Patents by Inventor Michael E. McCune
Michael E. McCune 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).
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Publication number: 20250116327Abstract: A fan drive gear system for a turbofan engine according to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, among other possible things includes a sun gear that is rotatable about an axis, a plurality of intermediate gears driven by the sun gear, and a baffle that is disposed between at least two of the plurality of intermediate gears for defining a lubricant flow path from an interface between the sun gear and at least one of the plurality of intermediate gears. The baffle includes a channel with at least one ramp portion directing lubricant.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 5, 2024Publication date: April 10, 2025Inventors: Janice Jabido, Michael E. McCune
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Publication number: 20250092832Abstract: A fan drive gear system for a turbine engine includes an auxiliary reservoir that is disposed radially outward of a rotating carrier and an oil director that is attached to the carrier. The oil director imparts a rotational flow direction into expelled oil to drive the expelled oil tangentially against an oil receiving surface and into the auxiliary reservoir.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 20, 2023Publication date: March 20, 2025Inventors: Marc J. Muldoon, Michael E. McCune
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Publication number: 20250084785Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a plurality of blades that deliver air into a compressor section and a drive gear system including an epicyclic transmission. A drive shaft interconnects a gear carrier of the epicyclic transmission and the plurality of blades. A turbine section drives an input of the drive gear system through a turbine shaft. The drive gear system is straddle mounted by a first bearing forward of the drive gear system and a second bearing aft of the drive gear system. A ring gear of the epicyclic transmission is coupled to an engine case with a compliant flexure at a position between the first bearing and the second bearing.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 26, 2024Publication date: March 13, 2025Inventors: William G. Sheridan, Michael E. McCune
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Patent number: 12234791Abstract: An exemplary gas turbine engine includes a fan section including a fan rotor and at least one fan blade. A fan pressure ratio across the at least one fan blade is less than 1.45, noninclusive of the pressure across any fan exit guide vane system. The engine further includes a low-pressure compressor having a low-pressure compressor rotor that rotates together with the fan rotor at a common speed in operation, and a geared architecture that drives the low-pressure compressor rotor and the fan rotor. The geared architecture has a gear reduction ratio of greater than 2.5. The engine further includes a high-pressure compressor having a pressure ratio greater than 20, a low-pressure turbine having a pressure ratio greater than 5, and a bypass ratio greater than 10.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2023Date of Patent: February 25, 2025Assignee: RTX CORPORATIONInventors: William G. Sheridan, Michael E. McCune
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Publication number: 20250052202Abstract: A fan drive gear system for a turbine engine includes a gear system with a plurality of compound intermediate gears that each include a first gear portion and a second gear portion. The second gear portion includes a forward gear portion and an aft gear portion and a ring gear assembly includes a forward ring gear that is engaged to the forward gear portion and an aft ring gear that is engaged to the aft gear portion. A carrier supports rotation of the plurality of intermediate gears with a plurality of corresponding journal bearing assemblies.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2023Publication date: February 13, 2025Inventors: Mark A. Klein, Michael E. McCune
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Publication number: 20250052168Abstract: A gas turbine engine according to an example of the present disclosure includes a propulsor section including a propulsor supported on a propulsor shaft, a turbine section including a turbine shaft, a compressor section having a plurality of compressor hubs with blades driven by the turbine shaft about an engine axis, and an epicyclic gear train interconnecting the propulsor shaft and the turbine shaft. The epicyclic gear train includes a sun gear coupled to the turbine shaft, intermediary gears arranged circumferentially about and meshing with the sun gear, a carrier and a ring gear including first and second portions. The first and second portions have axially opposed faces abutting one another at a radial interface.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 29, 2024Publication date: February 13, 2025Inventors: Michael E. McCune, Lawrence E. Portlock, Frederick M. Schwarz
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Publication number: 20250043732Abstract: A method of mounting a gear train to a torque frame comprises the steps of providing a unitary carrier having a central axis that includes spaced apart side walls and circumferentially spaced connecting structure defining mounts that interconnect the side walls, spaced apart apertures provided between the mounts at an outer circumference of the carrier, gear pockets provided between the side walls and the mounts extending to the apertures, and a central opening in at least one of the side walls. A plurality of intermediate gears are inserted in the carrier. A first ring gear half of a ring gear is placed about the outer periphery of the intermediate gears. A torque frame is attached to the carrier.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 18, 2024Publication date: February 6, 2025Inventors: Michael E. McCune, William G. Sheridan
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Patent number: 12188407Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a propulsor and a drive gear system. The drive gear system includes at least one ring gear, a plurality of intermediate gears positioned between and enmeshing with a sun gear and the at least one ring gear, with the plurality of intermediate gears carried by a gear carrier. A first bearing is configured to rotate with the gear carrier. A second bearing is on an opposite side of the drive gear system from the first bearing.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 2023Date of Patent: January 7, 2025Assignee: RTX CORPORATIONInventors: William G. Sheridan, Michael E. McCune
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Patent number: 12168959Abstract: A gear reduction for a gas turbine engine includes intermediate gears, a single structure establishing a carrier centered on an axis and having a pair of axially spaced apart side walls, axially extending circumferentially spaced connecting structure for connecting the pair of side walls, a central opening in at least one of the side walls, and circumferentially spaced smaller openings spaced radially outwardly of the central opening, with internal surfaces of the circumferentially spaced connecting structure defining intermediate gear pockets that extend away from the central opening to the circumferentially spaced openings. The intermediate gears are receivable through the central opening and are secured in the intermediate gear pockets. A ring gear includes a first ring gear half and a second ring gear half placed on an outer periphery of the intermediate gears such that ring gear teeth of the first and second ring gear halves engage with teeth of the intermediate gears.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 2023Date of Patent: December 17, 2024Assignee: RTX CORPORATIONInventors: Michael E. McCune, William G. Sheridan
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Patent number: 12163582Abstract: A gas turbine engine including a drive shaft that drives a propulsor. A frame which supports the drive shaft is a K-frame bearing support. A gear system is connected to the drive shaft. The gear system includes a gear mesh that defines a gear mesh lateral stiffness and a gear mesh transverse. A flexible support supports the gear system that defines a flexible support transverse stiffness and a flexible support lateral stiffness. The flexible support lateral stiffness is less than 8% of the gear mesh lateral stiffness.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2021Date of Patent: December 10, 2024Assignee: RTX CORPORATIONInventors: Michael E. McCune, Jason Husband
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Publication number: 20240401500Abstract: A gas turbine engine according to an example of the present disclosure includes, among other things, propulsor means, first compression means, second compression means, reduction means for reducing a rotational speed of an output that drives the propulsor means relative to an input, first expansion means, and second expansion means. The reduction means includes an epicyclic gear system with a gear reduction. The gear system is straddle-mounted by first and second bearings on opposite sides of the gear reduction relative to an engine longitudinal axis.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 24, 2024Publication date: December 5, 2024Inventors: Frederick M. Schwarz, Gabriel L. Suciu, William K. Ackermann, Daniel Bernard Kupratis, Michael E. McCune
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Patent number: 12123373Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a fan shaft rotatable about an axis, a fan connected to the fan shaft, and an outer housing surrounding the fan to define a bypass passage. A compressor section has both a low pressure compressor that is fixed to rotate with the fan shaft and a high pressure compressor. A turbine section has a low pressure turbine driving a low speed spool and a high pressure turbine driving the high pressure compressor. The low pressure turbine includes rotating blades and a static structure aft of the rotating blades. A fan drivetrain includes a geared architecture connecting the low speed spool to the fan shaft such that the fan and low pressure compressor rotate at a lower speed than the low pressure turbine. A thrust bearing is axially aft of the geared architecture and axially forward of the high pressure compressor. A tower shaft is rotatably driven by the low speed spool.Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 2020Date of Patent: October 22, 2024Assignee: RTX CorporationInventors: Marc J. Muldoon, Michael E. McCune, Andrew J. Murphy
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Patent number: 12084978Abstract: A gas turbine engine according to an example of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a propulsor section including a propulsor supported on a propulsor shaft, a turbine section including a turbine shaft, a compressor section having a plurality of compressor hubs with blades driven by the turbine shaft about an engine axis, and an epicyclic gear train interconnecting the propulsor shaft and the turbine shaft. The epicyclic gear train includes a sun gear coupled to the turbine shaft, intermediary gears arranged circumferentially about and meshing with the sun gear, a carrier and a ring gear including first and second portions. The first and second portions have axially opposed faces abutting one another at a radial interface.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 2023Date of Patent: September 10, 2024Assignee: RTX CORPORATIONInventors: Michael E. McCune, Lawrence E. Portlock, Frederick M. Schwarz
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Patent number: 11994074Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a propulsor section and a speed change mechanism for driving the propulsor section. The speed change mechanism is an epicyclic gear train. A torque frame includes a ring and a plurality of fingers extending from the ring with the plurality of fingers surrounding the speed change mechanism. A bearing support is attached to the plurality of fingers. A first propulsor section support bearing is mounted on a first axial side of the speed change mechanism and a second propulsor section support bearing is mounted on the bearing support on a second axial side of the speed change mechanism. The second propulsor section support bearing is a propulsor thrust bearing. Each of the plurality of fingers include a pin opening with a pin extending through the pin opening and into the epicyclic gear train.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2022Date of Patent: May 28, 2024Assignee: RTX CorporationInventors: Gary D. Roberge, Michael E. McCune, William G. Sheridan
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Patent number: 11982238Abstract: A gas turbine engine may include a high speed spool, a low speed spool, a first epicyclic gear system, and a second epicyclic gear system. Generally, the high speed spool mechanically connects a high pressure turbine to a high pressure compressor, and the low speed spool mechanically connects a low pressure turbine to at least one of a fan and a prop via the first epicyclic gear system and to a low pressure compressor via the second epicyclic gear system, according to various embodiments. The first epicyclic gear system and the second epicyclic gear system may include a common sun gear shaft.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2022Date of Patent: May 14, 2024Assignee: RTX CORPORATIONInventors: William G. Sheridan, Michael E. McCune
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Patent number: 11970982Abstract: A gas turbine engine according to an example of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a propulsor section including a propulsor, a gear reduction, a first spool including a first compressor, a first turbine and a first shaft, and a second spool including a second compressor, a second turbine and a second shaft. The gear reduction includes a carrier and a plurality of gears. The plurality of gears include a sun gear, a ring gear, and a plurality of intermediate gears that engage the sun gear and the ring gear. At least two of the plurality of gears are double helical gears in meshed engagement.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2022Date of Patent: April 30, 2024Assignee: RTX CORPORATIONInventor: Michael E. McCune
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Publication number: 20240110497Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a fan shaft diving a fan having fan blades. The gas turbine engine also includes a gear system including a sun gear surrounded by a plurality of intermediate gear, a carrier at least partially supporting said plurality of intermediate gears, and a ring gear surrounding said plurality of intermediate gears, wherein said sun gear is driven by a turbine. The gas turbine engine also includes a flexible coupling fixing said ring gear from rotation relative to an engine static structure and a lubricating system for said gear system. Said lubricating system includes a lubricant input, there being a stationary first bearing receiving lubricant from said lubricant input. Said bearing has an inner first race in which lubricant flows, and a second bearing for rotation within said first bearing. Said second bearing has a first opening in registration with said inner first race such that lubricant may flow from said inner first race through said first opening into a first conduit.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2023Publication date: April 4, 2024Inventors: William G. Sheridan, Michael E. McCune, Lawrence E. Portlock
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Patent number: 11946540Abstract: A fan drive gear system for a turbofan engine according to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, among other possible things includes a sun gear that is rotatable about an axis, a plurality of intermediate gears driven by the sun gear, and a baffle that is disposed between at least two of the plurality of intermediate gears for defining a lubricant flow path from an interface between the sun gear and at least one of the plurality of intermediate gears. The baffle includes a channel with at least one ramp portion directing lubricant.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2022Date of Patent: April 2, 2024Assignee: RTX CORPORATIONInventors: Janice Jabido, Michael E. McCune
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Patent number: 11933190Abstract: A gear reduction reduces a speed of a fan rotor relative to a speed of a fan drive turbine. A rigid connection between a fan case and an inner core housing includes a plurality of A-frames connected at a connection point to the fan case. Legs in the A-frames extend away from the connection point in opposed circumferential directions to be connected to a compressor wall of the inner core housing. The rigid connection also includes a plurality of fan exit guide vanes rigidly connected to the fan case. A lateral stiffness ratio of the lateral stiffness of the plurality of fan exit guide vanes and a lateral stiffness of a combination of the plurality of A-frame, the compressor wall, and a fan intermediate case which is forward of the low pressure compressor being greater than or equal to 0.6 and less than or equal to 2.0.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2023Date of Patent: March 19, 2024Assignee: RTX CorporationInventors: Marc J. Muldoon, Michael E. McCune, Keith B. Allyn
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Patent number: 11913349Abstract: A turbofan engine according to an example of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a fan, a compressor section, a turbine section including a fan drive turbine and a second turbine, an epicyclic gear system with a gear reduction, first and second bearings, and a fan drive shaft interconnecting the gear system and the fan. The fan drive turbine has a first exit area at a first exit point and is rotatable at a first speed. The second turbine has a second exit area at a second exit point and is rotatable at a second speed. A first performance quantity is defined as the product of the first speed squared and the first area. A second performance quantity is defined as the product of the second speed squared and the second area.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 2023Date of Patent: February 27, 2024Assignee: RTX CORPORATIONInventors: Frederick M. Schwarz, Gabriel L. Suciu, William K. Ackermann, Daniel Bernard Kupratis, Michael E. McCune