The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 05, 2000
Filed:
Aug. 13, 1999
Gregory C Rouse, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Capstone Turbine Corporation, Woodland Hills, CA (US);
Abstract
A turbine engine includes a rotatable turbine having a peripheral tip and a backface. A heat shield is positioned adjacent the backface and includes an integral ring extending from a peripheral edge of the heat shield to a position spaced radially outwardly from the peripheral tip of the rotatable turbine to form a tip clearance between the ring and the peripheral tip. The turbine comprises a material having a coefficient of thermal expansion at least approximately four times greater than the coefficient of thermal expansion of the heat shield such that the turbine expands toward the ring as a result of heat within the engine, thereby reducing the tip clearance to minimize air flow along the backface and improve efficiency of the engine.