Patents Assigned to Collins Engine Nozzles, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20230035800
    Abstract: A particulate for an additive manufacturing technique includes a particulate body formed from a particulate material and a coating disposed over particulate body. The coating includes a carbonaceous material that has a reflectivity that is lower than a reflectivity of the particulate material to reduce an energy input requirement of the particulate such that less energy is necessary to fuse the particulate into a layer of an article fabricated using the additive manufacturing technique. A method of making particulate is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2022
    Publication date: February 2, 2023
    Applicant: Collins Engine Nozzles, Inc.
    Inventors: John A. Sharon, Ying She, Tahany I. El-Wardany, Wayde R. Schmidt
  • Patent number: 11566565
    Abstract: An embodiment of an ignition system for a gas turbine engine includes a high pressure engine case, a torch ignitor disposed at least partially within the high pressure engine case, the torch ignitor having a combustion chamber oriented about a torch axis, the combustion chamber having axially upstream and downstream ends defining a flow direction through the combustion chamber, along the axis. The ignition system also includes an access hatch configured to allow access through a high pressure engine case to the cap and to seal against the high pressure engine case when not accessing the cap. An embodiment of a method includes removing a hatch from a high pressure engine case to open a hatch opening, performing maintenance on a torch ignitor that is inside the high pressure engine case by accessing the torch ignitor through the hatch opening, replacing the hatch to close the hatch opening after completion of maintenance on the torch ignitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Collins Engine Nozzles, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Ryon, Lev A. Prociw, Brandon Phillip Williams
  • Patent number: 11555450
    Abstract: A method of producing compressed air for use onboard an aircraft includes receiving compressor discharge air into an air channel of a fuel injector. The method also includes cooling the compressor discharge air within the air channel by heat exchange with fuel flowing in the fuel injector, and issuing cooled air from the internal air channel out of an engine case as a source of compressed air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Collins Engine Nozzles, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Ryon, Gregory A. Zink, Brandon Phillip Williams, Lev A. Prociw
  • Patent number: 11549441
    Abstract: A fuel injector includes a fuel nozzle configured to issue a spray of fuel from a fuel outlet in a downstream direction along an injection axis. The fuel nozzle defines a main flow passage therethrough. An injection fuel line is in fluid communication with the fuel nozzle to supply fuel to the fuel nozzle. A torch ignitor has a flame outlet opening into the main flow passage of the fuel nozzle for issuing flame into the main flow passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Collins Engine Nozzles, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Ryon, Lev A. Prociw, Brandon Phillip Williams
  • Publication number: 20230001499
    Abstract: A method including depositing a first material on a first member by an additive manufacturing process in a pattern intended to aid in an assembly of the first member and at least a second member and inserting the first member at least partially into the second member, with the first material being guide for insertion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2022
    Publication date: January 5, 2023
    Applicant: Collins Engine Nozzles, Inc.
    Inventors: Brett A. Pfeffer, Robert W. Vierhout, Dustin Andrew Borror, Troy Finton
  • Patent number: 11543130
    Abstract: An injection system includes an inner nozzle body defining a first air path along a longitudinal axis. The first air path defines a converging-diverging section between an upstream portion of the first air path and an outlet orifice of the first air path. A main orifice is defined at a narrowest portion of the converging-diverging section. A fuel circuit wall is outboard of the inner nozzle body. A fuel path is defined between the fuel circuit wall and the inner nozzle body. An outer nozzle body outboard of the fuel circuit wall has a second air path defined through the inner nozzle body for communication of air from the outer nozzle body into the first air path, wherein the second air path meets the first air path at a second orifice in the first air path downstream of the main orifice of the inner nozzle body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Collins Engine Nozzles, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Ryon, Lev A. Prociw, Brandon Phillip Williams
  • Patent number: 11486580
    Abstract: A spacer for a fluid nozzle can include a body configured to fit within a sheath of the fluid nozzle such that a fluid tube positioned within the sheath is held bent over its longitudinal dimension by the body thereby altering a natural frequency of the fuel tube compared to if the fuel tube were not held bent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Collins Engine Nozzles, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark A. Caples, Andy W. Tibbs, Patrick Leer
  • Patent number: 11480337
    Abstract: A system includes a combustor. The combustor has a combustor wall with a combustor dome at an upstream end of the combustor wall, and an outlet at a downstream end of the combustor wall opposite the upstream end. The combustor wall includes an inner wall portion and an outer wall portion defining an interior of the combustor therebetween. Each of the inner wall portion and outer wall portion extends from the combustor dome to the downstream end of the combustor wall. The combustor wall includes an air cooling passage embedded inside at least one of the inner wall portion and the outer wall portion. The air cooling passage extends from the upstream end of the combustor wall to the downstream end of the combustor wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Collins Engine Nozzles, Inc.
    Inventors: Lev A. Prociw, Jason Ryon
  • Publication number: 20220314257
    Abstract: A method includes forming fluid conduit inside a heat shield in an additive manufacturing process, removing powder from an interior passage of the fluid conduit and from an insulation gap defined between the fluid conduit and the heat shield, separating the heat shield and fluid conduit from the build platform, and shifting the fluid conduit to a shifted position relative to the heat shield. The method includes securing the fluid conduit to the heat shield in the shifted position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2022
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Applicant: Collins Engine Nozzles, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Ryon, Lev A. Prociw
  • Patent number: 11454397
    Abstract: A fuel injector for an exhaust heater includes a cover and an air blast nozzle. The cover has a nozzle seat, a fuel inlet, and an air inlet, the nozzle seat arranged along a flow axis. The air blast nozzle is seated in the nozzle seat and has a unibody. The air blast nozzle unibody is in fluid communication with the fuel inlet and the air inlet arranged along the flow axis to port fuel and air into a combustion volume, e.g., to heat a stream of exhaust gas flowing between an engine and a catalytic reactor by combustion with fuel introduced through the fuel inlet and air introduced through the air inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Collins Engine Nozzles, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason A. Ryon, Steve J. Myers, Philip E. O. Buelow, Lev A. Prociw
  • Patent number: 11454395
    Abstract: An air cap is configured to be affixed to a nozzle assembly as a downstream facing component of the nozzle assembly. The air cap includes a plurality of air wipe passages with outlets defined in a circumferential direction around a downstream facing surface of the air cap. A nozzle assembly can include an outer wall wherein the air cap is connected to the nozzle assembly outboard of the outer wall. An inner wall can be connected to the outer wall by a plurality of air swirl vanes. One or more fuel circuit components can be connected to the nozzle assembly inboard of the inner wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Collins Engine Nozzles, Inc.
    Inventor: Steve J. Myers
  • Patent number: 11440115
    Abstract: A method including depositing a first material on a first member by an additive manufacturing process in a pattern intended to aid in an assembly of the first member and at least a second member and inserting the first member at least partially into the second member, with the first material being guide for insertion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Collins Engine Nozzles, Inc.
    Inventors: Brett A. Pfeffer, Robert W. Vierhout, Dustin Andrew Borror, Troy Finton
  • Patent number: 11441060
    Abstract: A method of making a particulate for an additive manufacturing technique includes receiving particulate at a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reactor, flowing a hydrocarbon gas into the CVD reactor, decomposing the hydrocarbon gas in the CVD reactor, and depositing a carbonaceous coating on the particulate using a product of the decomposed hydrocarbon gas. The coating deposited over the particulate has a reflectivity that is lower than the reflectivity the underlying particulate body to reduce an energy input requirement for purposes of fusing the particulate into a layer of an article using an additive manufacturing technique. In embodiments, the coated particulate can be received at an additive manufacturing apparatus and fused into a layer of an article as a metallic-carbon composite using a high-density energy source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Collins Engine Nozzles, Inc.
    Inventors: John A. Sharon, Ying She, Tahany I. El-Wardany, Wayde R. Schmidt
  • Patent number: 11426742
    Abstract: A spray nozzle comprising a housing including a primary passage defining a primary axis, a series of secondary passages configured to provide swirl to a fluid passing therethrough circumferentially positioned around the housing, a series of standoffs circumferentially spread around an outer surface of the housing and located downstream along the primary axis of the series of swirling passages, wherein each of the swirling passages corresponds to a respective standoff of the series of standoffs, in order to control the swirl of the fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Collins Engine Nozzles, Inc.
    Inventors: Steve J. Myers, Philip E. O. Buelow, Robert R. Fogarty
  • Patent number: 11415059
    Abstract: A torch ignitor system for a combustor of a gas turbine engine includes a torch ignitor, the torch ignitor including a combustion chamber oriented about a torch axis, the combustion chamber having axially upstream and downstream ends defining a flow direction through the combustion chamber, along the axis. The torch ignitor includes a cap defining the axially upstream end of the combustion chamber and oriented about the axis, wherein the cap is configured to receive a fuel injector and at least one glow plug. The torch ignitor includes an elbow connected to the downstream end of the combustion chamber for diverting combustion products along an ignition jet flame axis that is off of the torch axis for injection of combustion products into a gas turbine engine combustor. The torch ignitor further includes a tip at a downstream end of the elbow for issuing the injection of combustion products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Collins Engine Nozzles, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Ryon, Lev A. Prociw, Brandon Phillip Williams
  • Patent number: 11415058
    Abstract: An embodiment of a torch ignitor system for a combustor of a gas turbine engine includes a torch ignitor, the torch ignitor include a combustion chamber oriented about a torch axis, the combustion chamber having axially upstream and downstream ends defining a flow direction through the combustion chamber, along the axis. The torch ignitor further includes a tip at a downstream end of the elbow for issuing the injection of combustion products. An embodiment of a method includes initiating combustion in a combustion chamber of a torch ignitor to produce an ignition jet flame extending along an ignition jet flame axis, and igniting a fuel/air mixture in a gas turbine combustor by issuing a respective spray cone of the fuel/air mixture from a respective fuel injectors in a plurality of fuel injectors, wherein the ignition jet flame axis intersects a plurality of the spray cones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Collins Engine Nozzles, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Ryon, Lev A. Prociw, Brandon Phillip Williams
  • Patent number: 11408609
    Abstract: A tile for a combustor dome of a gas turbine engine includes a tile body defining an upstream surface and an axially opposed downstream surface with at least one injection orifice defined through the tile body from the upstream surface to the downstream surface. The tile body extends in a radial direction from a radially inner surface to a radially outer surface. The radially inner and outer surfaces define circular arcs that are concentric with one another. The tile body extends circumferentially from a first end face to a second end face. The first end face follows a sigmoid profile and the second end face follows a sigmoid profile configured to interlock with the sigmoid profile of the first end face of another identical tile body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Collins Engine Nozzles, Inc.
    Inventors: Lev Alexander Prociw, Jason A. Ryon, Gregory A. Zink