Patents by Inventor Christopher Whitfield
Christopher Whitfield 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: 20240344701Abstract: A grommet may define a dilution hole in a combustor panel. The grommet may comprise a ridge having a stepped geometry formed about an inner diameter of the grommet, the ridge comprising a passage. The passage may comprise an outlet. The ridge may further comprise a fillet about the inner diameter of the grommet, wherein the outlet is configured to direct a cooling flow circumferentially along the fillet and fill the ridge with the cooling flow.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 26, 2024Publication date: October 17, 2024Applicant: RTX CorporationInventors: Dominic Mongillo, JR., Christopher Whitfield, Tracy Propheter-Hinckley
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Patent number: 12050011Abstract: A grommet may define a dilution hole in a combustor panel. The grommet may comprise a ridge having a stepped geometry formed about an inner diameter of the grommet, the ridge comprising a passage. The passage may comprise an outlet. The ridge may further comprise a fillet about the inner diameter of the grommet, wherein the outlet is configured to direct a cooling flow circumferentially along the fillet and fill the ridge with the cooling flow.Type: GrantFiled: September 3, 2021Date of Patent: July 30, 2024Assignee: RTX CORPORATIONInventors: Dominic Mongillo, Jr., Christopher Whitfield, Tracy Phropheter-Hinckley
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Publication number: 20210396388Abstract: A grommet may define a dilution hole in a combustor panel. The grommet may comprise a ridge having a stepped geometry formed about an inner diameter of the grommet, the ridge comprising a passage. The passage may comprise an outlet. The ridge may further comprise a fillet about the inner diameter of the grommet, wherein the outlet is configured to direct a cooling flow circumferentially along the fillet and fill the ridge with the cooling flow.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 3, 2021Publication date: December 23, 2021Applicant: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Dominic Mongillo, JR., Christopher Whitfield, Tracy Phropheter-Hinckley
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Patent number: 11137140Abstract: A grommet may define a dilution hole in a combustor panel. The grommet may comprise a ridge having a stepped geometry formed about an inner diameter of the grommet, the ridge comprising a passage. The passage may comprise an outlet. The ridge may further comprise a fillet about the inner diameter of the grommet, wherein the outlet is configured to direct a cooling flow circumferentially along the fillet and fill the ridge with the cooling flow.Type: GrantFiled: October 4, 2017Date of Patent: October 5, 2021Assignee: Raytheon Technologies CorporationInventors: Dominic Mongillo, Jr., Christopher Whitfield, Tracy Phropheter-Hinckley
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Patent number: 11041391Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a combustor. A turbine section is in fluid communication with the combustor. The turbine section includes a first vane stage aft of the combustor. A plurality of vane cooling passages extending through a forward flange of the first vane stage to the radial inner surface for communicating cooling airflow into the core flow path forward of the leading edge. A seal assembly is disposed between the combustor and the forward flange of the vane stage. The seal includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart slots and a plurality of seal cooling passages that extend from the radially outer surface to the radially inner surface at each of the plurality of circumferentially spaced apart slots.Type: GrantFiled: April 20, 2020Date of Patent: June 22, 2021Assignee: Raytheon Technologies CorporationInventors: Steven D. Porter, Shawn M. McMahon, Kevin Zacchera, Noah Wadsworth, Christopher Whitfield, Sean D. Bradshaw, Dennis M. Moura, David Bitzko, Alex J. Schneider
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Patent number: 11015464Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a combustor. A turbine section is in fluid communication with the combustor. The turbine section includes a first vane stage aft of the combustor. A seal assembly is disposed between the combustor and the first vane stage. The seal assembly includes a first plurality of openings and the first vane stage includes a second plurality of openings communicating cooling airflow into a gap between an aft end of the combustor and the first vane stage. A first vane stage assembly and a method are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2020Date of Patent: May 25, 2021Assignee: Raytheon Technologies CorporationInventors: Steven D. Porter, Shawn M. McMahon, Kevin Zacchera, Noah Wadsworth, Christopher Whitfield, Sean D. Bradshaw, Dennis M. Moura
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Patent number: 10982552Abstract: A gas turbine engine component includes a wall that provides an exterior surface and an interior flow path surface. The wall has a wall thickness. A protrusion is arranged on the wall that extends a height beyond the wall thickness and provides a portion of the interior flow path surface. A film cooling hole that has an inlet is provided on the protrusion and extends to an exit on the exterior surface.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2015Date of Patent: April 20, 2021Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Sasha M. Moore, Clifford J. Musto, Timothy J. Jennings, Thomas N. Slavens, San Quach, Nicholas M LoRicco, John McBrien, Carey Clum, Christopher Whitfield
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Publication number: 20200386106Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a combustor. A turbine section is in fluid communication with the combustor. The turbine section includes a first vane stage aft of the combustor. A plurality of vane cooling passages extending through a forward flange of the first vane stage to the radial inner surface for communicating cooling airflow into the core flow path forward of the leading edge. A seal assembly is disposed between the combustor and the forward flange of the vane stage. The seal includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart slots and a plurality of seal cooling passages that extend from the radially outer surface to the radially inner surface at each of the plurality of circumferentially spaced apart slots.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 20, 2020Publication date: December 10, 2020Inventors: Steven D. Porter, Shawn M. McMahon, Kevin Zacchera, Noah Wadsworth, Christopher Whitfield, Sean D. Bradshaw, Dennis M. Moura, David Bitzko, Alex J. Schneider
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Patent number: 10808548Abstract: An airfoil includes pressure and suction side walls that extend in a chord-wise direction between leading and trailing edges. The pressure and suction side walls extend in a radial direction to provide an exterior airfoil surface. A core cooling passage is arranged between the pressure and suction walls in a thickness direction and extends radially toward a tip. A skin passage is arranged in one of the pressure and suction side walls to form a hot side wall and a cold side wall. The hot side wall defines a portion of the exterior airfoil surface and the cold side wall defines a portion of the core passage. The core passage and the skin passage are configured to have a same direction of fluid flow. A resupply hole fluidly interconnects the core and skin passages. A centerline of the resupply hole is arranged at an acute angle relative to the direction of fluid flow in the core passage and is configured to provide a low turbulence flow region in the skin passage.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2017Date of Patent: October 20, 2020Assignee: Raytheon Technologies CorporationInventors: Christopher Whitfield, Carey Clum, Dominic J. Mongillo, Jr.
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Patent number: 10781697Abstract: An airfoil includes pressure and suction side walls that extend in a chord-wise direction between leading and trailing edges. The pressure and suction side walls extend in a radial direction to provide an exterior airfoil surface. A core cooling passage is arranged between the pressure and suction walls in a thickness direction and extends radially toward a tip. A skin passage is arranged in one of the pressure and suction side walls to form a hot side wall at an outer surface and a cold side wall at an inner surface. The skin passage extends a height in the radial direction, a width in a width direction, and a thickness in a thickness direction. The thickness is less than the width. The hot side wall defines a portion of the exterior airfoil surface and the cold side wall defines a portion of the core passage at a core passage surface. The core passage and the skin passage are configured to have a same direction of fluid flow. A resupply hole fluidly interconnects the core and skin passages.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2017Date of Patent: September 22, 2020Assignee: Raytheon Technologies CorporationInventors: Christopher Whitfield, Carey Clum, Dominic J. Mongillo, Jr.
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Publication number: 20200277867Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a combustor. A turbine section is in fluid communication with the combustor. The turbine section includes a first vane stage aft of the combustor. A seal assembly is disposed between the combustor and the first vane stage. The seal assembly includes a first plurality of openings and the first vane stage includes a second plurality of openings communicating cooling airflow into a gap between an aft end of the combustor and the first vane stage. A first vane stage assembly and a method are also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 24, 2020Publication date: September 3, 2020Inventors: Steven D. Porter, Shawn M. McMahon, Kevin Zacchera, Noah Wadsworth, Christopher Whitfield, Sean D. Bradshaw, Dennis M. Moura
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Patent number: 10738701Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a combustor. A turbine section is in fluid communication with the combustor. The turbine section includes a first vane stage aft of the combustor. A seal assembly is disposed between the combustor and the first vane stage. The seal assembly includes a plurality of openings communicating cooling airflow into a gap between an aft end of the combustor and the first vane stage. A combustor assembly and method are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2017Date of Patent: August 11, 2020Assignee: Raytheon Technologies CorporationInventors: Steven D. Porter, Shawn M. McMahon, Kevin Zacchera, Noah Wadsworth, Christopher Whitfield, Sean D. Bradshaw, Dennis M. Moura
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Patent number: 10648363Abstract: A vane includes a pair of airfoils having a plurality of film cooling holes that extend through an exterior surface of the airfoils, the plurality of film cooling holes including at least a first subset of film cooling holes, wherein the first subset of film cooling holes break through the exterior surface at geometric coordinates set forth herein. Each of the geometric coordinates is measured from a reference point on a leading edge rail of a platform of the vane.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2017Date of Patent: May 12, 2020Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Shawn M. McMahon, Christopher Whitfield, Nicholas M. LoRicco, Steven Bruce Gautschi, Vincent E. Simms, Justin M. Aniello, Thomas Allwood, Richard M. Salzillo, Jeffery Scott Hembree, Sr.
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Patent number: 10648345Abstract: An airfoil includes pressure and suction side walls that extend in a chord-wise direction between leading and trailing edges. The pressure and suction side walls extend in a radial direction to provide an exterior airfoil surface. A core cooling passage is arranged between the pressure and suction walls in a thickness direction and extends radially toward a tip. A skin passage is arranged in one of the pressure and suction side walls to form a hot side wall and a cold side wall. The hot side wall defines a portion of the exterior airfoil surface and the cold side wall defines a portion of the core passage. The core passage and the skin passage are configured to have a same direction of fluid flow. A resupply hole fluidly interconnects the core and skin passages. The resupply hole has a single inlet that is fluidly connected to multiple discrete outlet apertures.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2017Date of Patent: May 12, 2020Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Christopher Whitfield, Carey Clum, Dominic J. Mongillo, Jr.
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Patent number: 10641102Abstract: A vane cluster for a gas turbine engine includes an outer diameter platform and an inner diameter platform. A plurality of vanes span from the outer diameter platform to the inner diameter platform. At least one inbound region is defined between a first vane of the plurality of vanes and a second vane of the plurality of vanes. The first vane includes a suction side facing the inbound region. Each of the vanes includes a leading edge core passage and a trailing edge core passage. A plurality of electrical discharge machined (EDM) holes are disposed within at least 0.500 inches (12.7 mm) of a leading edge of the first vane. Each of the EDM holes connect a leading edge core passage of the vane to an exterior surface of the vane.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2017Date of Patent: May 5, 2020Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Shawn M. McMahon, Christopher Whitfield, Kristopher K. Anderson, Jason B. Moran, Brett Alan Bartling, Christopher Perron, Justin M. Aniello, Stephanie Tanner, Dominic J. Mongillo, Jr.
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Patent number: 10626735Abstract: An airfoil includes pressure and suction side walls that extend in a chord-wise direction between leading and trailing edges. The pressure and suction side walls extend in a radial direction to provide an exterior airfoil surface. A core cooling passage is arranged between the pressure and suction walls in a thickness direction and extends radially toward a tip. A skin passage is arranged in one of the pressure and suction side walls to form a hot side wall and a cold side wall. The hot side wall defines a portion of the exterior airfoil surface and the cold side wall defines a portion of the core passage. The core passage and the skin passage are configured to have a same direction of fluid flow. A slot extends longitudinally in the skin passage. A resupply hole fluidly interconnects the core passage and the slot.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2017Date of Patent: April 21, 2020Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Christopher Whitfield, Carey Clum, Dominic J. Mongillo, Jr.
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Patent number: 10590779Abstract: An airfoil includes pressure and suction side walls that extend in a chord-wise direction between leading and trailing edges. The pressure and suction side walls extend in a radial direction to provide an exterior airfoil surface. A core cooling passage is arranged between the pressure and suction walls in a thickness direction and extends radially toward a tip. A skin passage is arranged in one of the pressure and suction side walls to form a hot side wall and a cold side wall. The hot side wall defines a portion of the exterior airfoil surface and the cold side wall defines a portion of the core passage. The core passage and the skin passage are configured to have a same direction of fluid flow. A resupply hole fluidly interconnects the core and skin passages. A centerline of the resupply hole is arranged at an acute angle relative to the direction of fluid flow in the core passage and is configured to provide a low turbulence flow region in the skin passage.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2017Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Christopher Whitfield, Carey Clum, Dominic J. Mongillo, Jr.
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Patent number: 10584601Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a combustor. A turbine section is in fluid communication with the combustor. The turbine section includes a first vane stage aft of the combustor. A seal assembly is disposed between the combustor and the first vane stage. The seal assembly includes a first plurality of openings and the first vane stage includes a second plurality of openings communicating cooling airflow into a gap between an aft end of the combustor and the first vane stage. A first vane stage assembly and a method are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2017Date of Patent: March 10, 2020Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Steven D. Porter, Shawn M. McMahon, Kevin Zacchera, Noah Wadsworth, Christopher Whitfield, Sean D. Bradshaw, Dennis M. Moura
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Patent number: 10533425Abstract: A vane assembly for a gas turbine engine includes an inner diameter platform, an outer diameter platform, and an airfoil shaped vane spanning from the inner diameter platform to the outer diameter platform. The airfoil shaped vane includes an internal cooling passage having a first inlet at the inner diameter platform and a second inlet at the outer diameter platform. An outer diameter platform cover is disposed radially outward of the outer diameter platform, relative to a radius of an arc defined by an arc of the outer diameter platform. The outer diameter platform includes at least one coolant cover inlet hole, the at least one coolant cover inlet hole being aligned with a corresponding second inlet.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2017Date of Patent: January 14, 2020Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Shawn M. McMahon, Christopher Whitfield, Nicholas M. LoRicco, Steven Bruce Gautschi, Vincent E. Simms, Justin M. Aniello, Thomas Allwood, Richard M. Salzillo, Jeffery Scott Hembree, Sr.
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Patent number: 10508555Abstract: An airfoil includes pressure and suction side walls that extend in a chord-wise direction between leading and trailing edges. The pressure and suction side walls extend in a radial direction to provide an exterior airfoil surface. A core cooling passage is arranged between the pressure and suction walls in a thickness direction and extends radially toward a tip. A skin passage is arranged in one of the pressure and suction side walls to form a hot side wall and a cold side wall. The hot side wall defines a portion of the exterior airfoil surface and the cold side wall defines a portion of the core passage. The core passage and the skin passage are configured to have a same direction of fluid flow. A resupply hole cluster includes first and second resupply holes that each fluidly interconnect the core and skin passages. The first and second resupply holes intersect one another and terminate in an exit at the skin passage.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2017Date of Patent: December 17, 2019Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Christopher Whitfield, Carey Clum, Dominic J. Mongillo, Jr.