Patents Assigned to RTX Corporation
  • Patent number: 11939919
    Abstract: A fluid supply system for a gas turbine engine includes a first component and a second component. A fluid fitting has a fluid junction. The fluid junction includes a first fluid port in fluid communication with and configured to supply a first cooling fluid to the first component. The fluid junction includes a second fluid port in fluid communication with and configured to supply a second cooling fluid to the second component. A primary pipe is fluidly connected to the fluid fitting. A flow meter is arranged upstream from the fluid junction and is configured to receive a cooling supply fluid from a fluid source. Thee flow meter is a wall having an orifice and a surface that is radiused and convex facing into the cooling supply fluid. A secondary pipe is secured to the fluid fitting and is configured to supply the second cooling fluid to the second component. A turbine section includes the first and second components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: RTX Corporation
    Inventors: John H. Mosley, Michelle Diana Stearns, Michael Luther Comeau, James P. Chasse
  • Patent number: 11939875
    Abstract: A drive system of a gas turbine engine includes a first drive shaft and a second drive shaft operable to rotate within the gas turbine engine, a first sensor operable to detect rotation of the first drive shaft, a second sensor operable to detect rotation of the second drive shaft, and a processing system coupled to the first sensor and the second sensor. The processing system is operable to determine a timing variation based on output of the first sensor and output of the second sensor, determine a torsional deflection between the first drive shaft and the second drive shaft based on the timing variation, and detect a health status of the drive system based on the torsional deflection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventor: Sheridon Everette Haye
  • Patent number: 11939926
    Abstract: An assembly is provided for an aircraft propulsion system. This assembly includes a compressor section, a combustor section, a turbine section and a flowpath extending sequentially through the compressor section, the combustor section and the turbine section. The assembly also includes a rotating structure, a geartrain, a propulsor rotor and a turbine. The rotating structure includes a turbine rotor within the turbine section. The geartrain is coupled to the rotating structure. The propulsor rotor is coupled to the geartrain. The rotating structure is configured to drive rotation of the propulsor rotor through the geartrain. The turbine is coupled to the geartrain. The turbine is configured to receive bleed gas from the flowpath.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventor: Paul R. Hanrahan
  • Patent number: 11939924
    Abstract: A system for modulating air flow in a gas turbine engine is provided. The system may include a seal wall comprising an opening, a seal door configured to slideably engage the seal wall, and an actuator configured to move the seal door over the opening. In various embodiments, the system may include a surface forward of the seal door. The seal door may be configured to seal a passage through the surface and the opening of the seal wall. A track may be disposed under the seal door. The track may comprise cobalt. Rollers may be coupled to the seal door with the rollers on the track. The seal door may comprise a nickel-chromium alloy. A sync ring may be coupled to the seal door. The actuator may be coupled through the sync ring to the seal door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nicholas W. Kantany, Edward Boucher, Kristine Marie Carnavos, Robert Russell Mayer, Donald W. Peters
  • Patent number: 11939871
    Abstract: An abradable material for a rub strip of a gas turbine engine component includes a polymer matrix, and an organic or inorganic filler distributed through the matrix, wherein the abradable material has a compression spring rate profile including: less than 50,000 lb/in at ?65° F., less than 35,000 lb/in at room temperature, and less than 35,000 lb/in at 200° F.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: RTX Corporation
    Inventors: Kerry E. Muenchow, Georgios S. Zafiris, Raymond P. Martina, Jr., John Harner, Imad Hanhan, Darin S. Lussier, Scott A. Smith, Mark W. Costa, Michael R. LaFavor
  • Patent number: 11939883
    Abstract: An airfoil includes an airfoil section that has an airfoil wall that defines a leading end, an arced trailing end, and first and second sides that join the leading end and the arced trailing end. The first and second sides span in a longitudinal direction between first and second ends. The airfoil wall circumscribes an internal core cavity that includes an exit region that spans between the first and second ends and that opens through the arced trailing end. The exit region includes pedestals arranged in a plurality of longitudinal pedestal rows. At least one of the longitudinal pedestal rows is straight and at least one of the longitudinal pedestal rows is arced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Allan N. Arisi, Ricardo Trindade, Dominic J. Mongillo, Tracy A. Propheter-Hinckley
  • Patent number: 11939888
    Abstract: An assembly for a gas turbine engine includes a plurality of vanes having a radially outer platform with a flange that extends radially outward therefrom and a plurality of notches in the flange. A ring is located radially outward from the radially outer platform of the plurality of vanes. An axially extending projection extends through and corresponds with each of the plurality of notches on the flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Raymond Surace, Robert A. White, III
  • Patent number: 11939913
    Abstract: An engine system includes a turbine engine including a compressor section, a combustor section having a burner, a turbine section, and a nozzle in an open-loop configuration. The engine system also includes a bottom-cycle apparatus and an exhaust heat exchanger downstream of the turbine section of the turbine engine configured to reject heat from the turbine engine to the bottoming-cycle apparatus and create a cooled turbine exhaust in the turbine engine. The engine system further includes an exhaust compressor arranged downstream of the exhaust heat exchanger and upstream of the nozzle of the turbine engine configured to compress the cooled turbine exhaust stream and increase a pressure of the cooled turbine exhaust stream prior to exiting the nozzle of the turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Neil J. Terwilliger, Joseph B. Staubach
  • Patent number: 11933218
    Abstract: A system is provided that includes a compressor section, a turbine section, a first engine and a second engine. The compressor section includes a compressor rotor. The turbine section includes a turbine rotor configured to drive rotation of the compressor rotor. The first engine includes a first engine inlet, a first engine outlet and a first engine combustion zone fluidly coupled with and between the first engine inlet and the first engine outlet. The first engine inlet is fluidly coupled with and downstream of the compressor section. The first engine outlet is fluidly coupled with and upstream of the turbine section. The second engine includes a second engine inlet, a second engine outlet and a second engine combustion zone fluidly coupled with and between the second engine inlet and the second engine outlet. The second engine inlet is fluidly coupled with and downstream of the compressor section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventor: Steven W. Burd
  • Patent number: 11933223
    Abstract: An attritable engine includes an engine case, which includes an outer wall and a fuel rail integral with the outer wall. The fuel rail includes a fuel line integral with the outer wall, a fuel ring configured to receive fuel from the fuel line, and an injector throat configured to receive aerated fuel from the fuel ring. The engine case includes counter distortion webbing defining the injector throat and is integral with the fuel rail and the outer wall. The engine case includes a combustion chamber configured to receive fuel from the injector throat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Lawrence Binek, Matthew B. Kennedy, Jesse R. Boyer
  • Patent number: 11933226
    Abstract: A heat shield includes a first wall defined between a first end and a second end; a second wall defined between the first end and the second end, the second wall connected to the first wall at the first and second ends; a space defined between the first wall and the second wall; and thermal insulation disposed in the space. A gas turbine engine and a method of installing a heat shield in a gas turbine engine are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: RTX Corporation
    Inventor: Robert A. White, III
  • Patent number: 11937031
    Abstract: A system includes a network of a plurality of sensing/control/identification devices distributed throughout a machine, each of the sensing/control/identification devices associated with at least one sub-system component of the machine and operable to communicate through a plurality of electromagnetic signals. Shielding surrounds at least one of the sensing/control/identification devices to contain the electromagnetic signals proximate to the at least one sub-system component. A communication path is integrally formed in a component of the machine to route a portion of the electromagnetic signals through the component and a remote processing unit operable to communicate with the network of the sensing/control/identification devices through the electromagnetic signals, wherein at least a portion of the sensing/control/identification devices comprise a wide band gap semiconductor device and wherein at least a portion of the sensing/control/identification devices comprise an on-chip antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Joseph V. Mantese, Kurt J. Sobanski
  • Patent number: 11936091
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided for signal communication. This signal communication apparatus includes a waveguide with an internal channel. The internal channel includes a plurality of channel segments interconnected at a junction. The waveguide includes a first surface and a second surface. The first surface and the second surface partially form a peripheral boundary of the internal channel at the junction. The first surface meets the second surface at a first corner. The first surface is angularly offset from the second surface by an obtuse angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Lawrence A. Binek, Gurkan Gok
  • Patent number: 11933767
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods and systems for the characterization of a potential microtexture region (MTR) of a sample, component, or the like. The methods may include determining a threshold width of spatial correlation coefficient and/or a threshold spatial correlation coefficient slope for an actual MTR, characterizing a potential MTR as an actual MTR or a defect, characterizing an actual MTR as an acceptable MTR or not, and/or characterizing various components with potential MTRs as defective or not. The characterization may include calculating a width of spatial correlation coefficient and/or a spatial correlation coefficient slope of the potential MTR and comparing the width of spatial correlation coefficient to a threshold width of spatial correlation coefficient and/or comparing the spatial correlation coefficient slope to a threshold spatial correlation coefficient slope for the potential MTR to be characterized as an actual MTR or a defect (crack).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignees: RTX CORPORATION, IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INC.
    Inventors: Yong Tian, Ronald Roberts, Dan Barnard
  • Patent number: 11933217
    Abstract: A propulsion system for an aircraft is disclosed and includes a water recovery system and a water monitoring system. The water recover system includes a condenser that is arranged along the core flow path and is configured to extract water from an exhaust gas flow. The water monitoring system includes a sensor and a controller programed to determine a condition of water and generate a prompt based on information communicated from the at least one sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Edward Thomas Rocco, Danbing Seto, Coy Bruce Wood, Liang Tang
  • Patent number: 11933219
    Abstract: A stator configuration for a gas turbine engine including: a splitter segment, the splitter segment extending from a forward end to a rearward end; a forward most first stator extending radially outwardly from the splitter segment, the forward most first stator being completely located downstream from the forward end of the splitter segment; and a forward most second stator extending radially inwardly from the splitter segment, the splitter segment, the forward most first stator and the forward most second stator being formed as a single, integrally formed structure, the forward most first stator positioned closer to the forward end relative to a distance between the forward most second stator and the forward end and the forward most second stator positioned closer to the rearward end relative to a distance between the forward most first stator and the rearward end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Colin G. Amadon, Michael C. Firnhaber
  • Patent number: 11933196
    Abstract: An airfoil vane assembly includes a vane piece defining a first vane platform, a second vane platform, and a hollow airfoil section joining the first vane platform and the second vane platform. The first vane platform defines a collar projection therefrom. A spar piece defines a spar platform and a spar extends from the spar platform into the hollow airfoil section. The spar platform includes a radial opening defined by first and second axial faces. The radial opening is configured to receive the collar projection, and a groove in the first axial face. A seal is situated in the groove. The seal seals against the collar projection and a biasing member is configured to bias the seal towards the collar projection. A method of assembling a vane is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: RTX Corporation
    Inventor: Robert White, III
  • Patent number: 11933221
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine including a core having a compressor section fluidly connected to a combustor via a primary flowpath and a turbine section connected to the combustor via the core flow path. An assembly is disposed within the gas turbine engine and includes a first part connected to a second part via a radial stack joint. The first part includes a radially inward facing surface contacting a corresponding radially outward facing surface of the second part. A fastener protrudes through the first part and the second part and is configured to maintain the relative positions of the first part and the second part. A channel is disposed on at least one of the radially inward facing surfaces and is positioned between the fastener and a circumferential edge of the first part. The channel is connected to at least one cooling air source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: RTX Corporation
    Inventors: Corey D. Anderson, Edward Boucher, Rebecca R. Dunnigan, Nicholas Broulidakis, Matthew Murakami, Daniel R. Brandt, Konrad Kuc, Victoria M. Imlach, Sushruth G. Kamath, Manuel A. Casares Rivas, Eric G. Leamon, Adam Castles, Edmond Cheung, Kyra A. Thole-Wilson, Javier Nebero Johnson
  • Patent number: 11933190
    Abstract: A gear reduction reduces a speed of a fan rotor relative to a speed of a fan drive turbine. A rigid connection between a fan case and an inner core housing includes a plurality of A-frames connected at a connection point to the fan case. Legs in the A-frames extend away from the connection point in opposed circumferential directions to be connected to a compressor wall of the inner core housing. The rigid connection also includes a plurality of fan exit guide vanes rigidly connected to the fan case. A lateral stiffness ratio of the lateral stiffness of the plurality of fan exit guide vanes and a lateral stiffness of a combination of the plurality of A-frame, the compressor wall, and a fan intermediate case which is forward of the low pressure compressor being greater than or equal to 0.6 and less than or equal to 2.0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: RTX Corporation
    Inventors: Marc J. Muldoon, Michael E. McCune, Keith B. Allyn
  • Publication number: 20240083821
    Abstract: A space filler for forming a fibrous preform may comprise an additively manufactured ceramic material. The additively manufactured ceramic material may define a plurality of pores. A shape of the additively manufactured ceramic material may complement a shape of a void formed by fibrous regions of the fibrous preform.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Applicant: RTX Corporation
    Inventor: Kathryn S. Read