Vibration Damping Features Patents (Class 416/500)
-
Patent number: 7632063Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 25, 2006Date of Patent: December 15, 2009Assignee: Denso CorporationInventors: Kazuhiro Takeuchi, Takahiro Iwasaki, Shinichi Oda
-
Patent number: 7628588Abstract: A damper pin for a turbine bucket includes an elongated main body portion of substantially uniform cross-sectional shape having opposite ends, one only of said opposite ends coated with a corrosion and oxidation-resistant coating.Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 2007Date of Patent: December 8, 2009Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Gary Michael Itzel, Ariel Caesar-Prepena Jacala, Doyle C. Lewis, Kathleen B. Morey, David V. Bucci, Ganjiang Feng
-
Patent number: 7500299Abstract: A method to introduce a deliberate mismatch into a turbomachine bladed wheel so as to reduce vibration amplitudes of the wheel in forced response. The method includes a step of determining an optimum value of the standard deviation for the mismatch as a function of operating conditions of the wheel inside the turbomachine, with respect to the maximum vibration amplitude response required on the wheel. The method further includes a step of at least partly placing blades with different natural frequencies on the wheel such that the standard deviation of the frequency distribution of all blades is equal to at least the mismatch value, the mismatch value being determined statistically.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2005Date of Patent: March 10, 2009Assignee: SNECMAInventors: Jérôme Dupeux, Christian Dupont, Jean-Pierre Lombard, Eric Seinturier
-
Patent number: 7497662Abstract: A method of ordering blades in a rotatable machine that includes a plurality of blades that extend radially outwardly from a rotor is provided. The method includes receiving at least one geometric parameter measurement of each blade in a row of blades, determining a maximum difference of at least one of the received geometric parameter measurements between adjacent blades in the row of blades, determining a vector sum of at least one of the received geometric parameter measurements, determining a plurality of moment weight vector sums of the rotor, and determining, using a computer, a sequence map of each blade using the maximum difference of the at least one geometric parameter measurement between adjacent blades in the row of blades, the vector sum of the at least one received geometric parameter measurement, and the plurality of moment weight vector sums.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2006Date of Patent: March 3, 2009Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Daniel E. Mollmann, Thomas R. Henning, David W. Crall, Matthew A. Oakland, Todd M. Dahling
-
Patent number: 7470114Abstract: The rotor blade for a wind energy turbine comprising a longitudinal shell defining a root to be connected to a hub of a rotor, a tip, a forward edge and a rearward edge, the shell having a spar including two spar caps connected via at least one shear web arranged between the forward and rearward edges of the shell and extending in the longitudinal direction of the shell, and a structural damping system arranged within the shell and having a pendulum including a dumped sandwich beam and a mass element located at one end of the beam. The beam comprises a sandwich structure including at least three layers comprising at least one damping middle layer arranged between and connected to outer layers of an elastic material. The sandwich beam is connected to the at least one shear web in a cantilevered manner such that the mass element is proximal to the tip of the shell and the beam can be oscillated in a direction towards and away from the forward and rearward edges of the shell.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2006Date of Patent: December 30, 2008Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventor: Laurent Bonnet
-
Patent number: 7448808Abstract: An arrangement of bearing supports for a rotating shaft mounted on bearings connected to an engine stator structure by bearing supports of which at least one is made up of N>1 elements effectively acting in parallel to simultaneously connect the bearing to the structure, of which N?1 of the N elements form this connection by fusible links, is made up of a first bearing supported by a first bearing support and a second bearing supported by a second bearing support, that of the two bearing supports which makes up the N>1 elements being the second bearing support.Type: GrantFiled: June 18, 2004Date of Patent: November 11, 2008Assignee: SNECMAInventors: Gael Bouchy, Alain Mazelet, Daniel Jean-Marie Martin, Patrick Charles Georges Morel
-
Patent number: 7445685Abstract: A compressor blade (30) comprises a vibration damping coating (54) on a first surface of at least one portion of an erosion resistant material (56). The vibration damping coating (54) comprises a plurality of segments (58). The portion of erosion resistant material (56) and the vibration damping coating (54) are adhesively bonded to the compressor blade (30) such that the vibration damping coating (54) is arranged between the surface (50) of the compressor blade (30) and the portion of erosion resistant material (56).Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2005Date of Patent: November 4, 2008Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLCInventors: Martin J Deakin, John T Gent, Joanne M Shipton, legal representative, Mark H Shipton
-
Patent number: 7413405Abstract: A turbine blade includes an airfoil, platform, and dovetail. The airfoil includes a plurality of flow channels being separated by partitions. A primary partition includes an inner saddle. And, a bipedal damper includes a pair of legs extending into the flow channels, and integrally joined together at a seat bridging the saddle.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2005Date of Patent: August 19, 2008Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Bruce Clark Busbey, Matthew Mark Weaver, Gregory Terrence Garay
-
Patent number: 7399158Abstract: A blade arrangement 31 includes an array of radially extending blades 20, which may for example comprise a fan of a gas turbine engine for an aircraft. The blades 20 are mounted for rotation about a central axis X-X. The blade arrangement 31 further includes a damping arrangement 32 comprising means 34 for inducing an axi-symmetric magnetic field whose axis of symmetry coincides with the central axis X-X of rotation of the blades 20. The damping arrangement 32 is configured such that when the magnetic field is induced, any movement of the blade 20 other than pure rotation about the central axis results in the magnetic field causing a force to be exerted on the blade 20, the force resisting such movement. The damping arrangement may be provided with means for inducing the magnetic field only when there is an increased likelihood of vibration of the blades, for example when a foreign body has entered the air intake of the engine.Type: GrantFiled: April 13, 2005Date of Patent: July 15, 2008Assignee: Rolls-Royce plcInventors: Ian C D Care, Alison J McMillan, Seamus Garvey
-
Patent number: 7374400Abstract: A turbine blade arrangement comprises turbine blades which are secured in adjacent positions to a rotor disc with a cavity defined between root segments and platform segments. A flow deflector within the cavity is provided as an insert such that through a recessed portion coolant flow .from a coolant path is constrained to remain adjacent to a rim surface. By constraining the coolant flow to remain adjacent to the surface greater cooling efficiency is achieved. Inner surfaces of the deflector may also be coated with low emissivity materials to reduce radiant heat flux transfer. The flow deflector supports a damper member in association with the platform segments.Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 2005Date of Patent: May 20, 2008Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plcInventor: John Harold Boswell
-
Patent number: 7371042Abstract: A method, system, and balanced rotating assembly are provided for field balancing an assembly including a power turbine. The method, system and assembly includes coupling the power turbine to a load, identifying a first balancing plane that is aft of the power turbine, and identifying a second balancing plane that is forward of the power turbine. A balancing correction is determined at each of the first and second balancing planes. A balance weight is mounted at the first balancing plane based on the balancing correction determined for the first balancing plane, and a balance weight is mounted at the second balancing plane based on the balancing correction determined for the second balancing plane, wherein each balance weight is coupled to at least two respective bolt head without removing the bolts.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2004Date of Patent: May 13, 2008Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventor: Michael J. Lee
-
Patent number: 7367123Abstract: A damper pin for a turbine bucket includes an elongated main body portion of substantially uniform cross-sectional shape having opposite ends, one only of said opposite ends coated with a corrosion and oxidation-resistant coating.Type: GrantFiled: May 12, 2005Date of Patent: May 6, 2008Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Gary Michael Itzel, Ariel Caesar-Prepena Jacala, Doyle C. Lewis, Kathleen B. Morey, David V. Bucci, Ganjiang Feng
-
Patent number: 7360994Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of controlling a drag damper for a helicopter blade under all operating configurations of the helicopter, the method consisting in: a) measuring the elongation of the damper; b) amplifying the measured signal and filtering out noise; c) isolating the natural response of the blade corresponding to the drag movement of the blade from the forced response imposed by a rotor driving the blades; and d) analyzing in real time the natural response and adjusting the damping as a function of the analysis.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2005Date of Patent: April 22, 2008Assignee: EurocopterInventor: Elio Zoppitelli
-
Patent number: 7360997Abstract: A coated fan rotor blade and method for coating a fan rotor blade. The coated fan rotor blade includes a fan rotor blade; and a coating disposed on said fan rotor blade. The coating comprises a binder; and a filler made up of a plurality of particles. The filler material is incorporated into the binder material, and the particles in the filler interact to produce vibrational damping. In particular, the coating includes small, dense, flattened particles or plates that are incorporated into a thin layer of visco-elastic material, such as rubber, silicone, fluoro-elastomer, or urethane and bonded to the surface of the rotor blade to provide damping of high frequency excitation.Type: GrantFiled: October 6, 2005Date of Patent: April 22, 2008Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: William Kent Wagner, John Frederick Ackerman, Kenneth Lee Johnson
-
Patent number: 7360996Abstract: The transducers are incorporated in or laminated to wind blades and electrically connected to a self-powered electrical circuit. The transducers in combination with the self-powered electrical circuit improve the wind blades' response to changing wind conditions by reducing loads, at least until the turbines pitch axis system can alter the lie of the blades. Thus, when there is a change in wind conditions, the resultant twisting or bending of the wind blade during the impact of the wind (gust) on the wind blade is used to extract energy from the transducers. This energy is then transferred to the electrical circuit which in turn sends a signal back to the transducers to actuate them so as to resist the imposed load.Type: GrantFiled: December 7, 2005Date of Patent: April 22, 2008Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventor: Howard D. Driver
-
Patent number: 7347664Abstract: The invention provides a high-temperature component for a turbomachine, in particular for a blade or vane having a main blade or vane part and a blade or vane root, the high-temperature component at least partially comprising, as base material, a porous material which is filled with a viscous filler and is surrounded by a solid layer.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 2005Date of Patent: March 25, 2008Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Andreas Kayser, Ivo Wolter
-
Patent number: 7347672Abstract: A rotor disc includes a rim and a balancing device, which includes housings formed in the rim, and balancing masses housed in at least some of the housings.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 2005Date of Patent: March 25, 2008Assignee: Snecma MoteursInventors: Jean-Louis Bertrand, Frederic Eichstadt, Joel Mathieu
-
Patent number: 7329102Abstract: With regard to hollow blades for turbine engines, it will be understood there is a problem with respect to percussive impact resulting in excessive distortion of the blade as well as potential failure as a result of blade tip bulging. By provision of ridges 107, 207, 307 which coincide and engage each other under impact, the extent of impact deformation is limited as well as a result of the narrowing between the ridges, a reduction in the possibility for fragmentary insert movement to bulge the cavity towards the tip 102, 202, 302 of a blade 100, 200, 300.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2005Date of Patent: February 12, 2008Assignee: Rolls-Royce plcInventors: Alison J. McMillan, Simon Read
-
Patent number: 7322797Abstract: A turbine blade includes an airfoil, platform, shank, and dovetail integrally joined together. A cooling chamber is located under the platform and has a portal exposed outwardly from the shank. A damper seat surrounds the portal and is recessed under the platform for receiving a vibration damper to sealingly close the chamber across the portal.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2005Date of Patent: January 29, 2008Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Ching-Pang Lee, Steven Robert Brassfield, Jan Christopher Schilling
-
Patent number: 7311500Abstract: A turbomachine blade comprising a root portion and an aerofoil portion, the aerofoil portion having a leading edge, a trailing edge, a concave metal wall portion extending from the leading edge to the trailing edge and a convex metal wall portion extending from the leading edge to the trailing edge. The concave metal wall portion and the convex metal wall portion form a continuous integral metal wall. The aerofoil portion has a hollow interior defined by at least one internal surface and the hollow interior of the aerofoil portion is at least partially filled with a vibration damping and stiffening system that comprises a vibration damping material. The vibration damping material is bonded to the at least one internal surface and the vibration damping and stiffening system comprises a variation of material properties between the wall portions.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 2003Date of Patent: December 25, 2007Assignee: Rolls-Royce plcInventors: Jem A Rongong, Geoffrey R Tomlinson
-
Patent number: 7309211Abstract: A method of balancing a rotor, where the rotor comprises a plurality of holes, comprises the steps of measuring an imbalance of the rotor, identifying at least one characteristic dimension associated with at least one hole, identifying a change to the or each characteristic dimension to reduce the imbalance, and changing the or each characteristic dimension.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2005Date of Patent: December 18, 2007Assignee: Rolls-Royce plcInventors: Stuart Ellis, Michael P Keenan
-
Patent number: 7300244Abstract: Apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to distribute acoustic spectral energy associated with a primary blade-passing frequency tonal component of fan noise and with harmonics thereof. The energy may be spectrally distributed by irregularly spacing a plurality of fan blades or stationary structures associated with the fan, or both. The stationary structures may be capable of being pressure-coupled to each one of the plurality of fan blades as each fan blade passes by each one of the stationary structures. Other embodiments are described and claimed.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2005Date of Patent: November 27, 2007Assignee: Intel CorporationInventors: Eric Baugh, Marco Beltman, Himanshu Pokharna
-
Patent number: 7281899Abstract: Easy to attach and detach blades for overhead ceiling fans. A first version has a ceiling fan blade with keyhole slots that fit over flat topped fasteners on a mounting arm. Pulling the blade away from the arm locks the slots to the fasteners. A second version is similar to the first and has a decorative bottom cover having snappable tapered protrusions which attach through the keyholes and into mateable through-holes in the mounting arm connection. The third version has a protruding end portion of the blade that fits into a slot in the mounting arm where spring loaded pistons press into grooves in the protrusion end portion of the blade. Latching handles allow users to manually move the pistons. A fourth version has a slot in the blade which fits about a mateable housing in the mounting arm where opposing spring loaded pistons press into interior wall grooves in the slot of the blade.Type: GrantFiled: August 5, 2004Date of Patent: October 16, 2007Assignee: King of Frans, Inc.Inventors: Charles E. Bucher, John C. Bucher
-
Patent number: 7281896Abstract: An impeller includes a hub and at least one blade. In this case, the hub has at least one balancing portion disposed on hub and arranged with respect to a center of the hub. The balancing portion has at least one corner. The blades are disposed around the hub. In addition, a fan including the impeller is also provided. The impeller and the fan can enhance the rotation stability. As a result, the product reliability and lifetime can be increased. Furthermore, the impeller and the fan facilitate the balancing object to be separated from the tool at the corner.Type: GrantFiled: February 16, 2006Date of Patent: October 16, 2007Assignee: Delta Electronics, Inc.Inventors: Po-Hao Yu, Shun-Chen Chang, Wen-Shi Huang
-
Patent number: 7278830Abstract: A gas turbine engine blade comprises a housing, a composite core located within the housing, and a gas damper located within the housing for damping vibration of the blade.Type: GrantFiled: May 18, 2005Date of Patent: October 9, 2007Assignee: Allison Advanced Development Company, Inc.Inventor: Daniel K. Vetters
-
Patent number: 7270517Abstract: A blade assembly (10) for a turbine (16) including a vibration damper (12) having a mounting base (38) sealingly disposed at an inlet end (24) of a cooling fluid passageway (22) within the root section (20) of the blade assembly and including an opening (40) in the mounting base for passing cooling fluid into the cooling passageway. The opening is sized to function effectively as an orifice for limiting a maximum flow rate of cooling fluid in the event of a breach of the cooling fluid passageway downstream of the inlet end. A wear feature (34) is formed on the distal end of the vibration damper opposed the mounting base for rubbing interface with a complementary wear feature attached to a wall (26) of the cooling fluid passageway. The wear feature may include a non-planar wear surface such as angularly disposed wear surfaces (58, 60) effective to resist vibrational movement in two directions.Type: GrantFiled: October 6, 2005Date of Patent: September 18, 2007Assignee: Siemens Power Generation, Inc.Inventor: Chad M. Garner
-
Patent number: 7252477Abstract: A rotating blade body is provided that can restrain vibrations of rotating blades effectively. The rotating blade body comprises a rotor disc, a plurality of rotating blades being assembled so as to extend from the outer circumference of the rotor disc in a radial pattern, and sealing pins extending along the direction of the rotating shaft in the gaps between the platforms of the rotating blades being adjacent in a circumferential direction. The sealing pins have a through-hole made therein, penetrating axially from one end surface to the other end surface.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 2006Date of Patent: August 7, 2007Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Yasuoki Tomita, Kouji Watanabe, Masamitsu Okuzono, Masaki Ono
-
Patent number: 7252481Abstract: A tuning notch is defined preferably in the back of a blade root to tune the blade natural frequency in a gas turbine engine.Type: GrantFiled: May 14, 2004Date of Patent: August 7, 2007Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.Inventor: Paul Stone
-
Patent number: 7234916Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for field balancing an assembly including a power turbine. The method includes coupling the power turbine to a load, identifying a first balancing plane that is aft of the power turbine, and identifying a second balancing plane that is forward of the power turbine. A balancing correction is determined at each of the first and second balancing planes. A balance weight is mounted at the first balancing plane based on the balancing correction determined for the first balancing plane, and a balance weight is mounted at the second balancing plane based on the balancing correction determined for the second balancing plane, wherein each balance weight at the second balancing plane is coupled to a respective bolt head without removing the bolt.Type: GrantFiled: September 16, 2004Date of Patent: June 26, 2007Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Michael J. Lee, Brian Edward Dix, Max Freedman, William Joseph Adelmann
-
Patent number: 7217093Abstract: A rotor blade damper is provided that includes a body having a base, a tip, a first contact surface, a second contact surface, a trailing edge surface, and a leading edge surface. The trailing edge and the leading edge surfaces extend between the contact surfaces. The first contact surface, second contact surface, trailing edge surface, and leading edge surface all extend lengthwise between the base and the tip. The body includes at least one cooling aperture disposed adjacent the base, that has a diameter that is approximately equal to or greater than the width of the trailing edge surface adjacent the tip. The body tapers between the base and the tip such that a first widthwise cross-sectional area adjacent the base is greater than a second widthwise cross-sectional area adjacent the tip.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 2004Date of Patent: May 15, 2007Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Tracy A. Propheter, Raymond C. Surace
-
Patent number: 7198463Abstract: Such a rotating blade body is supplied as can prevent not only local wear and deformation but also inadvertent vibration and can maintain cooling efficiency. A rotating blade body consists of a rotor disc 2 and rotating blades 1 which are assembled so as to extend from the outer circumference of the rotor disc 2 in a radial pattern, wherein blade root portions 10 of the rotating blades 1 are engaged into blade grooves 20 which are formed along a direction of a rotating shaft on an edge of the outer circumference of the rotor disc 2. Circulation spaces 25 for the cooling air are formed along the direction of a rotating shaft between the bottom-end portions 10a of the blade root portions 10 and the bottom portions 20a of the blade grooves 20. Pushing-up members 3 which push up the rotating blades 1 outward in a radial direction are inserted into the circulation spaces 25, maintaining circulation of the cooling air.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2004Date of Patent: April 3, 2007Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Atsuhiko Kanebako, Yasuhiro Ojiro, Kouichi Akagi, Keita Takamura
-
Patent number: 7175392Abstract: A ceiling fan motor includes a motor housing having an end wall and a side wall; a stator assembly mounted within the housing; a rotor assembly mounted within the housing to rotate relative to the stator assembly; and a fan blade hub adapted to have fan blades mounted thereto. The fan blade hub includes a central opening and the rotor assembly includes a driving member shaped complementarily to the opening of the fan blade hub. The driving member positively engages the fan blade hub (and hence the fan blades) as the rotor rotates. A grommet is positioned between the fan blade hub and the driving member to vibrationally isolate the fan blade hub from the rotor.Type: GrantFiled: January 4, 2005Date of Patent: February 13, 2007Inventor: Robert E. Steiner
-
Patent number: 7165944Abstract: A blade of an axial compressor comprising: an airfoil is disclosed that has a leading edge and a root; a platform attached to the root of the airfoil; a dovetail attached to a side of the platform opposite to the airfoil; a neck of the dovetail adjacent the platform, and a slot in the neck and generally parallel to the platform, and the slot extends from a front of the neck to position in the neck beyond a line formed by the leading edge of the blade.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2005Date of Patent: January 23, 2007Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: James Charles Gautreau, Nicholas Francis Martin, Chris A. Rickert
-
Patent number: 7153094Abstract: A rotor system vibration absorber for use with a helicopter of other rotorcraft is disclosed in which spring forces are provided by a plurality of elongated rods arranged in a selected pattern. The rods are coupled at one end to a fixed base that is coupled to a rotor hub, and at the other end to a tuning weight.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 2002Date of Patent: December 26, 2006Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.Inventors: Ajay Sehgal, Michael R. Smith, Frank B. Stamps, Bryan Marshall, Peggy Covington, legal representative, Cecil E. Covington, deceased
-
Patent number: 7147437Abstract: A steam turbine blade includes a shank portion and an airfoil portion. The airfoil portion is formed with at least one pocket filled with a polymer filler material chosen as a function of natural frequency impact on the turbine blade or as a function of the damping characteristics of the filler materials. A steam turbine rotor wheel includes a plurality of blades secured about a circumferential periphery of the wheel, each blade having one or more pockets in the airfoil portion, the plurality of blades divided into two groups of blades. The pockets of one group of blades are filled with one or more polymer filler materials, and the pockets of the other group of blades filled with one or more polymer filler materials, wherein the polymer filler materials in the one group of blades creates different natural frequencies or damping characteristics in the blades of the one group than the polymer filler materials in the blades of the other group.Type: GrantFiled: August 9, 2004Date of Patent: December 12, 2006Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Steven Sebastian Burdgick, Guy W. DeLeonardo, Wendy W. Lin, Kevin Joseph Barb
-
Patent number: 7128536Abstract: A damped airfoil structure comprises an airfoil having a first wall and a second opposing wall, and vibration damping means for damping relative movement of the first and second wall. The damping means comprises at least two cooperating damping elements, a first damping element mounted to the first wall of the structure and a second damping element mounted to the second wall of the structure.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2004Date of Patent: October 31, 2006Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLCInventors: David A. Williams, Christopher A. Powell
-
Patent number: 7125225Abstract: A rotor blade for a rotor assembly is provided that includes a root, an airfoil, and a damper. The airfoil has a length, a base, a tip, a first side wall, a second side wall, and at least one cavity. The length extends the base and the tip. The at least one cavity is disposed between the side walls, and the channel is defined by a first wall portion and a second wall portion. The damper, which is selectively received within the channel, includes a first bearing surface, a second bearing surface, a forward surface, and an aft surface, all of which extend lengthwise. At least one of the surfaces is shaped to form a lengthwise extending passage within the channel. The passage has a flow direction oriented along the length of the at least one surface to permit cooling air travel along the at least one surface in a lengthwise direction. According to one aspect of the present invention, the damper has an arcuate lengthwise extending centerline.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2004Date of Patent: October 24, 2006Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Raymond C. Surace, Edwin Otero, Shawn J. Gregg, Tracy A. Propheter
-
Patent number: 7121803Abstract: A blade of an turbomachine having an airfoil with a leading edge and a root; a base attached to the root of the airfoil; a dovetail portion of the base engageable with disk; a slot in the base generally parallel to a face of the base extending between opposite sides of the base, and a vibration adsorbing insert snuggly fitted into the slot.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2004Date of Patent: October 17, 2006Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: James Charles Gautreau, Nicholas Francis Martin, Chris A. Rickert
-
Patent number: 7121801Abstract: A rotor blade for a rotor assembly is provided that includes a root, an airfoil, a platform, and a damper. The airfoil has at least one cavity. The platform is disposed between the root and the airfoil. The platform includes an inner surface, an outer surface, and a damper aperture disposed in the inner surface. The damper has a body and a base. The base and the damper aperture have mating geometries that enable the base to rotate within the damper aperture without substantial impediment from the mating geometries.Type: GrantFiled: February 13, 2004Date of Patent: October 17, 2006Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Raymond C. Surace, Tracy A. Propheter
-
Patent number: 7121802Abstract: A turbine blade includes an airfoil, platform, shank, and dovetail. The platform includes a first side disposed along the pressure side of the airfoil, and an opposite second side disposed along the airfoil suction side. The platform second side includes an integral damper keeper disposed below the midchord of the airfoil, and is locally thinner at the forward and aft ends of the platform second side for reducing blade weight.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2004Date of Patent: October 17, 2006Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Robert Edward Athans, Brian Alan Norton
-
Patent number: 7118346Abstract: A compressor blade (26) comprises an aerofoil (36) and a root (38). The aerofoil (36) comprises a concave wall (40) extending from a leading edge (44) to a trailing edge (46) and a convex wall (42) extending from the leading edge (44) to the trailing edge (46). The aerofoil (36) defines at least one internal chamber (48). The root (38) is connected to the aerofoil (36) and the root (38) has a base (50) remote from the aerofoil (38) and at least one aperture (52) extends from the base (50) to the at least one internal chamber (48) in the aerofoil (36). The dimensions, shape and position of the least one aperture (52) are selected such that the root (38) is deformable. This reduces the weight of the containment region of a fan casing (28).Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2004Date of Patent: October 10, 2006Assignee: Rolls-Royce plcInventor: Simon Read
-
Patent number: 7118343Abstract: A system of adjustable balancing weights is provided for a helicopter main rotor blade. The trailing edge of the rotor blade is formed with a plurality of recesses that each receive an aerodynamically shaped weight to adjust and balance the weight of the rotor blade. A forward weight recess and a forward weight are also provided on the rotor blade adjacent the rotor blade leading edge. The lateral spacing between the weight adjacent the rotor blade leading edge and the weights adjacent the rotor blade trailing edge provides greater flexibility in balancing the mass of the rotor blade.Type: GrantFiled: May 17, 2004Date of Patent: October 10, 2006Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Robert T. Loftus, Michael J. McNulty, Kevin D. Henthorn
-
Patent number: 7108484Abstract: A restraining device for a fan blade root, in which a packing member is constituted by a metal structure having hollowed out portions filed in by overmolding with a semi-rigid elastomer material, in particular on a lateral edge concave side between an upstream end zone and a downstream end zone, which end zones are entirely of metal structure, on a lateral edge convex side between the end zones and a central zone that is essentially of metal structure, and on two top portions of the packing member that extend between the elastomer lateral edges on either side of the metal central zone. The metal structure also includes a bottom recess extending over its entire surface between the upstream end zone and the downstream end zone. Hence, the metal structure behaves like a spring blade when the blade turns following a violent impact.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2003Date of Patent: September 19, 2006Assignee: Snecma MoteursInventors: Anne Thenaisie, Alain Bassot, Eric Inghels, Hervé Buisson, Christophe Follonnier, Patrick Reghezza, Bruce Pontoizeau
-
Patent number: 7104760Abstract: A steam turbine rotor wheel includes a plurality of blades secured about a circumferential periphery of the wheel, each blade comprising a shank portion and an airfoil portion, the airfoil portion having at least one pocket filled with a filler material, wherein at least one edge of the pocket adjacent a leading edge of the blade is formed with an undercut.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 2004Date of Patent: September 12, 2006Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventor: Steven Sebastian Burdgick
-
Patent number: 7104752Abstract: The segments of the vanes of a stator and the blades of a rotor for a gas turbine engine are dampened by utilizing braided wire cable that is affixed to adjacent segments such that each of the wire strands forming the cable is allowed to move relative to each other to dissipate the vibratory energy inflicted on the stator or rotor. The ends of the cable are welded or heated and then tapered to facilitate fitting into a sleeve or collar which in turn is affixed to the adjacent segments by braze, weld or the like.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 2004Date of Patent: September 12, 2006Assignee: Florida Turbine Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Alfred Paul Matheny, Kenneth I. Nelson
-
Patent number: 7104758Abstract: A rotor of a steam or gas turbine is equipped with rotor blades, which are held in the rotor (6) in a plurality of radial rows and comprise a blade foot 1 installed in the rotor (6), a blade leaf (2) and a cover plate (3). An open pocket (5) is prepared in the sloping surfaces of the cover plates (3) of a row of rotor blades, which the sloping surfaces are located opposite each other. The pockets (5) of two adjacent cover plates (3) form together an essentially closed cavity, which expands in the radial direction of the rotor (6). A pin, whose largest cross section is smaller than the largest cross section of the cavity but larger than the smallest cross section of the cavity, is placed freely movably into each cavity.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2004Date of Patent: September 12, 2006Assignee: MAN TURBO AGInventors: Hans-Egon Brock, Günter Neumann, Hans Jeske
-
Patent number: 7097427Abstract: A helicopter main rotor blade balance weight retention system and assembly having a base plate (105), at least one support post (107) integral with the base plate and extending out perpendicularly from the base plate, a plurality of balance weights (109), a retaining nut plate (111), and one or more fastening bolts (113) for securing the balance weights to the base plate, and the base plate to the rotor blade. The balance weights (109) include apertures (117, 119) through which the support posts and the fastening bolts pass. The apertures through which the support posts pass are dimensioned such that the a snug fit is formed between the support posts and the balance weight; but the apertures through which the fastening bolts pass are dimensioned such that the threaded portions of the fastening bolts are not subjected to any shear loads from the balance weights due to the centrifugal force generated by the rotating rotor blades. The weight retention assembly is installed into pockets in the blade tip.Type: GrantFiled: August 2, 2002Date of Patent: August 29, 2006Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.Inventors: Norman Kuhns, Ajay Sehgal, Ernest Powell
-
Patent number: 7070390Abstract: A component such as a blade for use in a gas turbine engine comprises a body 2 formed from outer panels 8, 10 defining an internal cavity 12. A damping element 14 is provided in the cavity 12 and is secured at one end between the panels 8, 10 at one end of the body 2, for example adjacent the root of the blade. Damping material fills the cavity 12 and so extends between the damping element 14 and the panels 8, 10. Vibration induced in the blade causes relative movement between the body 2 of the blade and the damping element 14, causing energy loss in the damping material which damps the vibration. The components 8, 10, 14 may be secured by a diffusion bonding process.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2004Date of Patent: July 4, 2006Assignee: Rolls-Royce plcInventor: Christopher A. Powell
-
Patent number: 7037078Abstract: In a moving turbine wheel, blade inserts are used with at least two blades interconnected by common outer and inner platforms and sharing a common root. The blade inserts have hollow roots in which respective recesses are formed, and the insert roots belonging to the same wheel and/or two different wheels are voluntarily given different configurations in order to adjust the resonant frequencies of the inserts to values that are significantly different, thereby ensuring that the inserts in the same wheel and/or between two different wheels are out of tune.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2004Date of Patent: May 2, 2006Assignee: Snecma MoteursInventors: Jean-Luc Soupizon, Patrick Rossi, Henri Popinet, Sandrine Tourbier, Claude Bion, Charles Balleron, José Lopez, Patrick Girard, Xavier Lescure, Patrice Rosset
-
Patent number: RE39630Abstract: A damper for reducing vibrations in an integrally bladed turbine disk is provided. The damper includes an annular member and a plurality of fingers. The annular member is configured so that it is coupled to a face of the integrally bladed turbine disk. The plurality of fingers are circumferentially spaced around the annular member. Each of the fingers includes a base portion which is coupled to the annular member and extends radially therefrom. Each of the fingers is tangentially movable relative to the annular member when the turbine disk vibrates in a diametral mode shape such that the plurality of fingers contacts a surface of the turbine disk to absorb vibrations.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2004Date of Patent: May 15, 2007Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Maynard L. Stangeland, Roger Eric Berenson, Gary Alan Davis, Eric J. Krieg