Patents by Inventor Alan Roy Stuart

Alan Roy Stuart 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).

  • Publication number: 20180340470
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a method of turbine section thermal management for a gas turbine engine. The engine includes a first turbine bearing defining an outer air bearing disposed radially adjacent to a low speed turbine rotor hub of a low speed turbine rotor and an inner bearing disposed radially adjacent to a high pressure (HP) shaft coupled to a high speed turbine rotor, wherein a first manifold is in fluid communication from a pressure plenum of a combustion section to the first turbine bearing, and wherein a second manifold is in fluid communication from the first turbine bearing to a pressure regulating valve and an outer diameter secondary flowpath of the turbine section, and wherein a third manifold is in fluid communication from the pressure plenum of the combustion section to the pressure regulating valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2017
    Publication date: November 29, 2018
    Inventors: Alan Roy Stuart, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Richard Schmidt, Thomas Ory Moniz
  • Publication number: 20180340469
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a gas turbine engine defining a longitudinal direction, a radial direction extended from an axial centerline, and a circumferential direction. The gas turbine engine includes a compressor section, a combustion section, and a turbine section in serial flow arrangement along the longitudinal direction. The gas turbine engine includes a low speed turbine rotor comprising a hub extended along the longitudinal direction and radially within the combustion section; a high speed turbine rotor comprising a high pressure (HP) shaft coupling the high speed turbine rotor to a HP compressor in the compressor section; a first turbine bearing disposed radially between the hub of the low speed turbine rotor and the HP shaft. The HP shaft extends along the longitudinal direction and radially within the hub of the low speed turbine rotor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2017
    Publication date: November 29, 2018
    Inventors: Alan Roy Stuart, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Richard Schmidt, Thomas Ory Moniz
  • Publication number: 20180340446
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a gas turbine engine defining a longitudinal direction, a radial direction extended from an axial centerline, and a circumferential direction. The gas turbine engine includes a compressor section, a combustion section, and a turbine section in serial flow arrangement along the longitudinal direction. The gas turbine engine includes a low speed turbine rotor including a hub extended along the longitudinal direction and radially within the combustion section; a high speed turbine rotor including a high pressure (HP) shaft coupling the high speed turbine rotor to a HP compressor in the compressor section; and a first turbine bearing disposed radially between the hub of the low speed turbine rotor and the HP shaft. The HP shaft extends along the longitudinal direction and radially within the hub of the low speed turbine rotor. The high speed turbine rotor defines a turbine cooling conduit extended within the high speed turbine rotor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2017
    Publication date: November 29, 2018
    Inventors: Alan Roy Stuart, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Richard Schmidt, Thomas Ory Moniz
  • Publication number: 20180328287
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a method of control of a gas turbine engine comprising a fan section coupled to a low turbine together defining a low spool, an intermediate compressor coupled to an intermediate turbine together defining an intermediate spool, and a high compressor coupled to a high turbine together defining a high spool. The method includes providing an intermediate spool speed to low spool speed characteristic curve to a controller; providing a commanded power output to the controller; providing one or more of an environmental condition to the controller; determining, via the controller, a commanded fuel flow rate; determining, via the controller, a commanded intermediate compressor loading; and generating an actual power output of the engine, wherein the actual power output is one or more of an actual low spool speed, an actual intermediate spool speed, an actual high spool speed, and an actual engine pressure ratio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2017
    Publication date: November 15, 2018
    Inventors: Thomas Ory Moniz, Alan Roy Stuart, James William Simunek, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Brandon Wayne Miller, Sridhar Adibhatla
  • Publication number: 20180320632
    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: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2017
    Publication date: November 8, 2018
    Inventors: Jeffrey Donald Clements, Darek Tomasz Zatorski, Alan Roy Stuart
  • Patent number: 10113508
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine having a centerline axis is provided. The gas turbine engine includes a fan and a fan cowl assembly surrounding the fan to define a bypass duct configured to channel airflow for the fan. The fan cowl assembly includes a stationary cowl and a transcowl. The gas turbine engine further includes a plurality of actuators configured for displacing the transcowl relative to the stationary cowl. Each of the actuators is skewed relative to the centerline axis of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Alan Roy Stuart, Patrick John Lonneman
  • Publication number: 20180298784
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a gas turbine engine defining a radial direction, a circumferential direction, an axial centerline along a longitudinal direction, and wherein the gas turbine engine defines an upstream end and a downstream end along the longitudinal direction, and wherein the gas turbine engine defines a core flowpath extended generally along the longitudinal direction. The gas turbine engine includes a turbine frame defined around the axial centerline, the turbine frame comprising a first bearing surface disposed inward along the radial direction. The gas turbine engine further includes a turbine rotor assembly including a bearing assembly coupled to the first bearing surface of the turbine frame and the turbine rotor assembly. The turbine rotor assembly further includes a first turbine rotor disposed upstream of the turbine frame and a second turbine rotor disposed downstream of the turbine frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2017
    Publication date: October 18, 2018
    Inventors: Thomas Ory Moniz, Alan Roy Stuart, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Brandon Wayne Miller, Darek Tomasz Zatorski, Gert Johannes van der Merwe, Joel Francis Kirk, Richard Wesling
  • Publication number: 20180274365
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a gas turbine engine defining a longitudinal direction, a radial direction, and a circumferential direction, and wherein the gas turbine engine defines an upstream end and a downstream end along the longitudinal direction. The gas turbine engine includes a turbine section that includes a first rotating component and a second rotating component. The first rotating component includes an inner shroud and an outer shroud outward of the inner shroud in the radial direction. The outer shroud defines a plurality of outer shroud airfoils extended inward of the outer shroud along the radial direction. The first rotating component further includes at least one connecting airfoil coupling the inner shroud and the outer shroud. The second rotating component is upstream of the one or more connecting airfoils of the first rotating component along the longitudinal direction. The second rotating component includes a plurality of second airfoils extended outward in the radial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2017
    Publication date: September 27, 2018
    Inventors: Alan Roy Stuart, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Richard Schmidt, Thomas Ory Moniz
  • Publication number: 20180258858
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a gas turbine engine defining a radial direction, a circumferential direction, an axial centerline along a longitudinal direction. The gas turbine engine defines an upstream end and a downstream end along the longitudinal direction and includes a turbine frame defined around the axial centerline. The turbine frame includes a first bearing surface, a second bearing surface, and a third bearing surface. The first bearing surface corresponds to a first turbine rotor, the second bearing surface corresponds to a second turbine rotor, and the third bearing surface corresponds to a third turbine rotor, and each turbine rotor is independently rotatable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2017
    Publication date: September 13, 2018
    Inventors: Thomas Ory Moniz, Alan Roy Stuart, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Brandon Wayne Miller, Darek Tomasz Zatorski
  • Publication number: 20180223732
    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: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2017
    Publication date: August 9, 2018
    Inventors: Jeffrey Donald Clements, Darek Tomasz Zatorski, Alan Roy Stuart
  • Publication number: 20180209336
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a gas turbine engine defining a radial direction, a circumferential direction, an axial centerline along a longitudinal direction, and wherein the gas turbine engine defines an upstream end and a downstream end long the longitudinal direction. The gas turbine engine includes a turbine section including a low speed turbine rotor, a high speed turbine rotor, and an intermediate speed turbine rotor. The low speed turbine rotor includes an inner shroud and an outer shroud outward of the inner shroud in the radial direction. The outer shroud defines a plurality of outer shroud airfoils extended inward of the outer shroud along the radial direction. The low speed turbine rotor further includes at least one connecting airfoil coupling the inner shroud to the outer shroud. The high speed turbine rotor is disposed upstream of the one or more connecting airfoils of the low speed turbine rotor along the longitudinal direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2017
    Publication date: July 26, 2018
    Inventors: Alan Roy Stuart, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Richard Schmidt, Thomas Ory Moniz
  • Publication number: 20180209335
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a method of operating a gas turbine engine with an interdigitated turbine section. The engine includes a fan rotor, an intermediate pressure compressor, a high pressure compressor, a combustion section, and a turbine section in serial flow arrangement. The turbine section includes, in serial flow arrangement, a first stage of a low speed turbine rotor, a high speed turbine rotor, a second stage of the low speed turbine rotor, an intermediate speed turbine rotor, and one or more additional stages of the low speed turbine rotor. The low speed turbine rotor is coupled to the fan rotor via a low pressure shaft. The intermediate speed turbine rotor is coupled to the intermediate pressure compressor via an intermediate pressure shaft. The high speed turbine rotor is coupled to the high pressure compressor via a high pressure shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2017
    Publication date: July 26, 2018
    Inventors: Alan Roy Stuart, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Richard Schmidt, Thomas Ory Moniz
  • Patent number: 10006405
    Abstract: A thrust reverser system and operation suitable for turbofan engines. Blocker doors of the thrust reverser system have stowed positions in which each door is disposed between a fixed structure and a translating cowl of the engine. The translating cowl is translated in an aft direction of the engine to define at least one opening with the fixed structure, after which the translating cowl is further translated aft to deploy linkage mechanisms that are received in slots recessed into the blocker doors and pivotably connect the doors to the fixed structure. Deployment of the linkage mechanisms from the slots causes the blocker doors to rotate to a deployed position in which each door extends across a bypass duct of the engine and diverts bypass air within the duct through the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Alan Roy Stuart, James Michael Cosgrove
  • Publication number: 20180128206
    Abstract: A turbofan engine is provided having a fan and a nacelle assembly enclosing the fan. The nacelle assembly includes a thrust reverser system having one or more cascade segments configured to translate at least partially along an axial direction of the turbofan engine. The turbofan engine further includes a core operable with the fan and at least partially enclosed by the nacelle. The core includes a turbine section having a low pressure turbine defining an exit diameter. A ratio of the exit diameter of the low pressure turbine to a fan diameter of the fan is less than 0.5, providing for a more compact turbofan engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2016
    Publication date: May 10, 2018
    Inventors: Richard David Cedar, David Baker Riddle, Alan Roy Stuart, Jeffrey Donald Clements
  • Publication number: 20170259929
    Abstract: A system for mounting an engine to an aircraft includes a rigid structure coupled to a wing and including a forward mount interface and an aft mount interface. The system includes a frame including a first support connection and a second support connection spaced apart from the first support connection. A linkage structure couples the frame to the rigid structure and includes a first linkage pair extending between the forward mount interface and the first support connection at a first angle with respect to a rotational axis, and a second linkage pair extending between the aft mount interface and the second support connection at a second angle with respect to the rotational axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2016
    Publication date: September 14, 2017
    Inventor: Alan Roy Stuart
  • Publication number: 20170233060
    Abstract: An aircraft having a fuselage terminating in an empennage with a tail extending upwardly from the empennage. An engine strut extends from the empennage with an engine mounted to the engine strut and a moveable control surface provided on the engine strut.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2016
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Inventors: Jeffrey Glover, Alan Roy Stuart, Andrew Breeze-Stringfellow
  • Patent number: 9726113
    Abstract: A turbine engine assembly is provided. The turbine engine assembly includes a core gas turbine engine including a first rotatable drive shaft, a first low-pressure turbine section in serial flow communication with the gas turbine engine, a gear assembly coupled to the first low-pressure turbine section through a second rotatable drive shaft, and a second low-pressure turbine section in serial flow communication with the core gas turbine engine. The first low-pressure turbine section is configured to rotate in a first rotational direction, and the second low-pressure turbine section is configured to rotate in a second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction. The first and second low-pressure turbine sections are spaced axially apart from each other. The turbine engine assembly also includes a fan assembly coupled to the first low-pressure turbine section through the gear assembly, and coupled to the second low-pressure turbine section through a third rotatable drive shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert Joseph Orlando, Thomas Ory Moniz, Alan Roy Stuart
  • Publication number: 20170167438
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a fan and a core in flow communication with the fan. The core includes an aftmost turbine, and the aftmost turbine includes an aftmost stage of rotor blades. The gas turbine engine also includes a nacelle assembly having a translating and rotating thrust reverser system and enclosing the fan and at least a portion of the core. The nacelle assembly defines a nacelle assembly length between a forward lip and an aft edge. Additionally, the gas turbine engine defines an engine length between the forward lip of the nacelle assembly and the aftmost stage of rotor blades of the aftmost turbine. A ratio of the turbine length to the nacelle assembly length is greater than about 0.5 and less than about 1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2015
    Publication date: June 15, 2017
    Inventors: Brandon Wayne Miller, Matthew Timothy Franer, Alan Roy Stuart
  • Publication number: 20170159606
    Abstract: A thrust reverser system for incorporation into a nacelle assembly of a gas turbine engine includes a frame member and a forward ring movable along an axial centerline relative to the frame member. The forward ring is movable between a first position and the second position. The thrust reverser system additionally includes a cascade segment slidably attached to the frame member and rotatably attached to the forward ring. When the forward ring is in the first position the cascade segment is in a radially outer position, and when the forward ring is in the second position, the cascade segment is in a radially inner position for changing a direction of a flow of air to generate reverse thrust.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2015
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Inventor: Alan Roy Stuart
  • Publication number: 20170145916
    Abstract: A fan case for use in a turbofan engine is provided. The fan case includes an aft portion having a substantially cylindrical cross-sectional shape, and a forward portion extending from the aft portion. A cross-sectional shape of the forward portion progressively decreases in radial size as the forward portion extends from the aft portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2015
    Publication date: May 25, 2017
    Inventor: Alan Roy Stuart