes forming a parallel flow of impingement cooling air and a section on the suction side wall with a sinusoidal shaped piece that forms a series of impingement cooling holes that produces impingement cooling on cooler surfaces of the airfoil but with less cooling air flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Florida Turbine Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: George Liang
  • Patent number: 8777570
    Abstract: A stator vane with endwalls having film cooling diffusion slots that open onto the hot gas surface. Each diffusion slot is formed as a row of one or more separated diffusion slots each having a serpentine flow channel and one or more metering inlet holes to supply spent cooling air from an impingement chamber to the diffusion slots. The metering inlet holes meter the flow of cooling air into the serpentine channels, the serpentine channels provide convection cooling for the endwalls, and the diffusion slots diffuse the cooling air into a layer of film cooling air onto the hot gas surface of the endwalls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Florida Turbine Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: George Liang
  • Patent number: 8777571
    Abstract: An air cooled turbine airfoil with a leading edge region having rows of diffusion slots opening onto the airfoil surface. Each diffusion slot is connected to a plurality of metering and diffusion holes that meter the cooling air flow and provide for a first diffusion of the cooling air. The metering holes and diffusion holes are angled in order to improve the cooling effectiveness of the passages. The metering and diffusion holes and diffusion slots are formed from a metal printing process that can produce features that cannot be formed from an investment casting process that uses a ceramic core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Florida Turbine Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: George Liang
  • Patent number: 8777572
    Abstract: A rotor blade has a radially extending aerofoil body having pressure and suction sides. The rotor blade further has squealer tip. The squealer tip includes a peripheral wall surrounding a cavity which is open at the radially outward end of the blade and at the trailing edge of the aerofoil body. The peripheral wall has at least one first region which extends radially from the aerofoil surface which has a first outer surface. The peripheral wall further has, along at least part of at least one of the pressure and suction sides, at least one second region inclined outwardly of the cavity with respect to the radial direction of the blade which has a second outer surface which extends obliquely outwardly of the blade. A radially outer portion of the second outer surface turns towards the radial direction to truncate the outward extension of the second outer surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: Bryan Chee Yuen Cheong, Stephen C Diamond, Gurmukh S Sehra
  • Patent number: 8777573
    Abstract: Wind turbine blade comprising two or more blade sections each of which defines a non-joint zone and, at one or each of its ends, a joint zone. The blade sections are connected in pairs such that the joint zones of each pair are connected at a joint, whereby the joint is positioned between two non-joint zones. At least one of the joints have an increased thickness and a wider chord relative to the thickness and the chord of the two non-joint zone between which the joint is positioned so as to increase the second moment of inertia in the area of the joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Paul Hibbard, Mark Hancock
  • Patent number: 8777574
    Abstract: A windmill pitch driving apparatus is provided, which is capable of achieving improved durability as well as improved output torque and reduced size. The apparatus includes a fixing mechanism for fixing the output pinion to the output shaft. The fixing mechanism includes a positioning portion and a pressure-applying fixing portion. The positioning portion positions the other end side of the pinion with respect to the output shaft side. The pressure-applying fixing portion biases the pinion toward the output shaft in the direction of the axis P of the output shaft from the one end side and is fixed to the output shaft while applying pressure to the pinion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Nabtesco Corporation
    Inventors: Yoji Asano, Haruo Kodama, Katsuhiko Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 8777575
    Abstract: This invention relates to a method and a Propeller Pitch Control Arrangement, comprising a propeller hub (1) having a number of interface fittings (10) for adjustable pitch positioning of a propeller blade, a positioning device (3), within said hub (1), having a number of propeller control interfaces (34) and an actuator arrangement (2, 4, 55) arranged to move and position said positioning device (3) to enable varying pitch for said propeller blades, characterized in—that said actuator arrangement includes a rotatable shaft (2) with threads (20) interacting with mating threads (30) at said positioning device (3), and,—that said rotatable shaft (2) is driven by a motor device (4, 5) positioned adjacent said hub (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Aktiebolag
    Inventor: Jan-Olov Forsstrom
  • Patent number: 8777576
    Abstract: A platform is provided for use between adjacent fan blades joined to a rotor disk to provide an inner flowpath boundary. The platform includes: a metallic arcuate body with opposed forward and aft ends and opposed lateral edges; and a pair of frangible wings that extend from the lateral edges laterally and radially beyond the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nicholas Joseph Kray, Gregory Allen Platz, Jr., Matthew Robert Hastings, Gary Willard Bryant, Jr., Justin Jeffrey Kral
  • Patent number: 8777577
    Abstract: With a hybrid fan blade, the supporting structure (1) in fiber-composite material is enclosed by an enveloping structure (2) only in an area of the airfoil, with a suction-side sheet-metal cover of the enveloping structure being pre-stressed in tension and a pressure-side sheet-metal cover of the enveloping structure being pre-stressed in compression. This reduces the hazard of delamination between the enveloping structure and the supporting structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG
    Inventor: Karl Schreiber
  • Patent number: 8777578
    Abstract: The invention provides a method of manufacturing a spar (1) for a wind turbine blade steps of providing at least two caps (2a, 2b), each cap forming an intermediate portion (4) between two end portions (5), where the end portions each forms a cap joint surface portion (6) along a longitudinal extending edge of the end portion and the intermediate portion forms an outer surface portion (7) of the spar, providing at least two webs (3a, 3b), each web being provided with web joint surface portions (8) along opposite and longitudinally extending edges, and connecting the joint surface portions of the caps with the joint surface portions of the webs to form a tubular configuration of the spar. The at least two caps are configured for attachment to a blade shell so that the intermediate portion of one of the caps faces towards or forms part of a windward surface of the blade and the other one of the caps faces towards or forms part of a leeward surface of the blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Mark Hancock, Andrew Hedges, Tomas Vronsky
  • Patent number: 8777579
    Abstract: The invention provides a method of manufacturing a spar (1) for a wind turbine blade. The method comprises steps of providing at least two caps (2a, 2b), each cap forming an intermediate portion (4) between two end portions (5), where the end portions each forms a cap joint surface portion (6) along a longitudinal extending edge of the end portion and the intermediate portion forms an outer surface portion (7) of the spar, providing at least two webs (3a, 3b), each web being provided with web joint surface portions (8) along opposite and longitudinally extending edges, and connecting the joint surface portions of the caps with the joint surface portions of the webs to form a tubular configuration of the spar. The intermediate portions and the end portions are provided so that they comprise different materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Mark Hancock, Andrew Hedges, Tomas Vronsky
  • Patent number: 8777580
    Abstract: An airfoil (26, 62, 64) is mounted on a chordwise stall fence (28) of a wind turbine blade (22). The airfoil may be an aerodynamic slat (26) positioned over a forward portion of the suction side (38) of the blade or a flap (63) disposed near a trailing edge (34) of the blade. The stall fence may be at least as high as the thickness of the boundary layer (39) of air passing over the blade. The slat or flap may be twisted between an inboard end (26A) and an outboard end (26B) to compensate for the radially varying angle of the relative air inflow (46A, 46B).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Drew Eisenberg
  • Patent number: 8777582
    Abstract: Hybrid components containing a ceramic material, in which detailed features of the components are formed of materials other than ceramic materials, yet result in a robust mechanical attachment of the ceramic and non-ceramic portions of the components. The components includes a first subcomponent formed of a ceramic-based material and a second subcomponent formed of a metallic material. The first subcomponent has a nub and the second subcomponent is separately formed and attached to the first subcomponent by casting the metallic material around the nub of the first subcomponent. The second subcomponent is attached to the first subcomponent by a compression fit and encapsulation of the second subcomponent on the nub of the first subcomponent. The nub has a compliant coating system that provides thermal expansion compliance between the metallic material of the second subcomponent and the ceramic-based material of the first subcomponent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Toby George Darkins, Jr., John Peter Heyward, Eric Alan Estill, Joshua Brian Jamison, James Herbert Deines, Mark Willard Marusko, James Thomas Hawkins
  • Patent number: 8777583
    Abstract: A hybrid turbine airfoil component containing a ceramic material, in which detailed features of the component are formed of materials other than ceramic materials, yet result in a robust mechanical attachment of the ceramic and non-ceramic portions of the component. The component includes a first subcomponent formed of a ceramic-based material, and a second subcomponent formed of a metallic material. The first subcomponent has an airfoil portion and a nub, and the second subcomponent is separately formed and attached to the first subcomponent by casting the metallic material around the nub of the first subcomponent. The second subcomponent includes a blade tip shroud portion having at least one off-axis geometric feature that results in the second subcomponent having a more complex geometry than the first subcomponent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Toby George Darkins, Jr., Joshua Brian Jamison, John Peter Heyward, Chad Daniel Kleinow, Roger Lee Doughty
  • Patent number: 8777584
    Abstract: An energy saving three pump waste water pump station design that eliminates the high energy usage of traditional waste water pump stations, reduces maintenance costs to the pumps and increases the useful lives of the pumps by having a primary pump running continuously, a second pump mining during high demand periods and a third pump functioning primarily as a back up pump. Unlike conventional pump-station designs, the Energy Saving Green Pump Station Design utilizes a single float switch panel. Whereas independent float switches trigger start-stops in conventional pump station designs, the Green design incorporates a remote controllable panel for rotating the primary, secondary and third pumps on a schedule. This design also provides a process for determining in-flow rates for a pump station and efficiency operating points of pumps so that the most efficient pumps with the lowest horsepower can be selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Inventor: Nasser Fred Mehr