Morphable rotor blades and turbine engine systems including the same
Granted: August 20, 2024
Patent Number:
12065943
Morphable rotor blades for a turbine engine systems include a root portion and an airfoil portion having a morphable portion including a morphable material that changes shape in response to a stimulus.
Midshaft rating for turbomachine engines
Granted: August 20, 2024
Patent Number:
12065254
A turbomachine engine including a high-pressure compressor, a high-pressure turbine, a combustion chamber in flow communication with the high-pressure compressor and the high-pressure turbine, and a power turbine in flow communication with the high-pressure turbine. At least one of the high-pressure compressor, the high-pressure turbine, and the power turbine comprises a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) material. The turbomachine engine includes a low-pressure shaft coupled to the power…
Propeller control system for an aircraft
Granted: August 20, 2024
Patent Number:
12065234
Propeller control systems and methods for controlling the pitch of a plurality of propeller blades of a variable pitch propeller assembly operatively coupled with an engine is provided. In one exemplary aspect, the propeller control system includes features for combining overspeed and feathering protective functions in a protective control valve communicatively coupled with a controller. In such an event the controller controls the protective control valve to selectively allow a…
Dip-coat binder solutions comprising a dip-coat metallic precursor for use in additive manufacturing
Granted: August 20, 2024
Patent Number:
12064810
A dip-coat binder solution comprises a dip-coat metallic precursor and a dip-coat binder. The dip-coat binder solution has a viscosity greater than or equal to 1 cP and less than or equal to 150 cP. A method of forming a part includes providing a green body part comprising a plurality of layers of print powder and a print binder, dipping the green body part in a dip-coat binder solution, and heating the dip-coated green body part. The dip-coated green body part is heated to form a coated…
Flexible engine monitoring
Granted: August 13, 2024
Patent Number:
12060170
Systems, methods, computer-readable medium, vehicles, and engines provided herein include or implement flexible engine monitoring features. In one aspect, a user-modifiable file containing selected parameters is uploaded to a vehicle having a propulsion system, such as an engine. A computing device associated with the engine generates, without modifying reporting software or any other software, a parameter reporting list that includes the selected parameters. During operation, parameter…
Methods and apparatus for 2-D and 3-D scanning path visualization
Granted: August 13, 2024
Patent Number:
12061466
Methods and apparatus for two-dimensional and three-dimensional scanning path visualization are disclosed. An example apparatus includes at least one memory, instructions in the apparatus, and processor circuitry to execute the instructions to identify at least one melt pool dimension using a beam parameter setting, the at least one melt pool dimension identified from a plurality of melt pool dimensions obtained by varying the beam parameter setting, identify a response surface model…
Turbine engine combustor with a dilution passage
Granted: August 13, 2024
Patent Number:
12060995
A combustor comprising a dome wall, a combustor liner extending from the dome wall, and a combustion chamber at least partially defined by the dome wall and the combustor liner. A set of fuel cups are arranged along the dome wall. A set of dilution passages extend through the dome wall or the combustor liner to direct air into the combustion chamber, wherein a dilution passage of the set of dilution passages includes an inlet, an outlet, and a passageway.
Heat exchanger capacity for one or more heat exchangers associated with an accessory gearbox of a turbofan engine
Granted: August 13, 2024
Patent Number:
12060829
A turbofan engine is provided. The turbofan engine includes a low pressure spool; a fan mechanically coupled with the low pressure spool; a high pressure spool; an accessory gearbox mechanically coupled with the high pressure spool; a hydraulic pump mechanically coupled with the accessory gearbox; and one or more heat exchangers tied to the accessory gearbox, the one or more heat exchangers having a heat exchanger capacity defined by a product raised to a half power, the product being…
Turbo engine having blade pitch actuation system for variable pitch fan
Granted: August 13, 2024
Patent Number:
12060812
An example turbo engine includes a rotary hub and a propeller including a blade coupled to the rotary hub. The blade is rotatable about a radial axis to change a pitch of the blade. The turbo engine also includes a blade pitch actuation system including an actuator coupled to the blade. The actuator is moveable in a first direction to rotate the blade to a feather position and in a second direction to rotate the blade away from the feather position. The blade pitch actuation system also…
Surface treatment for seal assemblies
Granted: August 13, 2024
Patent Number:
12060798
This disclosure is directed to seal assemblies for a turbomachine. The seal assemblies include stationary and rotating components and at least one interface between the stationary and rotating components. In some examples, seal assembly includes an oleophilic coating disposed between the stationary and rotating components. The seal assembly may include a surface texture to enhance the oleophilicity of the surface coating disposed between the stationary and rotating components. In other…
Additive manufacturing recoat assemblies including sensors and methods for using the same
Granted: August 13, 2024
Patent Number:
12059841
A recoat assembly for an additive manufacturing system includes a first roller support, a second roller support, a first roller disposed between and supported by the first roller support and the second roller support, a first rotational actuator operably coupled to the first roller and configured to rotate the first roller about a first rotation axis, and a first sensor mechanically coupled to and in contact with the first roller support, where the first sensor outputs a first output…
Additive manufacturing system and method of forming an object in a powder bed
Granted: August 13, 2024
Patent Number:
12059748
An additive manufacturing system including a housing configured to contain a powder bed of material, and an array of laser emitters having a field of view. The array is configured to melt at least a portion of the powder bed within the field of view as the array translates relative to the powder bed. The system further includes a spatter collection device including a diffuser configured to discharge a stream of gas across the powder bed, and a collector configured to receive the stream…
Systems and methods for estimating powder dosing in additive manufacturing processes
Granted: August 13, 2024
Patent Number:
12059726
A method for forming a component includes estimating a dosing plan for powder of a powder bed fusion (PBF) system needed to form the component. The dosing plan includes powder dosing requirements needed per layer to form the component. The method includes providing the dosing plan to a controller of the PBF system. Further, the method includes regulating the powder being supplied to a build chamber of the PBF system from a supply chamber of the PBF system based on the dosing plan. In…
Ceramic matrix composite structures with controlled microstructures fabricated using chemical vapor infiltration (CVI)
Granted: August 6, 2024
Patent Number:
12054432
According to a method set forth herein a plurality of preform plies having first and second preform plies can be associated together to define a preform. The preform can be subject to chemical vapor infiltration (CVI) processing to define a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) structure.
Engine having an open fan with reduced boundary layer induced distortion
Granted: August 6, 2024
Patent Number:
12055094
An engine includes a fan section having an open fan defining an axial centerline and a rotor. The rotor includes a plurality of fan blades mounted to a hub and being rotatable about the axial centerline. The engine also includes a turbomachine downstream of the fan section. The turbomachine includes a core cowl that defines an engine inlet and encloses turbomachinery. Further, the engine includes an airflow diverting assembly downstream of the fan section and upstream of the engine…
Airfoil for a gas turbine engine having an inner core structure formed of meta-structures and isogrids
Granted: August 6, 2024
Patent Number:
12055065
An airfoil for a gas turbine engine includes an exterior skin layer having a pressure side surface, a suction side surface, a leading edge, and a trailing edge. The exterior skin layer defines an interior volume. The airfoil further includes a primary structure within the interior volume between the pressure and suction side surfaces. The primary structure includes one or more primary meta-structures. The airfoil further includes a secondary structure within the interior volume adjacent…
Windage cover that covers fasteners coupling a ring gear assembly to an output shaft
Granted: August 6, 2024
Patent Number:
12055059
A windage cover for a plurality of fasteners coupling a ring gear assembly to an output shaft. The windage cover includes a clip retention member abutting an integral cover shell of the output shaft, and a foot portion configured to be inserted into a pilot groove between an integral lip and an arm portion of the output shaft. The windage cover also includes a wall portion connected to the foot portion, the wall portion being retained at one end of the wall portion by the clip retention…
Light weight fan casing configurations for energy absorption
Granted: August 6, 2024
Patent Number:
12055054
Light weight fan casing configurations for energy absorption are disclosed herein. An apparatus includes a first set of metal bands positioned within a containment casing of a turbofan engine, and a second set of metal bands traversing the first set of metal bands, the first set of metal bands and the second set of metal bands to surround at least a portion of the turbofan engine.
Curved beams stacked structures-compliant shrouds
Granted: August 6, 2024
Patent Number:
12055046
Curved beams stacked structures-compliant shrouds for gas turbine engines are disclosed. An example shroud assembly comprising a plurality of concave curved beams, a plurality of convex curved beams, and a plurality of bumpers, wherein a first concave curved beam of the plurality of concave curved beams is inversely coupled to a first convex curved beam of the plurality of convex curved beams, a second concave curved beam of the plurality of concave curved beams, inversely coupled to a…
Resin for production of porous ceramic stereolithography and methods of its use
Granted: August 6, 2024
Patent Number:
12054437
A ceramic resin is provided, along with its methods of formation and use. The ceramic resin may include a crosslinkable precursor, a photoinitiator, ceramic particles, and pore forming particles. The ceramic resin may be utilized to form a ceramic casting element, such as via a method that includes forming a layer of the ceramic resin; applying light onto the ceramic resin such that the photoinitiator initiates polymerization of the crosslinkable precursor to form a crosslinked polymeric…
