Patents by Inventor Paolo Altamura

Paolo Altamura 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: 20190383331
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a shaft assembly (95) for a turbine engine (10), wherein the turbine engine includes a fan or propeller assembly (14) and an engine core (20), and further wherein the fan or propeller assembly includes a gearbox (45), and wherein the engine core includes one or more rotors (32). The shaft assembly (95) includes a flexible shaft (100) defining a first end (101) and a second end (102) along the axial direction, wherein the first end is connected to the engine core (20) and the second end is connected to the gearbox (45), and wherein a plurality of splines (110) is defined at the second end (102) and coupled to a spline interface (46) at the gearbox (45); and a coupling (120) extended at least partially in the radial direction and coupled to the engine core and the flexible shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2018
    Publication date: December 19, 2019
    Inventors: Marco Garabello, Paolo Altamura, Gian Mario Bragallini, Alessio Gargioli, Jan Biskupski
  • Patent number: 10415693
    Abstract: An oil transfer assembly supplies oil into a moving, rotating tube extending along an axis. The assembly is provided with a support plate transversal to the axis and a sleeve, which is angularly fixed with respect to the support plate, it is configured to be coupled in a sliding and watertight way to a terminal section of the inlet of said tube and has at least one chamber for transferring oil into said terminal section of the inlet. The assembly is also equipped with at least two tubular bodies, which project axially from the support plate, define between them an annular channel communicating with the chamber and join the sleeve to the support plate in a watertight manner and with clearances so as to leave freedom of orientation of the sleeve around any direction orthogonal to the axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Paolo Altamura
  • Publication number: 20190250065
    Abstract: A testing rig has a fixed supporting structure, a motor device controlled to drive a shaft portion about a rotation axis, and a misalignment applying unit for applying a parallel offset to a portion of a transmission element that, in use, is under test. The misalignment applying unit is provided with a connecting member, designed to be fastened to the portion of the transmission element in a coaxial position along an axis, and with an eccentric bushing which is connected to the connecting member by an inner bearing in a rotational manner about such axis. The bushing is connected to the fixed supporting structure by an outer bearing in a rotational manner about a further axis which is parallel and eccentric. An actuator device is controlled to rotate the bushing with respect to the fixed supporting structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2017
    Publication date: August 15, 2019
    Inventor: Paolo ALTAMURA
  • Publication number: 20180283464
    Abstract: An output assembly for an accessory system of a gas turbine engine includes a first rotating member extending along an axis and including a mechanical connector for coupling the output assembly to an accessory system. The output assembly also including a second rotating member extending along the axis, the second rotating member coupled to the first rotating member at a first axial position and at a second axial position, the second rotating member coupled to the first rotating member at the second axial position through a one-way clutch. Additionally, the first rotating member of the output assembly further includes an extension member extending at least partially between the first axial position and the second axial position, the extension member including a designed fail point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2018
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Inventor: Paolo ALTAMURA
  • Publication number: 20170335896
    Abstract: An accessory assembly of a turbine engine has a support structure and a shaft coupled to the support structure by means of a pair of main bearings and provided with an end portion, which has a shear neck designed to break when the torque transmitted to that shaft exceeds a predetermined design threshold; the accessory assembly also has a gear, which defines a motion inlet, is fixed to the end portion and, when said shear neck breaks, remains supported by a single secondary bearing; the latter is distinct from said main bearings and is arranged axially between said shear neck and the gear.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2015
    Publication date: November 23, 2017
    Inventor: Paolo Altamura
  • Patent number: 9797475
    Abstract: An epicyclic transmission has a sun gear rotating about a transmission axis, a planet carrier provided with a plurality of tenons, which extend along respective supporting axes, and a plurality of planet gears meshing with the sun gear and supported by the tenons, by means of the interposition of bearings which allow the planet gears to rotate about respective rotation axes, parallel to the transmission axis; the inner rings of the bearings are coupled to the tenons in a swiveling manner by means of joint devices defined by cylindrical hinges which hinge about hinge axes which are fixed with respect to the tenons and lay on a plane orthogonal to the transmission and rotation axes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: GE AVIO S.R.L.
    Inventor: Paolo Altamura
  • Publication number: 20170175872
    Abstract: A rolling bearing is mounted on a gear shaft, which extends along an axis and carries a first and a second toothing axially separated from each other by a cylindrical portion of the gear shaft. Such a cylindrical portion has an outer diameter smaller than that of the first toothing. The bearing is provided with rolling bodies, a cage with seats engageable by the rolling bodies, and an outer ring defining an outer rolling path for the rolling bodies. During assembly, the cage is fitted around the first toothing and axially displaced towards the second toothing until it is arranged around the cylindrical portion. In this step, the tenons of the cage pass in the slots between the teeth of the first toothing. Subsequently, the rolling bodies are radially inserted in the respective seats so as to be arranged against the cylindrical portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2016
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Inventors: Paolo ALTAMURA, Salvatore PERCACCIOLO, Leonardo ORLANDO, Marco MAFFIOTTO
  • Publication number: 20170175877
    Abstract: An oil transfer assembly supplies oil into a moving, rotating tube extending along an axis. The assembly is provided with a support plate transversal to the axis and a sleeve, which is angularly fixed with respect to the support plate, it is configured to be coupled in a sliding and watertight way to a terminal section of the inlet of said tube and has at least one chamber for transferring oil into said terminal section of the inlet. The assembly is also equipped with at least two tubular bodies, which project axially from the support plate, define between them an annular channel communicating with the chamber and join the sleeve to the support plate in a watertight manner and with clearances so as to leave freedom of orientation of the sleeve around any direction orthogonal to the axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Inventor: Paolo ALTAMURA
  • Publication number: 20170114884
    Abstract: An oil transfer assembly has a fixed structure, with at least one inlet for receiving lubricating oil, and an interface member rotating about an axis and having a front face, from which at least one duct starts for conveying the lubricating oil; the assembly is provided with a slide having an annular chamber, which is delimited axially, on one side, by the front face and connects the inlet with the duct; the slide is coupled to the front face so as to guarantee a seal for the fluid of the annular chamber and engages a guide seat provided in the structure in an axially sliding manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2015
    Publication date: April 27, 2017
    Inventor: Paolo Altamura
  • Patent number: 9523424
    Abstract: An epyciclic transmission has a sun gear rotational about a transmission axis, a plurality of planet wheels meshing with the sun gear, and a carrier which supports the planet wheels and is rotational about the transmission axis; the transmission also has a lubricating system provided with at least one nozzle arranged in fixed position, with a collection channel fixed with respect to the carrier and configured to receive a jet of oil exiting from the nozzle, and with at least one pump having a casing fixed to the carrier; the pump is actuated by means of a transmission device in response to the rotation of the carrier to pump the oil from the collection channel to zones on the carrier which require lubrication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: GE AVIO S.R.L.
    Inventor: Paolo Altamura
  • Publication number: 20150345591
    Abstract: An epicyclic transmission has a sun gear rotating about a transmission axis, a planet carrier provided with a plurality of tenons, which extend along respective supporting axes, and a plurality of planet gears meshing with the sun gear and supported by the tenons, by means of the interposition of bearings which allow the planet gears to rotate about respective rotation axes, parallel to the transmission axis; the inner rings of the bearings are coupled to the tenons in a swiveling manner by means of joint devices defined by cylindrical hinges which hinge about hinge axes which are fixed with respect to the tenons and lay on a plane orthogonal to the transmission and rotation axes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2015
    Publication date: December 3, 2015
    Inventor: Paolo ALTAMURA
  • Publication number: 20150316141
    Abstract: An epyciclic transmission has a sun gear rotational about a transmission axis, a plurality of planet wheels meshing with the sun gear, and a carrier which supports the planet wheels and is rotational about the transmission axis; the transmission also has a lubricating system provided with at least one nozzle arranged in fixed position, with a collection channel fixed with respect to the carrier and configured to receive a jet of oil exiting from the nozzle, and with at least one pump having a casing fixed to the carrier; the pump is actuated by means of a transmission device in response to the rotation of the carrier to pump the oil from the collection channel to zones on the carrier which require lubrication.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2015
    Publication date: November 5, 2015
    Inventor: Paolo ALTAMURA
  • Patent number: 9103413
    Abstract: An epicyclic gearing has a plurality of planet gears arranged about a transmission axis so as to form two arrays symmetrical with respect to a plane orthogonal to the transmission axis; the gearing has a body which, on one side, is adapted to be connected to a rotating member and, on the other side, is coupled to a ring; the ring has a plurality of relatively thin plate sectors and a plurality of pins, which extend in cantilever fashion and in opposite directions from the plate sectors and each support a respective planet gear; coupling between the aforesaid body and the ring defines at least one degree of freedom in rotation about a radial axis to allow a relative movement under load between the two components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: GE AVIO S.R.L.
    Inventors: Edoardo Curti, Michele Gravina, Giulio Zagato, Luca Ronchiato, Elio Perona, Paolo Altamura
  • Patent number: 8986160
    Abstract: In an epicyclic gear system, each planet gear is connected by a respective connecting pin to an asymmetric planet carrier having two plate portions connected to each other, and only one of which is connectable to a reaction member; and at least one end portion of each connecting pin and the plate portion connected to the reaction member are connected by a radially undulated annular wall flexible angularly and radially.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Avio S.p.A.
    Inventors: Paolo Altamura, Edoardo Curti, Giovanni Oddone, Michele Gravina, Giulio Zagato
  • Publication number: 20140309078
    Abstract: An epicyclic gearing has a plurality of planet gears arranged about a transmission axis so as to form two arrays symmetrical with respect to a plane orthogonal to the transmission axis; the gearing has a body which, on one side, is adapted to be connected to a rotating member and, on the other side, is coupled to a ring; the ring has a plurality of relatively thin plate sectors and a plurality of pins, which extend in cantilever fashion and in opposite directions from the plate sectors and each support a respective planet gear; coupling between the aforesaid body and the ring defines at least one degree of freedom in rotation about a radial axis to allow a relative movement under load between the two components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2012
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Inventors: Edoardo Curti, Michele Gravina, Giulio Zagato, Luca Ronchiato, Elio Perona, Paolo Altamura
  • Patent number: 6634861
    Abstract: A power plant for propeller aircraft has two propulsion devices, each having a propeller, an engine for powering the propeller, and a gear transmission interposed between the engine and the propeller. The transmission has a power input shaft connected directly to the engine, and a power output shaft supporting the propeller and rotated with respect to the input shaft about a hinge axis perpendicular to the output shaft. The gear transmission also has a single gear fitted to the output shaft and having two opposed sets of teeth meshing with a pair of pinions. One of the pinions extends coaxially with the hinge axis, and is connected to the input shaft by a single pair of gears.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2003
    Assignee: Fiatavio S.p.A.
    Inventor: Paolo Altamura
  • Patent number: 6409414
    Abstract: A pin for connecting a gear to a supporting member has a first and a second longitudinal end portion connectable to the supporting member; a first intermediate portion extending from the first end portion; and a second intermediate portion extending from the second end portion, and which differs in size from the first intermediate portion and has a flexural strength differing from that of the first intermediate portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2002
    Assignee: Fiatavio S.p.A.
    Inventors: Paolo Altamura, Giovanni Oddone
  • Patent number: 6122985
    Abstract: A torque-dividing transmission, particularly for aircraft, having a single nput pinion and a single output gear, both rotating about respective fixed axes; at least two gear assemblies, both interposed between the pinion and the output gear, and each for transferring a respective portion of the torque from the pinion to the output gear; and a torque-dividing device for dividing the input torque equally between the two gear assemblies; the torque-dividing device having, for each gear assembly, a number of elongated elements elastically bendable in use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2000
    Assignee: Elasis Sistema Ricerca Fiat Nel Mezzogiorno Societa Consortile per Azioni
    Inventor: Paolo Altamura