Patents by Inventor Stephen CAULFEILD
Stephen CAULFEILD 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: 11466622Abstract: An aerospace component, for example, used in a gas turbine engine, includes the following structurally-integrated layers: a metallic layer and a composite layer having reinforcing fibers embedded in a matrix material. The aerospace component can also include an insulating layer disposed between the metallic layer and the composite layer where the insulating layer has a thermal conductivity that is lower than a thermal conductivity of the composite layer.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2018Date of Patent: October 11, 2022Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.Inventors: Kin-Leung Cheung, Bryan William Olver, Stephen Caulfeild
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Patent number: 11384658Abstract: An assembly is provided for a turbine engine. This turbine engine assembly includes a stationary structure, a rotating structure, a bearing. The rotating structure rotatable about an axis relative to the stationary structure. The bearing supports the rotating structure. The stationary structure includes a flexible bearing support and a crushable bumper. The flexible bearing support supports the bearing. The crushable bumper is arranged radially outward of and axially overlaps the flexible bearing support. The stationary structure is configured such that: the flexible bearing support is disengaged from the crushable bumper during a first mode of operation; and the flexible bearing support contacts the crushable bumper during a second mode of operation.Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 2021Date of Patent: July 12, 2022Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.Inventor: Stephen Caulfeild
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Publication number: 20210246807Abstract: The fan case can be used around a rotary fan of a turbofan engine, the rotary fan including a plurality of circumferentially interspaced blades protruding radially from a rotor, the fan blade case including a first annular wall providing a radially outward delimitation to a gas path around the blades, the first wall being configured to allow blade penetration therethrough while absorbing at least 30% of the kinetic energy in the event of detachment of one of said blades, and a second annular wall surrounding the first annular wall, the second annular wall configured to cooperate with the first annular wall for containing the detachment of the fan blade.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 11, 2020Publication date: August 12, 2021Inventor: Stephen CAULFEILD
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Patent number: 11002148Abstract: A method for forming a composite part of a gas turbine engine. The method includes assembling the composite part of a first composite material and a second composite material. The second composite material defines an outer surface of the composite part, and is selected to be curable at a cure temperature generated by heat from operation of the engine. The first composite material is selected to have an operating temperature limit less than the cure temperature. The method includes placing the composite part within the engine so that, in use, the second composite material is cured by exposure to the heat generated from operation of the engine. The second composite material thermally shields the first composite material from the heat generated from operation of the engine. The method includes operating the engine to cure the second composite material.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2019Date of Patent: May 11, 2021Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.Inventors: Bryan W. Olver, Stephen Caulfeild
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Patent number: 10767690Abstract: A bearing housing for connecting a bearing to a supporting structure of a gas turbine engine is discussed. The bearing housing has an inner wall and an outer wall radially spaced apart from the inner wall between which an annular space is defined. A device extends from the inner wall toward the outer wall and includes at least a first and a second member in series between the inner and outer walls, the second member having a radial stiffness greater than a radial stiffness of the first member. The device may operate in multiple operating stages, where in a first stage the first member of the device deforms to absorb at least partially a vibration load over a given range of vibration amplitude when the bearing housing deflects, and where in a subsequent second stage the second member of the device increases a total radial stiffness of the assembly of the bearing housing and device over the bearing housing alone.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2019Date of Patent: September 8, 2020Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.Inventors: Czeslaw Wojtyczka, Stephen Caulfeild
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Patent number: 10711625Abstract: A gaspath traversing component of a gas turbine engine comprises a wall having an outer edge surface and a thickness relative to the gaspath, the wall having a plurality of layers of composite materials forming the thickness. A wear indication layer is embedded within the plurality of layers of composite material, the wear indication layer being visually contrasting with the composite material. The wear indication layer is positioned interiorly of at least one layer of said plurality of layers of composite material relative to the outer edge surface. A method for attending to a gas traversing component of a gas turbine engine is also provided.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2013Date of Patent: July 14, 2020Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.Inventors: Stephen Caulfeild, Kin-Leung Cheung, Mathieu Poulin, Bryan William Olver
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Publication number: 20200095938Abstract: An aerospace component, for example, used in a gas turbine engine, includes the following structurally-integrated layers: a metallic layer and a composite layer having reinforcing fibers embedded in a matrix material. The aerospace component can also include an insulating layer disposed between the metallic layer and the composite layer where the insulating layer has a thermal conductivity that is lower than a thermal conductivity of the composite layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 2, 2018Publication date: March 26, 2020Inventors: Kin-Leung CHEUNG, Bryan William OLVER, Stephen CAULFEILD
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Publication number: 20200096041Abstract: A bearing housing for connecting a bearing to a supporting structure of a gas turbine engine is discussed. The bearing housing has an inner wall and an outer wall radially spaced apart from the inner wall between which an annular space is defined. A device extends from the inner wall toward the outer wall and includes at least a first and a second member in series between the inner and outer walls, the second member having a radial stiffness greater than a radial stiffness of the first member. The device may operate in multiple operating stages, where in a first stage the first member of the device deforms to absorb at least partially a vibration load over a given range of vibration amplitude when the bearing housing deflects, and where in a subsequent second stage the second member of the device increases a total radial stiffness of the assembly of the bearing housing and device over the bearing housing alone.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 18, 2019Publication date: March 26, 2020Inventors: Czeslaw WOJTYCZKA, Stephen CAULFEILD
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Publication number: 20190292939Abstract: A method for forming a composite part of a gas turbine engine. The method includes assembling the composite part of a first composite material and a second composite material. The second composite material defines an outer surface of the composite part, and is selected to be curable at a cure temperature generated by heat from operation of the engine. The first composite material is selected to have an operating temperature limit less than the cure temperature. The method includes placing the composite part within the engine so that, in use, the second composite material is cured by exposure to the heat generated from operation of the engine. The second composite material thermally shields the first composite material from the heat generated from operation of the engine. The method includes operating the engine to cure the second composite material.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 14, 2019Publication date: September 26, 2019Inventors: Bryan W. OLVER, Stephen CAULFEILD
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Patent number: 10364700Abstract: A method for forming a composite part of a gas turbine engine. The method includes assembling the composite part of a first composite material and a second composite material. The second composite material defines an outer surface of the composite part, and is selected to be curable at a cure temperature generated by heat from operation of the engine. The first composite material is selected to have an operating temperature limit less than the cure temperature. The method includes placing the composite part within the engine so that, in use, the second composite material is cured by exposure to the heat generated from operation of the engine. The second composite material thermally shields the first composite material from the heat generated from operation of the engine. The method includes operating the engine to cure the second composite material.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2016Date of Patent: July 30, 2019Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.Inventors: Bryan W. Olver, Stephen Caulfeild
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Patent number: 9909501Abstract: An acoustic structure for a gas turbine engine comprising a noise reduction layer and a fire protector layer connected to the noise reduction layer. The noise reduction includes a perforated inner wall adapted to be in contact with a first fluidic environment, and a noise reduction adjacent to the inner wall. The fire protector layer includes a non-perforated outer wall adapted to be in contact with a second fluidic environment having potentially a fire, a fire protector adjacent to the outer wall, and a pressure resisting wall disposed between the fire protector and the noise reduction. The second fluidic environment is under a pressure lower than a pressure of the first fluidic environment. The inner and outer walls are load-bearing walls of the acoustic structure.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2014Date of Patent: March 6, 2018Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.Inventors: Stephen Caulfeild, Bryan Olver, Kin-Leung Cheung
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Publication number: 20170370246Abstract: A method for forming a composite part of a gas turbine engine. The method includes assembling the composite part of a first composite material and a second composite material. The second composite material defines an outer surface of the composite part, and is selected to be curable at a cure temperature generated by heat from operation of the engine. The first composite material is selected to have an operating temperature limit less than the cure temperature. The method includes placing the composite part within the engine so that, in use, the second composite material is cured by exposure to the heat generated from operation of the engine. The second composite material thermally shields the first composite material from the heat generated from operation of the engine. The method includes operating the engine to cure the second composite material.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2016Publication date: December 28, 2017Inventors: Bryan W. Olver, Stephen Caulfeild
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Patent number: 9194296Abstract: A bypass duct of a gas turbine engine has an inner bypass duct wall having a front end portion which is rigidly mounted to an engine core case and a rear end portion which is flexibly mounted to the core case. The flexible mounting between the rear portion of the inner bypass duct wall and the core case allows hot engine areas of the core case to thermally grow and contract relative to the inner bypass duct wall without imposing additional loads on the inner bypass duct wall.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2012Date of Patent: November 24, 2015Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.Inventors: Ljubisa Vrljes, Stephen Caulfeild
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Patent number: 9068476Abstract: The link rod can have a core portion supported inside an annular bypass duct with a bypass air passage extending radially therebetween, the link rod comprising a hot end fitting, a cold end, and an elongated and hollow strut body of composite material and having an aerodynamic cross-sectional shape, the strut body being secured to the hot end fitting and extending between the hot end fitting and the cold end, the hot end fitting having a metal body housing a spherical bearing mountable to the core portion, and the cold end housing a spherical bearing mountable to the bypass duct wall.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2011Date of Patent: June 30, 2015Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.Inventors: Stephen Caulfeild, Bryan Olver
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Publication number: 20150176425Abstract: A gaspath traversing component of a gas turbine engine comprises a wall having an outer edge surface and a thickness relative to the gaspath, the wall having a plurality of layers of composite materials forming the thickness. A wear indication layer is embedded within the plurality of layers of composite material, the wear indication layer being visually contrasting with the composite material. The wear indication layer is positioned interiorly of at least one layer of said plurality of layers of composite material relative to the outer edge surface. A method for attending to a gas traversing component of a gas turbine engine is also provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2013Publication date: June 25, 2015Applicant: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.Inventors: Stephen CAULFEILD, Kin-Leung CHEUNG, Mathieu POULIN, Bryan William OLVER
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Publication number: 20150118023Abstract: An acoustic structure for a gas turbine engine comprising an noise reduction layer and a fire protector layer connected to the noise reduction layer. The noise reduction includes a perforated inner wall adapted to be in contact with a first fluidic environment, and an noise reduction adjacent to the inner wall. The fire protector layer includes a non-perforated outer wall adapted to be in contact with a second fluidic environment having potentially a fire, a fire protector adjacent to the outer wall, and a pressure resisting wall disposed between the fire protector and the noise reduction. The second fluidic environment is under a pressure lower than a pressure of the first fluidic environment.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 28, 2014Publication date: April 30, 2015Applicant: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.Inventors: STEPHEN CAULFEILD, BRYAN OLVER, KIN-LEUNG CHEUNG
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Patent number: 8979491Abstract: A gas turbine engine has a rear mounting structure incorporating a mounting apparatus attached to a bypass duct wall with a link device of six rods for transferring core portion related inertia-induced loads, from an inner case of the core portion in a short circuit across an annular bypass air passage to the bypass duct wall.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2011Date of Patent: March 17, 2015Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.Inventors: Jeffrey Bernard Heyerman, Bryan Olver, Stephen Caulfeild
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Publication number: 20130309070Abstract: A bypass duct of a gas turbine engine has an inner bypass duct wall has a front end portion which is rigidly mounted to an engine core case and a rear end portion which is flexibly mounted to the core case. The flexible mounting between the rear portion of the inner bypass duct wall and the core case allows hot engine areas of the core case to thermally grow and contract relative to the inner bypass duct wall without imposing additional loads on the inner bypass duct wall.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 25, 2012Publication date: November 21, 2013Inventors: Ljubisa VRLJES, Stephen Caulfeild
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Publication number: 20130164126Abstract: The link rod can have a core portion supported inside an annular bypass duct with a bypass air passage extending radially therebetween, the link rod comprising a hot end fitting, a cold end, and an elongated and hollow strut body of composite material and having an aerodynamic cross-sectional shape, the strut body being secured to the hot end fitting and extending between the hot end fitting and the cold end, the hot end fitting having a metal body housing a spherical bearing mountable to the core portion, and the cold end housing a spherical bearing mountable to the bypass duct wall.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2011Publication date: June 27, 2013Inventors: Stephen Caulfeild, Bryan Olver
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Publication number: 20120051903Abstract: A gas turbine engine has a rear mounting structure incorporating a mounting apparatus attached to a bypass duct wall with a link device of six rods for transferring core portion related inertia-induced loads, from an inner case of the core portion in a short circuit across an annular bypass air passage to the bypass duct wall.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 4, 2011Publication date: March 1, 2012Applicant: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.Inventors: Jeffrey Bernard HEYERMAN, Bryan OLVER, Stephen CAULFEILD