Unsymmetrical Impeller Or Dissimilar Working Members Patents (Class 416/203)
  • 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
  • Patent number: 8657558
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and products are disclosed for improving the airflow exiting a blower that has one or more adjustable guide vanes that are affixed to the blower at one or more pivot points located in an outlet of the blower that include: determining a rotational speed of an impeller in the blower and adjusting a position of at least one of the adjustable guide vanes in dependence upon the rotational speed of the impeller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michael S. June, Jason A. Matteson, Mark E. Steinke
  • Patent number: 8651814
    Abstract: An axial flow fan includes a hub rotatable about a central axis. The hub includes a front face and a cylindrical portion. A plurality of apertures is provided in the front face of the hub, each aperture at least partially defined by a first surface oriented non-parallel with the front face. A plurality of ribs is provided, each rib aligned with one of the plurality of apertures such that a free edge of the rib at least partially overlaps the respective one of the plurality of apertures. The fan further includes a plurality of lips, each lip coupled to the front face of the hub and aligned with one of the plurality of apertures that is not aligned with one of the plurality of ribs, each lip having a second surface, adjacent the first surface of a respective aperture, that at least partially overlaps the respective aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Dana F. Nicgorski, Adam H. Sterne, Michael Strupp
  • Publication number: 20140044546
    Abstract: A bladed rotor for a turbomachine, in particular a gas turbine, having a plurality of blades distributed around the circumference thereof; the blade distribution being made up of a natural-number sector count of first angular sectors and second angular sectors; a first blade count of first blades being arranged in the first angular sectors, and a second blade count of second blades being arranged in the second angular sectors, said second blade count being different from said first blade count; and the sector count being odd (Z=2n+1, n=1, 2, 3, . . . ) and/or greater than two (Z>2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2013
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Applicant: MTU Aero Engines AG
    Inventors: Johann GEPPERT, Peter Eibelshaeuser
  • Patent number: 8640984
    Abstract: A ducted fan for a helicopter includes a transverse duct and a counter-torque device supported within the duct. The counter-torque device includes a rotor rotatably mounted within the duct and a stator fixedly mounted within the duct downstream from the rotor. The rotor includes a rotor hub having a rotor axis, and rotor blades extending from the hub. The Rotor blades have a modulated angular distribution about the rotor axis. The stator includes a stator hub, and a plurality of stator vanes distributed around the stator hub. The stator vanes are angularly modulated around the stator hub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: John M. Kebrle, James R. Andrews, Justin Daw, Jim Hurdle, Paul Sherrill, Jimmy C. Narramore, Sidney Xue, Charles Hollimon, Dudley Smith, Bryce Docker, John T. Brieger
  • Patent number: 8641361
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and products are disclosed for improving the airflow exiting a blower that has one or more adjustable guide vanes that are affixed to the blower at one or more pivot points located in an outlet of the blower that include: determining a rotational speed of an impeller in the blower and adjusting a position of at least one of the adjustable guide vanes in dependence upon the rotational speed of the impeller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michael S. June, Jason A. Matteson, Mark E. Steinke
  • Patent number: 8608447
    Abstract: A disk for a turbine engine is disclosed herein. The disk includes a rotatable body extending along a longitudinal axis between a forward side and an aft side. The disk also includes a plurality of slots disposed about a periphery of the body. Each of the slots extends between the forward and aft sides along a respective slot axis. The sides of each of the slots are asymmetrical relative to one another in a cross-section normal to the slot axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph Benjamin LaBelle, Christopher Hall, Samuel J. LaCombe, James C. Muskat
  • Patent number: 8579575
    Abstract: A wind turbine has a spindle, a first fan device and a second fan device. The first fan device is rotatably mounted around the spindle and has a first pivot hole and at least two first blades. The first pivot hole is formed through a center of the first fan device and is mounted around the spindle. The at least two first blades are radially mounted on and protrude from an external surface of the first fan device. The second fan device is rotatably mounted around the spindle, abuts with the first fan device and has a second pivot hole and at least two second blades. The second pivot hole is formed through a center of the second fan device and is mounted around the spindle. The at least two second blades are mounted on and protrude from an external surface of the second fan device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Inventor: Shun-Tsung Lu
  • Patent number: 8579591
    Abstract: A compressor impeller includes a hub, main blades and splitter blades. The main blades are equally spaced around the circumference of the hub. Each splitter blade is equally spaced between two adjacent main blades. Each main blade and splitter blade has suction and pressure surfaces formed in substantial compliance with normalized Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y, and Z set forth in Tables 1-4. When connected by smooth, continuing arcs, the normalized Cartesian coordinates form complete main blade and splitter blade shapes that are substantially matched by the main blade and splitter blade shapes of the compressor impeller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: John Chen Chiang Ho, Bo Zheng, Timothy M. Hollman, Kevin K. Taft, Jang Y. Jo, Anthony C. Jones
  • Patent number: 8540490
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a first set of blades and a second set of blades disposed downstream relative to the first set of blades. The first set of blades includes a first subset of blades, wherein each blade among the first subset of blades comprises one or more first geometric parameters. The second set of blades includes a second subset of blades, wherein each blade among the second subset of blades comprises one or more second geometric parameters different from the one or more first geometric parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Kishore Ramakrishnan, Trevor Howard Wood
  • Patent number: 8529190
    Abstract: A wind turbine rotor with a vertical rotation axis connected to a hub having at least two horizontal supports, on the ends of which are tightly fixed blades, each consisting of two wings joined together, with a symmetrical or concavo-convex airfoil with the airfoil's chord lengths and thickness diminishing toward both wing ends. The rotor blade's upper and lower wings are radially deflected from the central zone outwards. The chord length of both wing ends and the chord length in the central zone are approximately inversely proportional to the radii of its location in relation to the axis of the rotor's rotation. The deflecting angle of the lower wing can be greater than the deflecting angle of the upper wing or the length of the lower wing can be greater than the length of the upper wing. These specifications provide uniform wind power consumption along the wing's length, increasing the efficiency of a wind turbine and its service life.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Anew Institute Sp. z o.o.
    Inventor: Anatoliy Naumenko
  • Patent number: 8512000
    Abstract: A turbocharger for or in a motor vehicle has a rotor with an intermediate blade disposed between two primary blades. The intermediate blade, at least in some regions, has an angular progression that differs from the primary blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Tobias Dettmann, Andre Kaufmann
  • Publication number: 20130121833
    Abstract: An airfoil comprises a leading edge, a trailing edge, and pressure and suction surfaces defined therebetween. An inner platform is coupled to a root section of the airfoil, with a curvilinear gusset extending along a lower surface of the inner platform, opposite the root section. An outer platform is coupled to a tip section of the airfoil, with a multi-lobed gusset extending along an upper surface of the inner platform, opposite the tip section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2011
    Publication date: May 16, 2013
    Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: John P. Lucashu, Gregory E. Reinhardt, John C. Ditomasso
  • Publication number: 20130108466
    Abstract: A spacer for a gas turbine engine includes a rotor ring defined along an axis of rotation, the rotor ring defines a forward circumferential flange which defines a first thickness and an aft circumferential flange which defines a second thickness, the first thickness different than the second thickness. A plurality of core gas path seals which extend from the rotor ring opposite the ramped interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Inventors: Gabriel L. Suciu, Stephen P. Muron, Christopher M. Dye, Ioannis Alvanos, Brian D. Merry
  • Patent number: 8414250
    Abstract: A machine train includes a drive unit, preferably a steam turbine with axial exhaust flow, a geared turbine machine, and an additional compressor. The geared turbine machine has an integrated gear train with a drive pinion for driving turbine machine rotors via a large gear, and an output pinion of a rotational speed reduction power gear for driving the additional compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: MAN Diesel & Turbo SE
    Inventors: Ole Hansen, Arindam Khan, Klaus-Dieter Mohr, Gerd-Ulrich Woelk, Hans-Otto Jeske
  • Patent number: 8397385
    Abstract: Method for configuring the constituent elements of hollow helical wheels or their cages, which is based on using geometrical figures whose centers serve as reference for constructing them and defining their areas. Values of angles, offsets of the centers, and pitches, make it possible to control all the constituent elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Inventor: Pierre Carrouset
  • Publication number: 20130052021
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine has a section, such as a compressor section, with at least two spaced apart stator assemblies and an asymmetrical rotor assembly positioned between the spaced apart stator assemblies. The asymmetrical rotor assembly has a rotor array which is asymmetric about at least one diameter of the rotor assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2011
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Richard K. Hayford, David P. Houston, Robert J. Morris
  • Patent number: 8382430
    Abstract: A method of operating a contra-rotating propeller engine that preferably comprises a 12 bladed front and a 9 bladed rear propeller. As is conventional, the engine is operated during at least a take-off phase, a cruise phase and an approach phase; during the cruise phase the engine operates with a generally constant propeller tip speed. The method is characterized by the step of operating the engine such that the tip speed of either or both of the propellers, during at least one of take-off, climb or approach, at least 10% greater than cruise tip speed. With a specific front to rear propeller spacing, increasing the tip speed reduces overall noise generated by the propellers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: Anthony Brian Parry, Nicholas Howarth, Mark David Taylor
  • Patent number: 8366380
    Abstract: A turbo-molecular pump has a housing with intake and exhaust ports. A rotary body is enclosed in the housing and has rotor blades of a series of stages formed so that the outside diameter of at least one stage on the exhaust port side is smaller than that on the intake port side. Stator blades are arranged between the rotor blades and spacer rings are arranged between the stator blades to hold the stator blades at predetermined intervals. The spacer rings are formed so that the smallest inside diameter of at least one stage of the spacer rings on the exhaust port side is smaller than the largest outside diameter of the rotor blades. The housing comprises a casing whose inside diameter is constant or whose inside diameter is smaller at the intake port side than at the exhaust port side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Edwards Japan Limited
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Sakaguchi, Tsutomu Takaada
  • Publication number: 20120328432
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a first set of blades and a second set of blades disposed downstream relative to the first set of blades. The first set of blades includes a first subset of blades, wherein each blade among the first subset of blades comprises one or more first geometric parameters. The second set of blades includes a second subset of blades, wherein each blade among the second subset of blades comprises one or more second geometric parameters different from the one or more first geometric parameters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Kishore Ramakrishnan, Trevor Howard Wood
  • Patent number: 8308437
    Abstract: A wind turbine includes a nacelle mounted atop a tower. Power generating components are housed within the nacelle. A rotor hub is rotationally coupled to the power generating components. A plurality of blades are fixed to the rotor hub. The blades include a root section extending radially outward from the rotor hub and an aerodynamic section extending radially outward from the root section, wherein lift is generated by the blades primarily along the aerodynamic section. Aerodynamic fins extend radially outward from the rotor hub alongside the root sections of the blades and have an aerodynamic shape so as to capture wind and impart rotational torque to the hub from a central impinging wind zone that is coaxial to the rotor hub and the blade root sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Bharat Bagepalli, Aniruddha D. Gadre, Nitin Narayan Bhate
  • Patent number: 8303258
    Abstract: The invention relates to a fan platform of a bypass turbomachine having a primary stream and a secondary stream. The platform defines a portion of the surface of the nose around which the primary stream flows and that carries blades extending radially outwards from said platform. Between two adjacent blades, the platform has at least one rib projecting into the space between the two blades, said rib being designed to participate in compressing the primary air stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventor: Stephan Aubin
  • Patent number: 8292589
    Abstract: A casting aluminum alloy which contains, in terms of mass %, 3.2-5.0% Cu, 0.8-3.0% Ni, 1.0-3.0% Mg, 0.05-0.20% Ti, and up to 1.0% Si, the remainder being aluminum and incidental impurities. This casting aluminum alloy is used to produce a cast compressor impeller comprising a hub part, a hub-disk part extending from the hub part in the radial directions and having a hub surface and a disk surface, and blade parts disposed on the hub surface. Compared to conventional aluminum alloys, the casting aluminum alloy has a moderate elongation and a high strength at ordinary temperature and has high strength even at high temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignees: Hitachi Metals Precision, Ltd., Hitachi Metals, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masaaki Koga
  • Patent number: 8292588
    Abstract: An impeller in a centrifugal fan includes a support portion having a cylindrical outer circumferential surface coaxial or substantially coaxial with a center axis and a plurality of moving blades arranged on the outer circumferential surface of the support portion independently of one another and configured to draw an air along the center axis and expel the air radially outwards when rotated about the center axis together with the support portion. At least one of the moving blades includes a first blade portion connected to, and extending radially outwards from, the outer circumferential surface of the support portion, at least one second blade portion having a radial inner end portion radially spaced apart from the outer circumferential surface of the support portion and a connecting member arranged to interconnect the first blade portion and the second blade portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Nidec Corporation
    Inventors: Takaya Otsuki, Tatsuya Akase, Tsunenori Tatsuno, Toshikazu Fukunaga, Kazumi Takeshita, Tomohiko Ogasawara
  • Patent number: 8286908
    Abstract: A ducted fan for a helicopter includes a transverse duct and a counter-torque device supported within the duct. The counter-torque device includes a rotor rotatably mounted within the duct and a stator fixedly mounted within the duct downstream from the rotor. The rotor includes a rotor hub having a rotor axis, and rotor blades extending from the hub. The Rotor blades have a modulated angular distribution about the rotor axis. The stator includes a stator hub, and a plurality of stator vanes distributed around the stator hub. The stator vanes are angularly modulated around the stator hub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: John M. Kebrle, James R. Andrews, III, Justin Daw, Jim Hurdle, Paul Sherrill, Jimmy C. Narramore, Sidney Xue, Charles Hollimon, Dudley Smith, Bryce Docker, John T. Brieger
  • Patent number: 8240995
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a wind turbine (10) including: a rotor (18) including a rotatable hub (20) and a plurality of rotor blades (22), each of the plurality of rotor blades (22) being attached to the hub (20); and at least one airfoil body (120) including an aerodynamic profile (156) and an airfoil body root portion (122); wherein the aerodynamic profile (156) is configured for increasing aerodynamic lift of at least an inner portion of a rotor blade (22); and the at least one airfoil body (120) is attached to the hub (20) at the airfoil body root portion (122). In addition thereto, the present disclosure relates to an aerodynamic assembly (118) for a wind turbine (10) and a method of assembling a wind turbine (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Pedro Luis Benito Santiago, Eugenio Yegro Segovia
  • Patent number: 8182215
    Abstract: An electric blower includes an electric motor, a first fan, a second fan, a first casing and a second casing. The electric motor includes a motor body and a rotation shaft extending from the motor body only on one axial side of the motor body. The first fan is located to the one axial side of the motor body and defines a first axis of rotation aligned with the rotation shaft. The second fan is located to the one axial side of the motor body and further than the first fan from the motor body in an axial direction. The second fan defines a second axis of rotation aligned with the rotation shaft. The first fan and the second fan are driven by a driving force generated by the electric motor. The first fan is disposed in the first casing. The second fan is disposed in the second casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Ito, Yoshihiro Goto, Takahito Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8171632
    Abstract: In the manufacture of integrally designed rotor wheels (BLISKs), the natural frequency of each blade is measured after forming by conventional shaping methods and the respective blade mass and its divergence from the smallest blade mass is calculated therefrom. The mass of each blade exceeding the smallest blade mass is removed by means of an etchant, so that all blades have essentially corresponding thickness, chord length, mass and natural frequency and are evenly loaded in operation. BLISKs manufactured in this way feature a long service life.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG
    Inventors: Arnold Kuehhorn, Thomas Klauke
  • Publication number: 20120107117
    Abstract: A wind turbine with a rotor mounted on a hub section, wherein the rotor comprises a plurality of blades, at least one of which comprises a main blade section, which is optionally pitchable, and an auxiliary blade section mounted to the hub section. The auxiliary blade section is arranged in the area of a leading edge or of a trailing edge of the main blade, so that each blade is thereby provided with a leading edge slat or a trailing edge flap formed by the auxiliary blade section to increase the planform area of the blade and increase aerodynamic lift. A control method for a wind turbine controls a main blade section and an auxiliary blade section to provide different angles of attack to reduce undesired loads at sudden extreme changes of wind speed, e.g. during idling of the wind turbine. In a separate aspect, the invention provides a wind turbine having a blade with a non-pitchable leading edge slat, which extends at most 40% of the radius of the rotor in a longitudinal direction of the blade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventor: Kristian Balschmidt Godsk
  • Patent number: 8167540
    Abstract: A system for reducing compressor noise includes a rotor having a plurality of blades. The blades have a nominal geometry characterized by a blade parameter. At least some of the blades are mistuned, such that they differ from the nominal geometry by greater than a manufacturing tolerance in the blade parameter. The blades produce shock waves at a blade passing frequency, and the mistuned blades shift acoustic energy away from the blade passing frequency to multiple lower amplitude tones at other frequencies. The system is configurable to be deployed with an inlet silencer that preferentially absorbs acoustic energy at some of the shifted frequencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Hans Schlinker, James C. Napier, David R. Polak, Ray-Sing Lin, Scott A. Liljenberg, Anthony C. Jones
  • Patent number: 8167571
    Abstract: A horizontal axis wind turbine rotor assembly utilizes rotor blades having the aerodynamic characteristics of low aspect ratio lifting bodies. The aerodynamic characteristics of low aspect ratio lifting bodies at typical operating wind velocities permits high energy conversion efficiencies throughout a wide range of wind speeds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Inventor: Thomas Stewart Bernatz
  • Publication number: 20120099995
    Abstract: A system includes a rotary machine with a fluid flow path extending along an axis of the rotary machine, a plurality of airfoils disposed about the axis, and a plurality of spacers disposed about the axis. Each spacer of the plurality of spacers is disposed circumferentially between adjacent airfoils of the plurality of airfoils to define a circumferential spacing of the airfoils about the axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2010
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John McConnell Delvaux, Brian Denver Potter
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20120070294
    Abstract: A universal spherical reaction turbine for any flowing fluid at any depths or elevation that is capable of unidirectional rotation under reversible flow conditions. The turbine includes a rotatable shaft that is adapted to rotate about an axis of rotation; turbine blade support members that are fixedly attached to the rotatable shaft and a plurality of meridian turbine blades. The meridian turbine blades are fixedly attached to diametrically-opposite points that define a geometrical north-south meridian axis that is oriented at a skew angle to the axis of rotation of the rotatable shaft. The skew angle is greater than zero and less than 180 degrees, and, more preferably, between 25 and 35 degrees. The skewing ensures that those turbine blades that are attached to the diametrically-opposite points move on a helical trajectory with respect to the axis of rotation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2010
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Inventor: Alexander M. Gorlov
  • Publication number: 20120061526
    Abstract: A rotor system for a rotorcraft, the rotor system is a rotor hub having six rotor blades attached to a rotor mast via a rotor yoke assembly. Each rotor blade is angularly spaced in 30° and 90° alternating angular increment about a mast axis of rotation. Such rotor blades spacing reduces the vibration that is translated into the rotorcraft through the rotor mast.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2009
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventor: John E. Brunken, JR.
  • Patent number: 8109731
    Abstract: A radial fan impeller has the following features: a plurality of blades distributed around the periphery; viewed in the radial direction, the blades extend from an inner inlet region to an outer discharge region; the blades extend axially, viewed in the direction of a rotation axis, between an inlet side and an axially opposite hub side; on the inlet side, the blades are connected by means of their radial extension as far as the discharge region to a covering disc which has a central inflow opening, opening out into the inlet region; on the hub side the blades are only connected with their radial inner end regions to a central hub; the blades and the covering disc define an outer fan impeller diameter which is at least ten times an axially measured flow discharge width of the blades provided in the discharge region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: ebm-papst Landshut GmbH
    Inventors: Roland Keber, Rudolf Tungl
  • Patent number: 8109733
    Abstract: A method of adjusting the speed of blades rotating in a rotor plane on a wind turbine, wherein the angle between at least two blades in the rotor plane is changed, whereby the tip speed of each individual blade can be optimised relative to the current speed of the wind experienced by the blade. Hereby it is possible to take into consideration the variation of the wind as a function of the height above ground level, and the yield of the wind turbine can be increased. The angular displacement of each blade can be changed individually independently of the remainder of the blades and cyclically. The method also comprises that each blade is accelerated on its way upwards in the rotation cycle and decelerated on its way down. Further details are provided about a system for controlling blades in a wind turbine comprising one or more wind speed meters, position meters, and/or acceleration meters, based on which parameters control of the angular displacement of each blade in the rotor plane is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: LM Glasfiber A/S
    Inventor: Tommy Sorensen
  • Publication number: 20120025016
    Abstract: A propeller for an aircraft is disclosed. The propeller has an odd number of unequally circumferentially spaced blades. The propeller may be provided as part of a contra-rotating propeller arrangement and/or aft of a pylon on an aircraft. The propeller has been found to reduce noise levels and to be efficient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2011
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Inventors: Paul Nicholas METHVEN, Angela Knepper, Diane Cuttell
  • Patent number: 8105017
    Abstract: The disclosed solid waste pump is a chopper pump, and preferably a chopper pump having a small rated motor and a semi-open impeller design. Particularly, a chopper pump having an impeller, at least one pump-out vane, an end plate, and a back plate including at least one cutting rib is disclosed. The impeller includes a back shroud and cutting vanes sharpened on a first edge extending opposite the back shroud and fixed on a first surface of the back shroud. The at least one pump-out vane is preferably fixed to a second surface of the back shroud opposite the first surface, while the end plate includes a surface adjacent to and facing the first edge of the cutting vanes and at least one internal cutting rib fixed to the end plate surface for shearing operation in combination with the sharpened edge of the cutting vanes of the impeller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Vaughan Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Glenn Robert Dorsch, Kent Harrison Keeran
  • Patent number: 8092186
    Abstract: A random pitch impeller for a fuel pump has number of blades. An incremental angle of the blades is set by the expression: ?? ? ? i = ( 360 N ) + ( - 1 ) i × Am × sin ? ( p 1 × 360 N × i ) × cos ? ( P 2 × 360 N × i ) , where ??I is the incremental angle between the blades, N is the total number of blades (N=2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, . . . ), Am is the distribution magnitude of the inter-blade interval (equally divided angle) (0<Am<360/N), i is the order of the blade (i=1, 2, 3, . . . , N), and P1 and P2 are the factors exerting an influence on the cycle (0<P1<N, and 0?P2?N). The incremental angle has maximum and minimum values a difference of which satisfies the expression: 2°?MAX?MIN?6°, where MAX is the maximum value, and MIN is the minimum value of the incremental angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Hyundam Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jin-Wook Jang, Yong-Taek Hwang, Young-seok Choi, Kyoung-Yong Lee, Uk-Hee Jeong, Murase Seiji
  • Publication number: 20110289909
    Abstract: A blade assembly for a torque converter including a plurality of blades installed between a shell and a core ring, where the blades are in an arrangement having asymmetrical spacing between the blades for reducing the noise generated by operation of the torque converter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2011
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Applicant: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventor: Bhaskar MARATHE
  • Patent number: 8066488
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a rotor for gas or steam turbines having a disk (1), an outer cover (2) and a plurality of blades (3). The disk (1) defines the portion of less diameter of the rotor and has an inner surface configured to be coupled on a shaft (100) of the turbine or connected to an axially adjacent disk (1?, 1?); an outer surface configured for housing a plurality of blades (3). The outer cover (2) defines the portion of greater diameter of the rotor. The blades (3) have a root (31) configured to be coupled on the disk (1) and a tip (32) opposite to the outer cover (2). Between these blades there is a plurality of blades (3) welded together at the tip (32) to form groups of blades (3a) and individual blades (3b) intercalated between groups of blades (3a).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Industria de Turbo Propulsores, S.A.
    Inventors: Roque Corral Garcia, Juan Manuel Gallardo AntolĂ­n
  • Patent number: 8047785
    Abstract: A counterbalanced orthogonal hydropower system for generating electricity comprises -an upper and lower turbines made as ring-shaped platforms, each incorporating a rotor, the turbines include hydro-dynamical blades positioned to rotate the turbines in opposite directions, -variously disposed inductors, -a tower mounted on a water reservoir's bottom, -a frame, supported by the tower and peripherally surrounded by a rigid polygon-shaped structure having vertexes, -units for rotatable support of the turbines associated with the frame, and -units for support of the inductors, wherein the latters are attached to the vertexes through spring-loaded hinges. It may also comprise units for support of the circular shape of platforms, for braking rotation of the turbines, for unloading the turbines from lateral forces, and for unloading the turbines from vertical forces. The top turbine may have negative buoyancy, while the bottom turbine and frame may have positive buoyancy. The frame can be made of hollow rods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Inventor: Victor Lyatkher
  • Patent number: 8043063
    Abstract: A frequency mistuned integrally bladed rotor (IBR) for a gas turbine engine comprises a hub and a circumferential row of blades of varying frequency projecting integrally from the hub. Each blade in the row alternate with another blade having a different pressure surface definition but similar suction surface, leading edge and trailing edge definitions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventors: Frank Kelly, Kari Heikurinen, Edward Fazari, Yuhua Wu
  • Patent number: 8021117
    Abstract: An impeller for a supercharger cast in molds to provide excellent aerodynamic performance by eliminating parting-line corresponding parts from a hub surface and vane surfaces in each space formed of a pair of long vanes adjacent to each other an a method of manufacturing the impeller. The method comprises a step for casting the impeller in the molds. Molten metal is poured in spaces formed by radially arranging, toward a center axis, the plurality of slide molds each having a short vane-shaped bottomed groove part and a shape for the space between the pair of long vanes adjacent to each other to mold the impeller. Then, the slide molds are moved in the radial direction of the center axis while rotating for mold-releasing. Thus, the impeller for the supercharger having no parting-line corresponding parts on both the hub surface and the vane surfaces in each space formed of the pair of long vanes adjacent to each other can be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignees: Hitachi Metals Precision, Ltd., Hitachi Metals, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Kubota
  • Patent number: 8007241
    Abstract: A radial fan comprises a base with a plurality of straight primary blades radially oriented and substantially uniformly spaced around the circumference of the base. A like plurality of splitter vanes are interspersed between successive primary blades. The splitter vanes have a length that is about 50-70% of the length of the primary blades. The inner edges of the splitter vanes are angled to improve airflow through the inlet area between primary blades while reducing the occurrence of vortices and recirculation. The addition of splitter vanes increases the airflow capacity of the fan without any significant increase in operating noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Nidec Motor Corporation
    Inventor: Jose L. Vadillo
  • Patent number: 7997871
    Abstract: An impeller (10) for a cooling fan includes a hub (20) having a circular wall (22) and an annular sidewall (24) extending downwardly from a rim of the circular wall, and a plurality of blades (30) extending radially from the sidewall of the hub. Each of the blades includes a first portion (32) near the hub and a second portion (34) away from the hub, wherein each of the first portions is identical to an adjacent one of the first portions, and each of the second portions is different from an adjacent one of the second portions regarding a height thereof, thereby reducing a noise level of the impeller when the it operates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignees: Fu Zhun Precision Industry (Shen Zhen) Co., Ltd., Foxconn Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ching-Bai Hwang, Jie Zhang, Ran Lin
  • Patent number: 7997870
    Abstract: An electrical generation device includes a turbine rotor for electrical power generation, preferably underwater, from moving fluid, preferably water currents or the wind. The turbine rotor includes turbine blades that include flexible portions, preferably mounted at the edges of stiff portions of the turbine blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: B N Balance Energy Solutions, LLC
    Inventor: Joel G. Neumann
  • Patent number: 7988407
    Abstract: An axial fan is provided. The axial fan includes a base, a rotor, a guide and a plurality of blades. The guide connects to a guide tube to provide airflow. Each blade has a passive part and an active part, wherein the passive part is driven by the airflow from the guide to rotate the active part synchronously. The axial fan increases air quantity and decreases air pressure to provide efficient heat dissipation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Delta Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Wei-Chun Hsu, Shun-Chen Chang, Wen-Shi Huang
  • Patent number: 7967500
    Abstract: An impeller vane assembly for blending liquids with solid particulate matter in which a center drive shaft extends through a housing having a solid particle inlet and a liquid inlet together with an outlet, and upper and lower impeller vanes are aligned respectively with the particle inlet and liquid inlet to cause intermixing of the solids and liquids by counterflow of the liquid into the upper impeller region, the upper and lower vanes being separated by a common divider plate, the upper vanes being radially split and lower vanes having outer split tips, the vanes being operative to balance the point at which the solids and liquid are intermixed between the solid particle inlet and annular space surrounding the impeller. In one embodiment, inner concentric expeller blades are employed with the upper impeller vanes to accelerate the flow of solid particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: CE & M LLC
    Inventors: Jorge O. Arribau, Michael G. Dubic