Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080253704 | Journal air bearing - A hydrodynamic fluid film journal bearing assembly includes a journal sleeve having a key slot formed therein in a substantially longitudinal direction, a bump foil wrapped in a substantially cylindrical shape adjacent to the journal sleeve and having a bent end portion engaged with the key slot, an intermediate foil wrapped in a substantially cylindrical shape adjacent to the bump foil, a top foil wrapped in a substantially cylindrical shape adjacent to the intermediate foil, a first top foil cutout window formed adjacent to the bent region, and a first end tab formed at a free end of the top foil. The first end tab is wrapped with the top foil in the substantially cylindrical shape of the top foil, and extends into the first top foil cutout window to reduce skewing. The top and intermediate foils are joined at a bent region that engages the key slot. | 10-16-2008 |
20080253705 | Weight reduction for journal air bearing - A hydrodynamic fluid film journal bearing system includes a journal sleeve and one or more hydrodynamic fluid film foils positioned at least partially within the journal sleeve. The journal sleeve defines an inner diameter surface, an outer diameter surface, a wall thickness between the inner and outer diameter surfaces, and opposite first and second ends. The wall thickness of the journal sleeve is reduced at a first region located between the first and second ends, and a chamfered region is formed on the outer diameter surface of the journal sleeve between the first o-ring land and the first end of the journal sleeve. | 10-16-2008 |
20080260308 | HYDRODYNAMIC BEARING - A hydrodynamic bearing is provided that includes an annular main foil having axially spaced inner and outer surfaces. Bump foils are supported circumferentially on the outer surface. Top foils are supported circumferentially on the inner surface opposite the bump foils. In one example, spacers are arranged between the top foils and the main foils. The spacers can be provided by chemically etching the main foil, in one example. The bump foils include first and second corrugated portions respectively providing first and second axially heights. The first axial height is less than the second axial height and is arranged at a leading edge of the bump foil relative to the direction of airflow across the hydrodynamic bearing. | 10-23-2008 |
20110229351 | JOURNAL BEARING WITH DUAL PASS COOLING FOR AIR MACHINE - A compressor rotor compresses air and delivers the compressed air to a downstream inlet and across a turbine rotor. A shaft rotates with the turbine rotor and the compressor rotor. The shaft is hollow with an inner bore and an outer periphery. At least one journal bearing supports a portion of the shaft, and has an inner bore spaced from the outer periphery of the shaft. A cooling air path is provided between the shaft outer periphery and the bearing inner periphery, and along a length of the bearing to at least one connection hole. The connection hole provides cooling air from an outer periphery of the shaft to the inner bore of the shaft. In a separate feature, a shaft for use in an air supply machine includes a hollow interior, with such a connection hole. | 09-22-2011 |
20110252823 | VARIABLE TURBINE NOZZLE AND VALVE - An air cycle machine includes a turbine wheel, a turbine inlet nozzle, a valve body, and a poppet member. The turbine wheel is mounted to rotate within the air cycle machine and the turbine inlet nozzle is positioned to direct airflow thereto. The poppet member selectively extends into the turbine inlet nozzle and the valve body controls a pressure on the poppet member to move the poppet member relative to the turbine inlet nozzle to vary the size of the turbine nozzle directing airflow to the turbine wheel. | 10-20-2011 |
20120017552 | REMOVABLE EXTERNAL FILTER FOR SERVO AIR ACTUATED VALVES - An example filter assembly prevents particles from entering a control valve and defines an airflow path between an inlet and outlet. An inlet tube extends from an inlet and defines an inlet passage into a filter housing. Openings within the inlet tube open into an interior space of a filter housing. An outer housing defines a cavity within which the filter housing is secured. The filter housing includes an open top portion that engages a cap that covers and seals the outer housing. The cap holds the filter housing to prevent movement of the filter housing. | 01-26-2012 |
20120017617 | CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSOR COOLING PATH ARRANGEMENT - An example compressor arrangement includes a first compressor portion configured to compress a fluid and a second compressor portion configured to compress the fluid more than the first compressor portion. The compressor arrangement also includes a motor disposed between the first compressor portion and the second compressor portion. The first compressor portion is configured to communicate the fluid to the second compressor portion along a primary flow path. The second compressor portion is configured to divert at least some of the fluid from the primary flow path, communicating the diverted fluid back to the first compressor portion along a secondary flow path. | 01-26-2012 |
20120018659 | PISTON VALVE WITH BUILT IN FILTRATION - A control valve includes particle and moisture accumulation inhibiting features. The control valve includes a piston that provides for pressure communication to a back cavity through a tortuous path that settles out particle matter carried within the airflow. Moreover, the piston includes drainage openings that direct moisture out of piston and away from the sealing surfaces. | 01-26-2012 |
20120027327 | JOURNAL AIR BEARING - An example journal air bearing for a rotatable shaft of an air cycle machine includes a top foil configured to receive a rotatable shaft, and an intermediate foil radially outboard the top foil. A journal sleeve is radially outboard the intermediate foil. The top foil and the intermediate foil establish apertures configured to communicate fluid between a first position radially inboard the top foil and a second position radially outboard the intermediate foil. | 02-02-2012 |
20120114463 | MOTOR DRIVEN CABIN AIR COMPRESSOR WITH VARIABLE DIFFUSER - An air cycle machine is provided and includes a compressor section having a variable area diffuser, a turbine section having an inlet nozzle with a variable size, a motor to drive the compressor and a common rotating shaft on which the compressor section, the turbine section and the motor are mounted, the turbine section driving rotation of the shaft to drive the compressor section with the motor. | 05-10-2012 |
20120216495 | REMOVABLE EXTERNAL FILTER FOR SERVO AIR ACTUATED VALVES - An example filter assembly prevents particles from entering a control valve and defines an airflow path between an inlet and outlet. An inlet tube extends from an inlet and defines an inlet passage into a filter housing. Openings within the inlet tube open into an interior space of a filter housing. An outer housing defines a cavity within which the filter housing is secured. The filter housing includes an open top portion that engages a cap that covers and seals the outer housing. The cap holds the filter housing to prevent movement of the filter housing. | 08-30-2012 |
20120286181 | VALVE HAVING PRESSURE-RELIEVING VENT PASSAGE - A valve includes a valve housing having an interior chamber and an actuator housing in which an actuator is disposed. The actuator housing is secured with the valve housing. A shaft is coupled with a valve member and the actuator and extends within a bore between the interior chamber of the valve housing and the actuator. The valve includes at least one vent passage that has a first end that opens to the bore and a second end that opens to an exterior of the valve housing and actuator housing. | 11-15-2012 |
20130071237 | HOUSING FOR AIR MACHINE HAVING DRAIN HOLES - A housing for use in an air machine includes a housing body for housing at least one rotor. The housing body has at least one conduit for connection to a connecting conduit. The conduit has a drain hole adjacent an end of the conduit. The drain hole is formed at an angle relative to a plane made perpendicular to a center axis of said conduit. An air machine, an air machine assembly and a method are also disclosed. | 03-21-2013 |
20130174659 | SPEED SENSOR MODULE - An insert cover for a speed sensor module includes an elongated body having a length aligned along a longitudinal axis, the elongated body including a convex top surface and a uniform width along the length; a first portion emanating from the top surface at a first end of the elongated body; a second portion emanating from the top surface at a diametrically opposed second end of the elongated body; and a third portion emanating from the top surface between the first portion and the second portion; where each of the first, second, and third portions are orthogonal to the longitudinal axis. | 07-11-2013 |
20130177399 | SPEED SENSOR MODULE AND DIFFUSER ASSEMBLY - An environmental control system, includes an air cycle machine for conditioning an interior space with cooling air, the air cycle machine including a fan coupled to a shaft that rotates about a shaft axis, the fan being located at a distal end of the air cycle machine; a speed sensor module having a speed sensor for sensing a rotational speed of the shaft; wherein the speed sensor module includes an outer portion having a first bore aligned on the shaft axis, an intermediate portion having a second bore aligned on the shaft axis, and an inner portion aligned on the shaft axis; and a diffuser assembly including a cylindrical assembly for ducting a first portion of the cooling air to an inlet side of the fan and for communicating a second portion of the cooling air directly to a discharge side of the fan without passing the inlet side. | 07-11-2013 |
20130180220 | SHROUDED PARTICLE SEPERATOR - A particle separator includes a first housing and a second housing. The first housing extends along an axis from an open proximal end to an open distal end. The second housing has a closed proximal end disposed adjacent the open proximal end of the outer housing. The second housing extends from the closed proximal end into the first housing along substantially a same axis as the axis of the first housing. The second housing has one or more passages disposed at a distance from the closed proximal end of the second housing. Additionally, the one or more passages are disposed within the first housing at a distance from the open proximal end thereof. | 07-18-2013 |
20130248741 | PISTON VALVE WITH BUILT IN FILTRATION - A control valve includes particle and moisture accumulation inhibiting features. The control valve includes a piston that provides for pressure communication to a back cavity through a tortuous path that settles out particle matter carried within the airflow. Moreover, the piston includes drainage openings that direct moisture out of piston and away from the sealing surfaces. | 09-26-2013 |
20130280042 | JOURNAL BEARING WITH DUAL PASS COOLING FOR AIR MACHINE - A compressor rotor compresses air and delivers the compressed air to a downstream inlet and across a turbine rotor. A shaft rotates with the turbine rotor and the compressor rotor. The shaft is hollow with an inner bore and an outer periphery. At least one journal bearing supports a portion of the shaft, and has an inner bore spaced from the outer periphery of the shaft. A cooling air path is provided between the shaft outer periphery and the bearing inner periphery, and along a length of the bearing to at least one connection hole. The connection hole provides cooling air from an outer periphery of the shaft to the inner bore of the shaft. In a separate feature, a shaft for use in an air supply machine includes a hollow interior, with such a connection hole. | 10-24-2013 |
20140096679 | MULTI-PART PISTON - A piston includes an outer shell having a receptacle at one end and a link retainer. The link retainer is configured to be positioned within the receptacle and affixed to the outer shell. The link retainer and the outer shell each define an opposing wall of a sealing ring groove, and one of the link retainer and the outer shell has an outer surface defining a base of the sealing ring groove. | 04-10-2014 |
20140124059 | VALVE ASSEMBLY - A valve assembly is provided and includes a poppet disposed to regulate a pressure of a fluid flowing through a pathway defined between the poppet and a valve body, a drive element configured to modulate a pressure of a servo fluid to thereby control a position of the poppet relative to the valve body and an actuator body coupled to the poppet and configured to deliver a supply fluid to the drive element from a first cavity defined between the poppet and the actuator body and to deliver the servo fluid from the drive element to a second cavity defined between the actuator body and the poppet. The poppet defines a filter through which fluid flows from the pathway into the first cavity as the supply fluid. | 05-08-2014 |
20140199167 | COMPRESSOR HOUSING FOR AN AIR CYCLE MACHINE - A compressor housing for an air cycle machine is provided. The compressor housing includes a body having a compressor volute configured to provide centrifugal compression in the air cycle machine. A mating surface is integrally formed with the body. The mating surface includes a plurality of substantially equally angularly spaced bosses. The bosses include a first boss type at a first radial distance and configured to receive a threaded fastener coupled to a turbine nozzle of the air cycle machine. The bosses also include a second boss type at a second radial distance configured to secure a seal plate of the air cycle machine. The second radial distance is less than the first radial distance. A ratio of a number of the bosses of the first boss type to the second boss type is 17 to 2. | 07-17-2014 |
20140321962 | Turbine Nozzle for Air Cycle Machine - A nozzle for use in an air cycle machine has a plate. A plurality of vanes extend away from the plate. The plurality of vanes extend for a height away from the plate. A width is defined as the closest distance between two adjacent vanes. A ratio of the height to the width is between 3.253 and 3.800. An air cycle machine and a method of repair are also disclosed. | 10-30-2014 |
20140321978 | Turbine Nozzle and Shroud - A nozzle and shroud for use in an air cycle machine has a plate and a shroud curving in a first axial direction about a center axis of the shroud relative to the plate. A plurality of vanes extends in a second axial direction away from the plate. The plurality of vanes extends for a height away from the plate and a width defined as the closest distance between two adjacent vanes, with a ratio of the height to the width being between 1.7377 and 2.1612. An air cycle machine and a method of repair are also disclosed. | 10-30-2014 |