Patents by Inventor Thomas G. Tillman
Thomas G. Tillman 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: 11964772Abstract: An aircraft propulsion system includes a propulsive fan assembly configured for assembly into an aircraft structure, the propulsive fan assembly that includes a fan rotatable about a fan axis, an inlet duct assembly disposed within the aircraft fuselage, the inlet duct assembly that includes an upper inlet duct with an upper inlet opening and a lower inlet duct with a lower inlet opening. The upper inlet duct and the lower inlet duct merge into a common inlet duct forward of the propulsive fan assembly, and an outlet duct is disposed aft of the propulsive fan assembly.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2022Date of Patent: April 23, 2024Assignee: RTX CORPORATIONInventors: Jon E. Sobanski, Thomas G. Tillman, Stuart S. Ochs
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Publication number: 20230242267Abstract: An aircraft propulsion system includes a propulsive fan assembly configured for assembly into an aircraft structure, the propulsive fan assembly that includes a fan rotatable about a fan axis, an inlet duct assembly disposed within the aircraft fuselage, the inlet duct assembly that includes an upper inlet duct with an upper inlet opening and a lower inlet duct with a lower inlet opening. The upper inlet duct and the lower inlet duct merge into a common inlet duct forward of the propulsive fan assembly, and an outlet duct is disposed aft of the propulsive fan assembly.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 28, 2022Publication date: August 3, 2023Inventors: Jon E. Sobanski, Thomas G. Tillman, Stuart S. Ochs
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Patent number: 11498660Abstract: A hybrid wing aircraft has an engine embedded into a body of the hybrid wing aircraft. The embedded engine has a fan that is received within a nacelle. The body of the aircraft provides a boundary layer over a circumferential portion of a fan. A system delivers additional air to correct fan stability issues raised by the boundary layer.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2018Date of Patent: November 15, 2022Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Razvan Virgil Florea, William T. Cousins, Thomas G. Tillman, David J. Arend, John D. Wolter
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Patent number: 10415505Abstract: A gas turbine engine propulsion system and method of assembling such is disclosed. The gas turbine engine propulsion system comprises a gas turbine engine that includes a fan flow path. The fan flow path may extend from the fan inlet to the rear exhaust outlet of the bypass flow path. A portion of the fan flow path, proximal to the fan, is non-axisymmetric. The non-axisymmetric portion may be upstream or downstream of the fan.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2014Date of Patent: September 17, 2019Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Razvan Virgil Florea, Thomas G. Tillman, William T. Cousins
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Publication number: 20190055006Abstract: A hybrid wing aircraft has an engine embedded into a body of the hybrid wing aircraft. The embedded engine has a fan that is received within a nacelle. The body of the aircraft provides a boundary layer over a circumferential portion of a fan. A system delivers additional air to correct fan stability issues raised by the boundary layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 23, 2018Publication date: February 21, 2019Inventors: Razvan Virgil Florea, William T. Cousins, Thomas G. Tillman, David J. Arend, John D. Wolter
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Patent number: 9909530Abstract: A fan section for an engine has a fan which rotates about an axis, the fan has an inlet for ingesting ambient air, and a non-axisymmetric nozzle for providing the fan with non-uniform back pressure.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 2014Date of Patent: March 6, 2018Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Thomas G Tillman, Wesley K. Lord
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Patent number: 9789972Abstract: A system for fuel and thermal management of fuel delivered to an engine is disclosed. The system includes a supply of fuel in fluid communication with a fuel inlet of the engine, and an oxygen sensor for measuring dissolved oxygen content in the fuel is in fluid communication with the fuel. The fuel is heated by transferring heat from engine oil in a heat exchanger. The temperature of the fuel is controlled by controlling engine oil flow and airflow through another heat exchanger upstream of the fuel/oil heat exchanger on the oil circulation path with engine oil.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2014Date of Patent: October 17, 2017Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATIONInventors: Peter G. Smith, Craig R. Bolt, Jonathan K. Niemeyer, Thomas G. Tillman
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Patent number: 9688395Abstract: A boundary layer ingesting (BLI) blade having a span is provided and includes a root section connectable to a hub, a tip section disposable at a distance from the hub and having a pitch and a body extending in a spanwise dimension from the root section to the tip section. The root section has a local pitch from the root section to about a 70% span location, which is less than the pitch at the tip section, to thereby reduce local angles of attack in a boundary layer region defined in and around the root section.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2013Date of Patent: June 27, 2017Assignee: SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT CORPORATIONInventors: Blake Almy Moffitt, Thomas G. Tillman, Brian E. Wake, Byung-Young Min, Claude G. Matalanis
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Publication number: 20160221664Abstract: A boundary layer control assembly for an aircraft airfoil includes a leading edge and a trailing edge spaced from the leading edge to form a chord length. The boundary layer control assembly also includes a heating element disposed proximate the leading edge to heat a boundary layer formed along the surface of the aircraft airfoil.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 30, 2015Publication date: August 4, 2016Inventors: Ray-Sing Lin, Thomas G. Tillman, Chad M. Henze
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Publication number: 20160186690Abstract: A gas turbine engine propulsion system and method of assembling such is disclosed. The gas turbine engine propulsion system comprises a gas turbine engine that includes a fan flow path. The fan flow path may extend from the fan inlet to the rear exhaust outlet of the bypass flow path. A portion of the fan flow path, proximal to the fan, is non-axisymmetric. The non-axisymmetric portion may be upstream or downstream of the fan.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 17, 2014Publication date: June 30, 2016Inventors: Razvan Virgil FLOREA, Thomas G. TILLMAN, William T. COUSINS
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Publication number: 20160122005Abstract: A hybrid wing aircraft has an engine embedded into a body of the hybrid wing aircraft. The embedded engine has a fan that is received within a nacelle. The body of the aircraft provides a boundary layer over a circumferential portion of a fan. A system delivers additional air to correct fan stability issues raised by the boundary layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 11, 2014Publication date: May 5, 2016Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Razvan Virgil Florea, William T. Cousins, Thomas G. Tillman, David J. Arend, John D. Wolter
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Publication number: 20150375868Abstract: A system for fuel and thermal management of fuel delivered to an engine is disclosed. The system includes a supply of fuel in fluid communication with a fuel inlet of the engine, and an oxygen sensor for measuring dissolved oxygen content in the fuel is in fluid communication with the fuel. The fuel is heated by transferring heat from engine oil in a heat exchanger. The temperature of the fuel is controlled by controlling engine oil flow and airflow through another heat exchanger upstream of the fuel/oil heat exchanger on the oil circulation path with engine oil.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 27, 2014Publication date: December 31, 2015Inventors: Peter G. Smith, Craig R. Bolt, Jonathan K. Niemeyer, Thomas G. Tillman
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Publication number: 20150226156Abstract: A fan section for an engine has a fan which rotates about an axis, the fan has an inlet for ingesting ambient air, and a non-axisymmetric nozzle for providing the fan with non-uniform back pressure.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 4, 2014Publication date: August 13, 2015Inventors: Thomas G. Tillman, Wesley K. Lord
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Publication number: 20150152733Abstract: A boundary layer ingesting (BLI) blade having a span is provided and includes a root section connectable to a hub, a tip section disposable at a distance from the hub and having a pitch and a body extending in a spanwise dimension from the root section to the tip section. The root section has a local pitch from the root section to about a 70% span location, which is less than the pitch at the tip section, to thereby reduce local angles of attack in a boundary layer region defined in and around the root section.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 4, 2013Publication date: June 4, 2015Applicant: Sikorsky Aircraft CorporationInventors: Blake Almy Moffitt, Thomas G. Tillman, Brian E. Wake, Byung-Young Min, Claude G. Matalanis
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Publication number: 20150044052Abstract: A fan blade comprises a main body having an airfoil extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge. The fan blade has at least one of a channel closed by a cover, and an end cap covering at least one of the leading and trailing edges. At least one of a cover and an end cap has a pair of opposed ends. A step is defined extending from at least one of a suction wall and a pressure wall of the airfoil, to an outer surface of the one of a cover and an end cap at one of the opposed ends, and the step being less than or equal to about 0.010 inch (0.0254 centimeter) in dimension.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 14, 2013Publication date: February 12, 2015Applicant: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Edwin M. Worth, Thomas G. Tillman, Frederick M. Schwarz
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Patent number: 8741029Abstract: A fuel deoxygenation system includes an oxygen permeable membrane having a porous membrane and an oleophobic layer. The porous membrane has pores that create a passage extending from a first side to an opposite second side of the porous membrane. The pores have an average pore diameter less than or equal to about 0.06 microns. The oleophobic layer and the porous membrane allow oxygen to cross the oxygen permeable membrane but substantially prevent fuel from crossing the oxygen permeable membrane. A method for removing dissolved oxygen from a fuel includes delivering fuel to an oxygen permeable membrane and removing oxygen from the fuel using the oxygen permeable membrane. A method for modifying a surface of a porous membrane includes depositing an oleophobic treatment agent on the porous membrane, removing solvent and heating the porous membrane to form an oleophobic layer on the porous membrane.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2011Date of Patent: June 3, 2014Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Haralambos Cordatos, Louis J. Spadaccini, Thomas G. Tillman
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Patent number: 8465266Abstract: Vacuum pressure systems are provided. In this regard, a representative vacuum pressure system includes: an inlet; and a linear actuator having a permanent magnet, a coil, an inner ferromagnetic core and an outer ferromagnetic core, the outer ferromagnetic core surrounding at least a portion of each of the permanent magnet, the coil, and the inner ferromagnetic core; the linear actuator being operative to exhibit relative motion between the permanent magnet and the coil responsive to an electrical current being applied to the coil such that the linear actuator forms vacuum pressure and draws fluid into the inlet.Type: GrantFiled: October 12, 2007Date of Patent: June 18, 2013Assignee: United Technologies Corp.Inventors: Jacek F. Gieras, Thomas G. Tillman, Hayden M. Reeve
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Publication number: 20130000180Abstract: A fuel deoxygenation system includes an oxygen permeable membrane having a porous membrane and an oleophobic layer. The porous membrane has pores that create a passage extending from a first side to an opposite second side of the porous membrane. The pores have an average pore diameter less than or equal to about 0.06 microns. The oleophobic layer and the porous membrane allow oxygen to cross the oxygen permeable membrane but substantially prevent fuel from crossing the oxygen permeable membrane. A method for removing dissolved oxygen from a fuel includes delivering fuel to an oxygen permeable membrane and removing oxygen from the fuel using the oxygen permeable membrane. A method for modifying a surface of a porous membrane includes depositing an oleophobic treatment agent on the porous membrane, removing solvent and heating the porous membrane to form an oleophobic layer on the porous membrane.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2011Publication date: January 3, 2013Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Haralambos Cordatos, Louis J. Spadaccini, Thomas G. Tillman
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Patent number: 8147600Abstract: A fuel gas removal system includes a venturi for reducing a pressure of the fuel, a bubble separator containing media to assist in the formation of gas bubbles within the fuel to separate the gas bubbles from the fuel, and a port to remove gas bubbles created by the reduction of pressure of the fuel and the bubble separator.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 2009Date of Patent: April 3, 2012Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Neal R. Herring, Arindam Dasgupta, Haralambos Cordatos, Thomas G. Tillman, Jeremiah C. Lee
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Publication number: 20100242736Abstract: A fuel gas removal system includes a venturi for reducing a pressure of the fuel, a bubble separator containing media to assist in the formation of gas bubbles within the fuel to separate the gas bubbles from the fuel, and a port to remove gas bubbles created by the reduction of pressure of the fuel and the bubble separator.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 26, 2009Publication date: September 30, 2010Inventors: Neal R. Herring, Arindam Dasgupta, Haralambos Cordatos, Thomas G. Tillman, Jeremiah C. Lee