Patents by Inventor John Koshoffer

John Koshoffer 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: 20070157621
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine augmentor includes an augmentor outer casing 502 and an annular augmentor liner 504 disposed radially within and radially separated from the augmentor outer casing 502 to form a generally annular augmentor liner cooling flow path 500 between the augmentor casing and the annular augmentor liner, and an augmentor flow splitter duct 506 disposed at the upstream end of the augmentor liner and radially between the augmentor outer casing 502 and the annular augmentor liner 504 and defining a splitter flow path 520 between the annular augmentor liner 504 and the annular augmentor flow splitter duct 506.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2006
    Publication date: July 12, 2007
    Inventors: John Koshoffer, David Caldwell
  • Publication number: 20070044476
    Abstract: A trapped vortex cavity afterburner includes one or more trapped vortex cavity stages for injecting a fuel/air mixture into a combustion zone. The trapped vortex cavity afterburner is operable to provide all thrust augmenting fuel used for engine thrust augmentation. Each stage has at least one annular trapped vortex cavity. The trapped vortex cavity afterburner may be a multi-stage afterburner having two or more trapped vortex cavity stages ganged for simultaneous ignition or operable for sequential ignition. One embodiment of the annular trapped vortex cavity is operable to raise a temperature of an exhaust gas flow through the afterburner about 100 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Each of the trapped vortex cavity stages may be operable to produce a single or a different amount of temperature rise of the exhaust gas flow through the afterburner. A chevron shaped trapped vortex cavity and having zig-zag shaped leading and trailing edges may be used.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2005
    Publication date: March 1, 2007
    Inventor: John Koshoffer
  • Publication number: 20060213180
    Abstract: A turbofan gas turbine engine augmenter includes a fuel/air swirler disposed between an axially extending bypass flowpath and an axially extending exhaust flowpath. A swirler inlet is axially open to and positioned substantially normal to the bypass flowpath and a swirler outlet is open to and positioned substantially parallel to the exhaust flowpath. A swirl chamber within the fuel/air swirler is between the swirler inlet and the swirler outlet. A swirl axis of the fuel/air swirler extends through the swirler outlet substantially normal to the exhaust flowpath. An air swirler may be centered about the swirl axis within the fuel/air swirler. The air swirler may be a louvered or have a plurality of swirling vanes. The swirler inlet may be radially offset with respect to the swirl axis. An air scoop may lead from the swirler inlet to a rounded swirler housing within which the air swirler is disposed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2005
    Publication date: September 28, 2006
    Inventor: John Koshoffer
  • Publication number: 20050262847
    Abstract: A method for fabricating an augmentor includes fabricating an outer casing having at least one channel defined therein, fabricating a centerbody having at least one channel defined therein, fabricating a plurality of turbine frame vanes, wherein each turbine frame vane includes a first sidewall having a first channel defined therein, a second sidewall having a second channel defined therein, and at least one cross-fire tube extending between the first sidewall and the second sidewall, and coupling the plurality of turbine frame vanes to the augmentor outer casing and to the centerbody such that the first sidewall first channel formed on a first turbine frame vane, the second sidewall second channel formed on a second turbine frame vane, the augrnentor channel, and the centerbody channel define a substantially contiguous trapped vortex chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2004
    Publication date: December 1, 2005
    Inventor: John Koshoffer
  • Publication number: 20050198940
    Abstract: An afterburner includes an exhaust duct with a fixed area outer nozzle at an aft end thereof, and an ablative inner nozzle therein. The smaller inner nozzle is consumed during reheat operation to expose the larger outer nozzle for increased propulsion thrust.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2004
    Publication date: September 15, 2005
    Inventors: John Koshoffer, Randy Lewis
  • Publication number: 20050201856
    Abstract: A turbine rear frame includes a row of outlet guide vanes extending between outer and inner bands. Each of the vanes is bifurcated into a forward prow integrally joined to an aft stern by a septum therebetween. The prow and stern collectively define the aerodynamic profile of each vane which is locally interrupted at the septum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2004
    Publication date: September 15, 2005
    Inventor: John Koshoffer