Patents by Inventor Anthony R. Bifulco

Anthony R. Bifulco 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: 20180045138
    Abstract: A nose cone assembly for a gas turbine engine and method of circulating air in a gas turbine engine are disclosed. The nose cone assembly includes a nose cone having an aperture communicating air to an interior space of the nose cone and a discharge member communicating the air out of the nose cone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2015
    Publication date: February 15, 2018
    Inventors: Gabriel L. Suciu, Nathan Snape, Anthony R. Bifulco, William K. Ackermann, Becky E. Rose, Jesse M. Chandler
  • Patent number: 9890711
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a bleed structure which includes a forward wall and a rear structural wall to define a deposit space downstream of the bleed structure for a hail event of a predetermined duration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Justin R. Urban, Anthony R. Bifulco
  • Publication number: 20170292400
    Abstract: According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a gas turbine engine is disclosed that includes an engine section comprising a plurality of stages of variable vanes, and also includes first and second synchronizing rings (sync-rings). Movement of the first sync-ring adjusts vane angles of a first one of the stages of variable vanes, and movement of the second sync-ring adjusts vane angles of a second one of the stages of variable vanes. At least one sensor is configured to measure a condition of the gas turbine engine. A controller is configured to move the first sync-ring independently of the second sync-ring based on data from the at least one sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2016
    Publication date: October 12, 2017
    Inventor: Anthony R. Bifulco
  • Publication number: 20170276018
    Abstract: An actuator system including a harmonic drive operable to drive a variable vane system of a gas turbine engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2016
    Publication date: September 28, 2017
    Inventors: Anthony R. Bifulco, Gabriel L. Suciu, Jesse M. Chandler
  • Publication number: 20170002834
    Abstract: An example method of cooling a compressor section of a gas turbine engine includes diverting a flow from a compressor through a heat exchanger, the flow moving from the compressor in a first direction, and moving the flow from the heat exchanger back to the compressor in a second direction. An example spacer for a compressor of a gas turbine engine includes a first side portion, a second side portion spaced apart from the first side portion, and a middle web arranged between the first and second side portions. At least one of the first and second side portions and the middle web include at least one orifice to communicate flow in a direction that is different from a core flowpath flow direction. An example compressor including the spacer is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2014
    Publication date: January 5, 2017
    Inventors: Brad Powell, Anthony R. Bifulco, Paul E. Coderre
  • Publication number: 20160273373
    Abstract: A turbine engine is disclosed and includes an airflow passage including an inner surface defined by a main shroud and a shroud extension. A flow splitter is disposed radially outward of the inner surface and axially overlapping the shroud extension. The turbine engine further includes a rotor including a blade proximate the shroud extension and an annular gap defined between the shroud extension and the blade of a first axial length less than a second axial length between the blade and an end of the flow splitter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2014
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Inventors: Victor G. Filipenco, Anthony R. Bifulco
  • Publication number: 20160258359
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine section includes a plurality of spaced rotor stages, with a static guide vane intermediate the spaced rotor stages. The static guide vane provides swirl into air passing toward a downstream one of the spaced rotor stages, and an outer housing surrounding the spaced rotor stages. A diverter diverts a portion of air radially outwardly through the outer housing, and across at least one heat exchanger. The diverted air passes back into a duct radially inwardly through the outer housing, and is exhausted toward the downstream one of the spaced rotor stages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2015
    Publication date: September 8, 2016
    Inventors: Daniel Bernard Kupratis, Anthony R. Bifulco
  • Publication number: 20160222982
    Abstract: An example method of cooling a compressor of a gas turbine includes, among other things, diverting a flow from a compressor, and directing the flow at the compressor in a direction, the direction having a circumferential component and an axial component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2014
    Publication date: August 4, 2016
    Inventors: Brad Powell, Anthony R. Bifulco, Paul E. Coderre, John P. Virtue, Brian Lucker
  • Publication number: 20160153463
    Abstract: A spacer of a gas turbine engine is reinforced with a fiber. The fiber can be cured with a substrate to form a fiber reinforced composite material. As a gas turbine engine operates, the rotation creates forces which can deform, expand, contract or translate certain gas turbine engine components, including spacers. These forces can adversely affect gas turbine engine performance and reliability, particularly when they are either unpredictable or difficult to control. Reinforcing a spacer with a fiber may allow a lower system weight, more compact or configurable internal packaging or a high degree of reinforcement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2015
    Publication date: June 2, 2016
    Inventors: Anthony R. Bifulco, Damon K. Brown, Nicholas Aiello
  • Publication number: 20160146023
    Abstract: A propulsive engine rotor configured for operation within a gas turbine includes a plurality of spaced airfoil blades circumferentially affixed to an outer hoop-style rim. At least two of the airfoil blades have an integral root configured to extend either through or at least radially inwardly from the rim. A woven fiber system provides that the blade roots are interdigitally wrapped by a plurality of woven fibers before impregnation and/or encapsulation of the fibers and wrapped roots within a ceramic or other composite matrix material to form a composite ring. The composite ring defines the interior body of the rotor, includes a bore through which passes the rotational axis of the rotor, and has a lower mass than the rotor rim. The woven fiber interface between the roots increases the tensile load capacity of the airfoil blades relative to the composite ring, and increases the self-sustaining radius of the rotor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2015
    Publication date: May 26, 2016
    Inventors: Anthony R. Bifulco, Damon K. Brown, Nicholas Aiello
  • Publication number: 20160146030
    Abstract: A non-metallic engine case inlet compression seal for a gas turbine engine includes a non-metallic longitudinal leg section that extends from the non-metallic arcuate interface section and a non-metallic mount flange section that extends from the longitudinal leg section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2015
    Publication date: May 26, 2016
    Inventor: Anthony R. Bifulco
  • Publication number: 20160138399
    Abstract: A structurally-reinforced rotor disk for a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The rotor disk may comprise a body including a rim configured to support airfoils (which may be separate or integral with the airfoils), an axially-extending bore disposed radially inward of the rim, and a radially-extending web connecting the rim and the bore. The bore may include an axial outer edge and at least one circumferentially-extending annular recess formed axially between the outer edge and the web. The rotor disk may further comprise an annular ring retained in the annular recess, and the annular ring may be formed from a different material than the body of the rotor disk so as to increase a self-sustaining radius of the rotor disk.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2015
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventors: Anthony R. Bifulco, Damon K. Brown, Nicholas Aiello
  • Publication number: 20150285147
    Abstract: A cooling system for providing a buffer cooled cooling air to a turbine section of a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The cooling system may comprise a first conduit configured to transmit a cooling air toward the turbine section, a heat exchanger configured to cool a bleed airflow diverted from the first conduit to provide a buffer air, and a bypass conduit configured to direct at least a portion of the buffer air through at least one passageway that bypasses a bearing compartment of the gas turbine engine. The cooling system may further comprise a manifold configured to allow the cooling air exiting the first conduit and the buffer air exiting the bypass conduit to mix and provide the buffer cooled cooling air, and a nozzle assembly configured to deliver the buffer cooled cooling air to the turbine section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2015
    Publication date: October 8, 2015
    Inventors: Justin J. Phillips, James D. Hill, William K. Ackermann, Chris J. Niggemeier, Gabriel L. Suciu, Anthony R. Bifulco, Julian Partyka
  • Publication number: 20150247461
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a fan rotating structure including a plurality of fan blades supported on a hub that defines a frontal area. A turbine section drives the fan through a geared architecture about the axis. The fan rotating structure includes a weight of the fan rotating structure relative to the frontal area that enables improvements in engine operating and propulsive efficiencies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2013
    Publication date: September 3, 2015
    Inventors: Frederick M. Schwarz, Anthony R. Bifulco
  • Patent number: 9121412
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a spool, a turbine coupled to drive the spool and a propulsor that is coupled to be driven by the turbine through the spool. A gear assembly is coupled between the propulsor and the spool such that rotation of the spool drives the propulsor at a different speed than the spool. The propulsor includes a hub and a row of propulsor blades that extends from the hub. The row includes no more than 16 of the propulsor blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Edward J. Gallagher, Jun Jiang, Becky E. Rose, Jason Elliott, Anthony R. Bifulco
  • Publication number: 20150218955
    Abstract: A cantilevered airfoil includes, among other things, an airfoil having a body section and a tip, the body section extending in a first direction that is angled relative to a radial direction, the tip of the airfoil angled radially in a second direction relative to the body section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Matthew E. Bintz, Peter T. Schutte, Brian J. Schuler, Anthony R. Bifulco
  • Publication number: 20140345294
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a bleed structure which includes a forward wall and a rear structural wall to define a deposit space downstream of the bleed structure for a hail event of a predetermined duration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2014
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Inventors: Justin R. Urban, Anthony R. Bifulco
  • Publication number: 20140248140
    Abstract: A disclosed stator vane assembly includes a plurality of stator vane elements supported within a case about an axis. Each of the plurality of stator vane elements includes a platform having a recess on a first side and a tongue on a second side. The tongue overlaps a recess of an adjacent one of the plurality of stator vane elements with at least one of the recess and the tongue includes a crowned surface forming a seal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2012
    Publication date: September 4, 2014
    Inventors: Normand P. Jacques, Anthony R. Bifulco
  • Publication number: 20140144151
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes: a compressor; a combustor downstream of the compressor along a gaspath; a turbine downstream of the combustor along the gaspath; a plurality of wash nozzles having outlets along the gaspath; and at least one inlet fitting coupled to the wash nozzles to bound a wash flowpath from an inlet port of the at least one inlet fitting to said outlets of said nozzles. The plurality of stages include: a stage upstream of blades of one compressor section; and another stage between said blades of one compressor section and blades of another compressor section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2012
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Anthony R. Bifulco
  • Patent number: 8540483
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine rotor drum includes spaced apart discs providing a cavity between the discs. The discs are configured to rotate in a rotational direction about an axis. An annular support is mounted on at least one of the discs and within the cavity. A cascade of relatively short anti-vortex members is mounted circumferentially on the annular support. The anti-vortex members include an outer end having a concave surface extending within the cavity radially outward from the annular support. The concave surface faces the rotational direction and promotes swirl as the rotor drum rotates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Matthew E. Bintz, Peter T. Schutte, Anthony R. Bifulco, Eric W. Malmborg