Patents by Inventor Brian P. Cigal
Brian P. Cigal 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).
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Publication number: 20230272745Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a fan that has fan blades wherein the fan delivers airflow to a bypass duct. A gearbox is defined along an engine axis. A low spool is arranged aft of the gearbox and coupled to drive the gearbox. A front center body assembly is defined around the engine axis. A flexible support supports the gearbox relative to the front center body assembly. A bearing package is mounted to the front center body assembly and the low spool. A front wall is mounted to the front center body assembly. The front wall is removable from the front center body assembly to access at least one of the gearbox or the bearing package. The low spool includes a low pressure compressor hub that provides an engagement feature for engaging the bearing package.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 2, 2023Publication date: August 31, 2023Inventors: Todd A. Davis, Brian P. Cigal
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Patent number: 11739845Abstract: An apparatus has: a first member; a shaft rotatable relative to the first member about an axis; and a seal system. The seal system has: a seal carried by the first member and having a seal face; a seal carrier; a seat carried by the shaft and having a seat face in sliding sealing engagement with the seal face; and one or more springs biasing the seal carrier relative to the first member so as to bias the seal face against the seat face. The seal carrier has: an axially-extending wall having an inner diameter (ID) surface; and a radially-extending wall having a first surface. The seal carrier axially-extending wall ID surface has a radially inwardly open groove having a first sidewall and a second sidewall and a base. A wave-form split ring contacts the first sidewall and biases the seal into engagement with the radial wall first surface.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 2021Date of Patent: August 29, 2023Assignee: Raytheon Technologies CorporationInventors: Brian P. Cigal, Christopher T. Anglin
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Patent number: 11713713Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a fan that has fan blades wherein the fan delivers airflow to a bypass duct. A gearbox is defined along an engine axis. A low spool is arranged aft of the gearbox and coupled to drive the gearbox. A front center body assembly is defined around the engine axis. A flexible support supports the gearbox relative to the front center body assembly. A bearing package is mounted to the front center body assembly and the low spool. A front wall is mounted to the front center body assembly. The front wall is removable from the front center body assembly to access at least one of the gearbox or the bearing package. The low spool includes a low pressure compressor hub that provides a spline for engaging the bearing package.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2020Date of Patent: August 1, 2023Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Todd A. Davis, Brian P. Cigal
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Publication number: 20230175589Abstract: An apparatus has: a first member; a shaft rotatable relative to the first member about an axis; and a seal system. The seal system has: a seal carried by the first member and having a seal face; a seal carrier; a seat carried by the shaft and having a seat face in sliding sealing engagement with the seal face; and one or more springs biasing the seal carrier relative to the first member so as to bias the seal face against the seat face. The seal carrier has: an axially-extending wall having an inner diameter (ID) surface; and a radially-extending wall having a first surface. The seal carrier axially-extending wall ID surface has a radially inwardly open groove having a first sidewall and a second sidewall and a base. A wave-form split ring contacts the first sidewall and biases the seal into engagement with the radial wall first surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 3, 2021Publication date: June 8, 2023Applicant: Raytheon Technologies CorporationInventors: Brian P. Cigal, Christopher T. Anglin
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Patent number: 11629649Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes, among other things, a fan, a fan drive gear system that is coupled with the fan and a fan drive input shaft, a compressor section that includes a first compressor and a second compressor, and a turbine section. The turbine section includes a first turbine coupled with a first shaft and a second turbine coupled through a second shaft to the second compressor. A bearing supports the fan drive input shaft. The bearing is located proximal to, and radially spaced from, a forward end of the first shaft. The bearing includes a speed sensor target that is rotatable with the forward end and that defines a rotation path. A speed sensor probe is situated proximal to the rotation path and is operable to read the speed sensor target.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 2020Date of Patent: April 18, 2023Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Todd A. Davis, Brian P. Cigal
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Patent number: 11365648Abstract: A fan drive gear system for a turbofan engine is disclosed and includes a gear assembly and a front center body. The front center body is an annular case that supports the gear assembly. The front center body includes a passage portion that defines a portion of a core flow path, a forward flange configured for attachment to a first case structure forward of the front center body, and a gutter portion disposed on a radially inner side of the front center body for collecting lubricant exhausted from the geared assembly.Type: GrantFiled: February 15, 2021Date of Patent: June 21, 2022Assignee: Raytheon Technologies CorporationInventors: Brian P. Cigal, Todd A. Davis
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Publication number: 20210348565Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes, among other things, a fan, a fan drive gear system that is coupled with the fan and a fan drive input shaft, a compressor section that includes a first compressor and a second compressor, and a turbine section. The turbine section includes a first turbine coupled with a first shaft and a second turbine coupled through a second shaft to the second compressor. A bearing supports the fan drive input shaft. The bearing is located proximal to, and radially spaced from, a forward end of the first shaft. The bearing includes a speed sensor target that is rotatable with the forward end and that defines a rotation path. A speed sensor probe is situated proximal to the rotation path and is operable to read the speed sensor target.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 11, 2020Publication date: November 11, 2021Inventors: Todd A. Davis, Brian P. Cigal
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Patent number: 11092037Abstract: The present disclosure is applicable to all gear trains using a journal bearing as a means of supporting gear shaft rotation. It is related in some embodiments to a system and method for supplying lubricant to the journal bearings of a gear-turbofan engine gear train when the fan rotor is subjected to a wind-milling condition in both directions, either clockwise or counterclockwise.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2019Date of Patent: August 17, 2021Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Christopher M. Valva, Brian P. Cigal
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Publication number: 20210164363Abstract: A fan drive gear system for a turbofan engine is disclosed and includes a gear assembly and a front center body. The front center body is an annular case that supports the gear assembly. The front center body includes a passage portion that defines a portion of a core flow path, a forward flange configured for attachment to a first case structure forward of the front center body, and a gutter portion disposed on a radially inner side of the front center body for collecting lubricant exhausted from the geared assembly.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 15, 2021Publication date: June 3, 2021Inventors: Brian P. Cigal, Todd A. Davis
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Patent number: 10927768Abstract: A gear assembly support for a gas turbine engine includes a spline ring configured to fit into a case of the gas turbine engine and a flex support. The flex support includes splines for engaging the spline ring and an inner portion attachable to a portion the gear assembly.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2018Date of Patent: February 23, 2021Assignee: Raytheon Technologies CorporationInventors: Brian P. Cigal, John R. Otto
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Patent number: 10920616Abstract: A fan drive gear system for a turbofan engine is disclosed and includes a gear assembly and a front center body. The front center body is an annular case that supports the gear assembly. The front center body includes a passage portion that defines a portion of a core flow path, a forward flange configured for attachment to a first case structure forward of the front center body, and gutter portion disposed on a radially inner side of the front center body for collecting lubricant exhausted from the geared assembly.Type: GrantFiled: August 20, 2014Date of Patent: February 16, 2021Assignee: Raytheon Technologies CorporationInventors: Brian P. Cigal, Todd A. Davis
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Publication number: 20200284197Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a fan that has fan blades wherein the fan delivers airflow to a bypass duct. A gearbox is defined along an engine axis. A low spool is arranged aft of the gearbox and coupled to drive the gearbox. A front center body assembly is defined around the engine axis. A flexible support supports the gearbox relative to the front center body assembly. A bearing package is mounted to the front center body assembly and the low spool. A front wall is mounted to the front center body assembly. The front wall is removable from the front center body assembly to access at least one of the gearbox or the bearing package. The low spool includes a low pressure compressor hub that provides an engagement feature for engaging the bearing package.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 31, 2020Publication date: September 10, 2020Inventors: Todd A. Davis, Brian P. Cigal
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Patent number: 10669877Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a coupling and an air seal attachment. The annular coupling extends along a centerline and has coupling teeth that extend axially rearward. The annular air seal attachment includes an air seal at an axially rearward end and air seal attachment teeth at an axially forward end that extend axially forward to interlock with the coupling teeth such that the air seal attachment teeth and the coupling teeth alternate in a circumferential direction.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2017Date of Patent: June 2, 2020Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventor: Brian P. Cigal
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Patent number: 10669873Abstract: An insulated seal seat assembly comprises a shaft configured and arranged to rotate about an axial axis, a seal seat that is secured to the shaft, and a thermal insulator configured and arranged radially between the shaft and the seal seat.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 2017Date of Patent: June 2, 2020Assignee: Raytheon Technologies CorporationInventors: Christopher M. Valva, Christopher T. Anglin, Brian P. Cigal
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Patent number: 10648553Abstract: A gear assembly is provided. The gear assembly includes a first gear that rotates about a first axis and includes a first gear face with a plurality of first gear teeth; a second gear that rotates about a second axis and includes a second gear face with a plurality of second gear teeth, where the first axis is not parallel with the second axis and the first and second teeth rotatably engage as the first gear rotates about the first axis and the second gear rotates about the second axis; a scraper that includes a distal interference surface in face-to-face proximity with at least one of the first plurality of teeth as the first gear rotates about the first axis, where the interference surface removes oil entrained adjacent to the plurality of first or second gear teeth as the first or second gears rotate.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2017Date of Patent: May 12, 2020Assignee: Raytheon Technologies CorporationInventors: Brian P. Cigal, Christopher T. Anglin
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Patent number: 10605167Abstract: Disclosed is a gas turbine engine configured to include a propulsor section having a fan drive geared architecture. The gas turbine engine includes a gas generator section that includes a compressor section having a first rotor rotationally mounted to a first spool. The engine further includes a bearing package adapted for rotationally supporting the first spool. The bearing package is configured for supporting the first rotor during at least one of (1) a period prior to installation of the fan drive geared architecture into the engine and (2) a period after removal of the fan drive geared architecture from the engine.Type: GrantFiled: April 11, 2013Date of Patent: March 31, 2020Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Todd A. Davis, Brian P. Cigal
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Patent number: 10577974Abstract: The present disclosure is applicable to all gear trains using a journal bearing as a means of supporting gear shaft rotation. It is related in some embodiments to a system and method for supplying lubricant to the journal bearings of a gear-turbofan engine gear train when the fan rotor is subjected to a wind-milling condition in both directions, either clockwise or counterclockwise.Type: GrantFiled: July 10, 2014Date of Patent: March 3, 2020Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Christopher M. Valva, Brian P. Cigal
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Publication number: 20190383168Abstract: The present disclosure is applicable to all gear trains using a journal bearing as a means of supporting gear shaft rotation. It is related in some embodiments to a system and method for supplying lubricant to the journal bearings of a gear-turbofan engine gear train when the fan rotor is subjected to a wind-milling condition in both directions, either clockwise or counterclockwise.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 29, 2019Publication date: December 19, 2019Inventors: Christopher M. Valva, Brian P. Cigal
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Patent number: 10422245Abstract: A sealing apparatus for rotational equipment includes an annular seal plate rotatable around an axis. The annular seal plate includes an annular seal land surface, an internal plenum, a plurality of inlet passages, a plurality of cooling passages and a plurality of outlet passages. The inlet passages are arranged about the axis. Each of the inlet passages extends into the annular seal plate to the internal plenum. The cooling passages are arranged about the axis. Each of the cooling passages extends into the annular seal plate from the annular seal land surface to the internal plenum. The outlet passages are arranged about the axis. Each of the outlet passages extends into the annular seal plate to the internal plenum. The outlet passages are arranged radially between the inlet passages and the cooling passages.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2017Date of Patent: September 24, 2019Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Brian P. Cigal, Christopher T. Anglin
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Patent number: 10400631Abstract: The present disclosure is applicable to all gear trains using a journal bearing as a means of supporting gear shaft rotation. It is related in some embodiments to a system and method for supplying lubricant to the journal bearings of a gear-turbofan engine gear train when the fan rotor is subjected to a wind-milling condition in both directions, either clockwise or counterclockwise.Type: GrantFiled: July 10, 2014Date of Patent: September 3, 2019Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Christopher M. Valva, Brian P. Cigal