Patents by Inventor Daniel Bernard Kupratis

Daniel Bernard Kupratis 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).

  • Patent number: 10036351
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine has a fan rotor, a first compressor rotor and a second compressor rotor. The second compressor rotor compresses air to a higher pressure than the first compressor rotor. A first turbine rotor drives the second compressor rotor and a second turbine rotor. The second turbine drives the compressor rotor. A fan drive turbine is positioned downstream of the second turbine rotor. The fan drive turbine drives the fan rotor through a gear reduction. The first compressor rotor and second turbine rotor rotate as an intermediate speed spool. The second compressor rotor and first turbine rotor together as a high speed spool. The high speed spool, the intermediate speed spool, and the fan drive turbine rotate in the same direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Frederick M. Schwarz, Daniel Bernard Kupratis
  • Publication number: 20180209350
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine comprises a fan rotor driven by a fan drive turbine, the fan drive turbine also rotating with one of a ring gear, an intermediate gear carrier, and a sun gear. A first compressor is driven by another of the ring gear, the intermediate gear carrier, and the sun gear. A second turbine rotates with the third of the ring gear, the intermediate gear carrier, and the sun gear.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2017
    Publication date: July 26, 2018
    Inventors: Daniel Bernard Kupratis, Paul R. Hanrahan
  • Patent number: 10030586
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine typically includes a fan section, a compressor section, a combustor section and a turbine section. A speed reduction device such as an epicyclical gear assembly may be utilized to drive the fan section such that the fan section may rotate at a speed different than the turbine section so as to increase the overall propulsive efficiency of the engine. In such engine architectures, a shaft driven by one of the turbine sections provides an input to the epicyclical gear assembly that drives the fan section at a speed different than the turbine section such that both the turbine section and the fan section can rotate at closer to optimal speeds providing increased performance attributes and performance by desirable combinations of the disclosed features of the various components of the described and disclosed gas turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Bernard Kupratis, Frederick M. Schwarz
  • Patent number: 10018119
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes first and second shafts rotatable about a common axis. A first turbine section is supported on the first shaft. Second compressor and turbine sections are supported on the second shaft. The gas turbine engine includes a fan. A first compressor section is arranged in an axial flow relationship with the second compressor and the first and second turbines. A geared architecture operatively connects the first shaft and the fan. An inducer operative couples to the gear train.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Bernard Kupratis, Frederick M. Schwarz
  • Patent number: 9989011
    Abstract: A bypass housing receives a fan and defines a front end. An airflow path delivers air into an inlet duct over a limited circumferential extent of the bypass housing. An airflow path passes across a low pressure compressor rotor. An airflow path passes through a core engine, which includes a high pressure compressor rotor, a combustor, and a high pressure turbine rotor. Products of combustion downstream of the high pressure turbine rotor pass into an intermediate duct and then across a low pressure turbine rotor. The low pressure turbine rotor is positioned closer to the front end of the engine than is the high pressure turbine rotor. The low pressure turbine rotor is positioned axially intermediate the low pressure compressor rotor and the fan. The low pressure turbine rotor drives both the fan and the low pressure turbine rotor. An aircraft is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Gabriel L. Suciu, Jesse M. Chandler, Daniel Bernard Kupratis
  • Publication number: 20180149036
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a gear system that provides a speed reduction between a fan drive turbine and a fan rotor. Aspects of the gear system are provided with some flexibility. The fan drive turbine has a first exit area and rotates at a first speed. A second turbine section has a second exit area and rotates at a second speed, which is faster than said first speed. A performance quantity can be defined for both turbine sections as the products of the respective areas and respective speeds squared. A performance quantity ratio of the performance quantity for the fan drive turbine to the performance quantity for the second turbine section is relatively high.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2018
    Publication date: May 31, 2018
    Inventors: Michael E. McCune, Jason Husband, Frederick M. Schwarz, Daniel Bernard Kupratis, Gabriel L. Suciu, William K. Ackermann
  • Publication number: 20180135454
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine according to an example of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a fan shaft drivingly connected to a fan with the fan having fan blades. A fan shaft support that supports the fan shaft and a gear system connected to the fan shaft. The gear system includes a ring gear defining a ring gear lateral stiffness and a ring gear transverse stiffness, a gear mesh defining a gear mesh lateral stiffness and a gear mesh transverse stiffness, and a reduction ratio greater than 2.3. At least one of the ring gear lateral stiffness and the ring gear transverse stiffness is less than 12% of a respective one of the gear mesh lateral stiffness the ring gear transverse stiffness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2017
    Publication date: May 17, 2018
    Inventors: Michael E. McCune, Jason Husband, Frederick M. Schwarz, Daniel Bernard Kupratis, Gabriel L. Suciu, William K. Ackermann
  • Publication number: 20180119643
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a very high speed low pressure turbine such that a quantity defined by the exit area of the low pressure turbine multiplied by the square of the low pressure turbine rotational speed compared to the same parameters for the high pressure turbine is at a ratio between about 0.5 and about 1.5.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: David P. Houston, Daniel Bernard Kupratis, Frederick M. Schwarz
  • Publication number: 20180119564
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine according to an example of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a fan shaft drivingly connected to a fan with the fan having fan blades. A fan shaft support that supports the fan shaft and a gear system connected to the fan shaft. The gear system includes a gear mesh defining a gear mesh lateral stiffness and a gear mesh transverse stiffness, and a reduction ratio greater than 2.3. A gear system input connected to the gear system defines a gear system input lateral stiffness and a gear system input transverse stiffness At least one of the gear system input lateral stiffness and said gear system input transverse stiffness is less than 5% of a respective one of the gear mesh lateral stiffness and the gear mesh transverse stiffness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: Michael E. McCune, Jason Husband, Frederick M. Schwarz, Daniel Bernard Kupratis, Gabriel L. Suciu, William K. Ackermann
  • Publication number: 20180119563
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine according to an example of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a fan shaft drivingly connected to a fan with the fan having fan blades. A fan shaft support that supports the fan shaft and a gear system drivingly connected to the fan shaft. The gear system includes a ring gear defining a ring gear lateral stiffness and a ring gear transverse stiffness, a gear mesh defining a gear mesh lateral stiffness and a gear mesh transverse stiffness, and a reduction ratio greater than 2.3. At least one of the ring gear lateral stiffness and said ring gear transverse stiffness is less than 12% of a respective one of the gear mesh lateral stiffness and the gear mesh transverse stiffness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: Michael E. McCune, Jason Husband, Frederick M. Schwarz, Daniel Bernard Kupratis, Gabriel L. Suciu, William K. Ackermann
  • Patent number: 9957832
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a shaft and a turbine configured to drive the shaft. The turbine has at least one stage comprising a plurality of turbine vanes interspersed with a plurality of turbine blades. The plurality of vanes includes at least one variable vane movable between a closed position to reduce air flow and an open position to increase air flow. Movement of the at least one variable vane is controlled based on an engine limiting condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Frederick M. Schwarz, Daniel Bernard Kupratis
  • Patent number: 9951721
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes an auxiliary airflow control system to provide selective communication of a portion of a second stream from a second stream flow path into a third stream flow path, the auxiliary airflow control system in communication with a high temperature flow sourced from the turbine section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Bernard Kupratis, Walter A Ledwith, Jr., Christopher J Hanlon
  • Publication number: 20180094532
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a fan shaft that has fan blades. A fan shaft is drivingly connected to the fan. A fan shaft support supports the fan shaft and defines a fan shaft support lateral stiffness. A gear system is connected to the fan shaft and driven through an input. A gear system flex mount arrangement accommodates misalignment of the fan shaft and the input during operation and includes a flexible support that defines a flexible support lateral stiffness that is less than 11% of the shaft support lateral stiffness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2017
    Publication date: April 5, 2018
    Inventors: Michael E. McCune, Jason Husband, Frederick M. Schwarz, Daniel Bernard Kupratis, Gabriel L. Suciu, William K. Ackermann
  • Publication number: 20180080373
    Abstract: A turbine engine includes a first compressor and a second compressor fluidly parallel to the first compressor. A reverse flow combustor is fluidly connected to the first compressor and the second compressor. A first turbine and a second turbine are fluidly connected in series, and fluidly connected to an output of the reverse flow combustor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2016
    Publication date: March 22, 2018
    Inventors: Daniel Bernard Kupratis, Tania Bhatia Kashyap, Mark F. Zelesky, Arthur W. Utay, Gabriel L. Suciu, Thomas N. Slavens, Kevin L. Rugg, Brian Merry
  • Publication number: 20180073392
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine according to an example of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a fan and a turbine section including a fan drive turbine and a second turbine. The fan drive turbine has a first exit area at a first exit point and is rotatable at a first speed. The second turbine has a second exit area at a second exit point and is rotatable at a second speed. A first performance quantity is defined as the product of the first speed squared and the first area. A second performance quantity is defined as the product of the second speed squared and the second area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2017
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Inventors: Frederick M. Schwarz, Gabriel L. Suciu, William K. Ackermann, Daniel Bernard Kupratis, Michael E. McCune
  • Patent number: 9909506
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine has a fan rotor for delivering air axially downstream into a core engine duct, which sequentially passes a turbine, a combustor, and a compressor. The core engine duct extends to a turning supply duct configured to turn the core air flow axially upstream so that the core air sequentially passes through the compressor, combustor and turbine, and into an exhaust conduit which turns the core airflow radially outwardly and axially downstream into an exhaust duct. A door is selectively opened to communicate a portion of the core airflow in the core engine duct to an augmentor with the exhaust duct isolated from the augmentor. The door is at a location prior to the core airflow reaching the compressor. A method is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Daniel Bernard Kupratis
  • Publication number: 20180058376
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a spool configured to rotate about an axial centerline. The spool includes a fan rotor and a cold turbine rotor. The fan rotor is rotatably driven by the cold turbine rotor. A cold turbine inlet passage is configured to direct an airflow along a radial inward trajectory to the cold turbine rotor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2016
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Inventors: Daniel Bernard Kupratis, Francis R. Moon, Arthur W. Utay
  • Publication number: 20180058221
    Abstract: An air foil includes a body and a filler. The body may include a chamber formed therein and includes a first metallic material. The filler may at least partially occupy the chamber of the body and may include a second metallic material. The second metallic material may have a comparatively more negative electrode potential than the first metallic material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2016
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: DANIEL BERNARD KUPRATIS, MARY COLBY, PAUL R. HANRAHAN, FREDERICK M. SCHWARZ
  • Publication number: 20180045120
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a very high speed low pressure turbine such that a quantity defined by the exit area of the low pressure turbine multiplied by the square of the low pressure turbine rotational speed compared to the same parameters for the high pressure turbine is at a ratio between about 0.5 and about 1.5.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2017
    Publication date: February 15, 2018
    Inventors: Frederick M. Schwarz, Gabriel L. Suciu, Daniel Bernard Kupratis, William K. Ackermann
  • Publication number: 20180023576
    Abstract: An auxiliary power unit may comprise a twin centrifugal compressor including a first blade. A turbine may be disposed aft of the twin centrifugal compressor. The turbine may include a second blade. The first blade comprises a first material and the second blade comprises a second material. The first material may the same as the second material. The twin centrifugal compressor may include forward centrifugal compressor and an aft centrifugal compressor disposed aft of the forward centrifugal compressor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2016
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Applicant: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Bernard Kupratis, Arthur W. Utay, Tania Bhatia Kashyap, Thomas N. Slavens, Kevin L. Rugg, Mark F. Zelesky, Brian D. Merry, Gabriel L. Suciu