Patents by Inventor Timothy Darling

Timothy Darling 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: 12631128
    Abstract: A shroud system provides stress management for thermal gradients and compliance. The shroud system includes a support structure having an annular shape and defining a shroud cavity. A shroud is disposed, at least partly, in the shroud cavity. A rotor is rotatable about an axis and within the shroud. The shroud includes a body that has a first surface facing the rotor and a second surface facing away from the rotor. The shroud includes a pair of rails that are parallel to each other and that are spaced apart from each other. The rails extend from the second surface. The body has a thickness in a radial direction, and the thickness is less than a minimum compliance limit. The pair of rails provide stiffness to the shroud to enable the thickness of the body to be less than the minimum limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2025
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2026
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Timothy Darling, David Waldman, Ryon Stanley, Jason Smoke, Courtney Murphy, William Weiss
  • Patent number: 12442316
    Abstract: A shroud system for a gas turbine engine. The shroud system includes a support structure defining two stages. One shroud is disposed at one stage and another shroud is disposed at the other stage. A retention and positioning assembly is disposed on the support structure and positions and holds both shrouds relative to the support structure. A load transfer pin is located radially outward from each of the shrouds. A spring is coupled to the support structure and engages both load transfer pins. The spring applies forces on the load transfer pins toward their respective shroud. A retainer is coupled with the support structure and extends over both stages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2025
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2025
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Jason Smoke, Timothy Darling, Jeffrey Aitchison, William Weiss, Courtney Murphy, Harry Kington
  • Patent number: 12091980
    Abstract: A system for coupling a shroud to a case associated with a gas turbine engine includes the case having a mounting pad, and the shroud having a surface that faces the case. The system includes a load spreader having a spreader surface in contact with the surface of the shroud and a locator pin coupled to the mounting pad and the load spreader to couple the shroud to the case. The system includes a load spreader retainer coupled to the load spreader. The load spreader retainer is to distribute a force to the load spreader. The system includes a biasing system coupled about the mounting pad that includes a spring arm configured to apply the force to the load spreader retainer to maintain the spreader surface of the load spreader in contact with the surface of the shroud.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Jason Smoke, Courtney Murphy, Timothy Darling, William Weiss, Jeffrey Aitchison, Harry Kington
  • Patent number: 11946474
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a combustor having a combustor air inlet, an axial-centrifugal compressor, a shroud, a secondary flow duct, and a valve. The shroud surrounds at least a portion of the axial-centrifugal compressor and has a surge bleed plenum defined therein that is in fluid communication with, and receives compressed air from, the axial compressor outlet. The secondary airflow duct has a duct inlet that is in fluid communication with the surge bleed plenum, and a duct outlet that is in fluid communication with the combustor air inlet. The valve is mounted on the secondary airflow duct and is movable between a closed position, in which the secondary airflow duct does not provide fluid communication between the surge bleed plenum and the combustor air inlet, and an open position, in which the secondary airflow duct provides fluid communication between the surge bleed plenum and the combustor air inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Bruce David Reynolds, Nick Nolcheff, Mahmoud Mansour, Timothy Darling, Ernest Kurschat
  • Publication number: 20230122939
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a combustor having a combustor air inlet, an axial-centrifugal compressor, a shroud, a secondary flow duct, and a valve. The shroud surrounds at least a portion of the axial-centrifugal compressor and has a surge bleed plenum defined therein that is in fluid communication with, and receives compressed air from, the axial compressor outlet. The secondary airflow duct has a duct inlet that is in fluid communication with the surge bleed plenum, and a duct outlet that is in fluid communication with the combustor air inlet. The valve is mounted on the secondary airflow duct and is movable between a closed position, in which the secondary airflow duct does not provide fluid communication between the surge bleed plenum and the combustor air inlet, and an open position, in which the secondary airflow duct provides fluid communication between the surge bleed plenum and the combustor air inlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2021
    Publication date: April 20, 2023
    Applicant: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Bruce David Reynolds, Nick Nolcheff, Mahmoud Mansour, Timothy Darling, Ernest Kurschat
  • Patent number: 10947901
    Abstract: Gas turbine engine (GTE) compressor sections and compressor intake ducts are provided having Soft Foreign Object debris (SFOD) endwall treatments, which reduce peak damage to GTE components in the event of SFOD ingestion. In embodiments, the GTE compressor section includes a compressor rotor and a compressor intake duct. The compressor intake duct includes an intake flow passage, which extends through compressor intake duct to the compressor rotor. A first duct endwall extends around a centerline of the flow passage to bound a peripheral portion of the intake flow passage. An SFOD endwall treatment includes topological features formed in or otherwise provided on the first duct endwall. The topological features of the SFOD endwall treatment are configured such that SFOD impacting the topological features is directed in a radially inward direction toward the flow passage centerline prior discharge of the SFOD from the intake flow passage and into the compressor rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Timothy Darling, Costantinos Vogiatzis
  • Publication number: 20200165973
    Abstract: Gas turbine engine (GTE) compressor sections and compressor intake ducts are provided having Soft Foreign Object debris (SFOD) endwall treatments, which reduce peak damage to GTE components in the event of SFOD ingestion. In embodiments, the GTE compressor section includes a compressor rotor and a compressor intake duct. The compressor intake duct includes an intake flow passage, which extends through compressor intake duct to the compressor rotor. A first duct endwall extends around a centerline of the flow passage to bound a peripheral portion of the intake flow passage. An SFOD endwall treatment includes topological features formed in or otherwise provided on the first duct endwall. The topological features of the SFOD endwall treatment are configured such that SFOD impacting the topological features is directed in a radially inward direction toward the flow passage centerline prior discharge of the SFOD from the intake flow passage and into the compressor rotor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2018
    Publication date: May 28, 2020
    Applicant: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Timothy Darling, Costantinos Vogiatzis