US 12,228,081 B2
Air turbine starter with nozzle retention mechanism
Ramana Reddy Kollam, Bangalore (IN); Parmeet Singh Chhabra, Bangalore (IN); David Raju Yamarthi, Bangalore (IN); David Allan Dranschak, Union, OH (US); Steven Ryan Kerley, Columbus, OH (US); and Mark Leslie Rickert, Dayton, OH (US)
Assigned to Unison Industries, LLC, Jacksonville, FL (US)
Filed by Unison Industries, LLC, Jacksonville, FL (US)
Filed on Aug. 10, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/398,415.
Claims priority of application No. 202011036533 (IN), filed on Aug. 25, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0065169 A1, Mar. 3, 2022
Int. Cl. F02C 7/277 (2006.01)
CPC F02C 7/277 (2013.01) [F05D 2220/323 (2013.01); F05D 2260/85 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
11. An air starter comprising:
a housing defining an interior having a primary inlet and a primary outlet to define a primary air flow path from the primary inlet to the primary outlet;
a blade located within the interior and rotatable about a rotational axis;
a shroud located within the interior, the shroud having:
a radially inner surface at least partially defining a respective portion of the primary air flow path;
a plurality of circumferentially segmented edges; and
a plurality of slots, with each slot of the plurality of slots being located between two adjacent circumferentially segmented edges of the plurality of circumferentially segmented edges circumferentially spaced along the edge, with respect to the rotational axis; and
a plurality of vanes at least partially circumscribed by the shroud, the plurality of vanes being provided within the primary air flow path, with each vane of the plurality of vanes having a respective outer wall extending between a root and a tip, and between a leading edge and a trailing edge, with at least two vanes of the plurality of vanes having:
a respective protrusion defining a radially raised portion of the tip of the respective outer wall, with respect to the rotational axis, the respective protrusion extending through a respective slot of the plurality of slots such that an axial downstream movement along the primary air flow path of the plurality of vanes is limited by the shroud.