Patents by Inventor Paul W. Futa
Paul W. Futa 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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Patent number: 6892544Abstract: A purge air and fuel flow divider module (15) independently directs fuel flow to a plurality of manifolds (25, 27 and 29) and independently purges fuel from these manifolds with air when they are not flowing fuel. A secondary manifold (29) is filled with fuel before flowing metered burn flow to it and fuel flow is apportioned between a primary manifold (27) and the secondary manifold (29) during secondary manifold metered burn flow. Three manifolds are disclosed, a primary manifold (27), a secondary manifold (29) and a start or pilot manifold (25), each containing fuel nozzles (31, 33). A manifold main housing (61) contains a purge valve (41) and two three-way solenoids (37, 39) controlling respectively a secondary transfer valve (43) and a pilot nozzle transfer valve (45). Depending on the requirements, the solenoids position the valves to either provide manifold fill fuel, burn flow fuel or purge air to their respective manifolds.Type: GrantFiled: April 29, 2002Date of Patent: May 17, 2005Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.Inventors: Paul W. Futa, Jr., David W. Rice, Thomas A. Nieter
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Patent number: 6751939Abstract: A fuel flow dividing ecology valve conveys fuel from a fuel source to at least a secondary gas turbine engine intake manifold during engine operation and withdraws fuel therefrom upon cessation of engine operation. The valve includes a flow dividing valve portion having an inlet coupled to the fuel source and an outlet coupled to the secondary manifold. The valve also includes an ecology valve portion controlled by the fuel pressure differential between the fuel source and the flow restricting inlet. The ecology valve portion includes a housing with a movable piston disposed therein. The piston defines, in conjunction with the housing, a variable volume chamber for withdrawing fuel from the engine intake manifolds. When the engine is de-energized, the piston moves from a first position toward a second position thereby purging the manifolds of fuel.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2002Date of Patent: June 22, 2004Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.Inventors: Paul W. Futa, Jr., Dennis G. Demers
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Publication number: 20030233823Abstract: A fuel flow dividing ecology valve (35, 59) selectively conveys fuel from a fuel source (31) to at least a secondary gas turbine engine intake manifold (25) during engine operation and withdraws fuel therefrom upon cessation of engine operation. The valve includes a flow dividing valve portion (41) having an inlet (65) coupled to the fuel source and an outlet (67) coupled to the secondary manifold. The flow dividing valve portion transitions from a fuel flow blocking condition to a condition in which fuel may flow from the source to the manifold solely in response to the fuel pressure differential between the inlet and the outlet. The valve also includes an ecology valve portion (43) controlled solely by the fuel pressure differential between the dividing valve portion inlet and outlet for withdrawing fuel from the secondary engine intake manifold when the engine is de-energized thereby purging the manifold of fuel, and returning withdrawn fuel to the manifold during subsequent engine operation.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 25, 2002Publication date: December 25, 2003Inventors: Paul W. Futa, Dennis G. Demers
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Publication number: 20030200754Abstract: A purge air and fuel flow divider module (15) independently directs fuel flow to a plurality of manifolds (25, 27 and 29) and independently purges fuel from these manifolds with air when they are not flowing fuel. A secondary manifold (29) is filled with fuel before flowing metered burn flow to it and fuel flow is apportioned between a primary manifold (27) and the secondary manifold (29) during secondary manifold metered burn flow. Three manifolds are disclosed, a primary manifold (27), a secondary manifold (29) and a start or pilot manifold (25), each containing fuel nozzles (31, 33). A manifold main housing (61) contains a purge valve (41) and two three-way solenoids (37, 39) controlling respectively a secondary transfer valve (43) and a pilot nozzle transfer valve (45). Depending on the requirements, the solenoids position the valves to either provide manifold fill fuel, burn flow fuel or purge air to their respective manifolds.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 29, 2002Publication date: October 30, 2003Inventors: Paul W. Futa, David W. Rice, Thomas A. Nieter
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Patent number: 6484510Abstract: A fuel control system for supplying metered quantities of fuel from a fuel supply (11), through a fuel pump (13), a metering valve (15) and a pressurizing valve (17) to a plurality of engine fuel manifolds (31a, 31b, 33) includes an ecology valve (43) for withdrawing fuel from the engine fuel manifolds (31a, 31b, 33) during cessation of engine operation and for returning fuel to the engine fuel manifolds (31a, 31b, 33) to be burned during normal engine operation. The ecology valve (43) includes a valve housing (44) having a plurality of ecology ports (50, 52, 54) adapted to be coupled to corresponding ones of the engine fuel manifolds (31a, 31b, 33) and a control port (46) adapted to be connected to a corresponding control port (45) of the fuel pressurizing valve (17).Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2001Date of Patent: November 26, 2002Assignee: AlliedSignal Inc.Inventors: Paul W. Futa, Jr., Steven F. Fisher, Kevin R. Sharp
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Publication number: 20020095936Abstract: A fuel control system for supplying metered quantities of fuel from a fuel supply (11), through a fuel pump (13), a metering valve (15) and a pressurizing valve (17) to a plurality of engine fuel manifolds (31a, 31b, 33) includes an ecology valve (43) for withdrawing fuel from the engine fuel manifolds (31a, 31b, 33) during cessation of engine operation and for returning fuel to the engine fuel manifolds (31a, 31b, 33) to be burned during normal engine operation. The ecology valve (43) includes a valve housing (44) having a plurality of ecology ports (50, 52, 54) adapted to be coupled to corresponding ones of the engine fuel manifolds (31a, 31b, 33) and a control port (46) adapted to be connected to a corresponding control port (45) of the fuel pressurizing valve (17).Type: ApplicationFiled: December 11, 2001Publication date: July 25, 2002Inventors: Paul W. Futa, Steven F. Fisher, Kevin R. Sharp
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Patent number: 6422021Abstract: A fuel control system for supplying metered quantities of fuel from a fuel supply (11), through a fuel pump (13), a metering valve (15) and a pressurizing valve (17) to a plurality of engine fuel manifolds (31a, 31b, 33) includes an ecology valve (43) for withdrawing fuel from the engine fuel manifolds (31a, 31b, 33) during cessation of engine operation and for returning fuel to the engine fuel manifolds (31a, 31b, 33) to be burned during normal engine operation. The ecology valve (43) includes a valve housing (44) having a plurality of ecology ports (50, 52, 54) adapted to be coupled to corresponding ones of the engine fuel manifolds (31a, 31b, 33) and a control port (46) adapted to be connected to a corresponding control port (45) of the fuel pressurizing valve (17).Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2001Date of Patent: July 23, 2002Assignee: AlliedSignal Inc.Inventors: Paul W. Futa, Jr., Steven F. Fisher, Kevin R. Sharp
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Patent number: 6385962Abstract: A fuel control system for supplying metered quantities of fuel from a fuel supply (11), through a fuel pump (13), a metering valve (15) and a pressurizing valve (17) to a plurality of engine fuel manifolds (31a, 31b, 33) includes an ecology valve (43) for withdrawing fuel from the engine fuel manifolds (31a, 31b, 33) during cessation of engine operation and for returning fuel to the engine fuel manifolds (31a, 31b, 33) to be burned during normal engine operation. The ecology valve (43) includes a valve housing (44) having a plurality of ecology ports (50, 52, 54) adapted to be coupled to corresponding ones of the engine fuel manifolds (31a, 31b, 33) and a control port (46) adapted to be connected to a corresponding control port (45) of the fuel pressurizing valve (17).Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 2001Date of Patent: May 14, 2002Assignee: AlliedSignal Inc.Inventors: Paul W. Futa, Jr., Steven F. Fisher, Kevin R. Sharp
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Publication number: 20020053208Abstract: A fuel control system for supplying metered quantities of fuel from a fuel supply (11), through a fuel pump (13), a metering valve (15) and a pressurizing valve (17) to a plurality of engine fuel manifolds (31a, 31b, 33) includes an ecology valve (43) for withdrawing fuel from the engine fuel manifolds (31a, 31b, 33) during cessation of engine operation and for returning fuel to the engine fuel manifolds (31a, 31b, 33) to be burned during normal engine operation. The ecology valve (43) includes a valve housing (44) having a plurality of ecology ports (50, 52, 54) adapted to be coupled to corresponding ones of the engine fuel manifolds (31a, 31b, 33) and a control port (46) adapted to be connected to a corresponding control port (45) of the fuel pressurizing valve (17).Type: ApplicationFiled: December 11, 2001Publication date: May 9, 2002Inventors: Paul W. Futa, Steven F. Fisher, Kevin R. Sharp
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Patent number: 6334296Abstract: A fuel control system for supplying metered quantities of fuel from a fuel supply (11), through a fuel pump (13), a metering valve (15) and a pressurizing valve (17) to a plurality of engine fuel manifolds (31a, 31b, 33) includes an ecology valve (43) for withdrawing fuel from the engine fuel manifolds (31a, 31b, 33) during cessation of engine operation and for returning fuel to the engine fuel manifolds (31a, 31b, 33) to be burned during normal engine operation. The ecology valve (43) includes a valve housing (44) having a plurality of ecology ports (50, 52, 54) adapted to be coupled to corresponding ones of the engine fuel manifolds (31a, 31b, 33) and a control port (46) adapted to be connected to a corresponding control port (45) of the fuel pressurizing valve (17).Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 2001Date of Patent: January 1, 2002Assignee: AlliedSignal Inc.Inventors: Paul W. Futa, Jr., Steven F. Fisher, Kevin R. Sharp
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Patent number: 6328056Abstract: An unbalance compensated bypass valve (14, 21, 23) for a gas turbine engine fuel supply system is responsive to the fuel pressure differential across a fuel metering valve (15) to open and close a bypass orifice (37, 39, 41; 89, 91, 93; 99, 101, 103). The bypass valve (14, 21, 23) selectively supplies high fuel pressure to a compensating cavity (45, 95, 120) providing a counterbalancing force against an annular area (47, 97, 124) of the bypass valve piston (34, 81, 83, 111, 112) to compensate for increased restorative forces of a helical reference spring (57, 112, 125) as that spring is collapsed as well as to compensate for other unbalance conditions within the valve (14, 21, 23). The compensating cavity may include a variable orifice inlet (37, 39, 41), (99, 101, 103), or (89, 91, 93) and a variable orifice outlet (105, 107, 109) or the inlet orifice may be variable while the outlet orifice (43, 96, 99) is fixed.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2000Date of Patent: December 11, 2001Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.Inventors: Abhay Kumar, Paul W. Futa, Jr., Steven F. Fisher
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Patent number: 6314998Abstract: A fuel control system for supplying metered quantities of fuel from a fuel supply (11), through a fuel pump (13), a metering valve (15) and a pressurizing valve (17) to a plurality of engine fuel manifolds (31a, 31b, 33) includes an ecology valve (43) for withdrawing fuel from the engine fuel manifolds (31a, 31b, 33) during cessation of engine operation and for returning fuel to the engine fuel manifolds (31a, 31b, 33) to be burned during normal engine operation. The ecology valve (43) includes a valve housing (44) having a plurality of ecology ports (50, 52, 54) adapted to be coupled to corresponding ones of the engine fuel manifolds (31a, 31b, 33) and a control port (46) adapted to be connected to a corresponding control port (45) of the fuel pressurizing valve (17).Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 1999Date of Patent: November 13, 2001Assignee: AlliedSignal Inc.Inventors: Paul W. Futa, Jr., Steven F. Fisher, Kevin R. Sharp
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Publication number: 20010027640Abstract: A fuel control system for supplying metered quantities of fuel from a fuel supply (11), through a fuel pump (13), a metering valve (15) and a pressurizing valve (17) to a plurality of engine fuel manifolds (31a, 31b, 33) includes an ecology valve (43) for withdrawing fuel from the engine fuel manifolds (31a, 31b, 33) during cessation of engine operation and for returning fuel to the engine fuel manifolds (31a, 31b, 33) to be burned during normal engine operation. The ecology valve (43) includes a valve housing (44) having a plurality of ecology ports (50, 52, 54) adapted to be coupled to corresponding ones of the engine fuel manifolds (31a, 31b, 33) and a control port (46) adapted to be connected to a corresponding control port (45) of the fuel pressurizing valve (17).Type: ApplicationFiled: June 6, 2001Publication date: October 11, 2001Inventors: Paul W. Futa, Steven F. Fisher, Kevin R. Sharp
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Publication number: 20010025482Abstract: A fuel control system for supplying metered quantities of fuel from a fuel supply (11), through a fuel pump (13), a metering valve (15) and a pressurizing valve (17) to a plurality of engine fuel manifolds (31a, 31b, 33) includes an ecology valve (43) for withdrawing fuel from the engine fuel manifolds (31a, 31b, 33) during cessation of engine operation and for returning fuel to the engine fuel manifolds (31a, 31b, 33) to be burned during normal engine operation. The ecology valve (43) includes a valve housing (44) having a plurality of ecology ports (50, 52, 54) adapted to be coupled to corresponding ones of the engine fuel manifolds (31a, 31b, 33) and a control port (46) adapted to be connected to a corresponding control port (45) of the fuel pressurizing valve (17).Type: ApplicationFiled: June 6, 2001Publication date: October 4, 2001Inventors: Paul W. Futa, Steven F. Fisher, Kevin R. Sharp
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Patent number: 6195978Abstract: A fuel control system for supplying metered quantities of fuel from a fuel supply (11), through a boost pump (13), a filter (21), a high pressure fuel pump (14), a metering valve (15) and a pressurizing valve (17) to an engine fuel manifold (19) includes an ecology valve (43) which provides a fuel flow path (41, 42, 71, 46, 18) between the pressurizing valve (17) and the engine fuel manifold. The status of the ecology valve (43) is solely determined by the status of the pressurizing valve (17). The ecology valve (43) includes a housing (93, 95, 97) with a piston (61) disposed therein which is reciprocable between two extreme positions. The piston (61) defines, in conjunction with the housing, a variable volume chamber (55) for withdrawing a one piston stroke volume of fuel from the engine fuel manifold when the engine is de-energized and the piston (61) moves from one extreme position to the other thereby purging the fuel manifold of fuel.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 1999Date of Patent: March 6, 2001Assignee: AlliedSignal Inc.Inventor: Paul W. Futa, Jr.
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Patent number: 6135135Abstract: An unbalance compensated bypass valve (23) for a gas turbine engine fuel supply system is responsive to the fuel pressure differential across a fuel metering valve (15) to open and close a bypass orifice (37, 39, 41). The bypass valve (23) selectively supplies high fuel pressure to providing a counterbalancing force against an annular area (47) of the bypass valve piston 34 to compensate for increased restorative forces of a helical reference spring (57) as that spring is compressed as well as to compensate for other unbalance conditions within the valve (23). The piston (34) includes additional sidewall openings (69, 70, 71) which function during a "shut-off" condition to divert all fuel flow from an inlet of the metering valve (15) back to a fuel pump (13) inlet. The piston (34) also includes further sidewall openings (73, 75) which provide a controlled fuel leakage from a bypass valve inlet line (25) to the bypass valve pressure sensing inlet (29).Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 1997Date of Patent: October 24, 2000Assignee: AlliedSignal Inc.Inventors: Paul W. Futa, Jr., Russell Crews Perkey
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Patent number: 6092546Abstract: A combination pressurizing valve (27) and fuel flow divider for a gas turbine is operable in three different fuel distribution modes utilizing three windows which are successively opened to control the flow distribution to the engine atomizing or start-up nozzles (23) and engine air blast or running nozzles (25) respectively by way of two fixed orifices (51, 55) in a way that satisfies the start-up flow distribution favoring the atomizing nozzles (23) as well as the need for balanced flow distribution between the different types of engine nozzles after a successful start. The first window position corresponds to an engine ignition mode and includes a range of intermediate valve spool (33, 133) positions where one outlet port (57) is open and the other outlet port (67) receives a restricted flow of fuel.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 1997Date of Patent: July 25, 2000Assignee: AlliedSignal Inc.Inventors: Ivan P. Lebrun, Paul W. Futa, Jr.
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Patent number: 5579632Abstract: A mechanical governor for use in a fuel management system having a fuel metering loop responsive to an electronic computer for supplying fuel to a combustion chamber of a turbine. The mechanical governor includes a cylindrical spinning spool valve assembly located in a bore which is responsive to an operational force derived from the rotation of the turbine. In a first mode of operation, communication of control pressure P.sub.c to an integrator valve assembly is inhibited by a first spring associated with the spool valve assembly while in a second mode of operation communication of an operational fluid pressure P.sub.x derived from the control pressure P.sub.c is communicated to the integrator valve assembly after an operational force corresponding to the rotation overcomes the first spring. In the first and second modes of operation, fuel is supplied to the combustion chamber as a function of a pressure differential across the fuel metering loop.Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 1995Date of Patent: December 3, 1996Assignee: AlliedSignal Inc.Inventors: Martin J. Dutka, Rick L. Poelstra, Timothy F. Wiegand, Paul W. Futa, Jr.
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Patent number: 5518025Abstract: A dual signal head sensor, which is a fluid pressure differential sensitive control valve, has a diaphragm responsive to changes in fluid pressure on opposite sides thereof and a ported sleeve having a spool valve axially movable in response to diaphragm motion. The head sensor monitors a fluid pressure differential and provides fluidic control signals in response to sensed variations in the pressure differential. A pair of chambers separated by the diaphragm receive variously pressurized fluids and thereby impress across the diaphragm the pressure differential being monitored. The head sensor has a ported sleeve with a high pressure inlet, a low pressure return, two control connections or dual signal outputs, and a movable spool having 4 lands.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 1995Date of Patent: May 21, 1996Assignee: Alliedsignal Inc.Inventors: Paul W. Futa, Jr., Keith J. Kovac
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Patent number: 5332233Abstract: A seal for preventing leakage of pressurized fluid along a flow path along an engagement plane between a first and second members. The seal has a cylindrical body with a first elastomeric ring located on an end and a second elastomeric ring located on a peripheral surface of the cylindrical body. The cylindrical body is located in a passage in the second member. A spring urges the first elastomeric ring into engagement with a face on the first member when the first and second members are joined together. Pressurized fluid which flows from a passage in the first member into the second passage in the second member acts on the cylindrical body to further urge the end into engagement with the first member to prevent fluid leakage along the engagement plane there between.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 1992Date of Patent: July 26, 1994Assignee: AlliedSignal Inc.Inventors: Paul W. Futa, Jr., George S. Wieger