Patents by Inventor Francis Parnin

Francis Parnin 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: 8844257
    Abstract: An exemplary apparatus for supplying lubricant to a gear assembly in a gas turbine engine includes a valve having a valve inlet configured to be coupled to a source of lubricant. A valve outlet is configured to direct lubricant to the gear assembly. The valve is selectively controllable into a plurality of settings for varying an amount of lubricant flowing from the valve inlet to the valve outlet. A bypass is associated with the valve. The bypass has an inlet configured to receive lubricant from the source and an outlet configured to direct lubricant to the gear assembly. The bypass permits at least a selected amount of lubricant to flow to the gear assembly independent of a setting of the valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Francis Parnin, Erick Ramos, Anthony Spagnoletti
  • Patent number: 8833086
    Abstract: An exemplary apparatus for supplying lubricant to a gear assembly in a gas turbine engine includes a valve having a valve inlet configured to be coupled to a source of lubricant. A valve outlet is configured to direct lubricant to the gear assembly. The valve is selectively controllable into a plurality of settings for varying an amount of lubricant flowing from the valve inlet to the valve outlet. A bypass is associated with the valve. The bypass has an inlet configured to receive lubricant from the source and an outlet configured to direct lubricant to the gear assembly. The bypass permits at least a selected amount of lubricant to flow to the gear assembly independent of a setting of the valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Francis Parnin, Erick Ramos, Anthony Spagnoletti
  • Publication number: 20140150439
    Abstract: A lubrication system is disclosed. The lubrication system may be used in conjunction with a gas turbine engine for generating power or lift. The lubrication system utilized a flow scheduling valve which reduces lubricant flow to at least one component based on an engine load. The lubrication system may further include a main pump which may be regulated by an engine speed. Thus, a lubrication system which provides a lubricant to engine components based on the load and speed of the engine is possible. The system may improve efficiency of the engine by reducing the power previously spent in churning excess lubricant by at least one engine component as well as reducing the energy used by a lubricant cooler in cooling the excess lubricant. The lubricant cooler size may also be minimized to reduce weight and air drag due to the reduced lubricant flow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Francis Parnin, Paul H. Dolman, David M. Daley, Denman H. James, Richard W. Clark
  • Publication number: 20130318939
    Abstract: An exemplary apparatus for supplying lubricant to a gear assembly in a gas turbine engine includes a valve having a valve inlet configured to be coupled to a source of lubricant. A valve outlet is configured to direct lubricant to the gear assembly. The valve is selectively controllable into a plurality of settings for varying an amount of lubricant flowing from the valve inlet to the valve outlet. A bypass is associated with the valve. The bypass has an inlet configured to receive lubricant from the source and an outlet configured to direct lubricant to the gear assembly. The bypass permits at least a selected amount of lubricant to flow to the gear assembly independent of a setting of the valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Inventors: Francis Parnin, Erick Ramos, Anthony Spagnoletti
  • Publication number: 20130319006
    Abstract: A lubrication system for a fan drive gear system includes a main lubrication system and an auxiliary lubrication system. The auxiliary lubrication system including a collection channel disposed about the fan drive gear system for collecting expelled lubricant and an auxiliary pump including an inlet receiving lubricant from the collection channel and an outlet in communication with an auxiliary passage. The auxiliary pump supplies lubricant through the auxiliary passages to a bearing passage for communicating lubricant to a bearing. The auxiliary passages include a reservoir after the outlet of the auxiliary pump and before the bearing passage for storing lubricant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Inventors: Francis Parnin, Paul H. Dolman
  • Publication number: 20130318940
    Abstract: An exemplary apparatus for supplying lubricant to a gear assembly in a gas turbine engine includes a valve having a valve inlet configured to be coupled to a source of lubricant. A valve outlet is configured to direct lubricant to the gear assembly. The valve is selectively controllable into a plurality of settings for varying an amount of lubricant flowing from the valve inlet to the valve outlet. A bypass is associated with the valve. The bypass has an inlet configured to receive lubricant from the source and an outlet configured to direct lubricant to the gear assembly. The bypass permits at least a selected amount of lubricant to flow to the gear assembly independent of a setting of the valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2012
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Inventors: Francis Parnin, Erick Ramos, Anthony Spagnoletti
  • Publication number: 20130280043
    Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a gas turbine engine is provided having a bearing chamber leak detection system. The gas turbine engine includes a rotatable shaft, a bearing assembly supporting the rotatable shaft, and a plurality of bearing chamber seals surrounding the rotatable shaft creating an annular bearing chamber enclosing the bearing assembly. One or more walls substantially surrounding the bearing chamber create a plenum between the walls and the bearing chamber, and a pressurized air inlet to the plenum is provided. The pressurized air inlet includes an airflow sensor configured and positioned to sense a flow of pressurized air into the plenum, such that airflow at the sensor is indicative of airflow from the plenum into the bearing chamber via one or more of the plurality of bearing chamber seals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2012
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Inventors: Francis Parnin, Armando Amador
  • Publication number: 20130048091
    Abstract: An exemplary valve device for controlling flow of a turbomachine fluid includes a housing and a flow control assembly within the housing. The housing has a first inlet, a second inlet, and an outlet. Movement of the housing to a first orientation causes the flow control assembly to move to a first position to restrict flow of a turbomachine fluid into the housing through the second inlet. Movement of the housing to a second orientation causes the flow control assembly to move to a second position to restrict flow of the turbomachine fluid into the housing through the first inlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2011
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Inventors: Enzo DiBenedetto, Francis Parnin, Robert E. Peters
  • Publication number: 20120324899
    Abstract: An assembly includes a gas turbine engine, a compartment wall, and a gutter system. The gas turbine engine has a spool connected to a fan shaft via a gear system. The compartment wall is positioned radially outward from the gear system. The gutter system is positioned radially outward from the gear system for capturing lubricating liquid slung from the gear system and positioned radially inward of the compartment wall. The gutter system includes a gutter and a flow passage fluidically connected to the gutter. The flow passage has a plurality of holes that allow the lubricating liquid to pass through the flow passage into a space between the flow passage and the compartment wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2011
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicant: UNITED TECHONOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Enzo DiBenedetto, Francis Parnin, Denman H. James, Robert E. Peters
  • Patent number: 8230974
    Abstract: A pump system for lubricating a bearing in a gear system of a gas turbine engine includes a main pump, an auxiliary pump, an auxiliary reservoir, a sump, and a valve system. The main pump is fluidically connected to the bearing through a main supply passage. The auxiliary pump is fluidically connected to the bearing through an auxiliary supply passage. The valve system transfers lubricating liquid from the main pump to the bearing under a first set of engine operating conditions. The valve system transfers lubricating liquid from the auxiliary reservoir to the sump and from the sump through the auxiliary pump to the bearing under a second set of engine operating conditions. The valve system transfers lubricating liquid from the auxiliary reservoir through the auxiliary pump, bypassing the sump, to the bearing under a third set of engine operating conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Francis Parnin
  • Patent number: 8051869
    Abstract: A valve includes a valve body defining a valve cavity. The valve body has first and second inlet ports, an outlet port, and a dump port. A weighted member is positioned in the valve cavity and is movable between first and second positions. In the first position, the first inlet port is fluidically connected to the outlet port and the second inlet port is fluidically connected to the dump port. In the second position, the second inlet port and the dump port are fluidically connected to the outlet port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Francis Parnin, Enzo DiBenedetto
  • Publication number: 20100294597
    Abstract: A pump system for lubricating a bearing in a gear system of a gas turbine engine includes a main pump, an auxiliary pump, an auxiliary reservoir, a sump, and a valve system. The main pump is fluidically connected to the bearing through a main supply passage. The auxiliary pump is fluidically connected to the bearing through an auxiliary supply passage. The valve system transfers lubricating liquid from the main pump to the bearing under a first set of engine operating conditions. The valve system transfers lubricating liquid from the auxiliary reservoir to the sump and from the sump through the auxiliary pump to the bearing under a second set of engine operating conditions. The valve system transfers lubricating liquid from the auxiliary reservoir through the auxiliary pump, bypassing the sump, to the bearing under a third set of engine operating conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2009
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Francis Parnin
  • Publication number: 20100294371
    Abstract: A valve includes a valve body defining a valve cavity. The valve body has first and second inlet ports, an outlet port, and a dump port. A weighted member is positioned in the valve cavity and is movable between first and second positions. In the first position, the first inlet port is fluidically connected to the outlet port and the second inlet port is fluidically connected to the dump port. In the second position, the second inlet port and the dump port are fluidically connected to the outlet port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2009
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Francis Parnin, Enzo DiBenedetto
  • Patent number: 7648143
    Abstract: A sealing system for use with at least one rotating shaft has a tandem seal arrangement contacting a surface of the at least one rotating shaft. The tandem seal arrangement includes at least one pair of segmented ring assemblies. Each of the segmented ring assemblies contacts the surface of the at least one shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Todd Davis, Armando Amador, Francis Parnin
  • Publication number: 20070085278
    Abstract: A sealing system for use with at least one rotating shaft has a tandem seal arrangement contacting a surface of the at least one rotating shaft. The tandem seal arrangement includes at least one pair of segmented ring assemblies. Each of the segmented ring assemblies contacts the surface of the at least one shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2005
    Publication date: April 19, 2007
    Inventors: Todd Davis, Armando Amador, Francis Parnin