Having Radial Flange Patents (Class 416/192)
  • Patent number: 11377966
    Abstract: A moving blade for a turbine or compressor stage of a gas turbine is provided, including a vane (10) and a radially outer shroud (20), for at least one contour point (PK) of an outer contour of a profile cross section (P) of the vane at a radial outer gas channel boundary, the wall thickness of the shroud at at least one edge point (PR) of the shroud, whose connecting line (V), including the contour point with a normal (N), which is perpendicular to the outer contour of the profile cross section in the contour point, encloses an angle (?), which is no more than 5°, is less than a wall thickness of the shroud at the contour point, the wall thickness of the shroud decreasing strictly monotonously along the connecting line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: MTU Aero Engines AG
    Inventors: Frank Stiehler, Lars Schellhorn
  • Patent number: 11333031
    Abstract: A turbomachine rotor blade includes a radially outer end equipped with a heel, the heel being provided with at least one sealing wiper, the or each sealing wiper projecting beyond the heel along a first axis, the first axis being at ±15° with respect to a radial direction, and extending along a second axis, substantially perpendicular to the first axis, between a first upper-surface end and a second lower-surface end, the or each sealing wiper having a first upstream side and a second downstream side as well as a radially outer surface, wherein the or each sealing wiper includes a base attached to the heel and an end piece removably interlocked with the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Vijeay Patel, Pragash Douglas, Guillaume Evrard, Quentin Bruno Guy André Emile Lievoux
  • Patent number: 11015458
    Abstract: A turbomachine for a gas turbine engine, comprising: a rotor disc arranged to rotate about a fixed central axis. A plurality of rotor blades connected to the rotor disc, wherein the rotor blades extend within a gas flow path. A rotating annulus is arranged to rotate in a fixed rotational alignment relative to the rotor disc. An outer surface of the rotating annulus is arranged to define part of the boundary of the gas flow path. A gas turbine engine for an aircraft and a method of defining the boundary of a gas flow path within a turbomachine is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: Roderick M Townes, Neal Carter, Thomas W Martin
  • Patent number: 10823179
    Abstract: A set of impellers that are axially adjacent to each other and that have respective axial through holes are assembled. At least a first and a second axial tie rods are used. At least one connection element being axially adjacent to two impellers respectively at its two sides and having an axial through hole is provided. The connection element is used for securing, at one side of its axial through hole, an end of the first axial tie rod and, at the other side of its axial through hole, an end of the second axial tie rod. Typically, the connection element is one of the impellers of the set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: NUOVO PIGNONE SRL
    Inventors: Kalyan Kumar Venkatachalam, Lakshmanudu Kurva, Manuele Bigi
  • Patent number: 9879550
    Abstract: A turbine blade comprises an airfoil. An outer shroud at a tip of the airfoil, has a main surface facing the airfoil and forming a first plateau. A gusset or gussets have a periphery raising from the main surface, and a second plateau between the periphery and the airfoil. A gas turbine engine with such turbine blade is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventor: Ghislain Plante
  • Patent number: 9163519
    Abstract: A ceramic shroud assembly includes a tip shroud having an outer platform supporting at least one seal tooth, a shroud cap less brittle than the outer platform and including a shroud cap base on the outer platform, and clockwise and counter-clockwise facing clockwise and counter-clockwise contact surfaces located at clockwise and counter-clockwise distal ends respectively of the base. A rotor assembly may include a circumferential row of turbine blades made of a ceramic material and extending radially outwardly from a disk of a turbine rotor. The turbine blades include airfoils having the airfoil tip shrouds and the shroud caps at blade tips. The clockwise and counter-clockwise contact surfaces of circumferentially adjacent ones of the shroud caps contact each other. The shroud and the platform may be made of a ceramic or ceramic matrix composite material and the shroud cap may be made of a metallic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Chad Daniel Kleinow, John Peter Heyward, Michael Joseph Danowski, Joshua Tyler Mook, Michael George Abbott
  • Patent number: 9022722
    Abstract: A frame assembly of a ring-type fan with a pressure-releasing function includes a fan wheel, a pressuring-releasing portion, and a frame body. The fan wheel is received in an accommodating space of the frame body. The fan wheel has a hub and a plurality of blades. The pressure-releasing portion is formed on free ends of the blades and has a stopping wall and a flange extending from one end of the stopping wall. A pressure-releasing channel is formed between the stopping wall and an inner wall of the frame body. With the pressure-releasing portion being formed on the free ends of the blades, the present invention is capable of delaying the deceleration, improving the fan performance, and reducing its noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Asia Vital Components Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wen-Hao Liu, Guan-Chen Yin
  • Patent number: 9009965
    Abstract: The present application further describes a method for extending the operating life of a tip shrouded turbine blade that includes the steps of: 1) removing an end located cutter tooth from a seal rail of a tip shroud, the end located cutter tooth including a cutter tooth located at the end of one of the suction side and pressure side of the seal rail of the tip shroud; and 2) attaching a center located cutter tooth to the seal rail of the tip shroud, the center located cutter tooth including a cutter tooth that is located in the approximate center of the seal rail of the tip shroud. In such method, the center located cutter tooth may be attached to the seal rail such that the center located cutter tooth is inside the airfoil if it were projected radially outward from the narrowest point below a tip shroud fillet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Daniel Tragesser, Ian Reeves, Christopher Thompson, Todd Moran
  • Publication number: 20150086395
    Abstract: A turbocharger (5) comprising a housing (10) including a compressor shroud (14) and a turbine shroud (12). The turbocharger (5) further comprises compressor wheel (18) and a turbine wheel (16). The compressor wheel (18) includes a compressor hub (44) and a plurality of compressor blades (45, 46) extending radially from the compressor hub (44). Each compressor blade (45, 46) includes a leading edge (50, 51), a trailing edge (52, 53), and a compressor shroud contour edge (54, 55) extending therebetween. The turbine wheel (16) includes a turbine hub (24) and a plurality of turbine blades (26) extending radially from the turbine hub (24). Each turbine blade (26) including a leading edge (30), a trailing edge (32), and a turbine shroud contour edge (34) extending therebetween. At least one of the compressor and turbine blades includes an edge relief (40, 60, 61) formed along at least a portion of the corresponding compressor or turbine shroud contour edge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2013
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Inventors: Stephanie Dextraze, David G. Grabowska
  • Patent number: 8967972
    Abstract: A turbine blade is provided and includes a tip end carrying a shroud and at least one fin, which extends radially away from the shroud. The fin includes a first sidewall and a second sidewall, which are spaced apart, arranged parallel to each other, and are connected to the shroud, and a cutting edge, which is connected to the first and second sidewalls. The cutting edge thereby creates a hollow space between the sidewalls, the shroud, and the cutting edge, and further extends radially away from the first and second sidewalls. Also provided is a method of manufacturing the blade by casting the blade as single piece with the hollow fin or by forging the blade; and machining the fin to create the first and second sidewalls and cutting edge thereby opening the hollow space between said sidewalls and the cutting edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: ALSTOM Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Herbert Brandl, Igor Tsypkakyin, Philipp Indlekofer
  • Patent number: 8932019
    Abstract: A fan wheel (1) is designed as a radial or diagonal fan, comprising a top plate (2) with an inlet port (4), a base plate (6) and a plurality of fan blades (8) distributed around the inlet port (4) and around an axis of rotation (Z). Blade ducts extend (10) respectively between the adjacent fan blades (8). The blade ducts lead radially or diagonally outward from the area of the inlet port (4) and form blow-out ports in the outer region. The blade ducts (10) are designed, with respect to their effective flow cross-section, as large enough that during operation, a turbulent flow with a Reynolds number markedly greater than 2300 is achieved. The top plate (2) or the base plate (6) or both feature a rotationally asymmetrical geometry with a continuous profile, at least in angular sections encompassing the fan blades (8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: EMB-PAPST Mulfingen GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Katrin Bohl, Marc Schneider, Jürgen Schöne
  • Publication number: 20140363298
    Abstract: A diffuser-type endplate propeller for driving a hull is provided. The diffuser-type endplate propeller includes a propeller hub and a plurality of blades. The propeller hub is connected to a transmission shaft of the hull. Each of blades respectively has a blade-body and an endplate connected to each other, wherein each of the blade-bodies is connected to the propeller hub and extends outward from the propeller hub to the corresponding endplate, each the endplate bends from the corresponding blade-body to extend towards a stern of the hull, each of the endplates has a leading edge and a trailing edge, each the leading edge keeps a first distance from an axis of the propeller hub, each the trailing edge keeps a second distance from the axis of the propeller hub, and the first distance is less than the second distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2014
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Applicant: NATIONAL TAIWAN OCEAN UNIVERSITY
    Inventor: Young-Zehr Kehr
  • Patent number: 8870531
    Abstract: The invention provides a turbine machine rotor having blades of composite material, the rotor comprising an assembly disk, a plurality of composite material blades mounted on the assembly disk via their roots and each provided at its free end with a platform, and a metal shroud positioned on the blade platforms concentrically around the assembly disk and including labyrinth teeth that project radially outwards in order to abrade an abradable material carried by a casing surrounding the rotor, the casing being held stationary both axially and circumferentially relative to the blade platforms and being suitable for moving radially outwards in operation relative to the blade platforms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventors: Stephane Pierre Guillaume Blanchard, Julien Mateo, Stephane Otin
  • Patent number: 8807928
    Abstract: The present application provides a tip shroud assembly for use with a turbine engine. The tip shroud assembly may include a shroud, a seal rail positioned on the shroud, and a contoured fillet attaching the seal rail to the shroud.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Spencer Aaron Kareff, Jason Herzlinger, Harish Bommanakatte
  • Patent number: 8757979
    Abstract: A rotor element includes at least one irregularity with regard to rotational properties in its circumferential direction and the irregularity is positioned so as to separate the mechanical natural frequencies of the rotor element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Volvo Aero Corporation
    Inventor: Hans Martensson
  • Patent number: 8740567
    Abstract: A rotor blade for a turbine engine includes an airfoil section which extends from a platform section opposite a root section, the airfoil section defines a cavity which extends from an airfoil tip section toward a root section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Gabriel L. Suciu, James D. Hill, Gary M. Stetson
  • Publication number: 20140127023
    Abstract: An impeller of a centrifugal compressor, the impeller including a web and blades secured to the web on a front face of the web. A point of intersection between a trailing edge and a blade root is at least one half-thickness of the web further forward than the blade root at an intermediate diameter of the impeller, and a point of intersection between the trailing edge and the blade tip is also further forward than the blade tip at an intermediate diameter of the impeller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2012
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Applicant: TURBOMECA
    Inventors: Mathieu Herran, Laurent Pierre Tarnowski
  • Publication number: 20140127022
    Abstract: A fan blade structure includes a hub, an annular partition surrounding the hub, a first blade group and a second blade group. The hub has a top surface and a flank connected to the top surface. The first blade group, disposed on one side of the annular partition, includes two blade arrays having multiple first and second blades respectively. The clearance between the two adjacent first blades is less than that between the two adjacent second blades. The second blade group, disposed on another side of the annular partition, includes another two blade arrays having a plurality of third and fourth blades respectively. The clearance between the two adjacent third blades is less than that between the two fourth blades adjacent to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Applicants: INVENTEC CORPORATION, Inventec (Pudong) Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Yi-Lun Cheng, Wei-Yi Lin, Chun-Lung Lin, Chih-Kai Yang
  • Publication number: 20140105747
    Abstract: A centrifugal pump impeller includes front and back shrouds and a plurality of pumping vanes therebetween, each pumping vane having a leading edge in the region of an impeller inlet and a trailing edge, the front shroud has an arcuate inner face in the region of the impeller inlet, the arcuate inner face having a radius of curvature (Rs) in the range from 0.05 to 0.16 of the outer diameter of the impeller (D2) The back shroud includes an inner main face and a nose having a curved profile with a nose apex in the region of the central axis which extends towards the front shroud, there being a curved transition region between the inner main face and the nose. Fr is the radius of curvature of the transition region and the ratio Fr/D2 is from 0.32 to 0.65. Other ratios of various dimensions of the impeller are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2013
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: Weir Minerals Australia, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kevin Edward Burgess, Wen-Jie Liu, Luis Moscoso Lavagna
  • Patent number: 8672630
    Abstract: A fan-turbine rotor assembly includes one or more turbine ring rotors. Each turbine ring rotor is cast as a single integral annular ring. By forming the turbine as one or more rings, leakage between adjacent blade platforms is minimized which increases engine efficiency. Assembly of the turbine ring rotors to the diffuser ring includes axial installation and radial locking of each turbine ring rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Gabriel L. Suciu, James W Norris, Craig A. Nordeen, Brian Merry
  • Publication number: 20140044575
    Abstract: One embodiment includes an impeller (10) for use with a fluid pump assembly (12) such as a secondary air pump assembly of an automotive exhaust breathing system. The impeller has numerous vanes (50) and ribs (52). Among other things, the ribs help optimize manufacture of the impeller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2012
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Applicant: BORGWARNER INC.
    Inventor: Lee A. Naffziger
  • Patent number: 8641381
    Abstract: A turbine bucket includes an airfoil and a shroud. The shroud includes first and second bearing surfaces, and the first and second bearing surfaces each comprise a single grain structure. A method for forming a turbine bucket includes orienting a mold vertically, wherein the mold includes a first portion that defines a shank, a second portion connected to the first portion that defines an airfoil, and a third portion connected to the second portion that defines a shroud, wherein the third portion includes first and second sides, and wherein the first portion is higher than the second portion and the second portion is higher than the third portion. The method further includes flowing a molten metal into the mold and selectively growing large single grains in at least one of the first or second sides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Warren Tan King, Srikanth Chandrudu Kottilingam, Arthur Samuel Peck
  • Publication number: 20130251531
    Abstract: Provided is a rotary machine including: a shaft that rotates; a disc that has a substantially cylindrical hub fitted into the shaft and is provided so as to widen outward in a radial direction from a front end to a rear end of the hub; and an impeller having a plurality of blades provided on a surface of the disc. The hub has a tight fit section having an internal radius that is smaller than a radius of the shaft, and a loose fit section having an internal radius that is greater than the internal radius of the tight fit section. The loose fit section is provided on the front end side of the hub with respect to the tight fit section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2011
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Inventors: Nobuyori Yagi, Akihiro Nakaniwa, Hitoshi Shinohara
  • Patent number: 8459956
    Abstract: A turbine blade includes an airfoil and integral platform at the root thereof. The platform is contoured in elevation from a ridge to a trough, and is curved axially to complement the next adjacent curved platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Vidhu Shekhar Pandey, Ching-Pang Lee, Jan Christopher Schilling, Aspi Rustom Wadia, Brian David Keith, Jeffrey Donald Clements
  • Patent number: 8444371
    Abstract: A seal system between a row of buckets supported on a machine rotor and a surrounding stationary casing or stator includes a tip shroud secured at radially outer tips of each of the buckets, the tip shroud formed with a radially-projecting rail. A cellular seal structure is supported in the stationary stator in radial opposition to the tip shroud and the rail. The seal structure has an annular array of individual cells formed to provide continuous, substantially horizontal flow passages devoid of any radial obstruction along substantially an entire axial length dimension of the cellular seal structure to prevent flow about the tip shroud from turning radially inwardly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Joshy John, Sanjeev Kumar Jain, Rajnikumar Nandalal Suthar
  • Patent number: 8419354
    Abstract: A steam turbine includes two or more rotating blades and a diaphragm outer ring. Each of the rotating blades includes a tip cover, moisture-trapping grooves, a droplet ejection hole, and a drain guide groove. The tip cover is provided to a tip of each of the rotating blades and is connected in contact with another tip cover adjacent to the tip cover. The moisture-trapping grooves are formed in a longitudinal direction of each of the rotating blades. The droplet ejection hole is to connect an outside of the tip cover on a side of the diaphragm outer ring with an inside of the tip cover. The drain guide groove is to connect ends of the moisture-trapping grooves on the side of the tip cover with the droplet ejection hole. The diaphragm outer ring includes a drain pocket which faces the droplet ejection hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Norio Sakai, Naoki Shibukawa, Hiroshi Ikeda, Ryozo Udagawa
  • Patent number: 8382433
    Abstract: A method is provided for producing a blade, by casting, for a gas turbine. The blade includes an elongate airfoil which extends in a blade longitudinal direction, merges into a blade root at the lower end, has a shroud segment at the blade tip and is pervaded by a single cooling air channel running in the blade longitudinal direction from the blade root to the blade tip. The method includes, during the casting of the blade, the blade material being fed exclusively from the blade root into the mold provided therefor, and the cooling air channel is formed during the casting of the blade by using a single core body, which is provided, at the blade tip, with a local casting cross section increasing element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: ALSTOM Technology Ltd
    Inventors: Brian Kenneth Wardle, Beat Von Arx
  • Patent number: 8371816
    Abstract: A tip shroud that includes a plurality of damping fins, each damping fin including a substantially non-radially-aligned surface that is configured to make contact with a tip shroud of a neighboring rotor blade. At least one damping fin may include a leading edge damping fin and at least one damping fin may include a trailing edge damping fin. The leading edge damping fin may be configured to correspond to the trailing edge damping fin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Matthew R. Piersall, Brian D. Potter
  • Patent number: 8342808
    Abstract: A cooling fan of the present invention includes: a bottomed cylindrical boss portion; and a plurality of blades provided on an outer circumferential surface of the boss portion, the blades radiating in a radial direction, in which a ring member for connecting the blades with each other is provided on a side radially inner from tips of the blades. According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a cooling fan capable of preventing the worsening of the noise characteristic and also of enhancing the versatility even if the blades are made thinner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsuba Corporation
    Inventors: Hidetake Ota, Hirohiko Maekawa, Yuichi Katayama
  • Patent number: 8333562
    Abstract: A steam turbine rotor blade has a profile and a cover integrally formed on and at an end of the profile, the leading edge of the cover formed on the profile and the trailing edge of a cover formed on an adjacent preceding profile being in contact and connected with each other by the torsional return force produced during rotation. The cover formed on the profile is provided with a radially-formed stepped portion at the trailing edge, the stepped portion having a height large than the thickness of the cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kunio Asai, Takeshi Kudo, Tateki Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8317465
    Abstract: A turbine engine that includes a vortex protrusion disposed upon a component that rotates during operation of the turbine engine; wherein the vortex protrusion includes an outer surface that is configured to induce a vortex flow pattern as the component rotates during operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Bruce L. Smith
  • Patent number: 8308421
    Abstract: A method of operating an axial turbine, having a stage including stationary blades and moving blades, each stationary blade having a radial height of an outlet thereof higher than the radial height of an inlet thereof, each moving blade being located downstream of a corresponding one of the stationary blades along a flow direction of a working fluid, the moving blades being constructed such that a moving blade front-end peripheral velocity Mach number exceeds 1.0, the method including restraining a radial velocity component of a working fluid flowing through an outer peripheral portion of the stationary blade from the stationary blade inlet to the stationary blade outlet, whereby the working fluid having passed through the stationary blade flows substantially parallel to the central axis of the turbine from the stationary blade outlet to the moving blade inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeki Senoo, Tetsuaki Kimura
  • Patent number: 8186957
    Abstract: The fan impeller (10) comprises a hub (14) and blades (12) extending radially outward from the hub, the blades having a flattened airfoil profile cross section with a leading edge (24) and a trailing edge (26) between which a chord is defined. The blade (12) has a relative thickness that reached its maximum value (Emax) in the first quarter of the length of the chord measured from the leading edge (24), the relative thickness being defined by the ratio between the thickness of the blade and the length of the chord. The invention finds an application particularly in motor vehicle engine cooling fan impellers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Valeo Systemes Thermiques
    Inventors: Stéphane Moreau, Antoine Levasseur, Auréllen Levasseur, Manuel Henner, Bruno Demory, Cédric Lebert
  • Patent number: 8172536
    Abstract: An impeller, for example, a guide wheel for a hydrodynamic speed variator/torque converter, including a plurality of blades. Each blade has a blade base and a blade tip area. Stiffening means are situated in at least one of the blades in at least the blade base area and/or the blade tip area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: Eugen Kombowski
  • Patent number: 8152469
    Abstract: A fan-turbine rotor assembly (24) includes one or more turbine ring rotors (32). Each turbine ring rotor is cast as a single integral annular ring. By forming the turbine as one or more rings, leakage between adjacent blade platforms is minimized which increases engine efficiency. Assembly of the turbine ring rotors to the diffuser ring (114) includes axial installation and radial locking of each turbine ring rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Gabriel L. Suciu, James W Norris, Craig A. Nordeen, Brian Merry
  • Patent number: 8137072
    Abstract: A turbine blade is disclosed. The turbine blade may have an airfoil extending from a first surface of a turbine platform. The turbine blade may further have a first side pocket of the turbine platform that is configured to substantially entirely house a first moveable seal between a forward wall of the first side pocket and an aft wall of the first side pocket. The first side pocket may have a convex surface, extending between the forward wall and the aft wall, and a concave surface. The turbine blade may also have a second side pocket of the turbine platform configured to receive a portion of a second moveable seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Inc.
    Inventors: Hyun Dong Kim, Marius Dumitrascu, Michael Eugene Greenspan, Yungmo Kang, Yong Weon Kim
  • Patent number: 8109730
    Abstract: The invention relates to a pump for pumping contaminated liquid including solid matter, comprising a pump housing provided with a rotatable impeller (3) having at least one vane (9) and an impeller seat (4), the impeller seat (4) presenting at least one recess (13) in the top surface (11) thereof, a sheering/cutting action arising between an cutting edge (15) of said recess (13) and a lower edge (14) of the vane (9) as the impeller (3) rotates relative to the impeller seat (4). Furthermore, the pump also comprises means for guiding the solid matter towards said recess (13), the guiding means comprising at least one guide in and at least one projection (20), an upper surface (19) of the guide pin extending from a position contiguous to the most inner part of the vane (9) of the impeller (3) towards the impeller seat (4), and the projection (20) protruding from the impeller seat (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: Patrik Andersson
  • Patent number: 8066471
    Abstract: Disclosed is an annular flow duct for a turbomachine, the flow duct arranged concentrically about a machine axis running in the axial direction and defined by a boundary wall of circular cross section for directing a main flow, wherein the boundary wall has a plurality of return flow passages distributed over its circumference and through which in each case a partial flow is detached from the main flow at a bleed position and returned to the main flow at a feed position situated upstream of the bleed position, and having aerofoils, arranged radically in the flow duct, of a blade ring, the aerofoil tips of which lie opposite the boundary wall, with a gap formed in each case, wherein the aerofoils are movable in a predetermined rotation direction along the circumference of the boundary wall. Furthermore, a compressor which is insensitive to pumping and flow separations, as viewed in rotation direction, the bleed position of each return flow passage lies upstream of the corresponding feed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Romain Bayere, Malte Blomeyer, Christian Cornelius, Torsten Matthias, Uwe Sieber
  • Patent number: 8033786
    Abstract: A vane assembly for a gas turbine engine comprising an axial loading element disposed between a mounting element of the vane ring and a cooperating portion of the supporting structure, such as to generate a load force therebetween in an axial direction. The axial load force limits unwanted relative movement between the vane ring and the supporting structure during operation of the gas turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventors: Eric Durocher, John Pietrobon, Alan Juneau, Dennis English
  • Patent number: 7891942
    Abstract: A centrifugal blower includes a casing, a motor fixed in the casing, a fan structure, and an anti-leakage element. The casing has a top portion having an inlet, a bottom portion, and a side wall respectively connecting the top and bottom portions and having an outlet. The fan structure disposed in the casing and driven by the motor has a body connected to the motor and blades surrounding the body and being connected to the body, and rotates about an axis in a first rotation direction. The anti-leakage element extends from at least part of an edge of the inlet to an interior of the casing, partially covers parts of the blades, and extends from neighborhood of the outlet in a second rotation direction against the first rotation direction. A range of the anti-leakage element extending to the interior of the casing is gradually reduced along the second rotation direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Coretronic Corporation
    Inventor: Nien-Hui Hsu
  • Patent number: 7887296
    Abstract: A fan-turbine rotor assembly for a tip turbine engine includes an outer periphery scalloped by a multitude of elongated openings which define an inducer receipt section to receive an inducer section and a hollow fan blade section. Each fan blade section includes a turbine section which extends from a diffuser section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Gabriel L. Suciu, James W. Norris, Craig A. Nordeen, Brian Merry
  • Patent number: 7762779
    Abstract: A turbine blade tip shroud. The tip shroud may include a platform, a number of Z-notched positioned within the platform, a number of seal rails positioned on the platform, and a number of cavities positioned within the platform and adjacent to seal rails and the Z-notches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: William Scott Zemitis, Massimiliano Mariotti, Cody Jermaine Ford
  • Patent number: 7748954
    Abstract: A centrifugal fan includes a space in which the dimension between a shroud-facing wall and a shroud, from the outer peripheral side to the inner peripheral side of the shroud, is substantially uniform, wherein the shroud-facing wall includes a recess extending in the circumferential direction, the recess being disposed at the inner peripheral side of the outer peripheral end of the shroud-facing wall forming the space having the uniform dimension so that the recess forms a space larger than the other part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Eguchi, Atsushi Suzuki, Tetsuo Tominaga, Mitsuhiro Nakao
  • Patent number: 7721433
    Abstract: An outer seal assembly of a turbine rotor stage is secured within a circumferential groove of the turbine casing in such a manner as to both fix the outer seal assembly in its installed position and also provide for sealing around its outer periphery so as to thereby prevent the leakage of cooling air therearound. A plurality of arcuate elements having an angle-shaped cross sectional profile are provided to interface between radially extending arms of the outer seal assembly and the inner surface of the casing, with a locking mechanism then being applied to secure the two structures in their installed positions. Each of the arcuate elements includes a radially extending panel, a plurality of forwardly extending hooks that are disposed within a groove in the casing, and a second forwardly extending flange that engages the rear surface of the outer seal assembly arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Ralph J. Thompson, Susan M. Tholen
  • Patent number: 7632063
    Abstract: A fan has a plurality of blades extending in a radial direction with respect to a rotation axis and a ring portion disposed on radial outside edges of the blades. Further, the fan has a first connecting wall and a second connecting wall. The first connecting wall extending from the ring portion to a portion of the radial outside edge of each blade, the portion protruding from the ring portion toward an upstream position with respect to an air flow direction. The second connecting wall has a generally triangular shape. The second connecting wall continuously extends from the first connecting wall and connects to the ring portion on a leading side of the first connecting wall with respect to a rotation direction of the blade. The fan is for example housed in a shroud, thereby to construct a blower unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Takeuchi, Takahiro Iwasaki, Shinichi Oda
  • Patent number: 7628587
    Abstract: A gas turbine blade shroud includes a platform and one or more fins extending toward a stator and side rails that extend radially toward the stator and along the edge of the platform. The increased wall thickness in the side regions of the blade shroud effects an increase in stiffness and a decrease in deformation during turbine operation. Due to a localised increase in wall thickness the mass of the blade shroud can be minimized such that mechanical loading is not significantly increased. The side rails can improve a lining up of adjacent blades and decrease a probability of hot gas leakage into the cavity between blade shroud and stator. The side rails have profile shapes that can be optimised in view of stiffness and mechanical loading and are suitable for casting. The blade shroud with side rails can have an improved life time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd
    Inventors: Jose Anguisola McFeat, Ingolf Schulz, Dirk Wilhelm
  • Publication number: 20090297350
    Abstract: A mount interface between two rotating gas turbine engine components includes a rigid ring to provide radial deflection restraint. In one example, the rigid ring is comprised of a metal matrix composite material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2008
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Inventors: Scott J. Augustine, David A. Knaul
  • Patent number: 7527477
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a rotor blade is provided. The method includes providing a rotor blade that includes a tip shroud having a portion of increased cross-sectional thickness relative to adjacent portions of the tip shroud. The increased cross-sectional thickness section extends across substantially an entire circumferential width of the tip shroud. The increased cross-sectional thickness section defines a pair of opposite interlock surfaces that each form a portion of a respective side of the pair of opposite tip shroud sides used for interlocking the tip shrouds of two adjacent rotor blades on the rotor. The method also includes removing a portion of the increased cross-sectional thickness section between the pair of opposite tip shroud sides to facilitate enhancing the efficiency of the rotor blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Brian Norton, Francis Bobie, John Heyward, Dwayne Burnett
  • Patent number: 7506838
    Abstract: The aft stiffening frame of an air intake structure for an aircraft engine nacelle is made with an inflection area such that the part between the inflection area and one of its ends could be subjected to a large deformation when a constraint occurs in the direction of the frame part defined by the inflection area and its other end, usually normal to the casing. This particular shape of the aft stiffening frame makes it possible to improve its flexibility so that the air intake structure has better resistance to severe deformed shapes that could occur, for example, when a fan breaks on a wide body aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignee: Airbus France
    Inventor: Alain Porte
  • Patent number: 7476079
    Abstract: A blower assembly 10? includes a housing 18? having an inlet 19 and an outlet 20. The housing includes an inlet ring 22? at the inlet. A blower wheel 12? is mounted for rotation in the housing. An electric motor 16 includes a shaft 14 having an axis B. The shaft is coupled to the blower wheel so that rotation of the shaft causes rotation of the blower wheel that causes air to flow from the inlet to the outlet. The inlet ring has an annular extension 24 extending linearly in the same direction as the shaft axis B. An end 26 of the blower wheel 12? is within bounds of the extension 24.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems US, Inc.
    Inventor: Eric Raymond Bartlett