Patents by Inventor John R. Otto

John R. Otto 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: 20190032571
    Abstract: A gear assembly support for a gas turbine engine includes a spline ring configured to fit into a case of the gas turbine engine and a flex support. The flex support includes splines for engaging the spline ring and an inner portion attachable to a portion the gear assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2018
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Inventors: Brian P. Cigal, John R. Otto
  • Publication number: 20190032572
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a non-rotatable flexible coupling having Stiffnesses A, B, C, D and E, which are defined herein, and at least ratio of a frame lateral stiffness FLS as follows: FLS/Stiffness A in a range of about 6.0 to about 25.0, FLS/Stiffness B in a range of about 10.0 to about 40.0, FLS/Stiffness C in a range of about 1.5 to about 7.0, FLS/Stiffness D in a range of about 0.25 to about 0.50, or FLS/Stiffness E in a range of about 6.0 to about 40.0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2018
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Inventors: William G. Sheridan, John R. Otto
  • Patent number: 10087848
    Abstract: A gear assembly support for a gas turbine engine includes a spline ring configured to fit into a case of the gas turbine engine and a flex support. The flex support includes splines for engaging the spline ring and an inner portion attachable to a portion the gear assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Brian P. Cigal, John R. Otto
  • Patent number: 10087850
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a fan shaft arranged along an engine central axis, a frame supporting the fan shaft, a gear system rotatably coupled with the fan shaft, and a flexible coupling at least partially supporting the gear system. The flexible coupling defines, with respect to the engine central axis, a torsional stiffness TS and a lateral stiffness LS such that a ratio of TS/LS is greater than or equal to about 2.0 to reduce loads on the gear system from misalignment of the gear system with respect to the engine central axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: William G. Sheridan, John R. Otto
  • Patent number: 10087851
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a fan shaft arranged along an engine central axis, a frame supporting the fan shaft, a gear system rotatably coupled with the fan shaft, and a flexible coupling at least partially supporting the gear system. The flexible coupling defines, with respect to the engine central axis, a torsional stiffness TS and a lateral stiffness LS such that a ratio of TS/LS is greater than or equal to about 2.0 to reduce loads on the gear system from misalignment of the gear system with respect to the engine central axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: William G. Sheridan, John R. Otto
  • Patent number: 10041498
    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: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: John R. Otto, James B. Coffin, Jason Husband
  • Patent number: 10030543
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a fan including a plurality of fan blades rotatable about an axis, a compressor section, a combustor in fluid communication with the compressor section, a turbine section in fluid communication with the combustor, a geared architecture arranged in a housing and driven by the turbine section for rotating the fan about the axis, and a support member that supports the geared architecture within the gas turbine engine. The support member includes an inner portion and an outer portion. One of the inner and outer portions is configured to be coupled to the geared architecture and the other of the inner and outer portions is configured to be coupled to the housing. A plurality of removal features each have at least one engaging surface to facilitate a pulling force on the support member in a direction parallel to the axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: John R. Otto
  • Publication number: 20180128185
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a fan shaft arranged along an engine central axis, a frame supporting the fan shaft, a gear system rotatably coupled with the fan shaft, and a flexible coupling at least partially supporting the gear system. The flexible coupling defines, with respect to the engine central axis, a torsional stiffness TS and a lateral stiffness LS such that a ratio of TS/LS is greater than or equal to about 2.0 to reduce loads on the gear system from misalignment of the gear system with respect to the engine central axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2018
    Publication date: May 10, 2018
    Inventors: William G. Sheridan, John R. Otto
  • Publication number: 20180128186
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a fan shaft arranged along an engine central axis, a frame supporting the fan shaft, a gear system rotatably coupled with the fan shaft, and a flexible coupling at least partially supporting the gear system. The flexible coupling defines, with respect to the engine central axis, a torsional stiffness TS and a lateral stiffness LS such that a ratio of TS/LS is greater than or equal to about 2.0 to reduce loads on the gear system from misalignment of the gear system with respect to the engine central axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2018
    Publication date: May 10, 2018
    Inventors: William G. Sheridan, John R. Otto
  • Patent number: 9863326
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a fan shaft arranged along an engine central axis, a frame supporting the fan shaft, a gear system rotatably coupled with the fan shaft, and a flexible coupling at least partially supporting the gear system. The flexible coupling defines, with respect to the engine central axis, a torsional stiffness TS and a lateral stiffness LS such that a ratio of TS/LS is greater than or equal to about 2.0 to reduce loads on the gear system from misalignment of the gear system with respect to the engine central axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: William G. Sheridan, John R. Otto
  • Publication number: 20170146167
    Abstract: A torque retention arrangement for a flange bolt connector for use with pipe. The torque retention arrangement a carrier body and a plurality of springs. The carrier body can include a plurality of spring holes equi-spaced around a circumference. A plurality of springs in a vertical stack can be mounted in each of the plurality of spring holes in the carrier. Each spring is in a convex orientation in a pre-torque condition and is in a planar orientation in a post-torque condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Publication date: May 25, 2017
    Inventor: John R. Otto
  • 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
  • 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: 20160369648
    Abstract: A gear assembly support for a gas turbine engine includes a first portion engageable to a case of the gas turbine engine and a second portion configured for supporting a gear assembly. The support includes a torque reacting portion for transferring torque from the second portion to the first portion, a forward flange disposed forward of the torque reacting portion, the forward flange defining a first interface to the case and an aft flange disposed aft of the torque reacting portion, the aft flange defining a second interface to the case.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2014
    Publication date: December 22, 2016
    Inventors: John R. Otto, Sunil Sharma
  • Patent number: 9488073
    Abstract: An exemplary gear assembly support for use in a gas turbine engine includes a support member having a portion that is configured to be coupled to a gear assembly. Another portion of the support member is configured to be coupled to a housing in a gas turbine engine. The support member includes a plurality of removal features that each have a plurality of engaging surfaces to facilitate a pulling force on the support member in a direction parallel to an axis through a center of the support member. The engaging surfaces on each of the removal features are oriented relative to each other to resist any bending moment on the support member during application of the pulling force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: John R. Otto
  • Patent number: 9476323
    Abstract: An exemplary gear assembly support for use in a gas turbine engine includes a support member having a portion that is configured to be coupled to a gear assembly. Another portion of the support member is configured to be coupled to a housing in a gas turbine engine. The support member includes a plurality of removal features that each have a plurality of engaging surfaces to facilitate a pulling force on the support member in a direction parallel to an axis through a center of the support member. The engaging surfaces on each of the removal features are oriented relative to each other to resist any bending moment on the support member during application of the pulling force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: John R. Otto
  • Publication number: 20160273385
    Abstract: A lubrication system for gas turbine engine includes a main lubricant passage for providing lubricant from a lubricant supply to a lubricant manifold. The lubricant manifold includes first and second lubricant passages The lubricant manifold is configured to supply lubricant to first and second separate parts of a geared architecture at different first and second lubricant flow conditions. A first filter element is provided within a radial tube for supplying lubricant to the first passage of the lubricant manifold and a second filter element is provided within a second radial tube for supplying lubricant to the second lubricant passage of the lubricant manifold. The first filter element is different than the second filter element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2014
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Applicant: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: John R. Otto, Stephanie M. Baker
  • 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: 20160123233
    Abstract: A gear assembly support for a gas turbine engine includes a spline ring configured to fit into a case of the gas turbine engine and a flex support. The flex support includes splines for engaging the spline ring and an inner portion attachable to a portion the gear assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2014
    Publication date: May 5, 2016
    Inventors: Brian P. Cigal, John R. Otto