Patents by Inventor George Minkkinen

George Minkkinen 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: 7762085
    Abstract: A turbine engine particularly suited for VTOL aircraft is disclosed. According to various embodiments, the core of the turbine engine includes two spools—a low pressure (LP) spool and a high pressure (HP) spool—where the LP spool is independently mounted remote to the HP spool. The engine may be modulated for operation by a modulation diverter valve assembly and through the fuel flow to the engine. The power output from the engine can be modulated from high levels to low levels and vice versa through control of the air flow through the engine using the modulation diverter valve assembly. In lift mode operation both the LP and HP spools may be operational, while during the forward flight cruise mode of operation the HP spool is operational and the LP spool may or may not be operational depending upon the power required for the flight condition. For HP spool only operation, the LP spool may be shut down using the modulation diverter valve assembly and an inlet flow diverter valve assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: Teledyne Technologies Incorporated
    Inventors: John T. Exley, George Minkkinen, Donald Hulbert, Michael D. Rudy
  • Publication number: 20100154435
    Abstract: A turbine engine particularly suited for VTOL aircraft is disclosed. According to various embodiments, the core of the turbine engine includes two spools—a low pressure (LP) spool and a high pressure (HP) spool—where the LP spool is independently mounted remote to the HP spool. The engine may be modulated for operation by a modulation diverter valve assembly and through the fuel flow to the engine. The power output from the engine can be modulated from high levels to low levels and vice versa through control of the air flow through the engine using the modulation diverter valve assembly. In lift mode operation both the LP and HP spools may be operational, while during the forward flight cruise mode of operation the HP spool is operational and the LP spool may or may not be operational depending upon the power required for the flight condition. For HP spool only operation, the LP spool may be shut down using the modulation diverter valve assembly and an inlet flow diverter valve assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2006
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Inventors: John T. Exley, George Minkkinen, Donald Hulbert, Michael D. Rudy
  • Patent number: 4901520
    Abstract: A system for cooling a turbine assembly in a gas turbine engine. The system has a bleed means for bleeding a portion of a first core of gas exited from a compressor section of the engine to thereby form a second core of gas. The second core of gas is additionally pressurized by a second compressor means to increase the pressure of the second core of gas. The second core of gas is then delivered to the turbine section for cooling of the engine such that the second core of coolant gas has a higher pressure than the first core of gas exiting the combustor section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1990
    Assignee: Avco Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew Kozak, George Minkkinen
  • Patent number: 4844692
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine having a turbine casing with a contoured entry. The contoured entry is located upon the housing such that upon assembly of the engine the contoured entry is located relatively directly prior to the turbine blades. The contoured entry is positioned relatively directly prior to a spacing between the tips of the turbine blades and the housing such that gases are directionally restricted away from the spacing and into the turbine blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 4, 1989
    Assignee: Avco Corporation
    Inventors: George Minkkinen, Hans Drenkard
  • Patent number: 4768922
    Abstract: A variable stator assembly is provided for a gas turbine engine. The assembly comprises at least one winglet disposed on the radially inner end of each variable stator blade and/or on the radially outer end of each variable stator blade. The assembly further comprises at least one shroud disposed substantially adjacent and parallel to the associated winglet and within the flow path relative to the winglet. In a preferred embodiment, the assembly comprises both inner and outer winglets and inner and outer shrouds, with the shrouds being disposed intermediate the pair of winglets. The downstream edge of the shroud is configured to be substantially adjacent to the upstream edge of each variable stator blade through the full range of movement of each variable stator blade. Additionally, the shroud extends into the flow path between adjacent variable stator blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1988
    Assignee: Avco Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew A. Kozak, George Minkkinen