Patents by Inventor James Edward Johnson

James Edward Johnson 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: 8695324
    Abstract: A fan assembly having an outer fan system is disclosed, the fan assembly comprising an outer fan first stage and an outer fan second stage both extending radially outward from an arcuate platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Co.
    Inventors: Rollin George Giffin, James Edward Johnson
  • Patent number: 8622687
    Abstract: A method of operating a compressor in an adaptive core engine is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of operating a front block compressor to increase pressure of a fluid to a first pressure ratio in a high-power mode operation; operating a rear block compressor coupled to the front block compressor such that the front block compressor and the rear block compressor operate at the same physical speed; closing a rear block stator vane located axially forward from the rear block compressor such that the flow of the fluid into the rear block compressor is substantially cut off; and keeping a blocker door opened such that substantially all of the fluid pressurized by the front block compressor flows through a bypass passage during the high-power mode operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Rollin George Giffin, Brandon Flowers Powell, Mark Harrington, James Edward Johnson
  • Publication number: 20110171007
    Abstract: A convertible fan system is disclosed having a fan rotor with a plurality of fan blades having an arcuate splitter that forms a portion of an inner flow passage and an outer flow passage wherein an inner portion of the fan blade pressurizes an inner flow in the inner flow passage and an outer portion of the fan blade pressurizes an outer flow in the outer flow passage and a vane system having an outer vane that is adapted to be able to vary the flow in the outer flow passage such that pressure ratio of the fan system can be varied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2009
    Publication date: July 14, 2011
    Inventors: James Edward Johnson, Brandon Flowers Powell
  • Publication number: 20110167791
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine is disclosed having a fan system with a front stage fan rotor and an aft fan rotor coupled to a low-pressure turbine, a core having a compressor coupled to a high-pressure turbine, an annular inner bypass passage and an annular outer bypass passage. The aft fan rotor has a row of aft fan blades having an arcuate splitter that forms a portion of an inner flow passage and an outer flow passage wherein the aft fan blade pressurizes an inner flow and an outer flow and wherein the fan tip pressure ratio can be changed while the air flow into the front stage fan rotor is held substantially constant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2009
    Publication date: July 14, 2011
    Inventors: James Edward Johnson, Brandon Flowers Powell
  • Publication number: 20110120083
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine comprising an outer fan system is disclosed, having an outer fan first stage having a circumferential row of outer fan first blades, an outer fan second stage having a circumferential row of outer fan second blades located axially aft from the outer fan first stage wherein the outer fan first stage and the outer fan second stage are adapted to rotate with the fan rotor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2010
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Inventors: ROLLIN GEORGE GIFFIN, James Edward Johnson
  • Publication number: 20110120082
    Abstract: A fan assembly having an outer fan system is disclosed, the fan assembly comprising an outer fan first stage and an outer fan second stage both extending radially outward from an arcuate platform.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2010
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Inventors: Rollin George Giffin, James Edward Johnson
  • Patent number: 7877980
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a turbomachinery core operable to generate a flow of pressurized combustion gases at a variable flow rate, while maintaining a substantially constant core pressure ratio; a rotating fan disposed upstream of the core, the fan adapted to extract energy from the core and generate a first flow of air which is compressed at a first pressure ratio; and at least a first bypass duct surrounding the core downstream of the fan adapted to selectively receive at least a first selected portion of the first flow which is compressed at a second pressure ratio lower than the first pressure ratio, and to bypass the first selected portion around the core, thereby varying a bypass ratio of the engine. The fan is adapted to maintain a flow rate of the first flow substantially constant, independent of the bypass ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: James Edward Johnson
  • Patent number: 7765789
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine assembly is provided. The gas turbine engine assembly includes a core engine. The gas turbine engine assembly further includes a first rotor spool including a first fan assembly, an intermediate-pressure turbine, and a first shaft. The first fan assembly includes a single stage fan assembly coupled upstream from the core engine. The intermediate-pressure turbine includes a single stage turbine coupled downstream from the core engine. The first shaft extends between the first fan assembly and the intermediate-pressure turbine. The gas turbine engine assembly further includes a second rotor spool including a second fan assembly, a low-pressure turbine, and a second shaft. The second fan assembly includes a single stage fan assembly coupled upstream from the first fan assembly. The low-pressure turbine includes a single stage turbine coupled downstream from the intermediate-pressure turbine. The second shaft extends between the second fan assembly and the low-pressure turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: James Edward Johnson
  • Patent number: 7631484
    Abstract: A fan assembly for a gas turbine engine includes a turbine rotor adapted to be disposed aft of a core of the gas turbine engine; a row of turbine blades carried by the rotor, each turbine blade extending from the rotor to a tip, the turbine blades adapted to extract energy from a stream of pressurized combustion gases generated by the core; and at least two rows of axially-spaced apart, radially-extending fan blades carried by the row of turbine blades for rotation therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Inventors: Rollin George Giffin, James Edward Johnson
  • Patent number: 7509797
    Abstract: A turbojet engine includes a core engine, an afterburner, and a converging-diverging exhaust nozzle in serial flow communication. A thrust vectoring system is joined between a compressor and the nozzle. A controller is operatively joined to the thrust vectoring system for selectively varying distribution of air bled from the compressor into the exhaust nozzle for vectoring propulsion thrust.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: James Edward Johnson
  • Patent number: 7475545
    Abstract: A turbojet engine includes a core engine, afterburner, and converging-diverging exhaust nozzle disposed in serial flow communication. A bypass duct surrounds the core engine and afterburner and terminates in flow communication with the exhaust nozzle. The compressor includes first stage fan blades having integral flades at the tips thereof disposed inside the bypass duct. The bypass duct includes a row of variable inlet guide vanes disposed forward of the flades for controlling airflow thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: James Edward Johnson
  • Patent number: 7448199
    Abstract: A turbojet engine includes a core engine, an afterburner, and a converging-diverging exhaust nozzle in serial flow communication. An integral starter-generator is disposed inside the core engine and is joined to the rotor for equal speed rotation therewith. An electrical controller coordinates operation of the engine for subsonic, transonic, and supersonic operation of the engine in a missile self-powered by the starter-generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: James Edward Johnson
  • Patent number: 7424805
    Abstract: A turbojet engine includes a core engine, an afterburner, and a converging-diverging exhaust nozzle in serial flow communication. A controller is operatively joined to the core engine and afterburner and configured for scheduling fuel thereto for operating the afterburner dry during subsonic flight operation of the engine, wet during transonic flight, and dry during supersonic flight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: James Edward Johnson
  • Patent number: 7395657
    Abstract: An aircraft propulsion system includes a gas turbine engine having a fan section, at least one row of FLADE fan blades disposed radially outwardly of and drivingly connected to the fan section, the row of FLADE fan blades radially extending across a FLADE duct circumscribing the fan section, an engine inlet including a fan inlet to the fan section and an annular FLADE inlet to the FLADE duct. A fixed geometry inlet duct is in direct flow communication with the engine inlet. The fan section may include only a single direction of rotation fan or alternatively axially spaced apart first and second counter-rotatable fans in which the FLADE fan blades are drivingly connected to one of the first and second counter-rotatable fans. The row of FLADE fan blades may be disposed between rows of variable first and second FLADE vanes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: James Edward Johnson
  • Publication number: 20080155961
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a turbomachinery core operable to generate a flow of pressurized combustion gases at a variable flow rate, while maintaining a substantially constant core pressure ratio; a rotating fan disposed upstream of the core, the fan adapted to extract energy from the core and generate a first flow of air which is compressed at a first pressure ratio; and at least a first bypass duct surrounding the core downstream of the fan adapted to selectively receive at least a first selected portion of the first flow which is compressed at a second pressure ratio lower than the first pressure ratio, and to bypass the first selected portion around the core, thereby varying a bypass ratio of the engine. The fan is adapted to maintain a flow rate of the first flow substantially constant, independent of the bypass ratio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventor: James Edward Johnson
  • Publication number: 20080141650
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine assembly is provided. The gas turbine engine assembly includes a core engine. The gas turbine engine assembly further includes a first rotor spool including a first fan assembly, an intermediate-pressure turbine, and a first shaft. The first fan assembly includes a single stage fan assembly coupled upstream from the core engine. The intermediate-pressure turbine includes a single stage turbine coupled downstream from the core engine. The first shaft extends between the first fan assembly and the intermediate-pressure turbine. The gas turbine engine assembly further includes a second rotor spool including a second fan assembly, a low-pressure turbine, and a second shaft. The second fan assembly includes a single stage fan assembly coupled upstream from the first fan assembly. The low-pressure turbine includes a single stage turbine coupled downstream from the intermediate-pressure turbine. The second shaft extends between the second fan assembly and the low-pressure turbine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2006
    Publication date: June 19, 2008
    Inventor: James Edward Johnson
  • Publication number: 20080141655
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a turbomachinery core operable to generating a first flow of pressurized combustion gases, the core having an exit plane; a fan disposed upstream of the core adapted to extract energy from the core and generate a first flow of pressurized air; a bypass duct surrounding the core which receives a portion of the flow of pressurized air from the fan; a duct burner disposed in the bypass duct, upstream of the exit plane, for receiving the first flow of pressurized air and generating a second flow of pressurized combustion gases; and an exhaust duct disposed downstream of the core and operable to receive and the first and second flows of pressurized combustion gases and to discharge the combined flows downstream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2006
    Publication date: June 19, 2008
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: James Edward Johnson, Ronald B. Steinmetz
  • Patent number: 7246484
    Abstract: An exemplary embodiment of a FLADE counter-rotating fan aircraft gas turbine engine includes at least one row of FLADE fan blades disposed radially outwardly of and drivingly connected to one of axially spaced-apart first and second counter-rotatable fans. A core engine located downstream and axially aft of the first and second counter-rotatable fans is circumscribed by a fan bypass duct downstream and axially aft of the first and second counter-rotatable fans. The row of FLADE fan blades radially extend across a FLADE duct circumscribed about the first and second counter-rotatable fans and the fan bypass duct. A second low pressure turbine is drivingly connected to the first counter-rotatable fan and a first low pressure turbine is drivingly connected to the second counter-rotatable fan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Rollin George Giffin, III, James Edward Johnson
  • Patent number: 7216475
    Abstract: An aft FLADE gas turbine engine includes a fan section drivenly connected to a low pressure turbine section, a core engine located between the fan section and the low pressure turbine section, a fan bypass duct circumscribing the core engine and in fluid communication with the fan section, and a mixer downstream of the low pressure turbine section and in fluid communication with the fan bypass duct, and an aft FLADE turbine downstream of the mixer. At least one row of aft FLADE fan blades disposed radially outwardly of and connected to the aft FLADE turbine and radially extending across a FLADE duct circumscribing the fan bypass duct. The aft FLADE turbine may be a free turbine or connected to and rotatable with the low pressure turbine section. A power extraction apparatus may be disposed within the engine and drivenly connected to the aft FLADE turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: James Edward Johnson
  • Patent number: 7188467
    Abstract: A method for assembling a gas turbine engine includes providing a core engine, and providing a flade system including a flade stream augmentor positioned within a flade duct. The method also includes channeling airflow through the core engine to produce engine thrust, channeling airflow through the flade duct to produce engine thrust, and igniting a portion of the airflow channeled through the flade duct using the flade stream augmentor to increase the amount of thrust produced by the flade system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: James Edward Johnson