Patents by Inventor Brian D. Merry

Brian D. Merry has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10215094
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a housing includes an inlet case and an intermediate case that respectively provide an inlet case flow path and an intermediate case flow path. A rotor is connected to the hub and supports a compressor section. The geared architecture includes an epicyclic gear train. A fan is rotationally driven by the geared architecture. First and second bearings support the shaft relative to the intermediate case and the inlet case, respectively. The radially inner boundary of the core inlet is at a location of a core inlet stator and the radially inner boundary of the compressor section inlet is at a location of the first stage low-pressure compressor rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Brian D. Merry, Gabriel L. Suciu, Karl L. Hasel
  • Patent number: 10190497
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine comprises a compressor section, a combustor section downstream of the compressor section, and a turbine section downstream of the combustor section. A mid-turbine frame includes an outer case portion and is configured to support the turbine section. At least one shaft defines an axis of rotation, and the turbine section comprises an inner rotor directly driving the shaft. The inner rotor includes an inner set of blades. An outer rotor is positioned immediately adjacent to the outer case portion and has an outer set of blades interspersed with the inner set of blades. The outer rotor is configured to rotate in an opposite direction about the axis of rotation from the inner rotor. A gear system is positioned downstream of the combustor section, is mounted to the mid-turbine frame, and is coupled to the outer rotor to drive the at least one shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gabriel L. Suciu, Brian D. Merry
  • Patent number: 10184402
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine according to an example of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a turbine case extending along a turbine axis and a CMC turbine exhaust case mounted to the turbine case. The CMC turbine exhaust case includes a CMC core nacelle aft portion, a CMC tail cone connected to the CMC core nacelle aft portion, and a multiple of CMC turbine exhaust case struts extending between the CMC core nacelle aft portion and the CMC tail cone. The CMC core nacelle aft portion, the CMC tail cone and the turbine case are arranged along the turbine axis. The CMC turbine exhaust case is mounted to the turbine case at a flange such that the CMC tail cone is axially spaced apart from the turbine case relative to the turbine axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gabriel L. Suciu, Ioannis Alvanos, Brian D. Merry
  • Patent number: 10179377
    Abstract: A process for manufacturing a turbine engine component includes the steps of: providing a powder containing gamma titanium aluminide; and forming a turbine engine component from said powder using a direct metal laser sintering technique.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Gabriel L Suciu, Gopal Das, Ioannis Alvanos, Brian D Merry, James D Hill, Allan R Penda
  • Patent number: 10167723
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a turbine section fluidly connected to a combustor by a primary flow path. The turbine section includes a first portion at a high pressure relative to a second portion. A thermally isolated cooling plenum is positioned radially inward of the primary flow path. The cooling plenum is defined by a forward wall, a shaft structure, an aft wall, and an inner diameter wall of the primary flow path. Air in the thermally isolated cooling plenum is thermally isolated from air in the primary flow path. At least one cooling air system is operable to provide cooling air to the thermally isolated cooling plenum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Gabriel L Suciu, Brian D Merry, James D Hill
  • Patent number: 10156206
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine that has a fan case radially surrounding a fan hub, and plural fan exit guide vanes rotatably connected between the fan hub and the fan case. The fan section also has a thrust reverser opening within the case, axially upstream of the guide vanes. The gas turbine engine also has a core case containing a core engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Gabriel L. Suciu, Brian D. Merry
  • Publication number: 20180347815
    Abstract: A turbine injection system for a gas turbine engine includes a first end operable to receive air from a heat exchanger, a second end operable to distribute mixed cooling air to a turbine stage, an opening downstream of said first end and a mixing plenum downstream of said first end and said opening. The opening provides a direct fluid pathway into said turbine injection system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2018
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Inventors: Gabriel L. Suciu, Brian D. Merry, James D. Hill
  • Patent number: 10145266
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a shaft supported by first and second bearings for rotation relative to an inlet case. The first and second bearings are positioned within a common bearing compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Brian D. Merry, Gabriel L. Suciu
  • Patent number: 10138751
    Abstract: A seal segment according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a first axial wall, a second axial wall radially spaced from the first axial wall and a radially outer wall that interconnects the first axial wall and the second axial wall. At least one curved member is radially inwardly offset from the radially outer wall and extending between the first and second axial walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: James D. Hill, Gabriel L. Suciu, Ioannis Alvanos, Brian D. Merry
  • Publication number: 20180283277
    Abstract: A geared turbofan gas turbine engine includes a fan section and a core section. The core section includes a compressor section, a combustor section and a turbine section. The fan section includes a gearbox and a fan. A low spool includes a low turbine within the turbine section and a forward connection to a gearbox for driving the fan. The low spool is supported for rotation about the axis at a forward most position by a forward roller bearing and at an aft position by a thrust bearing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2018
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Inventors: Brian D. Merry, Gabriel L. Suciu
  • Patent number: 10082078
    Abstract: An aircraft thermal management system includes a first fluid system containing a first fluid, a fluid loop containing a thermally neutral heat transfer fluid, a second fluid system containing a second fluid, a first heat exchanger configured to transfer heat from the first fluid to the thermally neutral heat transfer fluid, and a second heat exchanger configured to transfer heat from the thermally neutral heat transfer fluid to the second fluid. The fluid loop is configured to provide the thermally neutral heat transfer fluid to the first heat exchanger at a pressure that matches the pressure of the first fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Nathan Snape, James D. Hill, Gabriel L. Suciu, Brian D. Merry
  • Patent number: 10082034
    Abstract: A rotor for a gas turbine engine includes a plurality of blades which extend from a rotor disk, adjacent ones of the plurality of blades are joined by a flexible web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Brian D. Merry, Gabriel L. Suciu, James D. Hill
  • Patent number: 10077666
    Abstract: A turbine section includes a rotor assembly which includes an internal cooling passage. A segmented seal is adjacent the rotor assembly and includes a fluid passage that is in fluid communication with the internal cooling passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gabriel L. Suciu, Brian D. Merry, James D. Hill, Mark F. Zelesky
  • Publication number: 20180258859
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a main compressor. A tap is fluidly connected downstream of the main compressor. A heat exchanger is fluidly connected downstream of the tap. An auxiliary compressor unit is fluidly connected downstream of the heat exchanger. The auxiliary compressor unit is configured to compress air cooled by the heat exchanger with an overall auxiliary compressor unit pressure ratio between 1.1 and 6.0. An intercooling system for a gas turbine engine is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2018
    Publication date: September 13, 2018
    Inventors: Gabriel L. Suciu, Jesse M. Chandler, Joseph Brent Staubach, Brian D. Merry, Wesley K. Lord
  • Publication number: 20180258860
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a plurality of rotating components housed within a compressor section and a turbine section. A tap connects to the compressor section. A heat exchanger connects downstream of the tap. A cooling compressor connects downstream of the heat exchanger, and the cooling compressor connects to deliver air to at least one of the rotating components. A core housing has an outer peripheral surface and a fan housing defines an inner peripheral surface. At least one bifurcation duct extends between the outer peripheral surface to the inner peripheral surface. The heat exchanger is disposed within the at least one bifurcation duct.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2018
    Publication date: September 13, 2018
    Inventors: Gabriel L. Suciu, Jesse M. Chandler, Brian D. Merry, Nathan Snape
  • Publication number: 20180252162
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods related to thermal management systems for gas turbine engines. For example, a thermal management system comprises a thermally neutral heat transfer fluid circuit, a first heat exchanger disposed on the fluid circuit, and a second heat exchanger disposed on the fluid circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2018
    Publication date: September 6, 2018
    Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nathan Snape, Gabriel L. Suciu, Brian D. Merry, James D. Hill, William K. Ackermann
  • Publication number: 20180230909
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine according to an example of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a turbine case extending along a turbine axis and a CMC turbine exhaust case mounted to the turbine case. The CMC turbine exhaust case includes a CMC core nacelle aft portion, a CMC tail cone connected to the CMC core nacelle aft portion, and a multiple of CMC turbine exhaust case struts extending between the CMC core nacelle aft portion and the CMC tail cone. The CMC core nacelle aft portion, the CMC tail cone and the turbine case are arranged along the turbine axis. The CMC turbine exhaust case is mounted to the turbine case at a flange such that the CMC tail cone is axially spaced apart from the turbine case relative to the turbine axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2018
    Publication date: August 16, 2018
    Inventors: Gabriel L. Suciu, Ioannis Alvanos, Brian D. Merry
  • Publication number: 20180230912
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes, among other things, a fan, a core engine, a bypass passage, and a bypass ratio defined as the volume of air passing into the bypass passage compared to the volume of air passing into the core engine, the bypass ratio being greater than or equal to 10. A gear arrangement drives the fan. A compressor section includes both a low pressure compressor and a high pressure compressor. A turbine section drives the gear arrangement. An overall pressure ratio is provided by the combination of a pressure ratio across the low pressure compressor and a pressure ratio across the high pressure compressor, and greater than 50, measured at sea level and at a static, full-rated takeoff power. The pressure ratio across the high pressure compressor is greater than 7.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2018
    Publication date: August 16, 2018
    Inventors: Karl L. Hasel, Joseph B. Staubach, Brian D. Merry, Gabriel L. Suciu, Christopher M. Dye
  • Publication number: 20180223668
    Abstract: A rotor for a gas turbine engine includes a plurality of blades which extend from a rotor disk at an interface, where the interface is defined along a spoke. A spool for a gas turbine engine includes the rotor disk, the plurality of blades with the interface defined along the spoke radially inboard of a blade platform, a rotor ring axially adjacent to the rotor disk, and a plurality of core gas path seals which extend from the rotor ring. Each of the plurality of core gas path seals extends from the rotor ring at a seal interface, with the seal interface defined along a spoke and the plurality of core gas path seals being axially adjacent to the blade platform.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2018
    Publication date: August 9, 2018
    Inventors: Gabriel L. Suciu, Stephen P. Muron, Ioannis Alvanos, Christopher M. Dye, Brian D. Merry, Arthur M. Salve, JR., James W. Norris
  • Patent number: 10018360
    Abstract: A turbine injection system for a gas turbine engine includes a first end operable to receive air from a heat exchanger, a second end operable to distribute mixed cooling air to a turbine stage, an opening downstream of said first end and a mixing plenum downstream of said first end and said opening. The opening provides a direct fluid pathway into said turbine injection system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Gabriel L Suciu, Brian D Merry, James D Hill