Patents by Inventor Colin J. Kling

Colin J. Kling 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: 20240410286
    Abstract: A fan includes a rotor hub comprising a slot and a blade comprising an airfoil extending from a blade root in a first direction. The blade root is configured to be received in the slot. The fan also includes a deformable spacer situated between the rotor hub and the blade root in the slot, a first blade lock situated at a first side of the slot, and a second blade lock situated at a second side of the slot opposite the first side. At least one of the first and second blade locks includes a tab configured to extend between the blade root and the rotor hub and to compress the spacer such that the spacer exerts a force on the blade in the first direction. A method of assembling a fan and another example fan are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2024
    Publication date: December 12, 2024
    Inventor: Colin J. Kling
  • Patent number: 12146421
    Abstract: A rotor assembly is provided that includes a rotor disk, a rotor blade and a rotor spacer. The rotor disk includes a slot. The rotor blade includes a blade root arranged within the slot. The root spacer is arranged within the slot between the rotor disk and the blade root. The root spacer is configured as or otherwise includes a cellular structure with a plurality of internal cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Colin J. Kling, Nicholas J. Lawliss
  • Patent number: 12065948
    Abstract: A fan includes a rotor hub comprising a slot and a blade comprising an airfoil extending from a blade root in a first direction. The blade root is configured to be received in the slot. The fan also includes a deformable spacer situated between the rotor hub and the blade root in the slot, a first blade lock situated at a first side of the slot, and a second blade lock situated at a second side of the slot opposite the first side. At least one of the first and second blade locks includes a tab configured to extend between the blade root and the rotor hub and to compress the spacer such that the spacer exerts a force on the blade in the first direction. A method of assembling a fan and another example fan are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2024
    Assignee: RTX Corporation
    Inventor: Colin J. Kling
  • Publication number: 20240200659
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a rotor that has a sealing surface and a shaft that is rotatable about an engine central axis. The shaft has an annular seal channel that opens to the seal surface, and there is a split seal that is insertable into the annular seal channel for sealing against the seal surface. The split seal includes first and second end sections that are mateable to each other. The split seal has a helical shape when in a state of rest such that the first and second end sections are axially offset from each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2022
    Publication date: June 20, 2024
    Inventors: Colin J. Kling, David R. Lyders
  • Publication number: 20240141794
    Abstract: A rotor assembly is provided that includes a rotor disk, a rotor blade and a rotor spacer. The rotor disk includes a slot. The rotor blade includes a blade root arranged within the slot. The root spacer is arranged within the slot between the rotor disk and the blade root. The root spacer is configured as or otherwise includes a cellular structure with a plurality of internal cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2022
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Inventors: Colin J. Kling, Nicholas J. Lawliss
  • Patent number: 11519291
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine component includes a tubular body section including a plurality of fiber wraps encompassed within a matrix composition and one or more integrally-formed stiffeners extending from an outer surface of the body section and in a component circumferential direction around the body section. The stiffener includes one or more fiber wraps extending radially outwardly from the body section over a form and to the body section from the form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Colin J. Kling
  • Patent number: 11268526
    Abstract: Plated polymeric gas turbine engine parts and methods for fabricating lightweight plated polymeric gas turbine engine parts are disclosed. The parts include a polymeric substrate plated with one or more metal layers. The polymeric material of the polymeric substrate may be structurally reinforced with materials that may include carbon, metal, or glass. The polymeric substrate may also include a plurality of layers to form a composite layup structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: James T. Roach, Barry Barnett, Grant O. Cook, III, Charles R. Watson, Shari L. Bugaj, Glenn LeVasseur, Wendell V. Twelves, Jr., Christopher J. Hertel, Colin J. Kling, Matthew A. Turner, JinQuan Xu, Steven Clarkson, Michael Caulfield
  • Patent number: 11267576
    Abstract: Plated polymeric gas turbine engine parts and methods for fabricating lightweight plated polymeric gas turbine engine parts are disclosed. The parts include a polymeric substrate plated with one or more metal layers. The polymeric material of the polymeric substrate may be structurally reinforced with materials that may include carbon, metal, or glass. The polymeric substrate may also include a plurality of layers to form a composite layup structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: James T. Roach, Colin J. Kling, Grant O. Cook, III, James J. McPhail, Shari L. Bugaj, James F. O'Brien, Majidullah Dehlavi, Scott A. Smith, Matthew R. Rader, Matthew A. Turner, JinQuan Xu
  • Patent number: 11236765
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a fan case for a gas turbine engine defines a metallic ring including an outer surface and an inner surface. A first composite material is assembled about the outer surface of the metallic ring. A second composite material is assembled about the first composite material. The first composite material and the second material are cured about the metallic ring within a tool to form a first subassembly. The first subassembly is removed from the tool. A fan case assembly for a gas turbine engine and a gas turbine engine are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Colin J. Kling, Darin S. Lussier, James F. O'Brien
  • Patent number: 11156126
    Abstract: A fan case for a gas turbine engine includes an annular liner and an annular case body. The liner has a plurality of liner fiber layers. The case body surrounds the liner. The case body includes a plurality of first and second fiber layers. The first fiber layers extend axially beyond the second fiber layers in axially forward and aft directions and the second fiber layers are interleaved with the first fiber layers. The first fiber layers each have a first fiber architecture and the second fiber layers each have a second, different fiber architecture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Colin J. Kling, Darin S. Lussier
  • Patent number: 11028714
    Abstract: A fan rotor includes a fan hub and a plurality of fan blades extending radially outwardly from the fan hub. Platforms are positioned intermediate blade sides of adjacent ones of the fan blades. Seals are positioned between the blade sides and platform sides of the platform seals. The seals have an elongated bonding area bonded to one of the platform sides and the fan blade sides. The seal extends radially outwardly from the elongated bonding area to a wedge portion. A gas turbine engine and a seal are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Colin J. Kling
  • Patent number: 10935046
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine fan case may comprise a plurality of wound layers that form a laminate and have a nominal radial fan case thickness, where the laminate includes a plurality of discrete fan case radial locations comprising a plurality of radially stacked composite plies that form a radial integral build up in comparison to the nominal radial fan case thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: David R. Lyders, Colin J. Kling
  • Patent number: 10612400
    Abstract: A reinforced component in accordance with various embodiments includes a metal lug configured to be attached to a secondary component. The reinforced component further includes a composite material integrally formed around the metal lug and configured to be retained in place relative to the secondary component via an attachment between the metal lug and the secondary component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Colin J. Kling, Darin S. Lussier, David R. Lyders
  • Publication number: 20200056626
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a fan case for a gas turbine engine defines a metallic ring including an outer surface and an inner surface. A first composite material is assembled about the outer surface of the metallic ring. A second composite material is assembled about the first composite material. The first composite material and the second material are cured about the metallic ring within a tool to form a first subassembly. The first subassembly is removed from the tool. A fan case assembly for a gas turbine engine and a gas turbine engine are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Publication date: February 20, 2020
    Inventors: Colin J. Kling, Darin S. Lussier, James F. O'Brien
  • Publication number: 20200025034
    Abstract: A fan case for a gas turbine engine includes an annular liner and an annular case body. The liner has a plurality of liner fiber layers. The case body surrounds the liner. The case body includes a plurality of first and second fiber layers. The first fiber layers extend axially beyond the second fiber layers in axially forward and aft directions and the second fiber layers are interleaved with the first fiber layers. The first fiber layers each have a first fiber architecture and the second fiber layers each have a second, different fiber architecture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Publication date: January 23, 2020
    Inventors: Colin J. Kling, Darin S. Lussier
  • Publication number: 20200018179
    Abstract: A fan rotor includes a fan hub and a plurality of fan blades extending radially outwardly from the fan hub. Platforms are positioned intermediate blade sides of adjacent ones of the fan blades. Seals are positioned between the blade sides and platform sides of the platform seals. The seals have an elongated bonding area bonded to one of the platform sides and the fan blade sides. The seal extends radially outwardly from the elongated bonding area to a wedge portion. A gas turbine engine and a seal are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2018
    Publication date: January 16, 2020
    Inventor: Colin J. Kling
  • Patent number: 10533450
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine is provided. The gas turbine engine comprising: a fan section having a fan; and a containment zone encircling the fan, the containment zone comprising: a ballistic liner composed of a plurality of ring segments located radially outward of the fan; wherein each of the plurality of ring segments include two opposing circumferential ends, and wherein the plurality of ring segments are arranged circumferentially around the fan section and the circumferential ends of each of the plurality of ring segments meet at joints to form the ballistic liner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Colin J. Kling, Darin S. Lussier, Mark W. Costa
  • Patent number: 10472049
    Abstract: A fan assembly of a gas turbine engine, a method for fabricating a fan assembly for a gas turbine engine, and a gas turbine engine are disclosed. The fan assembly of the gas turbine engine may include a spinner section, a fan hub section aft of the spinner section, and a joint therebetween. The fan assembly may further include a support ring for internally supporting the spinner, the support ring including a first portion facing the fan hub and a second portion connected to the spinner at the joint, wherein the connection between the second portion and the joint is a bonded connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Colin J. Kling, Scot A. Webb, James J. McPhail
  • Patent number: 10472048
    Abstract: A spinner for a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The spinner may include a body extending between a first and second end comprised of a cured chopped unidirectional fiber pre-impregnated material. The body may have a generally conical shape and may further be plated with a metal or metal alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Colin J. Kling, Shari L. Bugaj, James T. Roach
  • Patent number: 10458433
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a fan case for a gas turbine engine defines a metallic ring including an outer surface and an inner surface. A first composite material is assembled about the outer surface of the metallic ring. A second composite material is assembled about the first composite material. The first composite material and the second material are cured about the metallic ring within a tool to form a first subassembly. The first subassembly is removed from the tool. A fan case assembly for a gas turbine engine and a gas turbine engine are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Colin J. Kling, Darin S. Lussier, James F. O'Brien