Vibration Inhibiting Or Expansion-contraction Structure Patents (Class 416/190)
  • Patent number: 11946388
    Abstract: A turbine engine with an outer rotor that circumscribes an inner rotor. The outer rotor includes circumferentially arranged components with a radial outer end and radial inner end. Inner ends of confronting sides of adjacent components include at least one damper element to dampen the relative motion of the components or to provide at least a partial seal between adjacent components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: GE Avio S.r.l.
    Inventors: Antonio Giusseppe D'Ettole, Andrea Depalma, Roberto Maddaleno, Matteo Renato Usseglio
  • Patent number: 11795831
    Abstract: A multi-material vane is provided for a gas turbine engine. This vane includes an airfoil extending along a chamber line between a leading edge and a trailing edge. The airfoil extends along a span line between an inner end and an outer end. The airfoil extends laterally between a first side and a second side. The airfoil includes a base section, a first side section and a second side section. The base section defines at least a portion of the trailing edge of the airfoil. The base section is laterally between and connected to the first side section and the second side section. The first side section defines at least a portion of the first side of the airfoil. The second side section defines at least a portion of the second side of the airfoil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Arun K. Theertham, Andrew Pope
  • Patent number: 11767763
    Abstract: A turbomachine airfoil element includes an airfoil that has pressure and suction sides spaced apart from one another in a thickness direction and joined to one another at leading and trailing edges. The airfoil extends in a radial direction a span that is in a range of 1.01-1.15 inch (25.7-29.3 mm). A chord length extends in a chordwise direction from the leading edge to the trailing edge at 50% span and is in a range of 0.54-0.66 inch (13.6-16.8 mm). The airfoil element includes at least two of a first mode with a frequency of 2033 ± 15% Hz, a second mode with a frequency of 7023 ± 15% Hz, a third mode with a frequency of 12082 ± 15% Hz and a fourth mode with a frequency of 19769 ± 15% Hz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Charles H. Warner, Carl S. Richardson, Ling Liu, Robert W. Fessenden
  • Patent number: 11698002
    Abstract: A turbomachine airfoil element includes an airfoil that has pressure and suction sides spaced apart from one another in a thickness direction and joined to one another at leading and trailing edges. The airfoil extends in a radial direction a span that is in a range of 3.46-3.76 inch (87.8-95.5 mm). A chord length extends in a chordwise direction from the leading edge to the trailing edge at 50% span and is in a range of 1.98-2.28 inch (50.2-57.8 mm). The airfoil element includes at least one of a first mode with a frequency of 1056 ± 10% Hz and a second mode with a frequency of 1582 ± 10% Hz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: William R. Edwards, Steven J. Feigleson, Kate Hudon
  • Patent number: 11572788
    Abstract: A rotary manifold for a rotor assembly of a cohesion-type drive includes a manifold body extending along a drive axis for rotation thereabout, a first ductwork internal the body for fluid communication with a plurality of first chambers of the drive, and a second ductwork internal the body for fluid communication with a plurality of second chambers of the drive. The second ductwork is in fluid isolation of the first ductwork.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: McGuire Aero Propulsion Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Daniel Matthew McGuire
  • Patent number: 11560809
    Abstract: An electric module of a fan includes a fan provided with blades which are rotatably movable inside a casing, and an electric machine having a rotor secured to the fan and a stator integrated into said casing. The rotor of the electric machine is integrated into the fan and includes a removable ring which captures axially and transversely from the radially outer ends the blades of the fan and which is received inside said stator which is integrated into the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Gilles Alain Marie Charier, Caroline Marie Frantz, Loïc Paul Yves Guillotel, Vincent François Georges Millier
  • Patent number: 11519276
    Abstract: A vibration damping element for a vibration damping system for a turbine nozzle or blade includes an elongated body and a wire mesh member that surrounds the elongated body. The wire mesh member has a first outer dimension in an inoperative state and a second, larger outer dimension in an operative state. In the operative state, the wire mesh member frictionally engages with an inner surface of a body opening in the turbine nozzle or blade to damp vibration. In the inoperative state, the wire mesh member slides freely in the body opening in the turbine nozzle or blade. A retention system includes a retention member on the elongated body that fixes the wire mesh member relative to a length of the elongated body in the operative state in the body opening of the turbine nozzle or blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Zachary John Snider, John McConnell Delvaux
  • Patent number: 11339663
    Abstract: A rotor of a turbine cooled by compressed air supplied from a compressor of a gas turbine prevents combustion gas from flowing between platforms and guides compressed air discharged outside the platform toward the blade airfoil. The rotor includes a disk having an outer circumferential surface; a plurality of blade airfoils arranged around the disk; and a plurality of platforms coupled to the outer circumferential surface of the disk, each platform having an outer circumferential surface to receive a corresponding blade airfoil and side-facing surfaces which are spaced apart from each other on adjacent platforms of the plurality of platforms to form a cooling passage through which the compressed air flows outward in a radial direction of the rotor, the cooling passage including a bend in a rotational direction of the rotor. The bend directs the compressed air in a direction opposite to the rotational direction of the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Inventor: Ki Baek Kim
  • Patent number: 11333027
    Abstract: A turbomachine rotor has a disk carrying vanes, each vane having a blade linked by a platform to a root. For at least one vane, a recess is defined between the platform and the disk, and a vibration damper is mounted in the recess. The vibration damper includes a first structural portion configured to contact the platform of which the vibrations are to be dampened, and a second mass portion configured to dampen these vibrations. The second mass portion is a powder and the first structural portion is a box containing the powder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: SAFRAN HELICOPTER ENGINES
    Inventor: Laetitia Pollet
  • Patent number: 11293289
    Abstract: A bladed rotor system includes a circumferential row of blades mounted on a rotor disc. Each blade includes an airfoil and a shroud attached to the airfoil at a span-wise height of the airfoil. The row of blades includes a first set of blades and a second set of blades. The airfoils in the first and second set of blades have substantially identical cross-sectional geometry about a rotation axis. The blades of the second set are distinguished from the blades of the first set by a geometry of the shroud that is unique to the respective set, whereby the natural frequency of a blades in the first and second sets differ by a predetermined amount. Blades of the first set and the second set alternate in a periodic fashion in said circumferential row, to provide a frequency mistuning to stabilize flutter of the blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignees: Siemens Energy Global GmbH & Co. KG, Blade Diagnostics Corporation
    Inventors: Jerry H. Griffin, Yuekun Zhou
  • Patent number: 11174739
    Abstract: A damped turbine blade assembly for a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The damped turbine blade assembly includes a damper positioned within a first small slot of a first turbine blade and a second large slot of the second turbine blade. A portion of the damper can slidably mate with the second large slot providing a radial and angular connection between the first turbine blade and second turbine blade while allowing movement in a direction tangent to a radial of a center axis of the gas turbine engine. The tangential movement is resisted by friction between the damper contacting the second large slot and provides friction damping against vibrations felt by the turbine blades during operation of the gas turbine engine. The damper can be shaped and/or pre-stressed to control the normal force component of the friction between the damper and the second large slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Loc Quang Duong, Olivier Jacques Lamicq
  • Patent number: 11162368
    Abstract: An airfoil assembly includes first and second ceramic airfoil pieces that each have first and second platforms and a hollow airfoil section that connects the first and second platforms. First and second spars extend through, respectively, the hollow airfoil sections. A seal has a seal body that defines at least one orifice and a seal portion. The first spar extends through one of the at least one orifices and the seal portion bridges a mate face between the first platforms of the first and second ceramic airfoil pieces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Adam P. Generale, Tracy A. Propheter-Hinckley
  • Patent number: 11149585
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a turbomachine assembly with an annular flow cascade, which has a plurality of blades, which are arranged distributed in a peripheral direction, and a detuning device for different detuning of natural frequencies of the blades, wherein the detuning device has a ring that revolves in the peripheral direction, or wherein the detuning device has all detuning elements that are arranged at the blade, which follow one another in a row in the peripheral direction, and are designed in such a way that, during operation, first blades of the flow cascade each contact at most one, in particular, no movable detuning element of the detuning device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: MTU Aero Engines AG
    Inventor: Andreas Hartung
  • Patent number: 11105209
    Abstract: A shroud assembly for a gas turbine engine including a plurality of rotor blades. The shroud assembly includes a plurality of tip shrouds, a plurality of flanges, and a plurality of first compressible elements. Each of the plurality of tip shrouds includes an outer band. Further each of the plurality of tip shrouds is coupled to one of the plurality of rotor blades at a tip end. Each of the plurality of flanges extends radially outward from one of the plurality of tip shrouds. Each of the plurality of first compressible elements is coupled to at least one of the plurality of flanges or one of the plurality of tip shrouds and oriented in a first circumferential direction. Further, each of the plurality of first compressible elements is oriented toward an adjacent tip shroud such that the tip shrouds mechanically engage to form a circumferential shroud.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Matthew Mark Weaver, Dane Michael Dale
  • Patent number: 11098593
    Abstract: A rotor blade for disposition in a hot gas duct of a turbomachine, the rotor blade having an airfoil and an inner platform radially inwardly thereof, the inner platform having a chamber formed therein which is radially outwardly bounded by an inner shroud of the inner platform and is axially bounded between a forward chamber wall and a rearward chamber wall of the inner platform. A forward sealing plate is disposed at the forward chamber wall and extends axially forwardly away from the chamber, and a rearward sealing plate is disposed at the rearward chamber wall and extends axially rearwardly away from the chamber. Furthermore, an axial partition is disposed in the chamber, which axial partition divides the chamber into a radially inner chamber wall region and a radially outer chamber wall region and which, when viewed in an axial cross section, extends into the forward chamber wall at the level of the forward sealing plate and into the rearward chamber wall at the level of the rearward sealing plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: MTU Aero Engines AG
    Inventor: Manfred Feldmann
  • Patent number: 11092018
    Abstract: Damping members for turbocharger assemblies, methods for providing turbocharger assemblies, and turbocharger assemblies are described herein. The damping members include bodies having shapes to fit between a recess extending into a rotor disk of a turbocharger and laterally protruding shoulders of platforms in neighboring blades of the turbocharger. The bodies dampen vibrations of the blades during rotation of the blades. The damping members may include a variety of shapes, such as a sheet, a wedge, a tapered pin, a cylindrical pin, a bent sheet, or another shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: TRANSPORTATION IP HOLDINGS, LLC
    Inventors: Suryarghya Chakrabarti, Yashwanth Tummala, Letian Wang, Walter John Smith, Daniel Edward Loringer, Brian Denver Potter, Matthew John Malone
  • Patent number: 11066938
    Abstract: A rotary machine includes damper pins and platforms each having a flat surface extending in an axial line direction. For each adjacent pair of the platforms, a damper abutting surface of a first of the adjacent pair of the platforms extends toward a damper abutting surface of a second of the adjacent pair of the platforms as approaching an outer side of a rotor blade stage in a radial direction while opposing each other in a peripheral direction. A damper accommodation space, which is defined by surfaces including the damper abutting surfaces, is defined between each adjacent pair of the platforms. Each of the damper pins defines a regular polygonal prism extending in the axial line direction and includes a damper pin main body in which an angle defined by two side surfaces corresponds to an angle defined by the damper abutting surfaces between the adjacent pair of the platforms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Ryuichi Umehara, Haruko Shiraishi
  • Patent number: 11053810
    Abstract: The invention relates to an assembly of turbine engine (50) parts having a longitudinal axis (X), the assembly comprising at least two adjacent fan blades made of a 3D woven composite material, each blade (1) comprising a root (3), a vane (2) extending from the root (3), and an integrated platform (4) inserted between the root (3) and the vane (2), the platform (4) extending on either side of the vane (2) and forming a pressure face platform portion (4I) and a suction face platform portion (4E), the pressure face and suction face platform portions of adjacent blades being connected by a fin (14) extending at least radially at the outer side of the pressure face and suction face platform portions (4I, 4E), relative to the longitudinal axis (X), having a substantially triangular transverse cross section and extending axially and so as to upper overlap the longitudinal edges (11A, 11B) of the pressure face and suction face platform portions (4I, 4E) of the adjacent blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Matthieu Pierre Michel Dubosc, Benjamin Bulot
  • Patent number: 11021984
    Abstract: A platform assembly for a fan of a gas turbine engine includes a lug, and a platform. The lug has a head, a base, and a leg that extends between the head and the base. The platform is at least partially disposed about the head. The platform has an outer surface and an inner surface. The head is arranged to engage the inner surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Arun K. Theertham, Peter Karkos
  • Patent number: 10941671
    Abstract: A turbine engine component includes: a body bounded by an end face; and a seal slot having an opening communicating with the end face, the seal slot including a receptacle defining a boundary configured to receive and position a spline seal, and an open chamber communicating with the seal slot and extending beyond the boundary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Weston Nolan Dooley, James Michael Hoffman, Gregory Terrence Garay
  • Patent number: 10934874
    Abstract: An assembly comprising a blade including a blade portion, a root portion and a platform portion between the blade portion and the root portion, the platform portion defining at least one cavity opened laterally. An abutment projects from a wall portion of the cavity at a trailing end of the blade. A seal is received in the cavity and positioned along a periphery of the cavity, the seal having a trailing edge abutting against the abutment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Lorenzo Sanzari, Othmane Leghzaouni
  • Patent number: 10890081
    Abstract: A disk assembly for use in a turbine of a gas turbine engine. The disk assembly includes a disk and a plurality of platforms coupled with the disk. The disk includes a plurality of radially extending disk lugs that define slots for receiving airfoils. The platforms are coupled to the disk lugs between neighboring blades to block radially inward movement of hot gasses toward the disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Ted J. Freeman, Aaron D. Sippel
  • Patent number: 10871076
    Abstract: A rotating unit of a steam turbine includes a rotor; a bucket coupled to the rotor to convert fluid energy into mechanical work, the coupled bucket being pre-twisted at a predetermined angle, the bucket having a base surface facing a point of coupling between the rotor and the bucket; and bucket support means, provided at the point of coupling between the rotor and the bucket, for supporting a twisted state of the bucket based on the coupling between the rotor and the bucket, thereby enabling the twisting of the bucket to be maintained during operation. In a steam turbine including the rotating unit, it is possible to reduce vibration occurring during operation and to increase the contact force between a cover formed at the blade tip of the bucket and a cover of another bucket to prevent a leakage of steam between adjacent covers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: Doosan Heavy Industries Construction Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Seok Jin Jang
  • Patent number: 10851661
    Abstract: A sealing system for a rotary machine is provided. The sealing system includes a pair of circumferentially adjacent rotary components. Each of the rotary components includes a platform, a shank, and a radial seal. The shank extends radially inwardly from the platform and includes a radially extending first side channel and an opposite radially extending second side channel. The radial seal includes a first leg received in the first side channel of a first of the pair of rotary components, a second leg received in the second side channel of a second of the pair of rotary components (201), and a resiliently deformable body extending therebetween, the body including a U-shaped portion located generally centrally between the first leg and the second leg.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Philip James Corser, Sarah Heaven
  • Patent number: 10807166
    Abstract: Embodiments of a methods for producing gas turbine engine rotors and other powdered metal articles having shaped internal cavities are provided. In one embodiment, the method includes consolidating a powdered metal body utilizing a hot isostatic pressing process to produce a rotor preform in which elongated sacrificial tubes are embedded. Acid or another solvent is directed into solvent inlet channels provided in the elongated sacrificial tubes to chemically dissolving the elongated sacrificial tubes and create shaped cavities within the rotor preform. The rotor preform is subject to further processing, such as machining, prior to or after chemical dissolution of the elongated sacrificial tubes to produce the completed gas turbine engine rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Deanna Pinar Chase, Amandine Miner, Harry Lester Kington, Anthony Martinez
  • Patent number: 10801335
    Abstract: In a rotary machine, one of platforms adjacent to each other in a peripheral direction has a first abutting surface extending in a radial direction and against which damper pins abut, and the rotary machine includes: a first moving member installed to be movable in the peripheral direction between the platforms adjacent to each other in the peripheral direction and on which a second damper abutting surface against which the damper pins abut is formed while a relative distance with the first damper abutting surface decreases as opposing the first damper abutting surface in the peripheral direction and approaching the outer side in the radial direction; and a spring member biasing the first moving member toward one side in the peripheral direction which is one platform side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Ryuichi Umehara, Haruko Shiraishi
  • Patent number: 10788049
    Abstract: A turbomachine airfoil element includes an airfoil that has pressure and suction sides spaced apart from one another in a thickness direction and joined to one another at leading and trailing edges. The airfoil extends in a radial direction a span that is in a range of 2.59-2.89 inch (65.7-73.3 mm). A chord length extends in a chordwise direction from the leading edge to the trailing edge at 50% span and is in a range of 1.46-1.76 inch (37.1-44.7 mm). The airfoil element includes at least two of a first mode with a frequency of 703±10% Hz, a second mode with a frequency of 3574±10% Hz, a third mode with a frequency of 8100±10% Hz, a fourth mode with a frequency of 9450±10% Hz, a fifth mode with a frequency of 11116±10% Hz and a sixth mode with a frequency of 11620±10% Hz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: William R. Edwards, Stephen W. Milks, Steven J. Feigleson, Mark A. Stephens, Joseph C. Straccia
  • Patent number: 10760429
    Abstract: A turbomachine airfoil element includes an airfoil that has pressure and suction sides spaced apart from one another in a thickness direction and joined to one another at leading and trailing edges. The airfoil extends in a radial direction a span that is in a range of 3.45-3.75 inch (87.6-95.3 mm). A chord length extends in a chordwise direction from the leading edge to the trailing edge at 50% span and is in a range of 1.55-1.85 inch (39.4-47.0 mm). The airfoil element includes at least two of a first mode with a frequency of 424±10% Hz, a second mode with a frequency of 1401±10% Hz, a third mode with a frequency of 1770±10% Hz, a fourth mode with a frequency of 3336±10% Hz, a fifth mode with a frequency of 3378±10% Hz and a sixth mode with a frequency of 4141±10% Hz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Xuedong Zhou, Evan K. Fink, Joseph C. Straccia, Joseph Wieser, Konstantinos Panagiotis Giannakopoulos
  • Patent number: 10760592
    Abstract: A turbomachine airfoil element includes an airfoil that has pressure and suction sides spaced apart from one another in a thickness direction and joined to one another at leading and trailing edges. The airfoil extends in a radial direction a span that is in a range of 17.2-18.2 inches (436-462 mm). A chord length extends in a chordwise direction from the leading edge to the trailing edge at 50% span is in a range of 10.0-11.0 inches (255-281 mm). The airfoil element includes at least two of a first mode with a frequency of 51±10% Hz, a second mode with a frequency of 147±10% Hz, a third mode with a frequency of 267±10% Hz, a fourth mode with a frequency of 350±10% Hz, a fifth mode with a frequency of 454±10% Hz and a sixth mode with a frequency of 619±10% Hz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Xuedong Zhou, Jordan J. Franklin, Michael A. Weisse, Lee Drozdenko, Mouhamadou Diop, Daniel W. Yebo, Linda S. Li
  • Patent number: 10684040
    Abstract: A furnace including a combustion chamber for burning fuel can have increased fuel burning efficiency, increased heating efficiency, and decreased harmful emissions of combustion byproducts. A combustion air delivery system delivers primary and secondary combustion air to the combustion chamber. Primary and secondary combustion air may be delivered at amounts that increase burning efficiency. An amount of secondary combustion air can be controlled by a valve system. A heat transfer device efficiently transfers heat from products of combustion for heating an enclosed space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: FIRE CHIEF INDUSTRIES LLC
    Inventors: Danny N. Haynes, Gregory A. Miller
  • Patent number: 10677072
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are a bucket vibration damping structure and a bucket and turbomachine having the same. The bucket vibration damping structure comprises a plurality of blades disposed on a plurality of buckets mounted on an outer peripheral surface of a rotor disk and a variable contact-type vibration damping means disposed on the plurality of blades and performing variable contact according to rotational speed of a rotor for damping vibration. The variable contact-type vibration damping means may comprise a first damping member disposed on one of the blades, and a second damping member disposed at a position corresponding to the first damping member on the other blade. According to the disclosure, it is possible to effectively damp vibration while performing variable contact according to the rotational speed of a turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: Doosan Heavy Industries Construction Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jae Min Ju
  • Patent number: 10641109
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine rotor assembly includes a plurality of blades spaced apart from each other for rotation about an axis. Each of the blades includes a platform having an inner surface and an outer surface. Adjacent platforms are separated from each other by a gap. A damper is positioned at an offset position within the gap to contact the inner surfaces of the adjacent platforms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Brandon M. Rapp, Matthew Andrew Hough
  • Patent number: 10612401
    Abstract: A blisk assembly for vibration dampening includes a disk portion extending circumferentially about a central axis of the blisk, a plurality of blades integrally coupled to the disk, and a piezoelectric damping ring that includes a damping ring and a plurality of piezoelectric elements coupled to the damping ring. The disk portion includes a groove configured to receive the piezoelectric damping ring. As a result of centrifugal forces applied to the piezoelectric damping ring during rotation of the blisk assembly, mechanical energy may be generated at one or more of the plurality of piezoelectric elements, which is converted to electrical energy and transmitted to another one or more of the plurality of piezoelectric elements. Accordingly, the one or more of the piezoelectric elements having received the electricity can convert the electricity to mechanical energy to provide vibration damping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Roy D. Fulayter, Daniel Hoyniak
  • Patent number: 10570765
    Abstract: An article includes first and second endwall arc segments that include a gaspath side and airfoils on the gaspath side. Each of the first and second endwall arc segments include first and second circumferential mate faces. The first circumferential mate face of the first endwall arc segment forms a joint with the second circumferential mate face of the second endwall arc segment. A cover on the gaspath side spans across at least a portion of the joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tracy A. Propheter-Hinckley
  • Patent number: 10557356
    Abstract: Bayonet connection key includes upper and lower blocks shaped to be inserted one at a time into a key space, having laterally spaced apart upper and lower flat first and second side contact surfaces, and means for retaining blocks against each other. Bolt or screw may be disposed through an aperture in retaining plate and screwed into threaded hole in upper block pressing retaining plate against lower block. Upper block may include axially spaced apart upwardly extending forward and aft lugs, aft lug shorter than forward lug, and inwardly extending upper stop lug at aft end of upper block. Alternatively bendable tab extending axially forward from a front end of the lower block may be bent up contacting upper block for retaining blocks in key space. Upper block may include forward and aft lugs of same radial length and inwardly extending stop lug at aft end of lower block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Daniel Edward Wines, Harsha Prakash, Kandukuri Chandrashekhar
  • Patent number: 10465531
    Abstract: A turbine bucket adapted to be supported on a turbine or rotor wheel includes an airfoil portion extending radially relative to a longitudinal axis of the rotor wheel and having a leading edge, a trailing edge, a pressure side and a suction side. At least one tip shroud extends in opposite circumferential directions, the shroud having a first hard face adapted to engage a mating second hard face on a shroud extending circumferentially from an adjacent bucket. The first hard face defined by a surface portion that varies circumferentially with an increasing radius as measured from the longitudinal axis of the rotor wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Gayathri Puram, Sheo Narain Giri, Harish Bommanakatte
  • Patent number: 10385701
    Abstract: A damper pin for damping adjacent turbine blades coupled to a rotor shaft includes a first end portion that is axially spaced from a second end portion and a spring member that extends axially from an inner surface of the first end portion to an inner surface of the second end portion. The first end portion, the spring member and the second end portion define a generally arcuate top portion of the damper pin. The top portion is configured to contact with a groove defined between the adjacent turbine blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Spencer A. Kareff, Brian Denver Potter, Ariel Caesar Prepena Jacala
  • Patent number: 10371050
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine system includes a drive shaft and a compressor located in a compressor case. The compressor has a number of rotors. Each rotor includes a number of blades radially extending from a rotor wheel and terminating in a blade tip. The blade tip terminates in close proximity to the case and defines a tip clearance. An air flow control system is coupled to the compressor. The air flow system includes inductive coils and plasma actuators coupled to the case and magnets coupled to the blade. The plasma actuators induce air flows in order to, for example, mitigate air flow leakage around the tip of the blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventor: Benjamin M. Iwrey
  • Patent number: 10294801
    Abstract: A rotor blade includes a main body that extends radially outward from a first end to a second end, and includes a platform at the second end that extends circumferentially between opposing first and second sidewalls. The platform includes a first lateral wall that is situated between leading and trailing edges of the platform. The first lateral wall extends circumferentially between the first and second sidewalls and radially outward from the platform. The first lateral wall includes an extension that extends the first lateral wall circumferentially outward from the first sidewall. Respective portions of the first and second sidewalls adjacent to the first lateral wall reside in respective first and second planes, and the extension includes an outer face situated outside of the first and second planes. A majority of the first lateral wall includes a first material, and the outer face includes a second material having a different resistance to wear than the first material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: JinQuan Xu, Glenn Levasseur, Gregory M. Dolansky
  • Patent number: 10247023
    Abstract: A seal damper system includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced blades that each include a platform and an airfoil that extends radially outwardly from the platform. A pocket is arranged circumferentially intermediate the blades and radially inwardly of the platform. A seal damper is arranged in the pocket. The seal damper includes a base section that extends along an axial dimension from a first axial end to an opposing second axial end. The base section joins a first arm that extends radially inwardly from the first axial end and a second arm that extends radially inwardly from the second axial end. The first arm includes a free end having a pair of spaced apart shoulders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jeffrey S. Beattie, Jeffrey Michael Jacques
  • Patent number: 10227884
    Abstract: A platform for a gas turbine engine has an outer surface and an inner surface. The inner surface is provided with a mount location for mounting the platform to a rotor. The platform extends from a leading edge to a trailing edge, and between a suction wall and a pressure wall. A circumferential direction is defined between the suction wall and the pressure wall. A tab extend circumferentially outward of one of the suction and pressure walls from the platform. The tab has a circumferentially outermost portion which will abut an inner surface of an adjacent platform when the platform is mounted. A fan section and a gas turbine engine are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Andrew G. Alarcon
  • Patent number: 10196915
    Abstract: A platform trailing edge seal for a turbomachine airfoil (e.g., a blade or vane) assembly includes a body configured to extend into an aft portion of a mateface gap defined between a circumferentially adjacent pair of turbomachine airfoil platforms to minimize flow from entering a blade-vane cavity through the aft portion of the mateface gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Lane Thornton
  • Patent number: 10190434
    Abstract: A turbine shroud for a gas turbine engine includes an annular metallic carrier, a blade track, and a cross-key connection formed between the annular metallic carrier and the ceramic blade track. The cross-key connection is formed between the annular metallic carrier and inserts included in the blade track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc., Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: William Westphal, Aaron D. Sippel, Ted J. Freeman
  • Patent number: 10151210
    Abstract: An airfoil array for a gas turbine engine comprises a plurality of airfoils spaced circumferentially apart from each other about an engine center axis. Each airfoil is associated with a platform. An endwall extends circumferentially about the engine center axis, and is defined by adjacent platforms. Each pair of adjacent platforms are separated from each other by a gap. An endwall contour shape extends from a first location on one side of the gap to a second location on an opposite of the gap. The endwall contour shape is the same for all adjacent platforms. A gas turbine engine and a method of forming an airfoil array for a gas turbine engine are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Flavien L. Thomas
  • Patent number: 10145247
    Abstract: A rotor for a turbo-machine, the rotor having a rotational axis and circumferentially spaced-apart radially extending blades of aerofoil configuration, each blade having a suction side, an oppositely directed pressure side, and a pair of oppositely directed snubbers each of which extends from a respective side towards a circumferentially adjacent blade and presents an abutment surface for abutment with the abutment surface of a respective adjacent snubber extending from the adjacent blade. Each snubber is configured such that its abutment surface makes an acute snubber angle to the axis of rotation. At least one pair of adjacent snubbers are configured such that their abutment surfaces are at an equal first snubber angle, with all of the other snubbers being configured such that their abutment surfaces are at equal second snubber angles. The first snubber angle is larger than the second snubber angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: Michael P Orford
  • Patent number: 10145249
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine system comprises a rotor wheel, a plurality of blades, a lockwire and a locking key. The rotor wheel comprises a plurality of axial grooves extending through a periphery of the rotor wheel, and a plurality of posts formed between adjacent slots, each post having a circumferential slot. The blades are mounted in the axial grooves of the rotor wheel, each blade having a circumferential slot circumferentially aligned with the circumferential slots of the posts. The lockwire extends across the plurality of axial grooves of the rotor wheel within each of the circumferential slots of the posts and the blades from a first end to a second end to inhibit axial displacement of the blades within the grooves. The locking key is disposed between the first and second ends of the lockwire and provides support to at least one of the ends of the lockwire to prevent radially inward displacement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Mechanical Dynamics & Analysis LLC
    Inventors: Leissner F. Poth, Clayton Danyew, David Jesse Warren Lovinger, Sanjay Surat Hingorani
  • Patent number: 10125788
    Abstract: Fan blade containment system includes circular tile layer of annular ceramic tiles attached to and extending radially inwardly from a shell, radially inner and outer annular surfaces of ceramic tiles bonded to a radially inner composite layer and the shell respectively with elastomeric inner and outer adhesive layers respectively. Elastomeric adhesive layers between circumferentially adjacent overlapped or scarfed edges along circumferential edges of the ceramic tiles overlap and mate along oppositely facing surfaces of adjacent ones of the ceramic tiles. Inner and outer adhesive layers and elastomeric adhesive layer may be a double-sided adhesive foam tape. Scarfed edges may be bevels or rabbets. Shell may be made of a metal or composite material. Fan blade containment system may be bonded to and extend inwardly from fan case circumscribing fan blades of a fan. Inner composite layer and composite outer shell may be co-cured with ceramic tiles therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Wendy Wen-Ling Lin, David Sujay Kingsley, Benjamin James Roby
  • Patent number: 10094233
    Abstract: A turbine shroud for a gas turbine engine includes an annular metallic carrier, a blade track, and a cross-key connection formed between the annular metallic carrier and the ceramic blade track. The cross-key connection is formed between the annular metallic carrier and inserts included in the blade track. The inserts are bonded to an annular runner also included in the blade track by a braze layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Sean E. Landwehr, William Westphal, Ted J. Freeman, Adam L. Chamberlain
  • Patent number: 10060271
    Abstract: A shrouded airfoil may have a suction surface and a pressure surface. An at least first suction surface shroud may be disposed on the suction surface and an at least first pressure surface shroud may be disposed on the pressure surface. The at least first suction surface shroud may include a first and second contoured surface and a first mating face. The first contoured surface may have a first substantially concave portion and a first substantially convex portion. The second contoured surface may have a second substantially concave portion and a second substantially convex portion. The at least first pressure surface shroud may include a third and fourth contoured surface and a second mating face. The third contoured surface may have a third substantially concave portion and a third substantially convex portion. The fourth contoured surface may have a fourth substantially concave portion and a fourth substantially convex portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Frederick M. Schwarz, Michael A. Weisse
  • Patent number: 10012085
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine rotor assembly has a plurality of blades spaced apart from each other for rotation about an axis. Each of the blades includes a platform having an inner surface and an outer surface. The inner surfaces of adjacent platforms define a pocket having a radially outer wall, a pressure side wall, and a suction side wall. The pocket includes a leading edge wall portion and a trailing edge wall portion, and a shelf extending in a tangential direction relative to the axis from the pressure side of the pocket. The shelf is spaced apart from the radially outer wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Matthew Andrew Hough, Brandon M. Rapp