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).

  • Publication number: 20190120084
    Abstract: A turbofan engine according to an example of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a fan, and an outer housing surrounding the fan to define a bypass flow path, a compressor, a turbine section including a fan drive turbine and a second turbine, an epicyclic gear system with a gear reduction, the fan drive turbine driving the fan through the gear system, and the gear system straddle-mounted by first and second bearings. 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: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Publication date: April 25, 2019
    Inventors: Frederick M. Schwarz, Gabriel L. Suciu, William K. Ackermann, Daniel Bernard Kupratis, Michael E. McCune
  • Patent number: 10267232
    Abstract: A gearbox assembly for a gas turbofan engine includes a sun gear rotatable about an axis and a plurality of intermediate gears driven by the sun gear. A baffle disposed between at least two of the plurality of intermediate gears includes a first gap distance within a first gap portion and a second gap distance within a second gap portion. The first gap portion is disposed between the baffle and one of the intermediate gears away from the meshed interface with the sun gear and the second gap portion is disposed near the interface with the sun gear. The first gap distance within the first gap portion is different than the second gap distance within the second gap portion to define a desired lubricant flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Michael E. McCune, Marc J. Muldoon
  • Publication number: 20190113003
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine according to an example of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a turbo fan shaft and a turbo fan supported on the fan shaft, a compressor section having compressor hubs with blades driven about an axis, and an epicyclic gear system driving the fan shaft. The gear system includes a carrier supporting intermediate gears that mesh with a sun gear, a ring gear surrounding and meshing with the intermediate gears, the ring gear including first and second portions each having an inner periphery with teeth, the first and second portions abutting one another at a radial interface, each of the first and second portions including a flange extending radially outward, and the first and second portions having grooves at the radial interface which form a hole that expels oil through the ring gear to a gutter, and an input shaft driving the fan shaft through the gear system, the input shaft connected to the sun gear.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2018
    Publication date: April 18, 2019
    Inventors: Michael E. McCune, Lawrence E. Portlock, Frederick M. Schwarz
  • Publication number: 20190113128
    Abstract: An epicyclic gear train for a gas turbine engine according to an example of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a gutter having an annular channel, a sun gear rotatable about an axis, intermediary gears arranged circumferentially about and meshing with the sun gear, and a carrier supporting the intermediary gears, and a ring gear arranged about and intermeshing with the intermediary gears, the ring gear having an aperture axially aligned with the annular channel. The ring gear includes axially spaced apart walls that extend radially outward to define a passageway, and the passageway is arranged radially between the aperture and the annular channel such that the walls inhibit an axial flow of an oil passing from the aperture toward the annular channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2018
    Publication date: April 18, 2019
    Inventors: Michael E. McCune, Lawrence E. Portlock
  • Patent number: 10247020
    Abstract: A turbine engine system includes a gutter and a gear train with an axial centerline. The gutter is disposed radially outside of the axial centerline. The gutter includes an inner surface and a channel that receives fluid directed out of the gear train. The inner surface at least partially defines a bore in which the gear train is arranged. The channel extends radially into the gutter from the inner surface, and circumferentially to a channel outlet. The bore has a cross-sectional bore area, and the channel has a cross-sectional channel area that is substantially equal to or less than about two percent of the bore area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Michael E. McCune
  • Patent number: 10233772
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine (20) and method for containing a fan inside an engine after a fan thrust bearing assembly failure. The engine (20) may comprise a fan (42), a housing (100) including a compartment (102), a fan shaft (104) inside the compartment (102) and comprising a bowl (108), a support structure (110) inside the compartment (102), a speed sensor pickup (114) mounted on the outer surface (120) of the bowl (108), a speed sensor (112) mounted on the support structure (110), and a fan thrust bearing assembly (41) disposed forward of the bowl (108). The fan thrust bearing assembly (41) including a bearing (126). The speed sensor (112) and the sensor pickup (114) define a defining a sensor gap (116). The bearing (126) and the outer surface (120) defining a fan thrust bearing gap (130), wherein the sensor gap (116) is less than the fan thrust bearing gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Michael E. McCune
  • Patent number: 10227893
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine according to an example of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a fan shaft driving a fan having fan blades. A fan shaft support supports the fan shaft and defines a support transverse stiffness. A gear system is connected to the fan shaft and includes a gear mesh defining a gear mesh transverse stiffness and a reduction ratio greater than 2.3. A gear system input is connected to the gear system and defines a gear system input lateral stiffness. A flexible support supports the gear system and defines a flexible support transverse stiffness. The gear system input lateral stiffness is less than 5% of the gear mesh lateral stiffness and the flexible support transverse stiffness is less than 20% of the fan shaft support transverse stiffness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael E. McCune, Jason Husband
  • Publication number: 20190072040
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a fan section and a speed change mechanism for driving the fan section. The speed change mechanism is an epicyclic gear train. A torque frame surrounds the speed change mechanism and includes a plurality of fingers. A bearing support is attached to the plurality of fingers. A first fan section support bearing is mounted forward of the speed change mechanism and a second fan section bearing is mounted on the bearing support aft of the speed change mechanism. The second fan section bearing is a fan thrust bearing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2018
    Publication date: March 7, 2019
    Inventors: Gary D. Roberge, Michael E. McCune, William G. Sheridan
  • Patent number: 10221771
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a fan section and a speed change mechanism for driving the fan section. A first fan section support bearing is mounted forward of the speed change mechanism and a second fan section bearing is mounted aft of the speed change mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gary D. Roberge, Michael E. McCune, William G. Sheridan
  • Patent number: 10208624
    Abstract: The present disclosure is applicable to all gear trains using a journal bearing as a means of supporting gear shaft rotation. It is related in some embodiments to a system and method for supplying lubricant to the journal bearings of a gear-turbofan engine gear train when the fan rotor is subjected to a wind-milling condition in both directions, either clockwise or counter-clockwise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Loc Quang Duong, Xiaolan Hu, Ernest Boratgis, Michael E. McCune
  • Patent number: 10202902
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a geared architecture with a multiple of intermediate gears, and a baffle with an oil scavenge scoop adjacent to each of the multiple of intermediate gears. A geared architecture and method are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Michael E. McCune, Zachary R. Nado
  • Patent number: 10196989
    Abstract: An epicyclic gear train includes a carrier that supports star gears that mesh with a sun gear. A ring gear surrounds and meshes with the star gears. The star gears are supported on respective journal bearings. Each of the journal bearings includes a peripheral journal surface and each of the star gears includes a radially inner journal surface that is in contact with the peripheral journal surface of the respective journal bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael E. McCune, Lawrence E. Portlock, Frederick M. Schwarz
  • Publication number: 20190032770
    Abstract: A gear reduction for a gas turbine engine comprises a carrier driven to rotate gears. The gears are supported by journal bearings. The carrier extends through a transfer bearing, which provides oil to passages within the carrier to supply oil to the gears and to the journal bearings. A device limits leakage oil from the transfer bearing to axial ends of the transfer bearing to a controlled amount. A gas turbine engine is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2018
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Inventor: Michael E. McCune
  • Publication number: 20190011033
    Abstract: A gear includes a multiple of gear teeth that extend from an outer portion of a rim about an axis and an inner portion of the rim about the axis, the inner portion of the rim additive manufactured.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2018
    Publication date: January 10, 2019
    Applicant: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Michael E. McCune
  • Patent number: 10161408
    Abstract: What is described is a system for pumping lubricant to a component of a gas turbine engine. The system includes a fan gear coupled to a fan shaft of the gas turbine engine and configured to rotate in a forward direction and in a reverse direction based at least partially on a direction of wind relative to a fan of the gas turbine engine. The system also includes a first pump coupled to the fan gear and configured to pump lubricant to the component in response to the fan rotating in the forward direction. The system also includes a second pump coupled to the fan gear and configured to pump lubricant to the component in response to the fan rotating in the reverse direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jacob Peter Mastro, Michael E. McCune
  • Publication number: 20180363665
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine has a fan drive turbine driving a gear reduction, the gear reduction, in turn, driving a fan rotor, the fan rotor delivering air into a bypass duct as bypass air and into a compressor section as core flow. A forward bearing is positioned between the gear reduction and the fan rotor and supports the gear reduction. A second bearing is positioned aft of the gear reduction and supports the gear reduction. The second bearing is a thrust bearing. A fan drive turbine drive shaft drives the gear reduction. The fan drive turbine drive shaft has a weakened link which is aft of the second bearing such that the fan drive turbine drive shaft will tend to fail at the weakened link, and at a location aft of the second bearing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2017
    Publication date: December 20, 2018
    Inventors: William G. Sheridan, Michael E. McCune
  • Publication number: 20180355803
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine comprises a fan drive turbine for driving a gear reduction, which drives a fan rotor. A lubrication system supplies oil to the gear reduction. An oil tank is relatively small. The lubrication system operates to allow oil to remain in the oil tank for a dwell time of less than or equal to five seconds. A method of designing a gas turbine engine is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2018
    Publication date: December 13, 2018
    Inventors: William G. Sheridan, Michael E. McCune
  • Publication number: 20180347428
    Abstract: In an embodiment of the present disclosure, a gas turbine engine includes a fan, a first compressor stage and a second compressor stage, a first turbine stage and a second turbine stage, and wherein said first turbine stage drives said second compressor stage as a high spool, and wherein said second turbine stage drives said first compressor stage as part of a low spool, and a gear train driving said fan with said low spool, and such that said fan and said first compressor stage rotate in the same direction, and wherein said high spool operates at higher pressures than said low spool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2018
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Inventors: William G. Sheridan, Michael E. McCune, Lawrence E. Portlock
  • Patent number: 10125858
    Abstract: An epicyclic gear train for a turbine engine includes a gutter with an annular channel. A rotating structure includes a ring gear. The rotating structure has an aperture that is axially aligned with the annular channel. Axially spaced apart walls extend radially outward relative to the rotating structure to define a passageway. The passageway is arranged radially between the aperture and the annular channel. The walls are configured to inhibit an axial flow of an oil passing from the aperture toward the annular channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Michael E. McCune, Lawrence E. Portlock
  • Publication number: 20180313274
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine comprises a high speed spool and a low speed spool. A low speed power takeoff is driven by the low speed spool and a high speed power takeoff is driven by the high speed spool. The low speed power takeoff drives a plurality of low speed driven accessories about low speed spool drive axes and the high speed power takeoff drives a plurality of high speed driven accessories about high speed spool drive axes. The low speed spool drive axes are generally tangential to an envelope defined about a center axis of the engine, and the high speed spool drive axes are generally tangential to an envelope defined about the center.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2017
    Publication date: November 1, 2018
    Inventors: Gabriel L. Suciu, Hung Duong, Jonathan F. Zimmitti, William G. Sheridan, Michael E. McCune, Brian Merry