Patents by Inventor Randy M. Vondrell

Randy M. Vondrell 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: 11945573
    Abstract: A hybrid electric aircraft equipped with gyroscopic stabilization control is provided. In one aspect, a hybrid electric aircraft includes a turbo-generator having a gas turbine engine and an electric generator operatively coupled thereto for generating electrical power. The turbo-generator defines a rotation axis. The aircraft also includes one or more electrically-driven propulsors for producing thrust for the aircraft. In addition, the aircraft includes a pivot mount operatively coupled with the turbo-generator. To provide gyroscopic stabilization control of the aircraft, the pivot mount is controlled to adjust the rotation axis of the turbo-generator relative to a prime stability axis of the aircraft. Additionally or alternatively, a rotational speed of the turbo-generator can be changed to provide gyroscopic stabilization control of the aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignees: General Electric Company, GE Avio S.r.l.
    Inventors: Mehdi Milani Baladi, Randy M Vondrell
  • Publication number: 20240092494
    Abstract: A propulsion system for an aircraft can include an electric power source and an electric propulsion assembly having an electric motor and a propulsor. The propulsor can be powered by the electric motor. An electric power bus can electrically connect the electric power source to the electric propulsion assembly. The electric power source can be configured to provide electrical power to the electric power bus. An inverter converter controller can be positioned along the electric power bus and can be electrically connected to the electric power source at a location downstream of the electric power source and upstream of the electric propulsion assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2023
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Inventors: Randy M. Vondrell, Anthony Austin Bouvette, Glenn David Crabtree
  • Patent number: 11898518
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a gas turbine engine defining a radial direction, a longitudinal direction, and a circumferential direction, an upstream end and a downstream end along the longitudinal direction, and an axial centerline extended along the longitudinal direction. The gas turbine engine includes a fan assembly including a plurality of fan blades rotatably coupled to a fan rotor in which the fan blades define a maximum fan diameter and a fan pressure ratio. The gas turbine engine further includes a low pressure (LP) turbine defining a core flowpath therethrough generally along the longitudinal direction. The core flowpath defines a maximum outer flowpath diameter relative to the axial centerline. The gas turbine engine defines a fan to turbine diameter ratio of the maximum fan diameter to the maximum outer flowpath diameter. The fan to turbine diameter ratio over the fan pressure ratio is approximately 0.90 or greater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thomas Ory Moniz, Randy M. Vondrell, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Brandon Wayne Miller
  • Publication number: 20240044304
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine is provided. The gas turbine engine includes a turbomachine defining an engine inlet to an inlet duct, a fan duct inlet to a fan duct, and a core inlet to a core duct; a primary fan driven by the turbomachine; and a secondary fan located downstream of the primary fan within the inlet duct. The gas turbine engine defines a thrust to power airflow ratio between 3.5 and 100 and a core bypass ratio between 0.1 and 10, wherein the thrust to power airflow ratio is a ratio of an airflow through a bypass passage over the turbomachine plus an airflow through the fan duct to an airflow through the core duct, and wherein the core bypass ratio is a ratio of the airflow through the fan duct to the airflow through the core duct.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2022
    Publication date: February 8, 2024
    Inventors: Brandon Wayne Miller, Randy M. Vondrell, David Marion Ostdiek, Craig William Higgins, Alexander Kimberley Simpson
  • Patent number: 11827369
    Abstract: A propulsion system for an aircraft can include an electric power source and an electric propulsion assembly having an electric motor and a propulsor. The propulsor can be powered by the electric motor. An electric power bus can electrically connect the electric power source to the electric propulsion assembly. The electric power source can be configured to provide electrical power to the electric power bus. An inverter converter controller can be positioned along the electric power bus and can be electrically connected to the electric power source at a location downstream of the electric power source and upstream of the electric propulsion assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Randy M. Vondrell, Anthony Austin Bouvette, Glenn David Crabtree
  • Patent number: 11724814
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a compressor section and a turbine section together defining a core air flowpath. Additionally, a rotary component is rotatable with at least a portion of the compressor section and at least a portion of the turbine section. An electric machine is mounted coaxially with the rotary component and positioned at least partially inward of the core air flowpath along a radial direction of the gas turbine engine. A cavity wall defines at least in part a buffer cavity surrounding at least a portion of the electric machine to thermally insulate the electric machine, e.g., from the relatively high temperatures within the core air flowpath.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thomas Kupiszewski, Brandon Wayne Miller, Daniel Alan Niergarth, Randy M. Vondrell
  • Patent number: 11685542
    Abstract: A propulsion system for an aircraft having an aft end is provided herein. The propulsion system can include an electric propulsion engine defining a central axis. The electric propulsion engine can include an electric motor, a fan rotatable about the central axis of the electric propulsion engine by the electric motor, a bearing supporting rotation of the fan, and a thermal management system. The thermal management system can include a lubrication oil circulation assembly for providing the bearing with lubrication oil. The lubrication oil circulation assembly can be driven independently of a shaft of the electric propulsion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Daniel Alan Niergarth, Randy M. Vondrell, Brandon Wayne Miller, Patrick Michael Marrinan, Lawrence Chih-Hui Cheung, Nikolai N. Pastouchenko
  • Patent number: 11673661
    Abstract: A propulsion system of an aircraft has at least one unducted fan and at least one ducted fan, the at least one unducted fan and the at least one ducted fan being powered by an electric power source and rotatable between a vertical thrust position and a forward thrust position, and a controller configured to distribute electrical power between the at least one unducted fan and the at least one ducted fan. During a first mode when the at least one unducted fan and the at least one ducted fan are in the vertical thrust position, the controller is configured to distribute the electrical power between the plurality of unducted fans and the plurality of ducted fans such that the at least one unducted fan is a primary source of thrust.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Randy M. Vondrell, Matthew Ryan Polakowski, Kurt David Murrow, Glenn Crabtree, Darek Tomasz Zatorski
  • Publication number: 20230051515
    Abstract: A hybrid electric aircraft equipped with gyroscopic stabilization control is provided. In one aspect, a hybrid electric aircraft includes a turbo-generator having a gas turbine engine and an electric generator operatively coupled thereto for generating electrical power. The turbo-generator defines a rotation axis. The aircraft also includes one or more electrically-driven propulsors for producing thrust for the aircraft. In addition, the aircraft includes a pivot mount operatively coupled with the turbo-generator. To provide gyroscopic stabilization control of the aircraft, the pivot mount is controlled to adjust the rotation axis of the turbo-generator relative to a prime stability axis of the aircraft. Additionally or alternatively, a rotational speed of the turbo-generator can be changed to provide gyroscopic stabilization control of the aircraft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2021
    Publication date: February 16, 2023
    Inventors: Mehdi Milani Baladi, Randy M Vondrell
  • Publication number: 20220403799
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a gas turbine engine defining a radial direction, a longitudinal direction, and a circumferential direction, an upstream end and a downstream end along the longitudinal direction, and an axial centerline extended along the longitudinal direction. The gas turbine engine includes a fan assembly including a plurality of fan blades rotatably coupled to a fan rotor in which the fan blades define a maximum fan diameter and a fan pressure ratio. The gas turbine engine further includes a low pressure (LP) turbine defining a core flowpath therethrough generally along the longitudinal direction. The core flowpath defines a maximum outer flowpath diameter relative to the axial centerline. The gas turbine engine defines a fan to turbine diameter ratio of the maximum fan diameter to the maximum outer flowpath diameter. The fan to turbine diameter ratio over the fan pressure ratio is approximately 0.90 or greater.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2022
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Inventors: Thomas Ory Moniz, Randy M. Vondrell, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Brandon Wayne Miller
  • Publication number: 20220289394
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a compressor section and a turbine section together defining a core air flowpath. Additionally, a rotary component is rotatable with at least a portion of the compressor section and at least a portion of the turbine section. An electric machine is mounted coaxially with the rotary component and positioned at least partially inward of the core air flowpath along a radial direction of the gas turbine engine. A cavity wall defines at least in part a buffer cavity surrounding at least a portion of the electric machine to thermally insulate the electric machine, e.g., from the relatively high temperatures within the core air flowpath.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2022
    Publication date: September 15, 2022
    Inventors: Thomas Kupiszewski, Brandon Wayne Miller, Daniel Alan Niergarth, Randy M. Vondrell
  • Patent number: 11421627
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a gas turbine engine defining a radial direction, a longitudinal direction, and a circumferential direction, an upstream end and a downstream end along the longitudinal direction, and an axial centerline extended along the longitudinal direction. The gas turbine engine includes a fan assembly including a plurality of fan blades rotatably coupled to a fan rotor in which the fan blades define a maximum fan diameter and a fan pressure ratio. The gas turbine engine further includes a low pressure (LP) turbine defining a core flowpath therethrough generally along the longitudinal direction. The core flowpath defines a maximum outer flowpath diameter relative to the axial centerline. The gas turbine engine defines a fan to turbine diameter ratio of the maximum fan diameter to the maximum outer flowpath diameter. The fan to turbine diameter ratio over the fan pressure ratio is approximately 0.90 or greater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Thomas Ory Moniz, Randy M. Vondrell, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Brandon Wayne Miller
  • Publication number: 20220073199
    Abstract: A propulsion system of an aircraft has at least one unducted fan and at least one ducted fan, the at least one unducted fan and the at least one ducted fan being powered by an electric power source and rotatable between a vertical thrust position and a forward thrust position, and a controller configured to distribute electrical power between the at least one unducted fan and the at least one ducted fan. During a first mode when the at least one unducted fan and the at least one ducted fan are in the vertical thrust position, the controller is configured to distribute the electrical power between the plurality of unducted fans and the plurality of ducted fans such that the at least one unducted fan is a primary source of thrust.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2021
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Inventors: Randy M. Vondrell, Matthew Ryan Polakowski, Kurt David Murrow, Glenn Crabtree, Darek Tomasz Zatorski
  • Patent number: 11247779
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a compressor section and a turbine section together defining a core air flowpath. Additionally, a rotary component is rotatable with at least a portion of the compressor section and at least a portion of the turbine section. An electric machine is mounted coaxially with the rotary component and positioned at least partially inward of the core air flowpath along a radial direction of the gas turbine engine. A cavity wall defines at least in part a buffer cavity surrounding at least a portion of the electric machine to thermally insulate the electric machine, e.g., from the relatively high temperatures within the core air flowpath.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thomas Kupiszewski, Brandon Wayne Miller, Daniel Alan Niergarth, Randy M. Vondrell
  • Patent number: 11156128
    Abstract: A method is provided for maintaining a gas turbine engine installed on an aircraft, the gas turbine engine including an electric machine mounted at least partially inward of a core air flowpath of the gas turbine engine. The method includes removing a rotor mount connecting a rotor of the electric machine to a rotary component of the gas turbine engine; removing a stator mount connecting a stator of the electric machine to a stationary component of the gas turbine engine; and removing in situ the electric machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Brandon Wayne Miller, Randy M. Vondrell, Darek Tomasz Zatorski, Christopher Charles Glynn
  • Patent number: 11111858
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a compressor section defining a compressor exit temperature, T3. The gas turbine engine also includes a combustion section and a turbine section, with the turbine section defining a turbine inlet temperature, T4. A ratio, T4:T3, of the turbine inlet temperature, T4, to compressor exit temperature, T3, during operation of the gas turbine engine at a rated speed is less than or equal to 1.85.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Brandon Wayne Miller, Randy M. Vondrell, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Kurt David Murrow
  • Patent number: 11097850
    Abstract: A propulsion system for an aircraft includes an electric propulsion engine configured to be mounted to the aircraft at an aft end of the aircraft. The electric propulsion engine includes a power gearbox mechanically coupled to an electric motor. The electric propulsion engine further includes a fan rotatable about a central axis of the electric propulsion engine by the electric motor through the power gearbox. Moreover, the electric propulsion engine includes an attachment assembly for mounting at least one of the electric motor or the power gearbox. The attachment assembly includes a torsional damper for accommodating a torsional vibration of the electric motor or the power gearbox.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Daniel Alan Niergarth, Randy M. Vondrell, Brandon Wayne Miller, Patrick Michael Marrinan
  • Patent number: 11097849
    Abstract: A method for operating an electric fan of an aircraft propulsion system includes driving a plurality of fan blades of the electric fan with an electric machine to generate thrust for the aircraft; and driving the electric machine with the plurality of fan blades of the electric fan to generate electrical power subsequent to driving the plurality of fan blades of the electric fan with the electric machine to generate thrust for the aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nikolai N. Pastouchenko, Randy M. Vondrell, Kurt David Murrow, Jixian Yao, Brandon Wayne Miller, Patrick Michael Marrinan, Daniel Alan Niergarth, Narendra Digamber Joshi
  • Patent number: 11046428
    Abstract: A method for operating a propulsion system of an aircraft includes moving a plurality of forward and aft propulsors to a vertical thrust position. While in the vertical thrust positions, the method also includes providing a first forward to aft ratio of electric power to the plurality of forward and aft propulsors. The method also includes moving the plurality of forward and aft propulsors to a forward thrust position. While in the forward thrust positions, the method also includes providing a second forward to aft ratio of electric power to the plurality of forward and aft propulsors. The first forward to aft ratio of electric power is different than the second forward to aft ratio of electric power to provide certain efficiencies for the aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Randy M. Vondrell, Matthew Ryan Polakowski, Kurt David Murrow, Glenn Crabtree, Darek Tomasz Zatorski
  • Publication number: 20210107676
    Abstract: An aircraft extending between a forward end and an aft end is provided. The aircraft includes an auxiliary power unit positioned proximate the aft end of the aircraft, the auxiliary power unit having an auxiliary power unit inlet duct and an auxiliary power unit exhaust duct, and a boundary layer ingestion fan positioned proximate the aft end of the aircraft, the boundary layer ingestion fan having a support shaft, wherein the auxiliary power unit exhaust duct extends through a portion of the support shaft of the boundary layer ingestion fan.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2019
    Publication date: April 15, 2021
    Inventors: Arthur William Sibbach, Randy M. Vondrell, Andrew Breeze-Stringfellow