Having Frangible Or Fusible Part Or Connection Patents (Class 416/2)
  • Patent number: 11691388
    Abstract: An encapsulated polymeric article is disclosed. The encapsulated polymeric article may include a polymer substrate and a metallic outer shell at least partially encapsulating the polymer substrate. The encapsulated polymeric article may be fabricated by a method comprising: 1) providing a mandrel in a shape of the encapsulated polymeric article, 2) shaping the metallic outer shell on the mandrel, 3) removing the mandrel from the metallic outer shell, and 4) molding the polymeric substrate into the metallic outer shell through a port formed in the metallic outer shell to provide the encapsulated polymeric article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Glenn Levasseur, Shari L. Bugaj, Grant O. Cook, III
  • Patent number: 11649686
    Abstract: Fluid flow control devices and methods to reduce overspeed of a fluid flow control device are presented. A fluid flow control device includes a port and a rotatable component that rotates about an axis in response to fluid flow from the port. The fluid flow control device also includes a mechanical component disposed on the rotatable component and configured to reduce rotational speed of the rotatable component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Ryan Wesley McChesney, Stephen Michael Greci, Richard Decena Ornelaz
  • Patent number: 11584510
    Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) includes a propeller, a driving device, and an elastic abutting member sleeve. The propeller includes a blade base, a blade mounted on the blade base, and a first installation foolproof member disposed on the blade base. The driving device includes a main body, a driving shaft rotatable relative to the main body, a locking member disposed on the main body, and a second installation foolproof member disposed on the locking member. The driving device is coupled with the propeller. The elastic abutting member is coupled with the driving shaft and disposed between the main body and the blade base and abuts against the main body and the blade base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: SZ DJI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tao Deng, Ruochen Tang, Yueyao Tu
  • Patent number: 11332236
    Abstract: A force limiting system and method are provided for limiting loads in aircraft nose or main landing gear having wheels powered by taxi drive systems mounted within the landing gear wheels to drive aircraft on the ground. The force limiting system may include mechanical components selected to limit or minimize spin-up mass and to releasably connect the taxi drive system to a landing gear wheel section so that operation of the taxi drive system to drive a landing gear wheel is prevented in the presence of a predetermined maximum load. The load limiting system employs mechanical components engineered to securely connect the taxi drive system to the landing gear wheel during operation and to release the taxi drive system from connection to the wheel when loads applied to system components exceed an established or recommended maximum load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Borealis Technical Limited
    Inventors: Isaiah W. Cox, Joseph J. Cox, Yonatan Rotenberg
  • Patent number: 11220920
    Abstract: A turbine engine rotor lock, in particular for a turbojet fan, adapted to retain a blade axially relative to a disk of the rotor, the lock including a composite body including a woven fiber structure embedded in a matrix; and a damper pad made of elastomer and fastened to the composite body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventor: Sebastien Marin
  • Patent number: 11215076
    Abstract: A bearing assembly for a gas turbine engine comprises a bearing; a bearing bracket, which holds the bearing and is secured by a predetermined breaking device on a connecting element, which can be connected or is connected to a support structure of the gas turbine engine; and a clutch for transmitting a torque from a first clutch element connected in a fixed manner to the rotor of the bearing to a second clutch element supported on the bearing bracket, wherein the clutch elements are spaced apart when the predetermined breaking device is intact and can be brought into contact with one another by destruction of the predetermined breaking device. A gas turbine engine and a method are furthermore provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE DEUTSCHLAND LTD & CO. KG
    Inventors: Martin Boehme, Timo Schatke
  • Patent number: 11179895
    Abstract: A rotary component may comprise a first structure configured to rotate about an axis and a second structure configured to rotate about the axis. A support structure may be coupled to the first structure at a first attachment location and to the second structure at a second attachment location. The support structure may be configured to separate from the first structure and the second structure in response to a centrifugal force generated by the first structure and the second structure rotating about the axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Lawrence Binek, Matthew B. Kennedy, Evan Butcher, Jesse R. Boyer, Vijay Narayan Jagdale, Dmytro Mykolayovych Voytovych
  • Patent number: 10837154
    Abstract: A coupler interconnects adjacent sections of soil nails to extend the lengths of the nails. The coupler includes projections extending from the exterior surface of the coupler. The projections serve multiple purposes. One purpose is to center the soil nail within a drilled hole. Another purpose is to provide mixing for amounts of drilled material to remain within the hole, and/or evacuation of drilled material to be removed from the hole. Another purpose is to create a drilled hole with varying diameters in response to different geological layers encountered during drilling. The coupler may include a plurality of ports or openings formed in the body of the coupler enabling injected material such as grout to be further mixed by the rotating action of the coupler during use. The invention further includes a soil nail assembly and a method for installing a soil nail assembly including couplers with projections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: R & B LEASING, LLC
    Inventors: Colby Barrett, Nathan Beard, Timothy Allen Ruckman, Matt Birchmier, Todd Hamilton, Justin Petersen, Derrick Hayes
  • Patent number: 10801361
    Abstract: The turbine assembly includes a shaft, a plurality of rotor disks, a plurality of blades, and at least one cutting mechanisms. The rotor disks are spaced axially along, and coupled to, the shaft and include a radially outer portion. The blades are spaced circumferentially around the radially outer portion. The cutting mechanisms are configured to cut the blades from the rotor disk during a disk over speed condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Nagamohan Govinahalli Prabhakar, Steven Andrew Strang, Charles Stanley Orkiszewski, Subramanya Shankar, Nitesh Jain, Michael Riehle
  • Patent number: 10774679
    Abstract: An airfoil assembly for a turbine engine includes an airfoil with an outer wall having a pressure side and a suction side, the airfoil extending axially between a leading edge and a trailing edge to define a chord-wise direction and also extending radially between a root and a tip to define a span-wise direction. An aperture and at least one slot can define at least a portion of a release plane extending through the outer wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Stephanie Glynn Cotten, James Francis Brown, Theodore Robert Ingling, Tod Winton Davis, Gary Willard Bryant, Jr., Max Robert Farson
  • Patent number: 10762808
    Abstract: A handheld placard includes a body made of a rigid paper material. The body includes a front surface, a rear surface, a bottom edge, side edges, a top edge, and an inner edge defining a handle opening through the body. A handle flap extends downward from the bottom edge of the body and is connected to the bottom edge at a first fold line. The handle flap includes an upper portion joined to a lower portion by a second fold line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Instafan, LLC
    Inventor: John David Leclerc
  • Patent number: 10569454
    Abstract: Provided is a method for manufacturing an impeller composed of a frustum-shaped hub (11) and a plurality of blades provided on a peripheral surface (12) of the hub (11) at predetermined intervals in a circumferential direction and inclined in one direction. The method for manufacturing the impeller comprises: an injection-molding step of injection-molding a molding article (10a) in which the blades are connected to the periphery of the hub (11) via fragile connection parts (16) so as to spread outward; a blade rotationally moving step of rotationally moving the blades (13) to the peripheral surface (12) of the hub (11) about the connection parts (16); and a fixation step of fixing ends of the blades (13) to the hub (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Ishikawa, Shigeto Akahori, Yoshinori Tsurugai
  • Patent number: 10533615
    Abstract: A progressive shear assembly includes a hub configured for coupling to the output, the hub including a hub drive sleeve and at least one torque transfer lug on the hub drive sleeve. A drive adaptor may be configured for coupling to the drive. The drive adaptor may include an adaptor shaft disposed in the hub drive sleeve of the hub. The adaptor shaft may have an aft shaft end and a fore shaft end and tapering from the aft shaft end to the fore shaft end. At least one adaptor lug may be provided on the adaptor shaft. The at least one adaptor lug may have a substantially non-uniform width from the aft shaft end to the fore shaft end of the adaptor shaft. A tensile spring may be formed by selected ones of a plurality of substantially incompressible shear members and a plurality of substantially compressible compression members disposed adjacent to the adaptor shaft between the at least one adaptor lug and the at least one torque transfer lug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Inventor: Charles S. Powers
  • Patent number: 10422229
    Abstract: An airfoil may include an external airfoil surface and an airfoil body. The airfoil body may include an external wall structure and an internal wall structure. The external airfoil surface may be adjacent the external wall structure. The airfoil body may define a skin core that is at least partially defined by a first section of the external wall structure and a first section of the internal wall structure. The airfoil body may also define an embedded core that is at least partially defined by the first section of the internal wall structure. An embedded core heat transfer augmentation feature may be formed within the embedded core on an embedded core surface of the first section of the internal wall structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Carey Clum, Mark F. Zelesky
  • Patent number: 10294794
    Abstract: A fan containment system for fitment around an array of radially extending fan blades mounted on a hub in an axial gas turbine engine. The fan containment system comprises a fan case having an annular casing element for encircling an array of fan blades and a hook projecting in a generally radially inward direction from the annular casing element. An annular fan track liner is provided comprising a first fan track liner panel positioned circumferentially adjacent a second fan track liner panel. A coupling connects the first fan track liner panel to the second fan track liner panel and the first fan track liner panel and the second fan track liner panel each comprise a groove along an axial face thereof and a portion of the coupling is received in each of said grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: Julian Mark Reed
  • Patent number: 10107136
    Abstract: A turbomachine blade comprising a metallic leading edge having a weakened region extending in a spanwise direction; and a crack initiator for selectively initiating cracking of the metallic leading edge along the weakened region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: Christopher Benson
  • Patent number: 9546567
    Abstract: A system is provided including a turbine exhaust section. The turbine exhaust section includes an exhaust flow path. The turbine exhaust section also includes an outer structure having an outer casing, an outer exhaust wall disposed along the exhaust flow path, and an outer cavity disposed between the outer exhaust wall and the outer casing. The turbine exhaust section further includes an inner structure having an inner exhaust wall disposed along the exhaust flow path, an inner cavity disposed between the inner exhaust wall and an inner casing, and a bearing cavity disposed between the inner casing and a bearing housing. In addition, the turbine exhaust section includes a strut extending between the outer structure and the inner structure. The strut includes a first flow passage configured to flow a fluid from the inner cavity to the outer cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ravi Shankar Venkata Kasibhotla, Piotr Edward Kobek, Srinivasarao Pakkala, Radu Ioan Danescu, David Martin Johnson
  • Patent number: 9399919
    Abstract: A wind blade is provided. The wind blade includes a body having an aerodynamic contour extended between a blade root and a blade tip. The wind blade also includes an extension tip sleeve arranged over the blade tip. The extension tip sleeve further includes a first portion having an extension blade and one or more structural ribs arranged on a pressure side of the wind blade. The extension tip sleeve also includes a second portion having a support structure located on a suction side of the wind blade. Furthermore, the wind blade includes a fairing having an airfoil shape for covering the one or more structural ribs, and the support structure of the extension tip sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Peggy Lynn Baehmann, Jaikumar Loganathan, Anindya Sengupta, Vasanth Kumar Balaramudu, Steven Robert Hayashi
  • Patent number: 8985946
    Abstract: A mounting system for mounting a blade to a rotor body includes a pitch control mechanism including an anchor and a pitch change rod extending radially outwardly from the anchor to join to a base of the blade. The anchor and the rod are rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the rod to vary the blade pitch. The pitch control mechanism further includes a torque-transmitting formation between the blade and the anchor such that pitch-varying torque can be transmitted to the blade through the torque-transmitting formation while allowing relative radial movement between the blade and the anchor. The system includes a primary bearing formation, which transmits blade centrifugal loads to the rotor body while accommodating variation of the blade pitch, and secondary bearing formation, which transmits pitch change mechanism centrifugal loads to the rotor body while accommodating rotation of the anchor and the rod during variation of the blade pitch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: Kenneth F. Udall, Alexander V. Lavrenko
  • Patent number: 8967966
    Abstract: A hub for a propeller having variable pitch blades for a turbine engine, for example for a propfan turbine engine. The propeller hub includes: a polygonal ring having substantially radial cylindrical housings distributed about a central axis of the ring for receiving the blades; a rotor element for the turbine of the turbine engine; a supporting flange attached to the ring so as to connect the ring to the rotor element; and a plurality of backup retaining members linked to the rotor element, and each of which includes at least one bearing surface opposite an outer surface of the ring with a radial spacing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventors: Eric Jacques Boston, Michel André Bouru, Laurent Jablonski, Philippe Gérard Edmond Joly
  • Patent number: 8876472
    Abstract: A turbine wheel including: a plurality of first and second blades, at least one of the first blades being adjacent to at least one of the second blades; a disk presenting an axis of rotation and a periphery having the blades mounted thereat, each of the blades including a head solid with a root engaged in a housing that opens to the periphery of the disk, each of the blades including a keying mechanism including a respective shelf arranged between the head and the root of the blade, the shelves of the first blades presenting an azimuth length different from the azimuth length of the shelves of the second blades; and a damper device arranged at least between the adjacent blades, the damper device being arranged between the shelves of the blades and the periphery of the disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Turbomeca
    Inventors: Marc Dijoud, Jean-Philippe Ousty
  • Patent number: 8864465
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a test blade for a blade-release test. The blade is arranged in use to be mounted on a hub for rotation, and to be released therefrom by the action of a controlled explosion. The blade is arranged to receive at least one explosive charge and at least one detonator for detonating the charge. The blade further comprises a cut-through portion extending completely through the blade from a front face to a rear face, the cut-through portion also extending part way along the blade in an axial direction between a leading edge and a trailing edge of the blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: Joana Vaz Viegas, Jeremy Nicholas Turner
  • Patent number: 8845183
    Abstract: An agitator (10) includes a stem (11) having a shaft coupler (12) at one end adapted to be attached to the rotatable shaft (25) of a food mixing machine. The other end of the stem (11) has a mixing blade (13) which can be in the shape of the bowl of a spoon. The stem (11) is shaped like an I-beam having side walls (20) spaced by a central wall (21). The side walls (20) have opposed notches (22) leaving a web (23) therebetween, and the central wall (21) is provided with an aperture (24) which is aligned with the web (23). Together the web (23) and the aperture (24) define a weakened area where the stem (11) will break upon a predetermined torque which is established based on the hardness of the food product (26) being mixed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Vita-Mix Corporation
    Inventors: Eugene J. Kozlowski, Raymond Seuffert
  • Patent number: 8840361
    Abstract: A fan blade (10) for a turbofan aero engine comprises a blade body including a root (10c) for engagement with a rotor, and a tip, wherein the tip is provided with a winglet (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventor: Kristofer J. Bottome
  • Patent number: 8821119
    Abstract: A fan blade for a gas turbine engine has an aerofoil part and a root part. The root part includes a root former; the root former includes a zone of weakness, which reduces the ability of the root part to withstand an impact force. Thus, in an impact situation in which the fan blade has separated from the fan rotor and the fan blade has itself separated into fragments, the root part will fracture or buckle more easily than would be the case with conventional arrangements. This will lower the impact force of the root part upon the fan casing, thus permitting the fan casing to be designed to withstand lower impact forces. The fan casing can therefore be made lighter, and cheaper, than in conventional arrangements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: Peter Rowland Beckford, Simon Read, Ian Colin Deuchar Care
  • Patent number: 8793872
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a closed impeller that has a simple configuration and enables fusion in a very accurate position. The method includes: forming a frustum-shaped front plate and a disk-shaped base plate formed therebelow, upper surfaces of a plurality of unit impeller blade plates made from a synthetic resin extending in radial directions which are formed as impeller blade tip surfaces, with sharp-pointed ridge-like protrusions having an acute upper end and a width less than a width of the impeller blade tip surface being integrally formed on the impeller blade tip surfaces. In the method, an inner surface of the front plate and the plurality of impeller blade tip surfaces are formed as parts of conical surfaces and formed so that the cone apex angles of the two conical surfaces are equal to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Yamada Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryouhei Adachi, Song Fei, Hisayoshi Ono
  • Patent number: 8734085
    Abstract: A turbine section of a gas turbine engine is described, which includes an aftmost rotor extending, an aftmost stator located upstream of the aftmost rotor, and a second to last aftmost rotor located upstream of the aftmost stator. The second to last aftmost rotor being spaced apart a first axial distance from the aftmost stator. A turbine exhaust case is located downstream of the aftmost rotor and includes an inner radial wall and an outer radial wall defining a main gas path duct downstream of the aftmost rotor. The turbine exhaust case being axially spaced apart from the aftmost rotor a second axial distance that is greater than the first axial distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventors: Guy Lefebvre, Eric Durocher
  • Publication number: 20140140845
    Abstract: An axial turbine for a tidal power plant, including a hub with a rotor blade holder and a rotor blade with a blade fastening section having a longitudinal axis including a fastening stub, a radial fixing and an anti-rotation element. The fastening stub includes a contact surface supported against a complementarily shaped fixing surface on the rotor blade holder whose envelope is rotationally symmetrical to the longitudinal axis. The radial fixing secures the rotor blade fastening section against a withdrawal movement relative to the rotor blade holder in the direction of the longitudinal axis. The anti-rotation element is connected with a complementarily shaped rotational stop on the rotor blade holder with an effective area of the anti-rotation element being a component of the blade fastening section arranged separate from the radial fixing, and the radial fixing comprises fastening means that has a predetermined breaking point of the blade fastening section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2013
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: VOITH PATENT GMBH
    Inventor: VOITH PATENT GMBH
  • Publication number: 20140064964
    Abstract: Tip rub in gas turbine engines is a well-known phenomenon, and may lead to increased tip clearances, with consequent detrimental effects on the engine's performance and blade flutter margins. Heavy or repeated rubbing may cause blade tip over temperature leading to cracking and fatigue failure. The invention provides a tip for a gas turbine engine rotor blade, which under contact with the casing surface interacts with the casing surface so as to reduce the contact force and thereby reduce the energy transferred to the blade. The tip may be designed to ablate under contact with the casing surface, or to cut or abrade the casing surface, or to crush or compress of deflect under contact with the casing surface. In a preferred embodiment, the tip comprises fibre-reinforced metallic foam material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2013
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Inventors: Ian Colin Deuchar CARE, Giuseppe ZUMPANO, Nicholas Michael MERRIMAN
  • Patent number: 8622699
    Abstract: A device adapted to be fitted with propeller blades includes a first retention ring including over a periphery thereof a plurality of radial bores; and a second retention ring including over a periphery thereof a plurality of radial bores, the first and second retention rings being mounted one on top of the other in the radial direction, each bore in the first retention ring being positioned opposite a bore in the second retention ring, a bore in the first retention ring arranged opposite a bore in the second retention ring forming a bore pair adapted to receive a foot of a blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventors: François Gallet, Patrick Morel, Wouter Balk
  • Patent number: 8573922
    Abstract: A bearing support is disclosed herein. The bearing support includes a pilot ring encircling an axis. The pilot ring is operable to be substantially-fixed in operation. The bearing support also includes a damper ring operable to receive an outer race of a bearing assembly. The bearing support also includes a fuse pin extending through aligned apertures in the pilot ring and the damper ring to prevent relative radial movement between the pilot ring and the damper ring up to a predetermined amount of loading. The fuse pin is operable to fracture in response to loading beyond the predetermined amount. The bearing support also includes a retainer extending through one of the pilot ring and the damper ring and fixed to the other of the pilot ring and the damper ring. The fuse pin is engaged with at least one of the first and second apertures through a heat shrink fit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventor: Wallace L. Milfs
  • Patent number: 8573936
    Abstract: A blade for an aircraft turbomachine receiving part including a root, and an airfoil part prolonging this root. The airfoil part includes a mechanical fuse located at a distance from the bottom of the blade, along the length direction of the airfoil part, between 0.25 and 0.5 times the length of the airfoil part along this length direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Airbus Operations S.A.S.
    Inventor: Lauren Lafont
  • Patent number: 8568087
    Abstract: The present technology relates generally to a device for the detection of a shaft fracture in a rotor of a turbine, for example a medium pressure turbine such as a gas turbine, in particular an aircraft engine, whereby at least one stator-side sensor element is positioned downstream from the turbine in the area of a stator-side guide vane ring of another turbine in particular, a low pressure turbine; and whereby a radially inner section of the last rotor-side moving blade ring (as seen in the direction of flow) of the turbine cooperates with at least one sensor element directly and/or proximally in the event of a shaft fracture in the rotor of the turbine to generate an electric signal corresponding to the shaft fracture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: MTU Aero Engines GmbH
    Inventors: Alastair McIntosh, Christopher Bilson
  • Publication number: 20130280049
    Abstract: A blade includes an airfoil having a base and a free, tip end. The tip end includes at least one porous, abradable element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2012
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Inventors: Benjamin T. Fisk, Tracy A. Propheter-Hinckley
  • Patent number: 8430623
    Abstract: A fan blade for a gas turbine engine has an aerofoil part and a root part. The root part includes a root former; the root former 18 includes a zone of weakness, which reduces the ability of the root part to withstand an impact force. Thus, in an impact situation in which the fan blade has separated from the fan rotor and the fan blade has itself separated into fragments, the root part will fracture or buckle more easily than would be the case with conventional arrangements. This will lower the impact force of the root part upon the fan casing, thus permitting the fan casing to be designed to withstand lower impact forces. The fan casing can therefore be made lighter, and cheaper, than in conventional arrangements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: Peter Rowland Beckford, Simon Read, Ian Colin Deuchar Care
  • Patent number: 8414183
    Abstract: An agitator (10) includes a stem (11) having a shaft coupler (12) at one end adapted to be attached to the rotatable shaft (25) of a food mixing machine. The other end of the stem (11) has a mixing blade (13) which can be in the shape of the bowl of a spoon. The stem (11) is shaped like an I-beam having side walls (20) spaced by a central wall (21). The side walls (20) have opposed notches (22) leaving a web (23) therebetween, and the central wall (21) is provided with an aperture (24) which is aligned with the web (23). Together the web (23) and the aperture (24) define a weakened area where the stem (11) will break upon a predetermined torque which is established based on the hardness of the food product (26) being mixed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Vita-Mix Corporation
    Inventors: Eugene J. Kozlowski, Raymond Seuffert
  • Publication number: 20130052012
    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: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2011
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Nicholas Joseph Kray, Gregory Allen Platz, JR., Matthew Robert Hastings, Gary Willard Bryant, JR., Justin Jeffrey Kral
  • Patent number: 8366378
    Abstract: Blade assemblies are provided in a number of forms. These blade assemblies may have blades secured to disks (blisk), rings (bling) and drums (blum). The blades and/or the rotor elements formed by these rings, drums or disks can fragment and it is necessary to contain such fragments within a casing. Impact energy has a significant effect upon the necessary thickness of the casing to ensure containment. By providing blades as well as rotor elements which incorporate discontinuities which provide flexing under impact, energy is absorbed prior to further fragmentation upon impact engagement with a casing surface; flexing is about the discontinuity. In such circumstances casings may be thinner and therefore significant weight savings achieved with regard to aircraft incorporating gas turbine engines having blade assemblies with discontinuities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: Peter Rowland Beckford, Simon Read, Ian Colin Deuchar Care
  • Patent number: 8277269
    Abstract: A torque transmitting device and related a marine propulsion system include an adapter that comprises a first portion shaped to engage in torque-transmitting relation with a propulsor shaft of the marine propulsion system so that rotation of the propulsor shaft about the axis of rotation causes synchronous rotation of the first portion about the axis of rotation. A second portion is shaped to engage in torque-transmitting relation with a propulsor hub of the marine propulsion system. The second portion is connected to the first portion by a plurality of elongated torsional members that are integrally attached to at least one of the first and second portions. The elongated torsional members are resilient so as to allow the first portion and second portion to rotate relative to each other about the axis of rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventors: Jeremy L. Alby, Daniel J. Guse, Terence C. Reinke, Edward M. Thull
  • Patent number: 8262353
    Abstract: A rotor decoupler system for a gas turbine engine is disclosed, comprising a load reduction system disposed between a bearing system and the bearing support. The load reduction system comprises a fuse and a damper such that the damper transfers at least a part of the radial load from the rotor to the bearing support when a fuse fails. In one exemplary embodiment the damper comprises a wire mesh, disposed around the outer race of the bearing. In another exemplary embodiment the damper comprises a rope damper assembly. In yet another exemplary embodiment, a load reduction system is disposed between a support structure and a frame, comprising an extensional fuse and a damper disposed between the support structure and the frame such that the damper transfers at least a part of the unbalance load to the frame when an extensional fuse fails.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Albert Frank Storace
  • Patent number: 8251640
    Abstract: A blade assembly for a rotary component comprises an aerofoil member and a displacement apparatus on the aerofoil member for displacing a detached first portion of the aerofoil member in a rearward direction relative to a second portion of the aerofoil member. On failure of the aerofoil member, the displacement apparatus displaces the first portion from the second portion in the rearward direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: Peter Rowland Beckford, Daniel John Allan Swan, Caroline Halliday
  • Patent number: 8167531
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing dynamic loading of a gas turbine engine is provided. The gas turbine engine includes a rotor shaft assembly including a rotor shaft, a bearing assembly, a mounting race, and a support frame, the mounting race including a spherical surface. The method includes supporting the rotor shaft on the gas turbine engine support frame with the bearing assembly, the rotor shaft including a yield portion configured to permit bending of the rotor shaft during an imbalance operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Daniel E. Mollmann, Steven A. Ross, Richard Wesling, Thomas Edward Agin, Charles Orkiszewski
  • Patent number: 8128339
    Abstract: To provide a bearing support structure and a gas turbine that prevent damage of device induced by a rotor shaft when the rotor shaft is unbalanced, the bearing support structure and the gas turbine includes: a casing (7) formed in a cylindrical shape; a bearing unit (8) formed in a cylindrical shape and housed in the casing (7); a rotation shaft (5) rotatably supported by the bearing unit (8); and a reaction-force decreasing unit (13) that connects the casing and the bearing unit, and is configured to decrease a radial reaction force on the bearing unit side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuru Kondo, Hiroji Tada, Osamu Morii, Tadayuki Hanada, Hirokazu Hagiwara, Kunihiro Shimizu, Tomohiro Imae
  • Publication number: 20120020789
    Abstract: A turbine wheel including: a plurality of first and second blades, at least one of the first blades being adjacent to at least one of the second blades; a disk presenting an axis of rotation and a periphery having the blades mounted thereat, each of the blades including a head solid with a root engaged in a housing that opens to the periphery of the disk, each of the blades including a keying mechanism including a respective shelf arranged between the head and the root of the blade, the shelves of the first blades presenting an azimuth length different from the azimuth length of the shelves of the second blades; and a damper device arranged at least between the adjacent blades, the damper device being arranged between the shelves of the blades and the periphery of the disk.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2010
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Applicant: TURBOMECA
    Inventors: Marc Dijoud, Jean-Philippe Ousty
  • Patent number: 8070438
    Abstract: An injection-molded thermoplastic mini-platform is adhesively bonded, in use, to the aerofoil surfaces of a fan blade in a gas turbine engine. The mini-platform is divided into a number of leaves, to increase its flexibility, and ribs beneath the leaves provide additional stiffness in the radial direction. In the event that a fan blade is released in operation, the mini-platform is designed to detach from the blade and/or to break apart, so that damage to other components of the engine is minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventor: Dale E Evans
  • Patent number: 7972109
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a fan assembly is provided, wherein the method includes providing a rotor having a plurality of rotor blades. At least one rotor blade is fabricated from a frangible material. The method also includes coupling a casing substantially circumferentially about the rotor, and positioning the casing a distance from the plurality of rotor blades. The distance is selected to facilitate increasing an amount of initial resistance created between the casing and the plurality of rotor blades after a bladeout.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David William Crall, Frank Worthoff, Daniel Edward Mollmann, Nicholas Joseph Kray, Max Farson
  • Publication number: 20110085906
    Abstract: A fan retention shaft is provided for retaining a fan within a gas turbine engine in the event of fan shaft failure. The fan retention shaft has a first shaft which in use extends from the engine and a second shaft to which in use the fan is attached, the second shaft being coaxial with the first shaft and the first and second shafts defining an annular passage between them. An energy absorbing medium is disposed within the annular passage. The fan retention shaft has a retaining formation for preventing the first shaft and the second shaft from moving axially with respect to one another. The retaining formation is configured to release the first shaft and the second shaft from their relative axial positions when a threshold axial load is applied to the fan retention shaft. The energy absorbing medium is arranged to absorb kinetic energy from the second shaft as the second shaft moves axially with respect to the first shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2010
    Publication date: April 14, 2011
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventor: David P. SCOTHERN
  • Publication number: 20110033292
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine fan section is disclosed that includes a hub. Circumferentially spaced fan blades are supported on the hub. A spacer is arranged between adjacent fan blades and is operatively supported by the hub. The spacer is configured to be collapsible in response to a fan blade load exerted on the spacer in excess of a threshold load. The spacer is generally rigid at fan blade loads below the threshold load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2009
    Publication date: February 10, 2011
    Inventor: Brian P. Huth
  • Patent number: 7794197
    Abstract: An aerofoil blade for a gas turbine engine, the blade having a metallic core defining a number of cavities that contain a foamed material. The cavities are shaped such that the force of an impact on one surface of the blade is dissipated through the foam and transmitted to the metallic core. A fibrous internal containment device allows the blade to fragment progressively thereby spreading the load imparted by the blade to a casing should the blade fragment upon impact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventors: Ewan F Thompson, Simon Read
  • Patent number: 7780410
    Abstract: A method of assembling a gas turbine engine includes providing at least one blade assembly. The method also includes forming at least one blade tip fuse within at least a portion of the at least one blade assembly. The method further includes coupling the at least one blade assembly into the gas turbine engine. The blade assembly includes an airfoil and a metal leading edge (MLE) coupled to at least a portion of the airfoil. The MLE includes the at least one blade tip fuse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nicholas Joseph Kray, David William Crall, Daniel Edward Mollmann