Patents by Inventor James B. Coffin

James B. Coffin 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: 20160369702
    Abstract: A fan drive gear system for a turbofan engine includes a geared architecture and a gear controller supporting the geared architecture and controlling rotation of the geared architecture relative a static structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2014
    Publication date: December 22, 2016
    Inventors: John R. Otto, James B. Coffin
  • Publication number: 20160369884
    Abstract: A lubricant manifold for gear system of a turbofan engine includes a base plate defining an inlet, an outlet and a plurality of open channels. The open channels define a portion of a corresponding plurality of lubricant passages. A cover plate is attached to the base plate to complete the formation of the plurality of lubricant passages. An interlocking interface between the base plate and the cover plate secures the cover plate to the base plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2014
    Publication date: December 22, 2016
    Inventors: John R. Otto, Stephanie M. Baker, James B. Coffin
  • Patent number: 9476321
    Abstract: An example turbomachine fluid delivery manifold provides a journal fluid path and a gear mesh fluid path that is separate from the journal fluid path. An example turbomachine lubrication system includes a geared architecture having a journal bearing and a gear. In this example, a manifold provides a portion of a first fluid path and a portion of a second fluid path separate from the first fluid path. The first fluid path is operative to communicate a first fluid from a fluid supply to the journal bearing. The second fluid path is operative to communicate a second fluid from the fluid supply to a gear mesh.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Tony Haugh, Michael E. McCune, James B. Coffin
  • Patent number: 9464708
    Abstract: An exemplary method of lubricating a turbomachine interface includes, among other things, securing a carrier relative to a torque frame using a flexure pin, and lubricating an interface of the flexure pin using a lubricant that has moved through a lubricant passage in the carrier and a lubricant passage in the flexure pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: James B. Coffin, Michael E. McCune, William G. Sheridan
  • Patent number: 9410447
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a jumper tube that extends through a first passage and a second passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: James B. Coffin, Todd A. Davis, Enzo DiBenedetto
  • Publication number: 20160195096
    Abstract: A turbofan engine is disclosed that includes a fan rotatable about an axis, a compressor section including a high pressure compressor, a medium pressure compressor and a low pressure compressor and a turbine section including a high pressure turbine, an intermediate turbine and a fan drive turbine. A fan drive gear system is driven by the fan drive turbine for driving the fan. A compressor drive gear system is driven by the intermediate turbine for driving the low pressure compressor. A gear controller controls rotation of at least one of the fan drive gear system and the compressor drive gear system relative to a static structure to vary an effective speed reduction ratio of one of the fan drive gear system and the compressor drive gear system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2014
    Publication date: July 7, 2016
    Inventors: John R. Otto, James B. Coffin, Jason Husband
  • Publication number: 20160138477
    Abstract: A turbofan engine includes a fan rotatable about an axis and a compressor section including a high pressure compressor and a low pressure compressor. A turbine section includes a high pressure turbine, an intermediate turbine and a fan drive turbine. The high pressure turbine is coupled to drive the high pressure compressor. A fan drive gear system is driven by the fan drive turbine for driving the fan and a compressor drive gear system is driven by the intermediate turbine for driving the low pressure compressor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2014
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventors: John R. Otto, James B. Coffin, Jason Husband
  • Publication number: 20160138422
    Abstract: An exemplary method of lubricating a turbomachine interface includes, among other things, securing a carrier relative to a torque frame using a flexure pin, and lubricating an interface of the flexure pin using a lubricant that has moved through a lubricant passage in the carrier and a lubricant passage in the flexure pin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2016
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventors: James B. Coffin, Michael E. McCune, William G. Sheridan
  • Patent number: 9328818
    Abstract: An example epicyclic gear train assembly includes a flexure pin received by a carrier. The flexure pin and the carrier respectively include first and second pin apertures configured to receive a retainer pin. The flexure pin further includes a lubricant conduit separate from the first pin aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: James B. Coffin, Michael E. McCune, William G. Sheridan
  • Patent number: 9267389
    Abstract: A fan drive gear system for a gas turbine engine includes a carrier supporting circumferentially arranged gears within gear mount sections spaced circumferentially about a periphery. A shelf is disposed between each of the gear mounting sections. A torque frame is attached to the carrier and includes circumferentially arranged finger sections. Each of the finger sections includes first and second ends that are spaced apart to receive the shelf. A pin extends through openings in the shelf and first and second ends to secure the torque frame to the carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Alessio Pescosolido, Marc J. Muldoon, James B. Coffin
  • Patent number: 9249685
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine has a fan and a turbine section including a turbine rotor to drive the fan through a gear reduction module. An input shaft downstream of the turbine rotor includes a flexible mount driving the gear reduction. The input shaft is mounted within a bearing module. The gear reduction module has static structure mounted to an engine housing through a flexible mount. Oil is supplied into the gear reduction. An oil tube supplies oil from the gear reduction to the bearing module, and is received within openings in the static structure, and a housing for the bearing module. The oil tube extends through an assembly guide having a guide opening spaced away from an outer periphery of the oil tube. The guide opening is intermediate the openings. A method is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: James B. Coffin
  • Publication number: 20160017752
    Abstract: A method for assembling a turbofan engine (20) comprises coupling a bearing assembly (176) and a shaft (420) as a unit to a bearing support (453). A transmission (46) and the fan shaft (132) are installed to a front frame assembly (172). The bearing assembly and shaft are installed as a unit so that the shaft engages a central gear (52) of the transmission and the bearing support engages the front frame assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Publication date: January 21, 2016
    Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: James B. Coffin, Alessio Pescosolido
  • Patent number: 9145830
    Abstract: An example turbomachine geared architecture support assembly includes a compliant member configured to hold a geared architecture within a turbomachine. The compliant member has a compliant section that permits rotation of the geared architecture relative to a fixed portion of the turbomachine. A stop limits rotation of the geared architecture relative to the fixed portion of the turbomachine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Jason Husband, James B. Coffin
  • Patent number: 9115598
    Abstract: A fan shaft support assembly for a gas turbine engine includes first and second bearing assembles supported by a bearing support structure. The bearing support structure includes a first support including a first support end supporting the first bearing assembly and a second support including a second support end supporting the second bearing assembly. The first support end and the second support end are spaced apart to provide a preload on the first and second bearing assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Keven G. Van Duyn, James B. Coffin
  • Patent number: 9057284
    Abstract: A geared architecture for a gas turbine engine includes a lubricant manifold for directing lubricant flow to the geared architecture. The manifold including annular channel and a bowl member received within the annular channel for defining a passage for directing lubricant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: James B. Coffin, Tony Haugh
  • Publication number: 20150152746
    Abstract: A seal assembly for a gas turbine engine, may be manufactured in two pieces, the first piece is a seal plate with a cavity around its inner wall and the second piece is a sleeve that mounts in the cavity of the seal plate. The sleeve may have oil distribution channels that deliver oil to subsequent components and apertures that deliver oil to the seal plate. The volume of oil delivered to the seal plate can be set by the number of apertures and related radial holes in the sleeve. Because the sleeve delivers oil through the apertures and radial holes to an annulus in the cavity of the seal plate, cooling bores in the seal plate need only be drilled into the annulus and the number of cooling bores can be independent of the number of radial holes in the sleeve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2014
    Publication date: June 4, 2015
    Inventors: Alexander J. Maret, James B. Coffin, Jonathan Logan Miller
  • Patent number: 9033653
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a fan section, a turbine section coupled to the fan section through a geared architecture, a first member supporting the geared architecture, and a second member supporting the first member relative to an engine static structure. The first member and the second members are spaced apart from one another at a location. A damper includes opposing ends and extending between the first member and the second member at the location for limiting relative movement between the first member and the second member. A fan drive gear system and a method are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: James B. Coffin, John R. Otto
  • Patent number: 9022684
    Abstract: A turbine engine shaft includes a first sub-shaft, a second sub-shaft and a tie shaft. A first bearing surface of the first sub-shaft axially engages a second bearing surface of the second sub-shaft. The tie shaft includes an intermediate tie shaft segment connected axially between a first tie shaft segment and a second tie shaft segment. The first tie shaft segment includes a first threaded tie shaft surface that is mated with a first threaded shaft surface of the first sub-shaft. The second tie shaft segment includes a second threaded tie shaft surface that is mated with a second threaded shaft surface of the second sub-shaft. The tie shaft also includes a sub-shaft bumper stop extending radially from the intermediate tie shaft segment to a bumper stop distal end, which has a radius that is greater than a radius the first and/or second threaded shaft surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: James B. Coffin
  • Patent number: 8961112
    Abstract: A fan drive gear system for a gas turbine engine includes a carrier that supports circumferentially arranged gears. A torque frame has circumferentially arranged fingers with each finger including a bore having a bore axis. A bushing is arranged in each bore and provides an aperture. At least one bushing has a bushing axis offset from the bore axis. A pin is disposed in the aperture and secures the carrier to the torque frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: James B. Coffin, Richard E. Domonkos, Sunil Sharma
  • Publication number: 20140348577
    Abstract: A tie bolt for joining two parts together has a shaft. The shaft in turn has a primary thread for engaging a first part and a secondary thread for engaging a second part, wherein the primary thread and the secondary thread have different pitches. The tie bolt may be used to join together any two parts which are to be locked together to transmit torque.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2014
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: James B. Coffin