General Electric Company

Naleen Kumar Verma

Daniel Drew Smith

Dharmaraj Pachaiappan

Mario Alberto Bolaños Jimenez

Arun Ramachandra

José Torre

Jeffrey P Darnell

Michael E Sandy

Omkar Topkar

Nicholas Joseph Kray

Ravindra Shankar Ganiger

Praveen Sharma

Sudeep Pradhan Sadananda Rao

Ronald Bruce Schofield

Shivakumar Basavanna

Stephen G Matava

Benjamin James Schumacher

Joseph John Bischof

A system for spacing and fastening tubular structures, and a related method. The system includes a spacer element configured to engage a plurality of tubular structures, to spatially separate the plurality of tubular structures from one another, and to distribute stress in the plurality of tubular structures. The system further includes a fastening element configured to extend around at least a portion of an outer surface of the plurality of tubular structures, and to fasten the plurality of tubular structures to the spacer element in an adaptively spaced configuration.

System for spacing and fastening tubular structures

A tube assembly includes a first tube, a second tube, and a tube coupling. The tube coupling is for coupling the first tube to the second tube. The tube coupling may include protrusions, indentations, compressive rings, compressive bands, and/or connection members. The protrusions and/or indentions may be located on the first tube, the second tube, the compressive band, and/or the connection member. The compressive ring and/or compressive band is placed on an outer surface of the first tube and/or the second tube. The compressive ring provides an elastic compressive force to the first tube and/or the second tube such that the protrusion is secured within the indentation. The tube coupling provides a weld-free connection between the first tube and the second tube.

Tube assembly

A tube spacing and fastening system for a gas turbine engine includes a plurality of tubular structures, a wear sleeve, a spacer element, and a fastening element. The plurality of tubular structures provides a fluid flow to a component of the gas turbine engine. The wear sleeve is located around each of the plurality of tubular structures. The spacer element receives the plurality of tubular structures. The fastening element extends around the wear sleeves and is configured to secure the plurality of tubular structures to the spacer element. An interference between the fastening element and wear sleeves is configured to allow the fastening element to slide with respect to the wear sleeves and to provide a damping effect under gas turbine engine vibrations and operating conditions. A method of damping vibrations in the plurality of tubular structures includes allowing the fastening element to slide with respect to the wear sleeve.

A tube coupling for coupling a first tube and a second tube. The tube coupling includes an inner shroud including a ball portion and an outer shroud including a socket portion. The socket portion receives the ball portion. The tube coupling includes a compressive ring configured to elastically compress the outer shroud onto the inner shroud. The ball portion and the socket portion form a ball and socket joint. The ball and socket joint allows relative angular movement and relative axial movement between the inner shroud and the outer shroud.

Tube coupling

A tube coupling for coupling a first tube and a second tube includes an inner shroud located circumferentially around a first tube distal end at an inner shroud distal end, the inner shroud distal end having one or more radial teeth, an outer shroud having a first outer shroud distal end and a second outer shroud distal end, the first outer shroud distal end located circumferentially around a second tube distal end and the second outer shroud distal end located circumferentially around the inner shroud distal end, and a band configured to elastically compress the first outer shroud distal end onto the inner shroud distal end. The band elastically compresses the first outer shroud distal end and the inner shroud distal end such that the one or more radial teeth are swaged into an outer surface of the first tube.

A feed-through assembly for a bulkhead for moving and static engine components. The feed-through assembly can be configured to include flexible convolutions that allow for movement and sealing of the engine component relative to the bulkhead. In one aspect, a flexible convoluted spherical element can be provided in the feed-through assembly. In another aspect, a flexible convoluted bellow element can be provided in the feed-through assembly. These flexible convoluted elements can have multiple convolution sections including convolution sections with varying stiffness. The convolution sections can be configured to allow movement of the shaft relative to the bulkhead, including, transverse deflection and tilt.

Feed-through assembly

A variable stiffness damper system including an inner spring positioned between a first wall and a second wall, in which the inner spring includes a first member and a second member each coupled together at a distal end by an inner bumper. The first member and the second member are each contoured toward one another. The first member, the second member, and the inner bumper form a cavity therebetween. An outer spring is positioned between the inner spring and the first wall or the second wall. The outer spring includes a spring arm contoured toward the inner spring. The outer spring includes an outer bumper positioned between the inner bumper and the first wall or the second wall. The inner bumper and the outer bumper are selectively couplable to one another based on a load applied to the damper system.

Variable stiffness damper system

A gas turbine engine including a wall assembly, a seal assembly, and a member extended through the wall assembly is provided. The wall assembly defines an opening through which the member is extended, and the wall assembly defines a first side and a second side opposite of the first side along a direction of extension of the member through the wall assembly. The seal assembly includes a retaining portion extended at least partially co-directional to the member. The retaining portion is configured to couple around the member and extend through the opening. The seal assembly further includes a locking portion configured to sealingly attach to the wall assembly and the retaining portion at an interface between the locking portion and the retaining portion.

Seal assembly

In one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure a fluid coupling assembly defining an axial direction, a radial direction, and a circumferential direction is provided. The fluid coupling assembly includes a male coupling including a first MC attachment interface, a second MC attachment interface, and an outer surface extending along the circumferential direction; a ferrule coupling including an FC attachment interface pressed against the first MC attachment interface, a lip extending along the radial direction, and an outer surface extending along the circumferential direction to define a circular shape; and a nut coupling including an NC attachment interface rotatably engaged with the second MC attachment interface, a flange extending along the radial direction and pressed against the lip of the ferrule coupling, and an inner surface extending along the circumferential direction to define a circular shape; wherein the outer surface of the male coupling, the outer surface of the ferrule, or the inner surface of the nut coupling includes a plurality of non-resilient protrusions spaced along the circumferential direction for contacting an opposing surface and increasing a loosening resistance of the fluid coupling assembly.

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Bengaluru, India

Naleen Kumar Verma