IP Library Granted Patent US 12,560,097
Granted Patent B2
US 12,560,097 · App. 18/621,779 · Granted Feb 24, 2026

Apparatus to prevent air leakage in turbine engines

Inventors: Ning Fang (West Chester, OH); William Bowden (Evendale, OH); Weili Yang (West Chester, OH); Keith E. Blodgett (Evendale, OH); Guohua Zhong (Shanghai, CN); Niloufar Hosseiny (Evendale, OH)
Assignee: General Electric Company
F01D11/005F01D25/24F02C7/28F02K1/805F05D2220/323F05D2240/56
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,560,097
App. No.
18/621,779
Granted
Feb 24, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Apparatus are disclosed for a turbofan comprising: a bifurcation including a first track; and an outer casing including an airflow inlet and an airflow outlet, the outer casing adjustable into a closed position and an open position, the outer casing positioned around the bifurcation, the outer casing including a first slider for movement between the closed position and the open position that mates with the first track, the first track including a brush seal holder and a brush seal including a plurality of bristles having a compressed state in the closed position and a decompressed state in the open position.

Claims (39)

1 . A turbofan comprising:

a bifurcation including a first track;

an outer casing including an airflow inlet and an airflow outlet, the outer casing adjustable into a closed position and an open position, the outer casing positioned around the bifurcation, the outer casing including a first slider for movement between the closed position and the open position that mates with a first track, the first track including a brush seal holder and a brush seal including a plurality of bristles having a compressed state in the closed position and a decompressed state in the open position; and

a forward core cowl including a hinge, wherein the brush seal is within at least one of the first track or the hinge.

2 . The turbofan of claim 1 , wherein the brush seal is positioned radially outward of the first track.

3 . The turbofan of claim 1 , wherein the brush seal is located between the first track and the first slider.

4 . The turbofan of claim 1 , wherein the brush seal is at an end of the first track.

5 . The turbofan of claim 1 , wherein the brush seal includes at least one of nickel alloy, cobalt alloy, stainless steel, rubber, plastic, silicone, or fiber.

6 . The turbofan of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of bristles has a length range from 0.1 inch to 1 inch.

7 . The turbofan of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of bristles has a density range from 10 to 1000 bristles per a square inch of a strip surface area.

8 . The turbofan of claim 1 , wherein a core cowl is movable via a second slider along a second track of the bifurcation and includes at least one brush seal.

9 . The turbofan of claim 1 , further including at least one of a bulb seal, a P-seal, a labyrinth seal, or a compression seal.

10 . An outer duct of a turbine engine, the outer duct comprising:

a forward core cowl including a hinge;

a first outer duct section including an airflow inlet;

a second outer duct section including an airflow outlet, having a closed position and an open position, the outer duct longitudinally movable from the closed position to the open position, the second outer duct section including:

a slider that is received by a track to facilitate movement of the second outer duct section from the closed position to the open position; and

a brush seal holder and a brush seal including a plurality of bristles having a compressed state in the closed position and a decompressed state in the open position,

wherein the brush seal is within at least one of the track or the hinge.

11 . The outer duct of claim 10 , wherein the brush seal is positioned radially outward of the track.

12 . The outer duct of claim 10 , wherein the brush seal is in between the track and the slider.

13 . The outer duct of claim 10 , wherein the brush seal is at an end of the track.

14 . The outer duct of claim 10 , further including a bifurcation including the track.

15 . The outer duct of claim 10 , wherein the brush seal includes at least one of nickel alloy, cobalt alloy, stainless steel, rubber, plastic, silicone, or fiber.

16 . The outer duct of claim 11 , further including at least one of a bulb seal, a P-seal, a labyrinth seal, or a compression seal.

17 . A turbofan comprising:

a core cowl; and

a nacelle having an airflow inlet and an airflow outlet, the nacelle including:

a forward core cowl including a hinge;

a first nacelle section including a first perimeter and a first track;

a second nacelle section, including a second perimeter, having a closed position and an open position, the second nacelle section longitudinally movable from the closed position to the open position along the first track; and

a brush seal runner extending along at least a portion of the first perimeter and at least a portion of the second perimeter, the brush seal runner including a first brush seal including a plurality of bristles having a compressed state in the closed position and a decompressed state in the open position,

wherein the first brush seal is within at least one of the first track or the hinge.

18 . The turbofan of claim 17 , wherein the core cowl further includes a second brush seal with a plurality of bristles.

19 . The turbofan of claim 17 , wherein the first brush seal includes at least one of nickel alloy, cobalt alloy, stainless steel, rubber, plastic, silicone, or fiber.

20 . A turbofan comprising:

a bifurcation including a first track and a second track; and

an outer casing including an airflow inlet and an airflow outlet, the outer casing adjustable into a closed position and an open position, the outer casing positioned around the bifurcation, the outer casing including a first slider for movement between the closed position and the open position that mates with a first track, the first track including a brush seal holder and a first brush seal including a plurality of bristles having a compressed state in the closed position and a decompressed state in the open position;

wherein a core cowl is movable via a second slider along the second track of the bifurcation and includes a second brush seal.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 1, 2024
From: FANG, NING; BOWDEN, WILLIAM; YANG, WEILI; BLODGETT, KEITH E.; ZHONG, GUOHUA; HOSSEINY, NILOUFAR
To: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
Reel/Frame 066967/0871 →
Priority Claims (1)
CN 202310336136.9 · Mar 31, 2023 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240328324A1 · Oct 3, 2024
References Cited (13)
US 3814325A · Mc et al. · 1974 [cited by applicant]
US 5170964A · Enderle et al. · 1992 [cited by applicant]
US 8595981B2 · Lahnala · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 8915060B2 · Parham · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 9759087B2 · Amkraut · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 10208674B2 · Lutjen · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 10487678B2 · Tyler, Jr. · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 11390393B2 · Cochran · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 11492832B2 · Hernandez · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20100095650A1 · Schafer · 2010 [cited by examiner]
DE 3446150A1 · 1985 [cited by applicant]
EP 3441557A1 · 2019 [cited by applicant]
FR 2988129A1 · 2013 [cited by applicant]