Patents by Inventor Wayne Miller

Wayne Miller 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).

  • Multi-directional gearbox deflection limiter for a gas turbine engine
    Patent number: 11225914
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine including a fan, a core including at least one rotatable shaft, and a gearbox mechanically coupling at least one rotatable shaft of the core to the fan is provided. The gas turbine engine also includes a coupling system for mounting the gearbox within the gas turbine engine. The coupling system includes a flexible coupling connected to at least one of a fan frame or a core frame, as well as a torque frame connected to the flexible coupling and the gearbox. Moreover, a deflection limiter is provided, loosely attaching the flexible coupling to the gearbox to provide a predetermined axial range of motion, radial range of motion, and circumferential range of motion between the gearbox and the frame to which the flexible coupling is attached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Brandon Wayne Miller, Donald Albert Bradley
  • Gas turbine engine fan
    Patent number: 11225975
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a core turbine engine and a fan mechanically coupled to the core turbine engine. The fan includes a plurality of fan blades, each fan blade defining a base and an inner end along a radial direction of the gas turbine engine. The fan also includes a hub covering the base of each of the plurality of fan blades. Further, the fan includes one or more bearings for supporting rotation of the plurality of fan blades. The one or more bearings define a fan bearing radius along a radial direction of the gas turbine engine. Similarly, the hub defines a hub radius along the radial direction of the gas turbine engine. The ratio of the hub radius to the fan bearing radius is less than about three, providing for desired packaging of the various components within the fan of the gas turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Brandon Wayne Miller, Daniel Alan Niergarth, Darek Tomasz Zatorski
  • Fuel oxygen conversion unit with a fuel gas separator
    Patent number: 11193671
    Abstract: A fuel oxygen conversion unit includes a contactor defining a liquid fuel inlet, a stripping gas inlet and a fuel/gas mixture outlet; and a fuel gas separator defining a fuel/gas mixture inlet in flow communication with the fuel/gas mixture outlet of the contactor and an axis. The fuel gas separator further includes a stationary casing; and a separator assembly including a core and a plurality of paddles extending from the core, the separator assembly rotatable about the axis within the stationary casing to separate a fuel/gas mixture received through the fuel/gas mixture inlet into a liquid fuel flow and stripping gas flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ethan Patrick O'Connor, Daniel Alan Niergarth, Brandon Wayne Miller, Richard Alan Wesling
  • Fuel oxygen conversion unit
    Patent number: 11186382
    Abstract: An engine includes a stripping gas source, a combustion section, and a fuel oxygen conversion unit positioned upstream of the combustion section, the fuel oxygen conversion unit defining a stripping gas flowpath in airflow communication with the stripping gas source. The fuel oxygen conversion unit includes a contactor defining a fuel inlet, a gas inlet in airflow communication with the stripping gas flowpath, and a fuel gas mixture outlet; and a fuel gas separator defining a fuel gas mixture inlet for receiving a fuel gas mixture from the contactor, a liquid fuel outlet, and a stripping gas outlet; wherein the stripping gas flowpath receives substantially all of a stripping gas flow therethrough from the stripping gas source and provides the stripping gas flow to the contactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Peter Allen Andrews, Jr., Ethan Patrick O'Connor, Daniel Alan Niergarth, Brandon Wayne Miller, Christian Xavier Stevenson, David Vickery Parker
  • Thermal management system
    Patent number: 11187156
    Abstract: A combustion engine includes a combustion section; a fuel delivery system for providing a fuel flow to the combustion section, the fuel delivery system including an oxygen reduction unit for reducing an oxygen content of the fuel flow; a thermal management system including a heat sink heat exchanger, the heat sink heat exchanger in thermal communication with the fuel delivery system at a location downstream of the oxygen reduction unit; and a control system including a sensor operable with the fuel delivery system for sensing data indicative of an operability of the oxygen reduction unit and a controller operable with the sensor, the controller configured to initiate a corrective action based on the data sensed by the sensor indicative of the operability of the oxygen reduction unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Daniel Alan Niergarth, Sridhar Adibhatla, Brandon Wayne Miller, David William Crall
  • THERMAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
    Publication number: 20210340914
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a turbomachine and a thermal management system. The thermal management system includes a heat source heat exchanger configured to collect heat from the turbomachine during operation; a heat sink heat exchanger; and a thermal transport bus having a heat exchange fluid configured to flow therethrough at a pressure within an operational pressure range. The thermal management system defines an operational temperature range for the heat exchange fluid, the operational temperature range having a lower temperature limit less than about zero degrees Fahrenheit at a pressure within the operational pressure range and an upper temperature limit of at least about 1000 degrees Fahrenheit at a pressure within the operational pressure range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2021
    Publication date: November 4, 2021
    Inventors: Daniel Alan Niergarth, Adon Delgado, JR., Brandon Wayne Miller, Hendrik Pieter Jacobus de Bock
  • FUEL OXYGEN REDUCTION UNIT WITH BLEED DRIVEN BOOST IMPELLER
    Publication number: 20210340913
    Abstract: A fuel delivery system for a gas turbine engine including a fuel oxygen reduction unit is provided. The fuel oxygen reduction unit defines a liquid fuel flowpath and a stripping gas flowpath and is configured to transfer an oxygen content of a fuel flow through the liquid fuel flowpath to a stripping gas flow through the stripping gas flowpath. The fuel oxygen reduction unit includes an impeller in airflow communication with the stripping gas flowpath for circulating the stripping gas flow through the stripping gas flowpath; and a turbine coupled to the impeller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2020
    Publication date: November 4, 2021
    Inventors: Peter Allen Andrews, JR., Ethan Patrick O'Connor, David Vickery Parker, Brandon Wayne Miller, Richard Alan Wesling, Christian Xavier Stevenson
  • FUEL OXYGEN REDUCTION UNIT
    Publication number: 20210340916
    Abstract: In one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a method of operating a fuel system for an aeronautical gas turbine engine is provided. The method includes: providing a flow of fuel to a fuel nozzle of the aeronautical gas turbine engine during a wind down condition; operating a fuel oxygen reduction unit to reduce an oxygen content of the flow of fuel provided to the fuel nozzle of the aeronautical gas turbine engine during the wind down condition; and ceasing providing the flow of fuel to the fuel nozzle of the aeronautical gas turbine engine, the fuel nozzle comprising a volume of fuel after ceasing providing the flow of fuel to the fuel nozzle; wherein operating the fuel oxygen reduction unit comprises operating the fuel oxygen reduction unit to reduce an oxygen content of the volume of fuel in the fuel nozzle to less than 20 parts per million.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2020
    Publication date: November 4, 2021
    Inventors: Alfred Albert Mancini, Daniel Alan Niergarth, Ethan Patrick O'Connor, Brandon Wayne Miller
  • FUEL OXYGEN REDUCTION UNIT FOR PRESCRIBED OPERATING CONDITIONS
    Publication number: 20210340907
    Abstract: A fuel oxygen reduction unit for an engine is provided. The fuel oxygen reduction unit includes an inlet fuel line; a stripping gas source; a contactor selectively in fluid communication with the stripping gas source, the inlet fuel line, or both to form a fuel/gas mixture; and a separator that receives the fuel/gas mixture, the separator configured to separate the fuel/gas mixture into an outlet stripping gas flow and an outlet fuel flow; wherein a flow of stripping gas passes through the fuel oxygen reduction unit a single time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2020
    Publication date: November 4, 2021
    Inventors: Ethan Patrick O'Connor, Brandon Wayne Miller, Daniel Alan Niergarth, Alfred Albert Mancini
  • LAYERED FUSELAGE SHIELD
    Publication number: 20210339867
    Abstract: An aircraft defining a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction is provided. The aircraft includes: a fuselage; an engine mounted at a location spaced from the fuselage of the aircraft, the engine comprising a plurality of rotor blades; and a fuselage shield attached to or formed integrally with the fuselage at a location in alignment with the plurality of rotor blades along the lateral direction, the fuselage shield comprising a first layer defining a first density and a second layer defining a second density, the first density being different than the second density.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2020
    Publication date: November 4, 2021
    Inventors: David William Crall, Nicholas Joseph Kray, Douglas Duane Ward, Brandon Wayne Miller
  • REMOVEABLE FUSELAGE SHIELD FOR AN AIRCRAFT
    Publication number: 20210339846
    Abstract: An aircraft defining a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction is provided. The aircraft includes a fuselage; an engine mounted at a location spaced from the fuselage of the aircraft, the engine comprising rotor blades; and at least one fuselage shield removably coupled to the fuselage at a location in alignment with the rotor blades along the lateral direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2020
    Publication date: November 4, 2021
    Inventors: David William Crall, Nicholas Joseph Kray, Douglas Duane Ward, Brandon Wayne Miller
  • FUEL OXYGEN CONVERSION UNIT WITH MAKEUP GAS FROM ACCESSORY GEARBOX
    Publication number: 20210340936
    Abstract: A fuel oxygen reduction unit for an engine is provided. The fuel oxygen reduction unit includes a contactor including a fuel inlet that receives an inlet fuel flow and a stripping gas inlet that receives an inlet stripping gas flow, the contactor configured to form a fuel/gas mixture; a separator that receives the fuel/gas mixture, the fuel oxygen reduction unit defining a circulation gas flowpath from the separator to the contactor; and a stripping gas source selectively in fluid communication with the circulation gas flowpath for selectively introducing a stripping gas from the stripping gas source to the circulation gas flowpath, wherein the stripping gas source is an accessory gearbox.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2020
    Publication date: November 4, 2021
    Inventors: Ethan Patrick O'Connor, Christian Xavier Stevenson, Brandon Wayne Miller
  • FUEL DELIVERY SYSTEM HAVING A FUEL OXYGEN REDUCTION UNIT
    Publication number: 20210339878
    Abstract: A fuel oxygen reduction unit assembly for a fuel system is provided. The fuel oxygen reduction unit assembly includes: a fuel oxygen reduction unit located downstream from the fuel source and defining a stripping gas flowpath and a liquid fuel flowpath, the fuel oxygen reduction unit comprising a means for transferring an amount of oxygen from a liquid fuel flow through the liquid fuel flowpath to a gas flow through the stripping gas flowpath; and an oxygen conversion unit in flow communication with the stripping gas flowpath configured to extract a flow of oxygen from a gas flow through the stripping gas flowpath, the oxygen conversion unit defining an oxygen outlet configured to provide the extracted flow of oxygen to an external system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2020
    Publication date: November 4, 2021
    Inventors: Daniel Alan Niergarth, Brandon Wayne Miller, John Michael Pyles, Ethan Patrick O'Connor, Justin Paul Smith, William James Mailander
  • FUEL OXYGEN REDUCTION UNIT
    Publication number: 20210340938
    Abstract: An engine system is provided for an aircraft having an engine and an engine controller. The engine system includes: an electric machine configured to be in electrical communication with the engine controller for powering the engine controller; and a fuel oxygen reduction unit defining a liquid fuel flowpath and a stripping gas flowpath and configured to transfer an oxygen content of a fuel flow through the liquid fuel flowpath to a stripping gas flow through the stripping gas flowpath, the fuel oxygen reduction unit also in electrical communication with the electric machine such that the electric machine powers at least in part the fuel oxygen reduction unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2020
    Publication date: November 4, 2021
    Inventors: Brandon Wayne Miller, Robert Jon McQuiston, David Justin Brady
  • Fuel oxygen reduction unit
    Patent number: 11161622
    Abstract: An engine includes a combustion section and a fuel delivery system in fluid communication with the combustion section for providing fuel to the combustion section. The fuel delivery system includes a fuel oxygen reduction unit defining a circulation gas flowpath. The fuel oxygen reduction unit includes a gas oxygen reduction unit positioned in the circulation gas flowpath for reducing an oxygen content of a flow of stripping gas through the circulation gas flowpath and a pre-heater positioned in thermal communication with the circulation gas flowpath upstream of the gas oxygen reduction unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Peter Allen Andrews, Jr., Ethan Patrick O'Connor, Daniel Alan Niergarth, Brandon Wayne Miller, Christian Xavier Stevenson
  • Embedded electric machine
    Patent number: 11156128
    Abstract: A method is provided for maintaining a gas turbine engine installed on an aircraft, the gas turbine engine including an electric machine mounted at least partially inward of a core air flowpath of the gas turbine engine. The method includes removing a rotor mount connecting a rotor of the electric machine to a rotary component of the gas turbine engine; removing a stator mount connecting a stator of the electric machine to a stationary component of the gas turbine engine; and removing in situ the electric machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Brandon Wayne Miller, Randy M. Vondrell, Darek Tomasz Zatorski, Christopher Charles Glynn
  • Simultaneous thermal and cooling therapeutic device
    Patent number: 11154419
    Abstract: A therapeutic device combines both hot and cold therapy to work simultaneously together. The therapeutic device has a first portion being made of a material capable of being heated to a first temperature and a second portion having a fastener capable of connecting to a cold pack having a second temperature. The application of both hot and cold to the site of an injury of a user stimulates blood circulation to an injured muscle with heat and reduces inflammation with cold to facilitate a faster and more efficient recovery process of the afflicted area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Inventors: Bruce Wayne Miller, Wayne Allan Miller
  • Fuel delivery system having a fuel oxygen reduction unit
    Patent number: 11148824
    Abstract: A fuel system for an aircraft includes a fuel source and a fuel oxygen reduction unit defining a liquid fuel supply path, a stripping gas supply path, a liquid fuel outlet path, and a stripping gas return path, wherein the stripping gas return path and stripping gas supply path are each in airflow communication with the fuel source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Daniel Alan Niergarth, Brandon Wayne Miller
  • Thermal management system
    Patent number: 11143104
    Abstract: A method of operating a thermal management system for a gas turbine engine includes determining the gas turbine engine is in a first operating mode; transferring heat from a first heat source exchanger to a heat sink system in response to determining the gas turbine engine is in the first operation mode, the first heat source exchanger thermally coupled to a first system/component of the gas turbine engine; determining the gas turbine engine is in a second operating mode, the second operating mode being different than the first operating mode; and transferring heat from a second heat source exchanger to the heat sink system in response to determining the gas turbine engine is in the second operation mode, the second heat source exchanger thermally coupled to a second system/component of the gas turbine engine, the second system/component being different than the first system/component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Kishanjit Pal, Arnab Sen, Pranav R. Kamat, Brandon Wayne Miller, Daniel Alan Niergarth
  • Fuel oxygen conversion unit with a fuel/gas separator
    Patent number: 11131256
    Abstract: A fuel oxygen conversion unit includes a contactor defining a liquid fuel inlet, a stripping gas inlet and a fuel/gas mixture outlet. The fuel oxygen conversion unit also includes a fuel/gas separator defining a fuel/gas mixture inlet in flow communication with the fuel/gas mixture outlet of the contactor, an axial direction, and a radial direction. The fuel/gas separator includes a separator assembly including a core including a gas-permeable section extending along the axial direction and defining a maximum diameter, the maximum diameter of the gas-permeable section being substantially constant along the axial direction; and a stationary casing, the fuel/gas separator defining a fuel/gas chamber in fluid communication with the fuel/gas mixture inlet at a location inward of the stationary casing and outward of the gas-permeable section of the separator assembly along the radial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ethan Patrick O'Connor, Daniel Alan Niergarth, Brandon Wayne Miller, Richard Alan Wesling