Honeywell International Inc.

Alliedsignal Inc.

Access Technologies Limited

The Garrett Corporation

David G Elpern

Scott Padiak

Allen C Ward

Paul Evans

Stephen R Elpern

Walid Habib

David C Brown

Robb Allan Peebles

Marshall Patton Saville

Frank Lin

Sunil K Menon

Girija Parthasarathy

Jerry Glaser

Scott Grover Aguilar

Niall McCabe

Mark Gee

James Edward Blake

Davis Jensen

Douglas A Milliken

Jon E Schryver

Steven Walter Coleman

Alex Morando

Lloyd Bill Jensen

Werner Wick

Phil McAfee

Peter John Hebben

Raymond Leo Lopez

Sunhil Nandan Sahay

Glenn G Gaba

A radial inflow turbine may include a wheel, a first set of nozzle vanes surrounding the wheel and a second set of nozzle vanes surrounding the wheel. A first circumferential spacing between two adjacent nozzle vanes of the first set may differ from a second circumferential spacing between another two of the nozzle vanes of the first set.

Alternating nozzles for radial inflow turbine

A three journal bearing supported shaft with a link between two of the bearings may allow for longer spacing between the wheels supported by the shaft. The flexible shaft may move one bending critical speed below the minimum operating speed of the shaft and the next bending critical speed above the maximum operating speed of the shaft, thus extending the speed range significantly. A tie rod may be used as the link in the shaft.

Three bearing flexible shaft for high speed turbomachinery

A compressor ported shroud takes compressed air from the shroud of the compressor before it is completely compressed and delivers it to foil bearings. The compressed air has a lower pressure and temperature than compressed outlet air. The lower temperature of the air means that less air needs to be bled off from the compressor to cool the foil bearings. This increases the overall system efficiency due to the reduced mass flow requirements of the lower temperature air. By taking the air at a lower pressure, less work is lost compressing the bearing cooling air.

Compressor ported shroud for foil bearing cooling

Methods and apparatus are provided for predicting ice formation on and shedding from blades of an air cycle machine ('ACM') turbine. The method comprises generating operational condition data representative of ACM turbine operating conditions using a software model of the ACM, determining an amount of ice formation on the blades of the ACM turbine, and determining an amount of ice shed from the blades of the ACM turbine. The apparatus comprises means for generating operational condition data representative of ACM turbine operating conditions using a software model of the ACM, means for determining an amount of ice formation on the blades of the ACM turbine, and means for determining an amount of ice shed from the blades of the ACM turbine. In some embodiments, the means and apparatus may also involve predicting ACM wear, based at least in part on the predicted ice formation and shedding.

Method for predicting air cycle machine turbine ice formation and shedding and journal bearing wear

A multiple-passage turbine nozzle with desired predetermined flow properties may be provided with an adjustment member in one or more of its passages to limit the flow therethrough. Turbine nozzle flow is an important performance characteristic that may be difficult to control by conventional drilling or machining manufacturing methods. The adjustment member may protrude into a nozzle passage, thereby reducing airflow through the nozzle passage. The amount of protrusion is variable and is selected to provide a desired partial or total occlusion of an associated passage at the time of manufacture of the turbine nozzle to compensate for variations produced by the conventional manufacturing techniques. The turbine nozzle according to the present invention provides simple and convenient calibrated adjustment of the predetermined flow that may be allowed to pass through a turbine nozzle onto a turbine wheel of a turbo machine.

Adjustable flow turbine nozzle

A method is provided for retrofitting an existing dead-bolt assembly with an electrically operated actuator (,). The electrically operated actuator automatically operates the dead-bolt assembly while preserving manual operation of the lock. The actuator assembly has rotating means for rotation of the drive bar (,), which in turn extends or retracts the bolt (,) of the lock. The rotating means may be a lever (,) attached to the drive bar (,) that is pivotable about the axis of rotation of the drive bar (,). The actuator assembly has driving means that forces the rotating means to rotate. The driving means is responsive to an electrical signal, which, for example, may be initiated from a remote-controlled transmitter (,). The driving means may include a motor (,) for rotating a rod (,) that in turn operates an assembly that rotates or drives the rotating means. In response to an electrical signal, the driving means actuates the rotating means to affect either a locking or unlocking operation, which operations are always completed by placing the actuator assembly in a state whereby the bolt of the lock may subsequently be extended or retracted manually, or automatically by the driving means.

Electrically operated actuator and method

A method is provided for retrofitting an existing dead-bolt assembly with an electrically operated actuator (12, 112, 212, 312, 800). The electrically operated actuator automatically operates the dead-bolt assembly while preserving manual operation of the lock. The actuator assembly has rotating means for rotation of the drive bar (18), which in turn extends or retracts the bolt (14) of the lock. The rotating means may be a lever (28,128, 238, 328, 438, 818) attached to the drive bar (18) that is pivotable about the axis of rotation of the drive bar (18). The actuator assembly has driving means that forces the rotating means to rotate. The driving means is responsive to an electrical signal, which, for example, may be initiated from a remote-controlled transmitter (502, 602). The driving means may include a motor (20, 120, 220) for rotating a rod (22, 122, 222, 322) that in turn operates an assembly that rotates or drives the rotating means. In response to an electrical signal, the driving means actuates the rotating means to affect either a locking or unlocking operation, which operations are always completed by placing the actuator assembly in a state whereby the bolt of the lock may subsequently be extended or retracted manually, or automatically by the driving means.

Method for retrofitting a deadbolt assembly with an electrically

An integrated bearing system with journal and thrust bearings is incorporated in a single unit centrally pinned to the bearing housing and having integral thrust surface and journal surface lubrication grooves in combination with turbine and compressor wheel thrust surfaces. The bearing employs a first aperture substantially equidistant from the ends to engage the locating pin to prevent rotation of the bearing within the bearing case bore, while allowing the bearing to be free to symmetrically wobble within the bearing case bore.

Turbocharger integrated bearing system

An electrically operated actuator (12, 112, 212, 312, 800) automatically operates dead-bolt assemblies and other locks, while preserving manual operation of the locks. The actuator assembly has rotating means for rotation of the drive bar (18), which in turn extends or retracts the bolt (14) of the lock. The rotating means may be a lever (28, 128, 238, 328, 438, 818) attached to the drive bar (18) that is pivotable about the axis of rotation of the drive bar (18). The actuator assembly has driving means that forces the rotating means to rotate. The driving means is responsive to an electrical signal, which, for example, may be initiated from a remote-controlled transmitter (502, 602). The driving means may include a motor (20, 120, 220) for rotating a rod (22, 122, 222, 322) that in turn operates an assembly that rotates or drives the rotating means. In response to an electrical signal, the driving means actuates the rotating means to affect either a locking or unlocking operation, which operations are always completed by placing the actuator assembly in a state whereby the bolt of the lock may subsequently be extended or retracted manually, or automatically by the driving means.

Electrically operated actuator

An electrically operated actuator (12, 112, 212, 312) automatically operates dead-bolt assemblies and other locks, while preserving manual operation of the locks. The actuator assembly has rotating means for rotation of the drive bar (18), which in turn extends or retracts the bolt (14) of the lock. The rotating means may be a lever (28, 128, 238, 328, 438) attached to the drive bar (18) that is pivotable about the axis of rotation of the drive bar (18). The actuator assembly has driving means that forces the rotating means to rotate. The driving means is responsive to an electrical signal, which, for example, may be initiated from a remote-controlled transmitter (502, 602). The driving means may include a motor (20, 120, 220) for rotating a rod (22, 122, 222, 322) that in turn operates an assembly that rotates or drives the rotating means. In response to an electrical signal, the driving means actuates the rotating means to affect either a locking or unlocking operation, which operations are always completed by placing the actuator assembly in a state whereby the bolt of the lock may subsequently be extended or retracted manually, or automatically by the driving means.

A pneumatic actuator for controlling the wastegate valve of an exhaust gas driven turbocharger includes a pilot piston which is responsive to boost pressure to open only when a desired boost pressure is attained. Accordingly, premature opening of the wastegate valve is avoided because the main actuator piston is maintained at atmospheric pressure until the desired actuating pressure is attained.

Turbocharger having pneumatic actuator with pilot valve

An exhaust driven turbocharger includes a wastegate valve which is operated by a pneumatic actuator mounted on the outer edge of the compressor housing. A portion of the linkage interconnecting the actuator with the wastegate valve includes a flexible cable which is routed around the edge of the turbine housing, around the center housing and over the outer edge of the turbine housing to a lever which operates the wastegate. In alternate embodiment, the axis of the actuator extends substantially parallel to the axis of the turbocharger, and the flexible cable is looped around the end of the turbocharger and extends across the center housing to engage the lever actuating the wastegate valve.

Turbocharger with flexible cable wastegate operating linkage

The rotating components of an exhaust gas driven turbocharger are supported by a pair of axially separated ball bearings having an outer race and an inner race. A spacer between the bearings engages the outer race of both bearings and exerts a preload bias on the outer races of the bearings urging the outer races away from one another. Accordingly the bearings are preloaded so that centrifugal forces generated during high speed operation will not force the ball bearing away from the inner races.

Turbocharger bearing and lubrication system

A turbocharger includes spaced apart turbine housing and compressor housing sections which are connected by a center housing section. The center housing section journals an elongate shaft carrying at opposite ends thereof a compressor wheel and a turbine wheel rotatable in the respective housing sections. The center housing section also defines a closed cavity captively receiving a material conductive of heat and which transitions between lower and upper molecular energy levels during hot soak of the turbocharger following engine shutdown to control bearing temperature at the shaft.

Turbocharger heat transfer control method and apparatus

An electrically responsive turbocharger control for a turbocharged internal combustion engine includes an electrically operated control device selectively energizable to engage and lock in position the actuator for a wastegate control valve. This control device provides a manner of overriding the normal actuating forces acting in the wastegate control valve.

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Los Angeles, CA, United States of America

David G Elpern