Patents by Inventor Richard K. Keller

Richard K. Keller 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: 11859542
    Abstract: A system including a turbine engine configured to generate rotor power and produce an engine air flow. The system is configured to provide rotor power to one of more shaft-driven lift fans to generate a first thrust on an aircraft body and provide a gas flow to one or more gas-driven lift fans to generate a second thrust on the aircraft body. The gas flow may be at least a portion of the engine air flow produced by the turbine engine. The turbine engine may be configured to exhaust another portion of the engine air flow through a jet nozzle to generate an engine thrust. In examples, the system includes at least a second turbine engine. The one of more shaft-driven lift fans and/or one of more gas-driven lift fans be powered by the turbine engine, the second turbine engine, or both the turbine engine and the second turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard K Keller, Paul Johnson
  • Publication number: 20230296047
    Abstract: A system including a turbine engine configured to generate rotor power and produce an engine air flow. The system is configured to provide rotor power to one of more shaft-driven lift fans to generate a first thrust on an aircraft body and provide a gas flow to one or more gas-driven lift fans to generate a second thrust on the aircraft body. The gas flow may be at least a portion of the engine air flow produced by the turbine engine. The turbine engine may be configured to exhaust another portion of the engine air flow through a jet nozzle to generate an engine thrust. In examples, the system includes at least a second turbine engine. The one of more shaft-driven lift fans and/or one of more gas-driven lift fans be powered by the turbine engine, the second turbine engine, or both the turbine engine and the second turbine engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2021
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Inventors: Richard K. Keller, Paul Johnson
  • Patent number: 10947929
    Abstract: An integrated propulsion system comprising at least two gas turbine engines, at least one fan, and a transmission assembly coupling the at least two gas turbine engines to the at least one fan wherein the at least two gas turbine engines are disposed within a main body of an airframe comprising the main body and a pair of wings, and wherein the number of gas turbine engines is greater than the number of fans.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE NORTH AMERICAN TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: Edward C. Rice, Richard K. Keller, William B. Bryan
  • Patent number: 10737801
    Abstract: A fan module for an aircraft is disclosed herein. The fan module includes a fan rotor, a vane ring, and an optional power supply system. The fan rotor is configured to discharge thrust in an aft direction when rotated about a central axis. The vane ring is located aft of the fan rotor along the central axis and mounted for rotation about the central axis. The vane ring includes a plurality of airfoils arranged to interact with the thrust discharged by the fan rotor so that the thrust drives rotation of the vane ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Jonathan S. Sands, Richard K. Keller
  • Patent number: 10661911
    Abstract: The disclosure is directed to an optionally hybrid power system that may operate either as a traditional power system, deriving power from a single power source, or as a hybrid power system, deriving power from multiple types of power sources. An example optionally hybrid power system may include a gas turbine engine and one or more electric motors. When configured as a traditional power system the optionally hybrid power system may derive all power from the gas turbine engine. However, when configured as a hybrid power system, the one or more motors may be coupled to the optionally hybrid power system to supplement the power produced by the gas turbine engine. Additionally, an operator interface that may control the optionally hybrid power system may select from a plurality of operating modes that depend on the configuration of the optionally hybrid power system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael James Armstrong, Richard K. Keller
  • Patent number: 10618667
    Abstract: A fan module for an aircraft is disclosed herein. The fan module includes a fan rotor and an optional power supply system. The fan rotor is mounted for rotation about a central axis and configured to couple to a rotational power source. The fan rotor includes a plurality of variable-pitch fan blades each movable from a thrust-generation orientation to a power-generation orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Richard K. Keller, Jonathan S. Sands
  • Patent number: 10507930
    Abstract: An airplane including an airframe and a turboprop propulsion system is disclosed in this paper. The turboprop propulsion system includes a propeller mounted for rotation about a propeller axis and a gas turbine coupled to the propeller to drive rotation of the propeller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Richard K. Keller
  • Publication number: 20190329897
    Abstract: The disclosure is directed to an optionally hybrid power system that may operate either as a traditional power system, deriving power from a single power source, or as a hybrid power system, deriving power from multiple types of power sources. An example optionally hybrid power system may include a gas turbine engine and one or more electric motors. When configured as a traditional power system the optionally hybrid power system may derive all power from the gas turbine engine. However, when configured as a hybrid power system, the one or more motors may be coupled to the optionally hybrid power system to supplement the power produced by the gas turbine engine. Additionally, an operator interface that may control the optionally hybrid power system may select from a plurality of operating modes that depend on the configuration of the optionally hybrid power system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2019
    Publication date: October 31, 2019
    Inventors: Michael James Armstrong, Richard K. Keller
  • Patent number: 10364037
    Abstract: The disclosure is directed to an optionally hybrid power system that may operate either as a traditional power system, deriving power from a single power source, or as a hybrid power system, deriving power from multiple types of power sources. An example optionally hybrid power system may include a gas turbine engine and one or more electric motors. When configured as a traditional power system the optionally hybrid power system may derive all power from the gas turbine engine. However, when configured as a hybrid power system, the one or more motors may be coupled to the optionally hybrid power system to supplement the power produced by the gas turbine engine. Additionally, an operator interface that may control the optionally hybrid power system may select from a plurality of operating modes that depend on the configuration of the optionally hybrid power system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael James Armstrong, Richard K. Keller
  • Publication number: 20180306143
    Abstract: An integrated propulsion system comprising at least two gas turbine engines, at least one fan, and a transmission assembly coupling the at least two gas turbine engines to the at least one fan wherein the at least two gas turbine engines are disposed within a main body of an airframe comprising the main body and a pair of wings, and wherein the number of gas turbine engines is greater than the number of fans.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2018
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Applicant: ROLLS ROYCE NORTH AMERICAN TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: Edward C. Rice, Richard K. Keller, William B. Bryan
  • Publication number: 20180141670
    Abstract: An airplane including an airframe and a turboprop propulsion system is disclosed in this paper. The turboprop propulsion system includes a propeller mounted for rotation about a propeller axis and a gas turbine coupled to the propeller to drive rotation of the propeller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Publication date: May 24, 2018
    Inventor: Richard K. Keller
  • Publication number: 20180118368
    Abstract: A fan module for an aircraft is disclosed herein. The fan module includes a fan rotor, a vane ring, and an optional power supply system. The fan rotor is configured to discharge thrust in an aft direction when rotated about a central axis. The vane ring is located aft of the fan rotor along the central axis and mounted for rotation about the central axis. The vane ring includes a plurality of airfoils arranged to interact with the thrust discharged by the fan rotor so that the thrust drives rotation of the vane ring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2016
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: Jonathan S. Sands, Richard K. Keller
  • Publication number: 20180118363
    Abstract: A fan module for an aircraft is disclosed herein. The fan module includes a fan rotor and an optional power supply system. The fan rotor is mounted for rotation about a central axis and configured to couple to a rotational power source. The fan rotor includes a plurality of variable-pitch fan blades each movable from a thrust-generation orientation to a power-generation orientation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2016
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: Richard K. Keller, Jonathan S. Sands
  • Publication number: 20170320585
    Abstract: The disclosure is directed to an optionally hybrid power system that may operate either as a traditional power system, deriving power from a single power source, or as a hybrid power system, deriving power from multiple types of power sources. An example optionally hybrid power system may include a gas turbine engine and one or more electric motors. When configured as a traditional power system the optionally hybrid power system may derive all power from the gas turbine engine. However, when configured as a hybrid power system, the one or more motors may be coupled to the optionally hybrid power system to supplement the power produced by the gas turbine engine. Additionally, an operator interface that may control the optionally hybrid power system may select from a plurality of operating modes that depend on the configuration of the optionally hybrid power system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2017
    Publication date: November 9, 2017
    Inventors: Michael James Armstrong, Richard K. Keller
  • Publication number: 20170057649
    Abstract: An integrated propulsion system comprising at least two gas turbine engines, at least one fan, and a transmission assembly coupling the at least two gas turbine engines to the at least one fan wherein the at least two gas turbine engines are disposed within a main body of an airframe comprising the main body and a pair of wings, and wherein the number of gas turbine engines is greater than the number of fans.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2015
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Inventors: Edward C. Rice, Richard K. Keller, William B. Bryan