Patents by Inventor Thomas G. Cloft
Thomas G. Cloft 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: 10641181Abstract: An example gas turbine engine includes, among other things, a nacelle having an inner wall providing a bypass duct of a gas turbine engine, and an outer wall; an accessory gearbox is received between the inner wall and the outer wall of the nacelle; and an accessory drive of the accessory gearbox is configured to rotate about an accessory drive axis that is transverse to a central axis of the gas turbine engine.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2013Date of Patent: May 5, 2020Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Thomas G. Cloft, Robert L. Gukeisen, Claude Mercier
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Patent number: 10184404Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a gearbox. The gearbox includes a housing at a forward part of a core compartment of a gas turbine engine. A plurality of accessory drives are each configured to rotatably couple the gas turbine engine accessory gearbox to one of a plurality of accessory components.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2013Date of Patent: January 22, 2019Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Thomas G. Cloft, Robert L. Gukeisen
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Patent number: 10054006Abstract: A latch assembly for securing a nacelle portion of a gas turbine engine includes an engine case structure that includes a core compartment. An inner flow structure has closed and opened positions with respect to the engine case structure. The inner flow structure encloses the core compartment in the closed position and provides access to the core compartment in the opened position. A bypass flowpath is provided by a portion of the engine case structure and the inner flow structure. A seal is engaged with the engine case structure and the inner flow structure in the closed position. A latch has a latched position in which radial movement of the inner flow structure relative to the engine case structure is impeded and maintained in the closed position and an unlatched position in which the inner flow structure is permitted to move radially outward to the opened position.Type: GrantFiled: June 12, 2015Date of Patent: August 21, 2018Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Claude Mercier, Thomas G. Cloft
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Patent number: 9828105Abstract: A nacelle assembly for a gas turbine engine includes an integrated afterbody mount case. The integrated afterbody mount case includes an outer ring and a plurality of spokes that extend radially inwardly from the outer ring. The outer ring includes a radially outer surface and a radially inner surface. The plurality of spokes are circumferentially disposed about the radially inner surface and extend radially inwardly from the radially inner surface.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2011Date of Patent: November 28, 2017Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventor: Thomas G. Cloft
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Publication number: 20160186598Abstract: A nacelle for incorporation into a gas turbine engine has an inner wall defining a bypass duct, and an outer wall, at least one drive shaft extending through said inner wall, said at least one drive shaft to be connected to a gas turbine engine receiving the nacelle, said at least one drive shaft being connected to drive at least two accessory gear boxes, with said at least two accessory gear boxes being received between said inner and outer walls of said nacelle. A gas turbine engine is also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 6, 2016Publication date: June 30, 2016Inventors: Thomas G. Cloft, Robert L. Gukeisen, Claude Mercier
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Patent number: 9297314Abstract: A nacelle for incorporation into a gas turbine engine has an inner wall defining a bypass duct, and an outer wall. At least one drive shaft extends through the inner wall. The at least one drive shaft is connected to a gas turbine engine receiving the nacelle. The at least one drive shaft is connected to drive at least two accessory gear boxes, with the at least two accessory gear boxes being received between the inner and outer walls of the nacelle. A gas turbine engine is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2012Date of Patent: March 29, 2016Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Thomas G. Cloft, Robert L. Gukeisen, Claude Mercier
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Patent number: 9239030Abstract: A nacelle structure for a gas turbine engine includes an outer nacelle surrounding a fan section and defining an outer boundary of a bypass flow passage and an inner nacelle surrounding a core engine section and defining an inner boundary of the bypass flow passage. A panel of the inner nacelle is moveable between an open position providing access to the core engine section and a closed position. A lock is supported within the inner nacelle proximate the panel. The lock includes an electric actuator for moving a locking pin between a locked position and an unlocked position. The lock prevents opening and limits deflection of the panel when in the locked position.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2012Date of Patent: January 19, 2016Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Claude Mercier, Thomas G. Cloft
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Publication number: 20160010561Abstract: An example gas turbine engine includes, among other things, a nacelle having an inner wall providing a bypass duct of a gas turbine engine, and an outer wall; an accessory gearbox is received between the inner wall and the outer wall of the nacelle; and an accessory drive of the accessory gearbox is configured to rotate about an accessory drive axis that is transverse to a central axis of the gas turbine engine.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 30, 2013Publication date: January 14, 2016Inventors: Thomas G. Cloft, Robert L. Gukeisen, Claude Mercier
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Publication number: 20150274307Abstract: A latch assembly for securing a nacelle portion of a gas turbine engine includes an engine case structure that includes a core compartment. An inner flow structure has closed and opened positions with respect to the engine case structure. The inner flow structure encloses the core compartment in the closed position and provides access to the core compartment in the opened position. A bypass flowpath is provided by a portion of the engine case structure and the inner flow structure. A seal is engaged with the engine case structure and the inner flow structure in the closed position. A latch has a latched position in which radial movement of the inner flow structure relative to the engine case structure is impeded and maintained in the closed position and an unlatched position in which the inner flow structure is permitted to move radially outward to the opened position.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 12, 2015Publication date: October 1, 2015Inventors: Claude Mercier, Thomas G. Cloft
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Patent number: 9126691Abstract: An access door is provided in a housing for a gas turbine engine, with the access door being movable to an access position independent of any required movement of any cowl door or a fan duct door.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 2007Date of Patent: September 8, 2015Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Thomas G. Cloft, Robert L. Gukeisen
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Publication number: 20150233300Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a gearbox. The gearbox includes a housing at a forward part of a core compartment of a gas turbine engine. A plurality of accessory drives are each configured to rotatably couple the gas turbine engine accessory gearbox to one of a plurality of accessory components.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 21, 2013Publication date: August 20, 2015Inventors: Thomas G. Cloft, Robert L. Gukeisen
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Patent number: 9108736Abstract: A latch assembly for securing a nacelle portion of a gas turbine engine includes first and second nacelle flow structures that define a portion of a bypass flowpath. A seal is engageable between the first and second nacelle flow structures. A latch is rotatable about a pivot between latched and unlatched positions. The latch maintains the seal in engagement with the first and second nacelle flow structures in the latched position. A method of opening a nacelle flow structure includes the steps of pivoting a latch from a latched position to an unlatched position, and unlatching a first nacelle flow structure relative to a second nacelle flow structure in response to the latch pivoting step.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 2012Date of Patent: August 18, 2015Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Claude Mercier, Thomas G. Cloft
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Patent number: 9091214Abstract: An accessory system for use in a gas turbine engine, which system includes a gearbox adapted to be arranged radially outward of a main axis of the gas turbine engine and inside a nacelle, one or more engine accessories respectively connected to and driven by the gearbox, and a gas turbine engine oil system driven by a source other than the gearbox.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2007Date of Patent: July 28, 2015Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventor: Thomas G. Cloft
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Patent number: 8950702Abstract: A mounting arrangement for a gas turbine engine includes a pylon mount structure that has a fore mount portion and an aft mount portion. A first engine mount beam is integrally formed with the fore mount portion as a single-piece component, and a second engine mount beam is integrally formed with the aft mount portion as a single-piece component. The first engine mount beam is attachable to the engine case at a fore attachment interface, and the second engine mount beam is attached to the engine case at an aft attachment interface.Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 2008Date of Patent: February 10, 2015Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventor: Thomas G. Cloft
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Patent number: 8869507Abstract: A nacelle assembly for a high-bypass gas turbine engine includes a fan nacelle that includes a first fan nacelle section and a second fan nacelle section, the second fan nacelle section movable relative to the first fan nacelle section. A cascade array is mounted to the first fan nacelle section for movement relative thereto between a stored position and a deployed position, the stored position locates the cascade array at least partially within the first fan nacelle section.Type: GrantFiled: January 13, 2010Date of Patent: October 28, 2014Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Thomas G. Cloft, Robert L. Gukeisen
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Patent number: 8769924Abstract: A gas turbine engine assembly includes an inlet lip assembly, a fan containment case, and a front flange. The fan containment case surrounds a fan section and is positioned downstream from the inlet lip assembly. The front flange is mounted between the inlet lip assembly and the fan containment case and is positioned upstream from the fan section.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 2008Date of Patent: July 8, 2014Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventor: Thomas G. Cloft
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Publication number: 20140165589Abstract: A nacelle for incorporation into a gas turbine engine has an inner wall defining a bypass duct, and an outer wall. At least one drive shaft extends through the inner wall. The at least one drive shaft is connected to a gas turbine engine receiving the nacelle. The at least one drive shaft is connected to drive at least two accessory gear boxes, with the at least two accessory gear boxes being received between the inner and outer walls of the nacelle. A gas turbine engine is also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2012Publication date: June 19, 2014Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Thomas G. Cloft, Robert L. Gukeisen, Claude Mercier
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Publication number: 20140090386Abstract: A disclosed accessory drive system provides for the reduction in the overall diameter of the outer nacelle by splitting the number of accessory components between a first gear box mounted within the outer nacelle and a second gearbox mounted to the core engine. The first gear box mounted to the fan case of the gas turbine engine drives a first plurality of accessory components. The second gear box mounted to a core engine case of the gas turbine engine drives a second plurality of accessory components.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 28, 2012Publication date: April 3, 2014Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Thomas G. Cloft, Robert L. Gukeisen, Claude Mercier
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Publication number: 20140075918Abstract: A nacelle structure for a gas turbine engine includes an outer nacelle surrounding a fan section and defining an outer boundary of a bypass flow passage and an inner nacelle surrounding a core engine section and defining an inner boundary of the bypass flow passage. A panel of the inner nacelle is moveable between an open position providing access to the core engine section and a closed position. A lock is supported within the inner nacelle proximate the panel. The lock includes an electric actuator for moving a locking pin between a locked position and an unlocked position. The lock prevents opening and limits deflection of the panel when in the locked position.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 19, 2012Publication date: March 20, 2014Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Claude Mercier, Thomas G. Cloft
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Patent number: 8657567Abstract: A gas turbine engine is provided with a nacelle having a hollow inner space. The inner space is utilized as a plenum for directing air from an inlet to an outlet at the upstream end of the nacelle to allow control of an effective lip width of the nacelle under certain flight conditions.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2007Date of Patent: February 25, 2014Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Thomas G. Cloft, Ashok K. Jain