Patents by Inventor Wesley K. Lord

Wesley K. Lord 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: 11118507
    Abstract: A fan section for a gas turbine engine according to an example of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a fan rotor having fan blades, and a plurality of fan exit guide vanes positioned downstream of the fan rotor. The fan rotor is configured to be driven through a gear reduction. A ratio of a number of fan exit guide vanes to a number of fan blades is defined. The fan exit guide vanes are provided with optimized sweep and optimized lean.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Jonathan Gilson, Bruce L. Morin, Ramons A. Reba, David A. Topol, Wesley K. Lord
  • Patent number: 11015550
    Abstract: According to an example embodiment, a gas turbine engine assembly includes, among other things, a fan section including a fan, the fan including a plurality of fan blades, a diameter of the fan having a dimension D that is based on a dimension of the fan blades, each fan blade having a leading edge, and a forward most portion on the leading edges of the fan blades in a first reference plane, a turbine section including a high pressure turbine and a low pressure turbine, the low pressure turbine driving the fan, a nacelle including an inlet portion forward of the fan, a forward edge on the inlet portion in a second reference plane, and a length of the inlet portion having a dimension L measured along an engine axis between the first reference plane and the second reference plane. A dimensional relationship of L/D is no more than 0.45.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wesley K. Lord, Robert E. Malecki, Yuan J. Qiu, Becky E. Rose, Jonathan Gilson
  • Publication number: 20210071587
    Abstract: A turbofan engine according to an example of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a fan including a circumferential array of fan blades, a low pressure compressor section including a low pressure compressor section inlet with a low pressure compressor section inlet annulus area, and a fan duct annulus area outboard of the low pressure compressor section inlet, and a fan drive turbine section. The fan drive turbine section includes a maximum gas path radius and the fan blades include a maximum radius, and a ratio of the maximum gas path radius to the maximum radius of the fan blades is equal to or greater than 0.35, and is less than 0.55.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2020
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Inventors: Paul R. Adams, Shankar S. Magge, Joseph B. Staubach, Wesley K. Lord, Frederick M. Schwarz, Gabriel L. Suciu
  • Patent number: 10934938
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine has an inner housing surrounding a compressor, a combustor, and a turbine, with an inlet leading into the compressor, and a cooling sleeve defined radially outwardly of the inlet to the compressor for receiving cooling air radially outward of the compressor inlet. The cooling sleeve extends along a length of the engine, and radially outwardly of the inner housing, with the cooling air in the cooling sleeve being ejected at a downstream end to mix with products of combustion downstream of the turbine. An aircraft is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Gabriel L. Suciu, Wesley K. Lord, Jesse M. Chandler, Steven H. Zysman
  • Publication number: 20210040898
    Abstract: A turbofan engine has an engine case and a gaspath through the engine case. A fan has a circumferential array of fan blades. The engine further has a compressor, a combustor, a gas generating turbine, and a low pressure turbine section. A speed reduction mechanism couples the low pressure turbine section to the fan. A bypass area ratio is greater than about 6.0. The low pressure turbine section airfoil count to bypass area ratio is below about 170.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2020
    Publication date: February 11, 2021
    Inventors: Paul R. Adams, Frederick M. Schwarz, Shankar S. Magge, Joseph B. Staubach, Wesley K. Lord, Gabriel L. Suciu
  • Publication number: 20200386154
    Abstract: A fan section for a gas turbine engine according to an example of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a fan rotor having fan blades, and a plurality of fan exit guide vanes positioned downstream of the fan rotor. The fan rotor is configured to be driven through a gear reduction. A ratio of a number of fan exit guide vanes to a number of fan blades is defined. The fan exit guide vanes are provided with optimized sweep and optimized lean.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2020
    Publication date: December 10, 2020
    Inventors: Jonathan Gilson, Bruce L. Morin, Ramons A. Reba, David A. Topol, Wesley K. Lord
  • Patent number: 10830129
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to an aircraft with counter-rotating pusher props powered by a gas turbine engine having a power turbine disposed substantially perpendicular to the compressor, combustor and turbine gas generator power core axis, as well as to the aircraft longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Wesley K. Lord
  • Patent number: 10830148
    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: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Gabriel L. Suciu, Jesse M. Chandler, Joseph Brent Staubach, Brian D. Merry, Wesley K. Lord
  • Patent number: 10794293
    Abstract: A turbofan engine according to an example of the present disclosure includes, among other things, an engine case and a gaspath through the engine case. A fan has a circumferential array of fan blades. The engine further has a compressor, a combustor, a gas generating turbine, and a low pressure turbine section. A speed reduction mechanism couples the low pressure turbine section to the fan. A bypass area ratio is greater than about 6.0. The low pressure turbine section airfoil count to bypass area ratio is below about 170.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Paul R. Adams, Shankar S. Magge, Joseph B. Staubach, Wesley K. Lord, Frederick M. Schwarz, Gabriel L. Suciu
  • Patent number: 10723470
    Abstract: A boundary layer ingestion engine includes a gas generator, a turbine fluidly connected to the gas generator, and a fan mechanically linked to the turbine via at least one shaft. The linkage is configured such that rotation of the turbine is translated to the fan. The boundary layer ingestion engine further includes an exhaust duct fluidly connected to an outlet of the turbine. The exhaust duct is positioned radially inward of the fan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Gabriel L. Suciu, Jesse M. Chandler, Wesley K. Lord
  • Patent number: 10724541
    Abstract: A fan assembly for a gas turbine engine includes a fan including a plurality of fan blades. Each fan blade extends radially outwardly from a fan hub to a blade tip. The plurality of blade tips define a fan diameter. A nacelle surrounds the fan and defines a fan inlet upstream of the fan, relative to an airflow direction into the fan. The nacelle has a forwardmost edge defining an inlet length from the forwardmost edge to a leading edge of a fan blade of the plurality of fan blades. A ratio of inlet length to fan diameter is between 0.20 and 0.45. A nacelle inner surface defines a nacelle flowpath. The nacelle flowpath has a convex throat portion and a concave diffusion portion between the throat portion and the leading edge of the fan blade at a bottommost portion of the nacelle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuan J. Qiu, Robert E. Malecki, Wesley K. Lord
  • Patent number: 10718268
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine comprises a main compressor section having a downstream most end, and more upstream locations. A turbine section has a high pressure turbine. A tap taps air from at least one of the more upstream locations in the compressor section, passes the tapped air through a heat exchanger and then to a cooling compressor. The cooling compressor compresses cooling air downstream of the heat exchanger, and delivers air into the high pressure turbine. The heat exchanger has at least two passes, with one of the passes passing air radially outwardly, and a second of the passes returning the air radially inwardly to the compressor. An intercooling system for a gas turbine engine is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Gabriel L. Suciu, Jesse M. Chandler, Joseph Brent Staubach, Brian D. Merry, Wesley K. Lord
  • Patent number: 10718272
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine comprises a housing having an inlet leading to a fan rotor. A bypass door is mounted upstream of the inlet to the fan rotor, and is moveable away from a non-bypass position to a bypass position to selectively bypass boundary layer air vertically beneath the engine. An aircraft is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Wesley K. Lord, Matthew R Feulner, Gabriel L. Suciu, Jesse M. Chandler
  • Patent number: 10711631
    Abstract: A turbine engine such as a pusher fan engine is provided. This turbine engine includes a nacelle with a bypass flowpath. A fan rotor is configured to propel air out of the bypass flowpath. A plurality of guide vanes are configured to direct the air to the fan rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Gabriel L. Suciu, Wesley K. Lord, Jayant Sabnis, Jesse M. Chandler
  • Patent number: 10704415
    Abstract: In accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, a gas turbine engine, method of using and designing such is disclosed. The gas turbine engine may comprise a fan including a plurality of blades, and a variable area fan nozzle. The fan may be configured to have a design point fan tip leading edge relative flow angle ?ADP, and may be further configured to have an off-design point fan tip leading edge relative flow angle ? at an off-design fan operating point. The variable area fan nozzle may be configured to manipulate the amount of air flowing through the fan so that the absolute value of a difference between the design point fan tip leading edge relative flow angle ?ADP and the off-design point fan tip leading edge relative flow angle ? is in a specified range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Bruce L. Morin, Wesley K. Lord
  • Patent number: 10662880
    Abstract: A turbofan engine has an engine case and a gaspath through the engine case. A fan has a circumferential array of fan blades. The engine further has a compressor, a combustor, a gas generating turbine, and a low pressure turbine section. A speed reduction mechanism couples the low pressure turbine section to the fan. A bypass area ratio is greater than about 6.0. The low pressure turbine section airfoil count to bypass area ratio is below about 170.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Paul R. Adams, Shankar S. Magge, Joseph B. Staubach, Wesley K. Lord, Frederick M. Schwarz, Gabriel L. Suciu
  • Patent number: 10655538
    Abstract: A fan section for a gas turbine engine according to an example of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a fan rotor having fan blades, and a plurality of fan exit guide vanes positioned downstream of the fan rotor. The fan rotor is configured to be driven through a gear reduction. A ratio of a number of fan exit guide vanes to a number of fan blades is defined. The fan exit guide vanes are provided with optimized sweep and optimized lean.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Jonathan Gilson, Bruce L. Morin, Ramons A. Reba, David A. Topol, Wesley K. Lord
  • Patent number: 10633090
    Abstract: A cross flow fan to be incorporated into an aircraft comprises a cross flow fan rotor to be positioned in an aircraft, a drive arrangement for the cross flow fan rotor, and a plurality of vanes positioned downstream of the cross flow fan rotor. An aircraft is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Wesley K. Lord
  • Publication number: 20200063603
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine assembly includes a fan. A diameter of the fan has a dimension D. The fan has a pressure ratio of greater than 1.20 and less than 1.45. A leading edge on an inlet portion of a nacelle is within a first reference plane oriented at an oblique angle. A forward most portion on the fan blade leading edges is in a second reference plane. A length of the inlet portion has a dimension L different at a plurality of locations on the inlet portion. A geared architecture has a gear reduction ratio of greater than 2.3, a bypass ratio is greater than 10, and a low pressure turbine includes a pressure ratio greater than 5:1. A dimensional relationship of UD is between 0.25 and 0.45. The leading edge on the inlet portion is further from the second reference plane near the top of the assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2019
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Inventors: Wesley K. Lord, Robert E. Malecki, Yuan J. Qiu, Becky E. Rose, Jonathan Gilson
  • Patent number: 10563585
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine component includes a heat exchange structure having an upstream end and a downstream end. A diffusing duct is associated with the upstream end. A throttle member controls air flow through the heat exchange structure, wherein the throttle member: (a) has a non-circular cross section; and (b) is mounted to the downstream end of the heat exchange structure or is mounted between the upstream end and the diffusing duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Wesley K. Lord, Nathan Snape, Gabriel L. Suciu