Patents by Inventor Joseph Robert Dickman

Joseph Robert Dickman 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: 11105200
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a turbine engine defining a longitudinal direction, a radial direction, and a circumferential direction. The turbine engine includes a power turbine including a first turbine rotor assembly interdigitated with a second turbine rotor assembly along the longitudinal direction; a gear assembly coupled to the first turbine rotor assembly and the second turbine rotor assembly, wherein the gear assembly includes a first input interface coupled to the first turbine rotor assembly, a second input interface coupled to the second turbine rotor assembly, and one or more third gears coupled to the first input interface and the second input interface therebetween; and a first output shaft and a second output shaft, wherein each of the first output shaft and the second output shaft are configured to couple to an electrical load device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey Donald Clements, Darek Tomasz Zatorski, Brandon Wayne Miller, Joseph Robert Dickman
  • Patent number: 11060584
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine including a first frame including a first mount member defining a stiffness K1; a second frame including a second mount member defining a stiffness K2 and a third mount member defining a stiffness K3; and a gear assembly. The gear assembly includes a first rotatable component, a second rotatable component, and a torque transfer component. The first mount member is coupled to the first rotatable component. The second mount member is coupled to the second rotatable component. The third mount member is coupled to the torque transfer component. The stiffness K1 is less than or equal to 10% of the stiffness K3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignees: GE AVIO S.R.L., GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Luca Ronchiato, Michele Gravina, Joseph Robert Dickman
  • Patent number: 10941849
    Abstract: A planetary gear system can include a sun gear, an outer ring gear, and at least one planet gear driving the sun gear and planet gear. The planet gear can include an inner ring having an inner race, an outer ring having an outer race circumscribing and confronting the inner race. A plurality of rolling elements can be located between and in contact with the inner and outer races, which can include least one damper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: William Howard Hasting, Joseph Robert Dickman
  • Publication number: 20190368577
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine including a first frame including a first mount member defining a stiffness K1; a second frame including a second mount member defining a stiffness K2 and a third mount member defining a stiffness K3; and a gear assembly. The gear assembly includes a first rotatable component, a second rotatable component, and a torque transfer component. The first mount member is coupled to the first rotatable component. The second mount member is coupled to the second rotatable component. The third mount member is coupled to the torque transfer component. The stiffness K1 is less than or equal to 10% of the stiffness K3.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2019
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Inventors: Luca Ronchiato, Michele Gravina, Joseph Robert Dickman
  • Patent number: 10415429
    Abstract: A planet gearbox is provided for connection to a carrier of an epicyclic gearing arrangement with a single input and single output and including a sun gear, a ring gear and at least one double helix planet gear rotatable on a cylindrical roller bearing with a cage having a cross-web thickness of 15% to 25% of the diameter of the cylindrical rollers and an L/D ratio exceeding 1.0. A gas turbine engine includes a fan and LP shaft, which couples a compressor to a turbine. An epicyclic gearing arrangement has a single input from the LP shaft coupled to a sun gear, a single output coupled to the fan's shaft, and a planet bearing cage having a cross-web thickness measuring 15% to 25% of the roller's diameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: William Howard Hasting, Donald Albert Bradley, Joseph Robert Dickman
  • Patent number: 10385961
    Abstract: A planetary gear system is disclosed. The planetary gear system includes a carrier, a planet gear defining a central planet axis, a pin coupling the planet gear to the carrier and a bearing disposed between the planet gear and the pin. The bearing includes a plurality of rolling elements. Each of the rolling elements is in contact with an inner race and an outer race. The planet gear has a formed therein cooling passage for allowing a coolant to pass therethrough to cool the planet gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Joseph Robert Dickman
  • Patent number: 10274071
    Abstract: An epicyclic gearing arrangement includes a planet gear rotatable on a planet bearing that is mounted via a support pin to a carrier of the epicyclic gearing arrangement. A spring film damper is disposed between the outer surface of the bearing's outer ring and the opposing inner surface of the planet gear and includes an annular gap. The support pin and/or outer ring include oil feed holes that open into the respective annular gap(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Daniel Alan Niergarth, Brandon Wayne Miller, Bugra Han Ertas, Donald Albert Bradley, Joseph Robert Dickman
  • Publication number: 20190120368
    Abstract: A planetary gear system is disclosed. The planetary gear system includes a carrier, a planet gear defining a central planet axis, a pin coupling the planet gear to the carrier and a bearing disposed between the planet gear and the pin. The bearing includes a plurality of rolling elements. Each of the rolling elements is in contact with an inner race and an outer race. The planet gear has a formed therein cooling passage for allowing a coolant to pass therethrough to cool the planet gear.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2017
    Publication date: April 25, 2019
    Inventor: Joseph Robert DICKMAN
  • Patent number: 10247297
    Abstract: A gearbox includes a gearbox housing, at least one gear, and a plurality of scavenge ports. The gearbox housing has a top portion, two horizontal portions, and a bottom portion opposite the top portion. The bottom portion is oriented in the direction a fluid would drain under the influence of gravity during normal operations. The two horizontal portions are oriented at a right angle relative to the bottom portion. The at least one gear is disposed within the gearbox housing and has a first axial position. The plurality of scavenge ports are defined by the gearbox housing. The plurality of scavenge ports are aligned axially with the at least one gear at the first axial position. At least one scavenge port of the plurality of scavenge ports is located within the gearbox housing at the two horizontal portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Darren Lee Hallman, Joseph Robert Dickman
  • Patent number: 10234018
    Abstract: A planet gear rotatable on a planet bearing with cylindrical rollers is mounted to a carrier of an epicyclic gearing arrangement. Either the cylindrical outer surface of the support pin or the opposing cylindrical inner surface of the inner ring of the planet bearing includes a network of interconnected grooves. The support pin includes oil feed holes intersecting the grooves. Passages through the planet bearing's inner ring also connect to the grooves. A gas turbine engine includes a fan and LP shaft, which couples a compressor to a turbine. An epicyclic gearing arrangement has a single input from the LP shaft coupled to a sun gear, a single output coupled to the fan's shaft, and a planet bearing with a network of interconnected grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: William Howard Hasting, Kenneth Lee Fisher, Donald Albert Bradley, Joseph Robert Dickman
  • Publication number: 20190040943
    Abstract: A planetary gear system can include a sun gear, an outer ring gear, and at least one planet gear driving the sun gear and planet gear. The planet gear can include an inner ring having an inner race, an outer ring having an outer race circumscribing and confronting the inner race. A plurality of rolling elements can be located between and in contact with the inner and outer races, which can include least one damper.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2017
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Inventors: William Howard Hasting, Joseph Robert Dickman
  • Publication number: 20190017382
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a turbine engine defining a longitudinal direction, a radial direction, and a circumferential direction. The turbine engine includes a power turbine including a first turbine rotor assembly interdigitated with a second turbine rotor assembly along the longitudinal direction; a gear assembly coupled to the first turbine rotor assembly and the second turbine rotor assembly, wherein the gear assembly includes a first input interface coupled to the first turbine rotor assembly, a second input interface coupled to the second turbine rotor assembly, and one or more third gears coupled to the first input interface and the second input interface therebetween; and a first output shaft and a second output shaft, wherein each of the first output shaft and the second output shaft are configured to couple to an electrical load device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2017
    Publication date: January 17, 2019
    Inventors: Jeffrey Donald Clements, Darek Tomasz Zatorski, Brandon Wayne Miller, Joseph Robert Dickman
  • Patent number: 10138940
    Abstract: A roller bearing cage that includes a cylindrical body including a plurality of pocket holes defined within and positioned circumferentially about the cylindrical body. Each pocket hole includes a pair of side portions and a pair of end portions meeting with the pair of side portions at a corner portion. The corner portion is contoured with a compound radius.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Fabio Nonato de Paula, Yi Han, Joseph Robert Dickman
  • Patent number: 10113633
    Abstract: An epicyclic gearing arrangement includes a planet gear rotatable on a planet bearing that is mounted via a support pin to a carrier of the epicyclic gearing arrangement. A spring film damper is disposed between the cylindrical outer surface of the support pin and the opposing inner surface of the inner ring of the planet bearing and includes an annular gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Daniel Alan Niergarth, Brandon Wayne Miller, Bugra Han Ertas, Donald Albert Bradley, Joseph Robert Dickman
  • Publication number: 20180202536
    Abstract: A gearbox includes a gearbox housing, at least one gear, and a plurality of scavenge ports. The gearbox housing has a top portion, two horizontal portions, and a bottom portion opposite the top portion. The bottom portion is oriented in the direction a fluid would drain under the influence of gravity during normal operations. The two horizontal portions are oriented at a right angle relative to the bottom portion. The at least one gear is disposed within the gearbox housing and has a first axial position. The plurality of scavenge ports are defined by the gearbox housing. The plurality of scavenge ports are aligned axially with the at least one gear at the first axial position. At least one scavenge port of the plurality of scavenge ports is located within the gearbox housing at the two horizontal portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2017
    Publication date: July 19, 2018
    Inventors: Darren Lee Hallman, Joseph Robert Dickman
  • Publication number: 20180045299
    Abstract: A roller bearing cage that includes a cylindrical body including a plurality of pocket holes defined within and positioned circumferentially about the cylindrical body. Each pocket hole includes a pair of side portions and a pair of end portions meeting with the pair of side portions at a corner portion. The corner portion is contoured with a compound radius.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2016
    Publication date: February 15, 2018
    Inventors: Fabio Nonato de Paula, Yi Han, Joseph Robert Dickman
  • Publication number: 20170260871
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a system for monitoring an acoustic signal in a gas turbine engine. The system includes a gas turbine engine component that emits the acoustic signal. A microphone senses the acoustic signal and creates a microphone signal indicative of one or more characteristics of the acoustic signal. A controller receives the microphone signal and is configured to analyze the microphone signal to identify a gearbox event peak. If the gearbox event peak is present, the controller quantifies an amplitude of the gearbox event peak. The controller compares the amplitude of the gearbox event peak to a threshold to determine whether the gas turbine engine component needs maintenance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2016
    Publication date: September 14, 2017
    Inventors: Richard Schmidt, Joseph Robert Dickman, Daniel Roy Kiracofe
  • Publication number: 20170219080
    Abstract: An epicyclic gearing arrangement includes a planet gear rotatable on a planet bearing that is mounted via a support pin to a carrier of the epicyclic gearing arrangement. A spring film damper is disposed between the outer surface of the bearing's outer ring and the opposing inner surface of the planet gear and includes an annular gap. The support pin and/or outer ring include oil feed holes that open into the respective annular gap(s).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2016
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventors: Daniel Alan Niergarth, Brandon Wayne Miller, Bugra Han Ertas, Donald Albert Bradley, Joseph Robert Dickman
  • Publication number: 20170219079
    Abstract: An epicyclic gearing arrangement includes a planet gear rotatable on a planet bearing that is mounted via a support pin to a carrier of the epicyclic gearing arrangement. A spring film damper is disposed between the cylindrical outer surface of the support pin and the opposing inner surface of the inner ring of the planet bearing and includes an annular gap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2016
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventors: Daniel Alan Niergarth, Brandon Wayne Miller, Bugra Han Ertas, Donald Albert Bradley, Joseph Robert Dickman
  • Patent number: 9677659
    Abstract: An epicyclic gearing arrangement includes a planet gear rotatable on a planet bearing that is mounted via a support pin to a carrier of the epicyclic gearing arrangement. An attenuation spring is disposed between the outer surface of the bearing's outer ring and the opposing inner surface of the planet gear and includes an annular gap. A spring film damper is disposed between the cylindrical outer surface of the support pin and the opposing inner surface of the inner ring of the planet bearing and includes an annular gap. The support pin (96) and/or outer ring include oil feed holes that open into the respective annular gap(s). A gas turbine engine includes an epicyclic gearing arrangement having such a planet bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Daniel Alan Niergarth, Brandon Wayne Miller, Bugra Han Ertas, Donald Albert Bradley, Joseph Robert Dickman