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).

  • Patent number: 11964772
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jon E. Sobanski, Thomas G. Tillman, Stuart S. Ochs
  • Publication number: 20230242267
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2022
    Publication date: August 3, 2023
    Inventors: Jon E. Sobanski, Thomas G. Tillman, Stuart S. Ochs
  • Patent number: 11498660
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Razvan Virgil Florea, William T. Cousins, Thomas G. Tillman, David J. Arend, John D. Wolter
  • Patent number: 10415505
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Razvan Virgil Florea, Thomas G. Tillman, William T. Cousins
  • Publication number: 20190055006
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2018
    Publication date: February 21, 2019
    Inventors: Razvan Virgil Florea, William T. Cousins, Thomas G. Tillman, David J. Arend, John D. Wolter
  • Patent number: 9909530
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas G Tillman, Wesley K. Lord
  • Patent number: 9789972
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Peter G. Smith, Craig R. Bolt, Jonathan K. Niemeyer, Thomas G. Tillman
  • Patent number: 9688395
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Blake Almy Moffitt, Thomas G. Tillman, Brian E. Wake, Byung-Young Min, Claude G. Matalanis
  • Publication number: 20160221664
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Publication date: August 4, 2016
    Inventors: Ray-Sing Lin, Thomas G. Tillman, Chad M. Henze
  • Publication number: 20160186690
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2014
    Publication date: June 30, 2016
    Inventors: Razvan Virgil FLOREA, Thomas G. TILLMAN, William T. COUSINS
  • Publication number: 20160122005
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Publication date: May 5, 2016
    Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Razvan Virgil Florea, William T. Cousins, Thomas G. Tillman, David J. Arend, John D. Wolter
  • Publication number: 20150375868
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2014
    Publication date: December 31, 2015
    Inventors: Peter G. Smith, Craig R. Bolt, Jonathan K. Niemeyer, Thomas G. Tillman
  • Publication number: 20150226156
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2014
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Inventors: Thomas G. Tillman, Wesley K. Lord
  • Publication number: 20150152733
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2013
    Publication date: June 4, 2015
    Applicant: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation
    Inventors: Blake Almy Moffitt, Thomas G. Tillman, Brian E. Wake, Byung-Young Min, Claude G. Matalanis
  • Publication number: 20150044052
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2013
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Applicant: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Edwin M. Worth, Thomas G. Tillman, Frederick M. Schwarz
  • Patent number: 8741029
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Haralambos Cordatos, Louis J. Spadaccini, Thomas G. Tillman
  • Patent number: 8465266
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: United Technologies Corp.
    Inventors: Jacek F. Gieras, Thomas G. Tillman, Hayden M. Reeve
  • Publication number: 20130000180
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Haralambos Cordatos, Louis J. Spadaccini, Thomas G. Tillman
  • Patent number: 8147600
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Neal R. Herring, Arindam Dasgupta, Haralambos Cordatos, Thomas G. Tillman, Jeremiah C. Lee
  • Publication number: 20100242736
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2009
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Inventors: Neal R. Herring, Arindam Dasgupta, Haralambos Cordatos, Thomas G. Tillman, Jeremiah C. Lee