Patents by Inventor Steven A. Heitz

Steven A. Heitz 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: 9964081
    Abstract: A fuel system includes an air residence chamber operative to receive fuel from a fuel tank and allow degassed air to separate from fuel to an upper portion, and a boost pump including a boost pump inlet and a boost pump outlet. The boost pump inlet is in fluid communication with a lower portion of the air residence chamber to pump fluid from the air residence chamber. The system also includes an accumulator in fluid communication with the boost pump outlet. The accumulator includes a reservoir having a reservoir inlet in fluid communication with the boost pump outlet and a reservoir outlet. The accumulator also includes a piston slidably disposed in the reservoir. The piston is operative to push fluid through the reservoir outlet when a pump pressure of the boost pump drops below a predetermined pressure value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventor: Steven A. Heitz
  • Patent number: 9890813
    Abstract: A gear pump includes a drive gear mounted to a first gear shaft, a driven gear meshable with the drive gear, a plurality of journal bearings, and a first porting path. The first porting path is adapted to provide high pressure fluid communication from a discharge of the gear pump to a first hybrid pad location for a first journal bearing selected from the plurality of journal bearings, the first hybrid pad location circumferentially adjacent to a first fluid film location. Each location is disposed annularly between an inner surface of the first journal bearing, and an outer surface of the first gear shaft or second gear shaft corresponding to the first journal bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Brandon T. Kovach, Steven A. Heitz
  • Patent number: 9863432
    Abstract: A method for filtering a fluid that includes collecting contaminates in the fluid, passing the fluid from inside an internal cavity of a first shaft through a tight clearance at a spline connection between the first shaft and a second shaft such that the fluid is filtered of contaminates as a result of the tight clearance, and delivering the filtered fluid to a delivery location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Steven A. Heitz, Keith E. Short
  • Publication number: 20170260989
    Abstract: A method for filtering a fluid that includes collecting contaminates in the fluid, passing the fluid from inside an internal cavity of a first shaft through a tight clearance at a spline connection between the first shaft and a second shaft such that the fluid is filtered of contaminates as a result of the tight clearance, and delivering the filtered fluid to a delivery location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2017
    Publication date: September 14, 2017
    Inventors: Steven A. Heitz, Keith E. Short
  • Patent number: 9726221
    Abstract: A journal bearing assembly includes a first journal bearing disposed about a longitudinal end of a gear shaft and spaced a first distance from a first axial gear face. A first fluid film location and a first hybrid pad location are annularly between an inner surface of the first journal bearing and an outer surface of the gear shaft. The first hybrid pad location circumferentially adjacent to the first fluid film location has a minimum leading edge angular location of at least about 31.0° measured relative to a first bearing flat. A first porting path provides high pressure fluid communication from a location outside the first journal bearing to the first fluid film location at or adjacent to the first hybrid pad location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Brandon T. Kovach, Steven A. Heitz
  • Patent number: 9689399
    Abstract: An assembly for filtering a fluid includes a first rotatable shaft with a first set of splines. The first rotatable shaft has an internal cavity containing the fluid. Also included is a second rotatable shaft with a second set of splines mated to the first set of splines. The second rotatable shaft includes at least a portion of a supply hole. The first rotatable shaft and the second rotatable shaft are configured to convey the fluid from the internal cavity through a tight clearance between the first set of splines and the second set of splines, to filter the fluid, and then out the supply hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Steven A. Heitz, Keith E. Short
  • Patent number: 9488170
    Abstract: One embodiment includes a gear pump with a driven gear, a gear shaft passing through the driven gear, and a pressure loaded journal bearing. Also included is a fluid film, between a surface of the pressure loaded journal bearing and a surface of the gear shaft, and a hybrid pad on the pressure loaded journal bearing. The hybrid pad has a minimum leading edge angular location on the pressure loaded journal bearing of 41.5° and a maximum trailing edge angular location on the pressure loaded journal bearing of 54.5°. The gear pump also includes a porting path for supplying high pressure fluid from a discharge of the gear pump to the fluid film at the hybrid pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Brandon T. Kovach, Steven A. Heitz
  • Patent number: 9488174
    Abstract: One embodiment includes a gear pump with a driven gear, a gear shaft passing through the driven gear, and a stationary journal bearing. Also included is a fluid film, between a surface of the stationary journal bearing and a surface of the gear shaft, and a hybrid pad on the stationary journal bearing. The hybrid pad has a minimum leading edge angular location on the stationary journal bearing of 41.5° and a maximum trailing edge angular location on the stationary journal bearing of 54.5°. The gear pump also includes a porting path for supplying high pressure fluid from a discharge of the gear pump to the fluid film at the hybrid pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Brandon T. Kovach, Steven A. Heitz
  • Patent number: 9488173
    Abstract: One embodiment includes a gear pump with a drive gear, a gear shaft passing through the drive gear, and a stationary journal bearing. Also included is a fluid film location annularly between a surface of the stationary journal bearing and a surface of the gear shaft, and a hybrid pad location on the stationary journal bearing adjacent the fluid film location. The hybrid pad has a minimum leading edge angular location on the stationary journal bearing of 31.0° and a maximum trailing edge angular location on the stationary journal bearing of 43.0°. The gear pump also includes a porting path for supplying high pressure fluid from a discharge of the gear pump to the fluid film at the hybrid pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Brandon T. Kovach, Steven A. Heitz
  • Patent number: 9488171
    Abstract: One embodiment includes a gear pump with a drive gear, a gear shaft passing through the drive gear, and a stationary journal bearing. Also included is a fluid film, between a surface of the stationary journal bearing and a surface of the gear shaft, and a hybrid pad on the stationary journal bearing. The hybrid pad has a minimum leading edge angular location on the stationary journal bearing of 29.5° and a maximum trailing edge angular location on the stationary journal bearing of 42.5°. The gear pump also includes a porting path for supplying high pressure fluid from a discharge of the gear pump to the fluid film at the hybrid pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Brandon T. Kovach, Steven A. Heitz
  • Patent number: 9453506
    Abstract: One embodiment includes a gear pump with a drive gear, a gear shaft passing through the drive gear, and a pressure loaded journal bearing. Also included is a fluid film, between a surface of the pressure loaded journal bearing and a surface of the gear shaft, and a hybrid pad on the pressure loaded journal bearing. The hybrid pad has a minimum leading edge angular location on the pressure loaded journal bearing of 29.5° and a maximum trailing edge angular location on the pressure loaded journal bearing of 42.5°. The gear pump also includes a porting path for supplying high pressure fluid from a discharge of the gear pump to the fluid film at the hybrid pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Brandon T. Kovach, Steven A. Heitz
  • Publication number: 20160273500
    Abstract: A fuel system includes an air residence chamber operative to receive fuel from a fuel tank and allow degassed air to separate from fuel to an upper portion, and a boost pump including a boost pump inlet and a boost pump outlet. The boost pump inlet is in fluid communication with a lower portion of the air residence chamber to pump fluid from the air residence chamber. The system also includes an accumulator in fluid communication with the boost pump outlet. The accumulator includes a reservoir having a reservoir inlet in fluid communication with the boost pump outlet and a reservoir outlet. The accumulator also includes a piston slidably disposed in the reservoir. The piston is operative to push fluid through the reservoir outlet when a pump pressure of the boost pump drops below a predetermined pressure value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Inventor: Steven A. Heitz
  • Publication number: 20160123390
    Abstract: A gear pump includes a drive gear mounted to a first gear shaft, a driven gear meshable with the drive gear, a plurality of journal bearings, and a first porting path. The first porting path is adapted to provide high pressure fluid communication from a discharge of the gear pump to a first hybrid pad location for a first journal bearing selected from the plurality of journal bearings, the first hybrid pad location circumferentially adjacent to a first fluid film location. Each location is disposed annularly between an inner surface of the first journal bearing, and an outer surface of the first gear shaft or second gear shaft corresponding to the first journal bearing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2014
    Publication date: May 5, 2016
    Inventors: Brandon T. Kovach, Steven A. Heitz
  • Publication number: 20160032969
    Abstract: A journal bearing assembly includes a first journal bearing disposed about a longitudinal end of a gear shaft and spaced a first distance from a first axial gear face. A first fluid film location and a first hybrid pad location are annularly between an inner surface of the first journal bearing and an outer surface of the gear shaft. The first hybrid pad location circumferentially adjacent to the first fluid film location has a minimum leading edge angular location of at least about 31.0° measured relative to a first bearing flat. A first porting path provides high pressure fluid communication from a location outside the first journal bearing to the first fluid film location at or adjacent to the first hybrid pad location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2014
    Publication date: February 4, 2016
    Inventors: Brandon T. Kovach, Steven A. Heitz
  • Publication number: 20160032922
    Abstract: One embodiment includes a gear pump with a drive gear, a gear shaft passing through the drive gear, and a stationary journal bearing. Also included is a fluid film location annularly between a surface of the stationary journal bearing and a surface of the gear shaft, and a hybrid pad location on the stationary journal bearing adjacent the fluid film location. The hybrid pad has a minimum leading edge angular location on the stationary journal bearing of 31.0° and a maximum trailing edge angular location on the stationary journal bearing of 43.0°. The gear pump also includes a porting path for supplying high pressure fluid from a discharge of the gear pump to the fluid film at the hybrid pad.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Publication date: February 4, 2016
    Inventors: Brandon T. Kovach, Steven A. Heitz
  • Publication number: 20150354561
    Abstract: One embodiment includes a gear pump with a drive gear, a gear shaft passing through the drive gear, and a stationary journal bearing. Also included is a fluid film, between a surface of the stationary journal bearing and a surface of the gear shaft, and a hybrid pad on the stationary journal bearing. The hybrid pad has a minimum leading edge angular location on the stationary journal bearing of 29.5° and a maximum trailing edge angular location on the stationary journal bearing of 42.5°. The gear pump also includes a porting path for supplying high pressure fluid from a discharge of the gear pump to the fluid film at the hybrid pad.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2014
    Publication date: December 10, 2015
    Inventors: Brandon T. Kovach, Steven A. Heitz
  • Publication number: 20150354562
    Abstract: One embodiment includes a gear pump with a driven gear, a gear shaft passing through the driven gear, and a stationary journal bearing. Also included is a fluid film, between a surface of the stationary journal bearing and a surface of the gear shaft, and a hybrid pad on the stationary journal bearing. The hybrid pad has a minimum leading edge angular location on the stationary journal bearing of 41.5° and a maximum trailing edge angular location on the stationary journal bearing of 54.5°. The gear pump also includes a porting path for supplying high pressure fluid from a discharge of the gear pump to the fluid film at the hybrid pad.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2014
    Publication date: December 10, 2015
    Inventors: Brandon T. Kovach, Steven A. Heitz
  • Publication number: 20150354559
    Abstract: One embodiment includes a gear pump with a driven gear, a gear shaft passing through the driven gear, and a pressure loaded journal bearing. Also included is a fluid film, between a surface of the pressure loaded journal bearing and a surface of the gear shaft, and a hybrid pad on the pressure loaded journal bearing. The hybrid pad has a minimum leading edge angular location on the pressure loaded journal bearing of 41.5° and a maximum trailing edge angular location on the pressure loaded journal bearing of 54.5°. The gear pump also includes a porting path for supplying high pressure fluid from a discharge of the gear pump to the fluid film at the hybrid pad.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2014
    Publication date: December 10, 2015
    Inventors: Brandon T. Kovach, Steven A. Heitz
  • Publication number: 20150354560
    Abstract: One embodiment includes a gear pump with a drive gear, a gear shaft passing through the drive gear, and a pressure loaded journal bearing. Also included is a fluid film, between a surface of the pressure loaded journal bearing and a surface of the gear shaft, and a hybrid pad on the pressure loaded journal bearing. The hybrid pad has a minimum leading edge angular location on the pressure loaded journal bearing of 29.5° and a maximum trailing edge angular location on the pressure loaded journal bearing of 42.5°. The gear pump also includes a porting path for supplying high pressure fluid from a discharge of the gear pump to the fluid film at the hybrid pad.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2014
    Publication date: December 10, 2015
    Inventors: Brandon T. Kovach, Steven A. Heitz
  • Patent number: 9133772
    Abstract: An aircraft engine fuel system is provided and includes a pump, including an inlet and an outlet, from which pressurized output is produced, a valve disposed downstream from the pump outlet to receive and to direct the pump output flow toward the engine and to provide a leak tight seal when the pump is not operating, a sensor configured to issue a signal reflective of a state of the valve at first and second conditions and a controller, operably coupled to the pump and the sensor, which is receptive of the signal and which modifies performance models of the pump and engine to control pump speed to modify pump flow accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventor: Steven A. Heitz