US 11,939,872 B2
Miniaturized turbogenerator for the direct electrical propulsion of automotive, urban air mobility, and small marine vehicles
William Q. Tingley, Grand Rapids, MI (US); William Q. Tingley, III, Grand Rapids, MI (US); and Daniel R. Bradley, Grand Rapids, MI (US)
Assigned to Tennine Corp., Grand Rapids, MI (US)
Filed by Triple Tango Power & Propulsion, LLC, Grand Rapids, MI (US)
Filed on Mar. 7, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/688,021.
Application 17/688,021 is a continuation in part of application No. 17/119,087, filed on Dec. 11, 2020, abandoned.
Application 17/119,087 is a continuation in part of application No. 16/667,325, filed on Oct. 29, 2019, abandoned.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/283,593, filed on Nov. 29, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/754,741, filed on Nov. 2, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2022/0186629 A1, Jun. 16, 2022
Int. Cl. F01D 15/08 (2006.01); B23B 3/24 (2006.01); B23D 5/00 (2006.01); B23D 79/00 (2006.01); F01D 15/02 (2006.01); F01D 15/10 (2006.01); F02C 6/14 (2006.01); F02C 6/20 (2006.01)
CPC F01D 15/08 (2013.01) [B23B 3/24 (2013.01); F01D 15/10 (2013.01); F02C 6/14 (2013.01); B23B 2215/81 (2013.01)] 6 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of manufacturing a miniaturized turbogenerator where bladed disk components of a gas turbine engine are manufactured from a workpiece by a process comprising the steps of:
a) providing an asymmetrical cutting tool having an angled or curved shaft to clear any machined features of the workpiece that is attached to a non-spindle multi-axis computer numerical control (CNC) machine tool;
b) adjusting a position of the cutting tool at a sufficient distance from the workpiece so that an acceleration of the cutting tool is sufficient to induce controlled fracturing upon impact with the workpiece;
c) accelerating the cutting tool to a point of impact with the workpiece;
d) driving the cutting tool with a sufficient linear force of at least 20,000 lbs/in2 to induce and maintain controlled fracturing for material removal;
e) moving at a rate of motion of 1200 inches/minute through the workpiece such that the rate of motion is at least one magnitude greater in feed rate than a rotating axially symmetric fluted cutting tool and wherein the workpiece material is micro-cracked allowing the cutting tool to shear material from the workpiece as waste, retaining a majority of the heat generated in the waste in that an end result of the controlled-fracturing is a shape cut into the workpiece with a same contour as the cutting tool such that an overall size of the workpiece is greatly reduced in scale for producing a turbine having at least twenty-eight (28) blades such that a thickness of the blades is thinner in cross-section than those provided by rotary machining;
f) following a three-dimensional tool path that removes material from the workpiece to produce a plurality of blades and volutes that conform to a perimeter of a cutting face of the cutting tool to produce a plurality of compound-curved shapes so each one of the blades are folded over a neighboring blade;
g) adjusting the cutting face of the cutting tool such that a finished surface to be produced is oriented perpendicularly to a cutting edge of the cutting tool and the cutting face is always normal to the tool path; and
h) upon reaching an end of the tool path, steps a) to g) are repeated until a precise net shape of compressor and turbine blades and the volutes between the blades is produced.