Patents by Inventor Darek Tomasz Zatorski

Darek Tomasz Zatorski 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: 11053014
    Abstract: A method for operating a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft includes modifying a first variable component of a wing associated with a first portion of the plurality of vertical thrust electric fans relative to a second variable component of the wing associated with a second portion of the plurality of vertical thrust electric fans to adjust an exposure ratio of the first portion of the plurality of vertical thrust electric fans relative to the second portion of the plurality of vertical thrust electric fans.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Kurt David Murrow, Andrew Breeze-Stringfellow, Darek Tomasz Zatorski, Dominic Barone
  • Patent number: 11046428
    Abstract: A method for operating a propulsion system of an aircraft includes moving a plurality of forward and aft propulsors to a vertical thrust position. While in the vertical thrust positions, the method also includes providing a first forward to aft ratio of electric power to the plurality of forward and aft propulsors. The method also includes moving the plurality of forward and aft propulsors to a forward thrust position. While in the forward thrust positions, the method also includes providing a second forward to aft ratio of electric power to the plurality of forward and aft propulsors. The first forward to aft ratio of electric power is different than the second forward to aft ratio of electric power to provide certain efficiencies for the aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Randy M. Vondrell, Matthew Ryan Polakowski, Kurt David Murrow, Glenn Crabtree, Darek Tomasz Zatorski
  • Patent number: 11040779
    Abstract: An aircraft includes a fuselage; a propulsion system including a power source and a vertical thrust electric fan oriented to generate thrust along a vertical direction and powered by the power source; and a wing extending from the fuselage and including the vertical thrust electric fan positioned at least partially therein. The wing includes a variable geometry assembly having partial wing assembly, the partial wing assembly including a frame and a first member, the partial wing assembly moveable generally along a longitudinal direction when the variable geometry assembly is moved between a forward thrust position and a vertical thrust position, the first member moveable relative to the frame to form an exhaust path for the vertical thrust electric fan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Kurt David Murrow, Darek Tomasz Zatorski, Dominic Barone
  • Patent number: 11028718
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a gas turbine engine including a turbine rotor, a turbine frame at least partially surrounding the turbine rotor, and an outer diameter seal assembly. The turbine rotor includes an inner shroud, an outer shroud, and at least one connecting airfoil coupling the inner shroud and the outer shroud. The outer shroud includes a plurality of outer shroud airfoils extended inward along a radial direction. The outer diameter seal assembly includes a sliding portion disposed between the turbine frame and the outer shroud of the turbine rotor. The outer diameter seal assembly defines a secondary tooth at the outer shroud radially inward of a longitudinal face of the sliding portion, and a primary tooth defined axially adjacent to a radial face of the sliding portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nathan Evan McCurdy Gibson, Darek Tomasz Zatorski
  • Patent number: 11008883
    Abstract: A turbomachine includes a turbine section including a turbine. The turbine includes a first plurality of turbine rotor blades and a second plurality of turbine rotor blades, the first plurality of turbine rotor blades and second plurality of turbine rotor blades alternatingly spaced along the axial direction. The turbomachine also includes a gearbox. The first plurality of turbine rotor blades and the second plurality of turbine rotor blades are each coupled to one of a ring gear, a planet gear, or a sun gear of the gearbox such that the first plurality of turbine rotor blades is rotatable with the second plurality of turbine rotor blades through the gearbox. The turbomachine also includes an electric machine assembly including a rotor coupled to one of the ring gear, the planet gear, or the sun gear of the gearbox such that the rotor rotates relative to a stator during operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Darek Tomasz Zatorski, Gert Johannes van der Merwe, Brandon Wayne Miller, Daniel Alan Niergarth
  • Patent number: 10998837
    Abstract: A turbomachine and method for operation turbomachine are provided, the method including adjusting a first load at a first electric machine operably coupled to a first rotatable component, in which the first electric machine is operably coupled to the first rotatable component such that a first speed of the first rotatable component is increased or decreased based on an engine condition and the first load; adjusting a second load at a second electric machine operably coupled to a second rotatable component, in which the second electric machine is operably coupled to the second rotatable component such that a second speed of the second rotatable component is decreased or increased based on the engine condition and the second load; and transferring energy generated from at least one of the first electric machine or the second electric machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Justin Paul Smith, Kurt David Murrow, Darek Tomasz Zatorski, Patrick Michael Marrinan
  • Patent number: 10961850
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine including a torque frame is provided. The torque frame includes an inner shroud defined circumferentially around the axial centerline, an outer shroud surrounding the inner shroud and defined circumferentially around the axial centerline, and a structural member extended along the radial direction and coupled to the inner shroud and the outer shroud. The torque frame is configured to rotate around the axial centerline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Gert Johannes van der Merwe, Darek Tomasz Zatorski, Richard Alan Wesling, Jeffrey Donald Clements
  • Patent number: 10914194
    Abstract: A turbomachine includes a spool and a turbine section including a turbine rear frame, a turbine, and a support member. The turbine includes a first plurality of turbine rotor blades and a second plurality of turbine rotor blades, the first plurality of turbine rotor blades and second plurality of turbine rotor blades alternatingly spaced along the axial direction and rotatable with one another. The support member extends between the first plurality of turbine rotor blades and the spool and couples the first plurality of turbine rotor blades to the spool. The turbomachine also includes a bearing assembly including a bearing, the bearing rotatably supporting the support member and supported by the turbine rear frame, the bearing spaced apart from the spool along the radial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Peeyush Pankaj, Shashank Suresh Puranik, Darek Tomasz Zatorski, Christopher Charles Glynn, Richard Schmidt, Bhaskar Nanda Mondal
  • Patent number: 10907495
    Abstract: A unshrouded vane assembly for an unducted propulsion system includes a plurality of vanes which have non-uniform characteristics configured to generate a desired vane exit swirl angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Andrew Breeze-Stringfellow, Darek Tomasz Zatorski, Richard David Cedar
  • Publication number: 20210003139
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a core turbine engine and a fan mechanically coupled to the core turbine engine. The fan includes a plurality of fan blades, each fan blade defining a base and an inner end along a radial direction of the gas turbine engine. The fan also includes a hub covering the base of each of the plurality of fan blades. Further, the fan includes one or more bearings for supporting rotation of the plurality of fan blades. The one or more bearings define a fan bearing radius along a radial direction of the gas turbine engine. Similarly, the hub defines a hub radius along the radial direction of the gas turbine engine. The ratio of the hub radius to the fan bearing radius is less than about three, providing for desired packaging of the various components within the fan of the gas turbine engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2019
    Publication date: January 7, 2021
    Inventors: Brandon Wayne Miller, Daniel Alan Niergarth, Darek Tomasz Zatorski
  • Patent number: 10823001
    Abstract: A turbomachine includes a spool and a turbine section including a turbine and a turbine center frame. The turbine includes a first plurality of turbine rotor blades and a second plurality of turbine rotor blades alternatingly spaced along the axial direction and rotatable with one another. The turbomachine also includes a bearing assembly substantially completely supporting rotation of the turbine, the bearing assembly including a total of four bearings, each of the four bearings aligned with, or positioned aft of, the turbine center frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Peeyush Pankaj, Shashank Suresh Puranik, Darek Tomasz Zatorski, Christopher Charles Glynn, Richard Schmidt, Bhaskar Nanda Mondal, Ramana Reddy Kollam
  • Patent number: 10823114
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a gas turbine engine defining a longitudinal direction, a radial direction, and a circumferential direction, and an upstream end and a downstream end along the longitudinal direction. The gas turbine engine includes a turbine section, a gearbox proximate to the turbine section, and a driveshaft. The turbine section includes a first rotating component interdigitated with a second rotating component along the longitudinal direction. The first rotating component includes an outer shroud defining a plurality of outer shroud airfoils extended inward of the outer shroud along the radial direction and one or more connecting airfoils coupling the outer shroud to a radially extended rotor. The second rotating component includes an inner shroud defining a plurality of inner shroud airfoils extended outward of the inner shroud along the radial direction. The second rotating component is coupled to an input shaft connected to an input gear of the gearbox.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey Donald Clements, Darek Tomasz Zatorski, Alan Roy Stuart
  • Patent number: 10823000
    Abstract: A turbomachine includes a spool and a turbine section. The turbine section includes a turbine center frame and a turbine, with the turbine including a first plurality of turbine rotor blades and a second plurality of turbine rotor blades. The first plurality of turbine rotor blades and second plurality of turbine rotor blades are alternatingly spaced along the axial direction. The turbomachine also includes a gearbox aligned with, or positioned aft of, a midpoint of the turbine. The gearbox includes a first gear coupled to the first plurality of rotor blades, a second gear coupled to the second plurality of rotor blades, and a third gear coupled to the turbine center frame. The turbomachine also includes a support member, the first plurality of turbine rotor blades coupled to the spool through the support member, the support member extending aft of the gearbox.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Peeyush Pankaj, Shashank Suresh Puranik, Darek Tomasz Zatorski, Christopher Charles Glynn, Richard Schmidt
  • Patent number: 10822101
    Abstract: An aircraft includes a fuselage; a wing coupled to, and extending from, the fuselage; and a hybrid-electric propulsion system. The hybrid-electric propulsion system includes a power source including a combustion engine and an electric generator; a plurality of vertical thrust electric fans integrated into the wing and oriented to generate thrust along the vertical direction, the plurality of vertical thrust electric fans arranged along a length of the wing and driven by the power source; and a forward thrust propulsor. The forward thrust propulsor it is selectively or permanently mechanically coupled to the combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Kurt David Murrow, Darek Tomasz Zatorski, Andrew Breeze-Stringfellow, Randy M. Vondrell, Dominic Barone
  • Patent number: 10815881
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a gas turbine engine including a turbine section including a first rotating component interdigitated along a longitudinal direction with a second rotating component. The first rotating component and the second rotating component are each coupled to a speed reduction assembly in counter-rotating arrangement. The first rotating component comprising an outer shroud and a plurality of outer shroud airfoils extended inward along a radial direction from the outer shroud. A connecting member couples the outer shroud to a radially extended first rotor. The second rotating component comprising an inner shroud and a plurality of inner shroud airfoils extended outward along the radial direction from the inner shroud, the plurality of inner shroud airfoils in alternating arrangement along the longitudinal direction with the plurality of outer shroud airfoils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey Donald Clements, Darek Tomasz Zatorski, Alan Roy Stuart
  • Patent number: 10801442
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a gas turbine engine defining a longitudinal direction, a radial direction, and a circumferential direction, and an upstream end and a downstream end along the longitudinal direction. The gas turbine engine includes a turbine section and a gear assembly within or downstream of the turbine section. The turbine section includes a first rotating component and a second rotating component along the longitudinal direction. The first rotating component includes one or more connecting airfoils coupled to a radially extended rotor, and the second rotating component includes an inner shroud defining a plurality of inner shroud airfoils extended outward of the inner shroud along the radial direction. The second rotating component is coupled to a second shaft connected to an input accessory of the gear assembly, and the first rotating component is coupled to an output accessory of the gear assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey Donald Clements, Darek Tomasz Zatorski, Alan Roy Stuart
  • Publication number: 20200308979
    Abstract: An unducted thrust producing system, includes a rotating element, a stationary element. An inlet may be located forward or aft of the rotating element and the stationary element. An exhaust may be located forward, aft, or between the rotating element and the stationary element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2020
    Publication date: October 1, 2020
    Inventors: Darek Tomasz Zatorski, Jeffrey Hamel, Andrew Breeze-Stringfellow
  • Patent number: 10781717
    Abstract: A turbomachine includes a turbine frame and a turbine, the turbine including a first plurality of turbine rotor blades and a second plurality of turbine rotor blades alternatingly spaced along the axial direction and rotatable with one another. The turbomachine also includes a first support member assembly including a first support member supporting the first plurality of turbine rotor blades; a second support member assembly including a second support member supporting the second plurality of turbine rotor blades; a frame support member assembly including a frame support member coupled to and extending from the turbine frame; and a bearing assembly including a first bearing and a second bearing. The first bearing is positioned between the first support member and the second support member, and the second bearing is positioned between the frame support member and one of the first support member or the second support member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Peeyush Pankaj, Shashank Suresh Puranik, Darek Tomasz Zatorski, Christopher Charles Glynn, Richard Schmidt
  • Patent number: 10774668
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a gas turbine engine including a turbine rotor assembly that includes a first turbine rotor and a second turbine rotor. The first turbine rotor includes an outer rotor and a plurality of outer rotors extended inwardly along a radial direction from the outer rotor. The second turbine rotor includes an inner rotor and a plurality of inner rotor airfoils extended outwardly along the radial direction from the inner rotor. The plurality of outer rotor airfoils and inner rotor airfoils are disposed in alternating arrangement along a longitudinal direction. One or more rotating seal interfaces are defined between the first turbine rotor and the second turbine rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Richard Alan Wesling, Darek Tomasz Zatorski
  • Publication number: 20200271010
    Abstract: A unshrouded vane assembly for an unducted propulsion system includes a plurality of vanes which have non-uniform characteristics configured to generate a desired vane exit swirl angle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2020
    Publication date: August 27, 2020
    Inventors: Andrew Breeze-Stringfellow, Darek Tomasz Zatorski, Richard David Cedar