Patents by Inventor Robert M. Sonntag

Robert M. Sonntag 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: 9010122
    Abstract: A turbine engine assembly includes a combustor and a stator vane arrangement having a plurality of stator vanes. The combustor includes a combustor wall that extends axially from a combustor bulkhead to a distal combustor wall end, which is located adjacent to the stator vane arrangement. The combustor wall includes a support shell with a plurality of impingement apertures, and a heat shield with a plurality of effusion apertures. The combustor wall end includes a plurality of circumferentially extending film cooled regions. At least one of the film cooled regions is circumferentially aligned with one of the stator vanes and includes a cooling aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: James P. Bangerter, Dennis J. Duhamel, Robert M. Sonntag, Reza Rezvani
  • Patent number: 8839627
    Abstract: An annular combustor includes an annular outer shell that includes a first flange that defines an inner diameter IDOS and an annular inner shell that includes a second flange that defines an outer diameter ODIS. An annular hood includes a radially outer hood flange and a radially inner hood flange. A bulkhead includes a radially outer bulkhead flange that defines an outer diameter ODB and a radially inner bulkhead flange that defines an inner diameter IDB. The first flange is secured at a radially outer joint between the radially outer hood flange and the radially outer bulkhead flange. The second flange is secured at a radially inner joint between the radially inner hood flange and the radially inner bulkhead flange. The IDOS and the ODB define a ratio R1 of IDOS/ODB that is 0.998622-1.001129, and the IDB and the ODIS define a ratio R2 of IDB/ODIS that is 0.998812-1.001388.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Jonathan Jeffery Eastwood, Joey Wong, Robert M. Sonntag
  • Publication number: 20140030064
    Abstract: A turbine engine assembly includes a combustor and a stator vane arrangement having a plurality of stator vanes. The combustor includes a combustor wall that extends axially from a combustor bulkhead to a distal combustor wall end, which is located adjacent to the stator vane arrangement. The combustor wall includes a support shell with a plurality of impingement apertures, and a heat shield with a plurality of effusion apertures. The combustor wall end includes a plurality of circumferentially extending film cooled regions. At least one of the film cooled regions is circumferentially aligned with one of the stator vanes and includes a cooling aperture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Applicant: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: James P. Bangerter, Dennis J. Duhamel, Robert M. Sonntag, Reza Rezvani
  • Publication number: 20130340437
    Abstract: A turbine engine combustor wall includes support shell and a heat shield. The support shell includes shell quench apertures, first impingement apertures, and second impingement apertures. The combustor heat shield includes shield quench apertures fluidly coupled with the shell quench apertures, first effusion apertures fluidly coupled with the first impingement apertures, and second effusion apertures fluidly coupled with the second impingement apertures. The shield quench apertures and the first effusion apertures are configured in a first axial region of the heat shield, and the second effusion apertures are configured in a second axial region of the heat shield located axially between the first axial region and a downstream end of the heat shield. A density of the first effusion apertures in the first axial region is greater than a density of the second effusion apertures in the second axial region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nurhak Erbas-Sen, James B. Hoke, Albert K. Cheung, Robert M. Sonntag, Timothy S. Snyder
  • Publication number: 20130192262
    Abstract: An annular combustor includes an annular outer shell that includes a first flange that defines an inner diameter IDOS and an annular inner shell that includes a second flange that defines an outer diameter ODIS. An annular hood includes a radially outer hood flange and a radially inner hood flange. A bulkhead includes a radially outer bulkhead flange that defines an outer diameter ODB and a radially inner bulkhead flange that defines an inner diameter IDB. The first flange is secured at a radially outer joint between the radially outer hood flange and the radially outer bulkhead flange. The second flange is secured at a radially inner joint between the radially inner hood flange and the radially inner bulkhead flange. The IDOS and the ODB define a ratio R1 of IDOS/ODB that is 0.998622-1.001129, and the IDB and the ODIS define a ratio R2 of IDB/ODIS that is 0.998812-1.001388.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2012
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Inventors: Jonathan Jeffery Eastwood, Joey Wong, Robert M. Sonntag
  • Publication number: 20130192233
    Abstract: A heat shield includes a panel having a forward face and an aft face, a circumferential outer side and a circumferential inner side such that the panel subtends a predetermined arc, and a first radially extending side and a second radially extending side each extending from the circumferential outer side to the circumferential inner side. The panel defines an opening extending between the forward face and the aft face, a lip projecting from the forward face and extending around the opening, a rail projecting from the forward face and extending around the lip to define a cavity region between the lip and the rail, and a plurality of holes in the cavity region. Each of the plurality of holes extends from the forward face to the aft face. A region of the panel extending from the lip to the circumferential outer side is free of any aft-projecting features.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2012
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Inventors: Jonathan Jeffery Eastwood, Joey Wong, Robert M. Sonntag, Albert K. Cheung, Timothy S. Snyder
  • Patent number: 8216687
    Abstract: An article has a metallic substrate having a first emissivity. A thermal barrier coating atop the substrate may have an emissivity that is a substantial fraction of the first emissivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Steven W. Burd, Robert M. Sonntag, Kevin W. Schlichting
  • Publication number: 20100303610
    Abstract: A stator assembly for a gas turbine engine is provided having an annular body, an inner gas path platform, a plurality of fairings, and at least one nozzle. The annular body has an outer gas path platform and a circumferentially extending annular cavity disposed radially outside of the outer gas path platform. The fairings extend radially between the inner gas path platform and the outer gas path platform. Each fairing includes a gas passage extending from the annular cavity through the inner gas path platform. The at least one nozzle has an inlet orifice disposed outside of the annular cavity and an exit orifice disposed within the annular cavity. The exit orifice is oriented within the annular cavity such that cooling air exiting the nozzle travels in a substantially circumferential direction within the annular cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2009
    Publication date: December 2, 2010
    Applicant: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Cheng-Zhang Wang, William A. Daniels, Robert M. Sonntag
  • Publication number: 20090235666
    Abstract: A combustion chamber louver assembly includes an aft louver having a forward panel 24 that extends axially from a louver leading edge 26 to a corner 28, and a forward louver joined to the forward panel of the aft louver. A lip 48 defined by a portion of the forward louver that extends axially past the corner to a louver trailing edge 36 includes circumferentially distributed trailing edge slots 60 extending forwardly from the trailing edge a nominal distance equal to about 88% to 95% of the length L of the lip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2006
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Inventors: Mark Edward Tuttle, Robert M. Sonntag, John H. Nixon
  • Patent number: 7413808
    Abstract: An article has a metallic substrate having a first emissivity. A thermal barrier coating atop the substrate may have an emissivity that is a substantial fraction of the first emissivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Steven W. Burd, Robert M. Sonntag, Kevin W. Schlichting
  • Publication number: 20080171222
    Abstract: An article has a metallic substrate having a first emissivity. A thermal barrier coating atop the substrate may have an emissivity that is a substantial fraction of the first emissivity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2008
    Publication date: July 17, 2008
    Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Steven W. Burd, Robert M. Sonntag, Kevin W. Schlichting
  • Patent number: 6101814
    Abstract: A low emissions combustor can 18 for an aircraft gas turbine engine includes a louvered combustor liner 24 with three arrays of dilution holes 52, 54, 56. The first hole array comprises twelve equally sized, equiangularly distributed holes that penetrates the liner about midway along its axial length. The second hole array comprises twelve equally sized holes, smaller than the holes of the first array, that penetrate the liner a predetermined distance aft of the first hole array. The holes of the second array are equiangularly distributed and each second hole is circumferentially aligned with a first hole. A third hole array penetrates the liner a predefined distance aft of the first array. The third holes are nonuniformly sized and nonequiangularly distributed to regulate the spatial temperature profile of combustion gases exiting the combustor can. The quantity, size, distribution and location of the holes mitigates undesirable exhaust emissions without affecting the performance or durability of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2000
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: James B. Hoke, Daryl B. Mountz, Howard Olsen, Robert M. Sonntag