General Electric Company

James Harding Shealy

Scott Alan Gold

Lucas Christian Jones

Donald Michael Corsmeier

Thomas Graham Spears

Shane Matthew Gillespie

Jonathan Ortner

Jonathan William Ortner

In some embodiments, apparatuses are provided herein useful to sealing a gap between a movable flap and a stationary structure, such as a gap between a gas turbine engine nozzle flap and a corresponding sidewall. An apparatus for sealing such a gap may be a dynamic skirted leaf seal which may include a flap arm and a wall arm opposite the flap arm. A distal end portion of the flap arm may comprise a first skirt and the distal end portion of the wall arm may comprise a second skirt that engages the first skirt. When positioned in a gap between the movable flap and the stationary structure, the skirted leaf seal may exert a force to urge the flap arm towards the flap and to urge the wall arm towards the structure to seal the gap.

Skirted leaf seal apparatus

An apparatus for sealing such a gap may be a plunger seal which may include a flap arm comprising resilient sheets and a wall arm comprising resilient sheets. A proximal end portion of the flap arm may include a closeout seal coupled to the flap. A proximal end portion of the wall arm may include a plunger having a geometry corresponding to that of the closeout seal so the plunger may be matingly received by the closeout seal. When positioned in a gap, the plunger seal may exert a force to urge the flap arm towards the flap and to urge the wall arm and resilient sheet towards the structure to seal the gap.

Flexurally actuated self-sealing plunger apparatus

In some embodiments, apparatuses are provided herein useful to sealing a gap between a movable flap and stationary structure, such as a gap between a gas turbine engine nozzle flap and sidewall. An apparatus for sealing such a gap may be a plunger seal which may include a plurality of plunger segments connected together using at least one flexure. When positioned in the gap, the flexures within the plunger segments pivot allowing rotation of each of the plurality of plunger segments about their respective pivot point, such that the plunger assembly seals and contours against the movable surface.

Plunger seal assembly and sealing method

Apparatuses are provided herein useful to sealing a gap between a movable flap and a stationary structure, such as a gap between a gas turbine engine nozzle flap and a corresponding sidewall. An apparatus for sealing such a gap may be a dynamic skirted leaf seal which may include a flap arm, a wall arm opposite the flap arm, and a support arm disposed between the flap and wall arms. A distal end portion of the flap arm may comprise a first skirt and a distal end portion of the support arm may comprise a second skirt that engages the first skirt. When positioned in a gap, the skirted leaf seal may exert a force to urge the first flap arm towards the flap and to urge the wall arm and the support arm towards the structure to seal the gap.

Skirted seal apparatus

A method and apparatus for additive manufacturing is provided whereby a curtain of powder is provided adjacent a vertically oriented build plate, and a laser melts or sinters the powder over a region of the build plate. The curtain of powder is moved relative to the build plate to maintain the same distance between the curtain and the previously deposited layer, and the process repeated to provide a three dimensional structure on the build plate.

Laminar vertical powder flow for additive manufacturing

A method of characterizing gas flow within a housing includes: positioning one or more gas flow sensors in the housing; introducing a gas flow into the housing; using the one or more gas flow sensors to generate two or more gas flow measurements at spaced-apart locations within the housing; and recording the two or more measurements to create a gas flow map.

Gas flow characterization in additive manufacturing

A method of controlling an additive manufacturing process in which a directed energy source is used to selectively fuse powdered material to form a workpiece, in the presence of a gas flow, the method including: using at least one gas flow sensor to generate at least one gas flow measurement; and controlling at least one aspect of the additive manufacturing process in response to the at least one gas flow measurement.

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Dayton, OH, United States of America

James Harding Shealy