Aircraft Anti-ingestion Means (e.g., Aircraft Debris Guard) Patents (Class 55/306)
  • Patent number: 11912393
    Abstract: An aircraft propulsion system with a drag reduction portion adapted to reduce skin friction on at least a portion of the external surface of an aircraft. The drag reduction portion may include an inlet to ingest airflow. The aircraft may also have an internally cooled electric motor adapted for use in an aerial vehicle. The motor may have its stator towards the center and have an external rotor. The rotor structure may be air cooled and may be a complex structure with an internal lattice adapted for airflow. The stator structure may be liquid cooled and may be a complex structure with an internal lattice adapted for liquid to flow through. A fluid pump may pump a liquid coolant through non-rotating portions of the motor stator and then through heat exchangers cooled in part by air which has flowed through the rotating portions of the motor rotor. The drag reduction portion and the cooled electric motor portion may share the same inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Joby Aero, Inc.
    Inventors: JoeBen Bevirt, Gregor Veble Mikic, Joey Milia, Rob Thodal, Vishnu Vithala
  • Patent number: 11898500
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to systems and methods for controlling an aircraft engine inlet comprises determining a required engine RPM for an engine in-flight restart based upon current aircraft parameters, detecting a command to initiate the engine in-flight restart, and managing a position of an engine inlet barrier to control a volume of air entering an engine intake, wherein the ram air causes an engine turbine to achieve the required engine RPM. The required engine RPM may be an N1 gas generator RPM. The engine inlet barrier may be a hinged door positioned within the engine inlet or a series of inlet variable guide vanes that are configured to rotate between a closed position and an opened position. The position of the engine inlet barrier may be controlled by a flight control computer or an engine control computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas Dewey Parsons
  • Patent number: 11873760
    Abstract: A system and method of an airflow control system for a vehicle is described herein. The airflow control system (100) includes an airflow housing (120) defining an airflow passageway (125) extending between a bypass opening (122) and an intake outlet (124). The airflow housing also defines a duct opening (126) positioned between the bypass opening (122) and the intake outlet (124). The intake outlet (124) may be in fluid communication with an engine intake (12) of the vehicle such that air passes from the bypass opening (122) and/or the duct opening (126) to the engine intake (12). The airflow control system (100) also includes a movable duct (160) movably connected to the airflow housing (120) to selectively allow or prevent air passage through the duct opening (126) and into the engine intake (12), and further includes a bypass door (140) movably connected to the airflow housing (120) to selectively allow or prevent air passage through the bypass opening (122) and into the engine intake (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Donaldson Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael P. O'Brien
  • Patent number: 11839846
    Abstract: An annular water removal system (AWRS) for an air cycle environmental control system (ECS) includes a line replaceable unit (LRU) configured to output air flow, and a water collector coupled to the LRU. The water collector includes an upper portion and a lower portion. The upper portion includes a coalescing unit having a collector inlet to receive the air flow and configured to coalesce moisture from the air flow output from the LRU. The lower portion includes a collection unit in fluid communication with the coalescing unit. The collection unit is configured to collect the moisture coalesced by the coalescing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Donald E. Army, Abbas A. Alahyari, Anthony DeLugan, Ephraim Joseph, Michael Maynard, Seth E. Rosen, John H. Whiton, Sebastian Zuraw, David Saltzman, Christopher Testa
  • Patent number: 11834989
    Abstract: An inlet duct for a gas turbine engine includes a particle separator, a scavenge duct, and a layer of material having a low coefficient of restitution. The particle separator including an outer wall spaced, an inner wall, and a splitter located radially between the outer wall and the inner wall. The scavenge duct is coupled with particle separator. The layer of material is located on at least one of the outer wall, the splitter, and the scavenge duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventor: James C. Loebig
  • Patent number: 11834988
    Abstract: An inlet duct for a gas turbine engine includes a particle separator, a scavenge duct, and a layer of material having a low coefficient of restitution. The particle separator including an outer wall spaced, an inner wall, and a splitter located radially between the outer wall and the inner wall. The scavenge duct is coupled with particle separator. The layer of material is located on at least one of the outer wall, the splitter, and the scavenge duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc., University of Virginia Patent Foundation
    Inventors: Brian J. Connolly, Eric Loth, Crawford F. Smith, III
  • Patent number: 11821363
    Abstract: An intake device for a gas turbine engine includes a snorkel and a particle separator. The snorkel is configured to be mounted to a panel defining at least a portion of a gas flow path within the gas turbine engine. The snorkel includes a tubular body extending between a closed end and an open end opposite the closed end. The snorkel further includes an inlet aperture formed through the tubular body adjacent the closed end. At least a portion of the snorkel is configured to be disposed within the gas flow path. The particle separator is mounted to the snorkel downstream of the inlet aperture. The particle separator includes at least one gas flow passage extending between a flow inlet and a flow outlet. The at least one gas flow passage is configured to remove particulate matter from the at least one gas flow passage upstream of the flow outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Julien Girard, Sylvain Lamarre, Xiaoliu Liu, David Koo, Kevin Nguyen, Liam McPherson, AnnMarie Unnippillil
  • Patent number: 11808203
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a propulsor with a power turbine, a power turbine shaft extending forward therefrom defining a centerline axis, and a fan driven by the power turbine shaft. The fan is aligned with the centerline axis forward of the power turbine and is operatively connected to be driven by the power turbine through the power turbine shaft. A gas generator operatively connected to the propulsor is included downstream from the fan and forward of the power turbine, wherein the gas generator defines a generator axis offset from the centerline axis. The gas generator is operatively connected to the power turbine to supply combustion products for driving the power turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gabriel L. Suciu, James D. Hill
  • Patent number: 11725581
    Abstract: An assembly for an aircraft propulsion system includes a variable area inlet with a fixed structure and a moveable structure. The variable area inlet is configured to open and close an airflow inlet passage into the aircraft propulsion system. The moveable structure is configured to move axially along a centerline between an aft position and a forward position. The moveable structure includes an inlet lip structure and a deflector. When the moveable structure is in the aft position, the airflow inlet passage is closed, and the deflector is at least partially recessed into the fixed structure. When the moveable structure is in the forward position, the airflow inlet passage is opened axially between an aft end of the inlet lip structure and a forward end of the fixed structure, and a forward end of the deflector is disposed axially at the forward end of the fixed structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Rohr, Inc.
    Inventor: Timothy Gormley
  • Patent number: 11692481
    Abstract: An inertial particle separator (IPS) duct assembly is disclosed having a duct having an inlet section extending downstream from an intake flow opening for receiving airflow to a junction, a scavenge flow section and a core flow section, the scavenge flow section and the core flow section splitting from the inlet section at the junction, the scavenge flow section having a scavenge flow outlet downstream of the junction, the core flow section having a core flow outlet downstream of the junction and fluidly connectable to the air intake of an engine core. A splitter cartridge is removably mounted at the junction, the splitter cartridge including a splitter body extending between a duct wall of the scavenge flow section and a duct wall of the core flow section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventor: Patrice Remy
  • Patent number: 11648825
    Abstract: A screen assembly adapted to be removably coupled to an air filter of a construction vehicle includes a frame member including a first portion and a second portion. The screen assembly includes a screen member coupled to the frame member such that a hollow space is defined by the screen member and the frame member. The screen member includes a plurality of perforations adapted to allow passage of air therethrough. The plurality of perforations are further adapted to restrict an ingress of debris into the hollow space of the screen assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan Barry Hausauer, Randall E. Davis
  • Patent number: 11598297
    Abstract: An air intake system for a vehicle has a conduit having an internal wall forming an air passage. A deflector is disposed within the air passage. A restricting structure is disposed within the air passage between the deflector and a conduit outlet. The restricting structure defines at least in part an opening substantially laterally aligned with the deflector. The restricting structure has a lateral wall disposed downstream of the deflector and extending within the air passage. The lateral wall has a front surface generally facing a conduit inlet, and a plurality of surface-increasing features provided on the front surface. Each of the surface-increasing features has a length of at least 1 mm measured from the front surface in a direction normal thereto. An air intake system having a collector connected to the deflector and positioned to collect at least some moisture from air flowing past the deflector is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: BOMBARDIER RECREATIONAL PRODUCTS INC.
    Inventor: Thomas Driant
  • Patent number: 11591961
    Abstract: A jet engine screen assembly for protecting a jet engine from debris includes a mounting ring which forms a closed loop thereby facilitating the mounting ring to be mounted to an intake of a jet engine. A grate is hingedly disposed on the mounting ring. The grate is comprised of a plurality of intersecting members that are arranged to define a plurality of holes to facilitate air to pass through the grate. The grate is comprised of a rigid material to inhibit debris from entering into the jet engine. The grate is positionable in a closed position has the grate covering the intake of the jet engine. Conversely, the grate is positionable in an open position having the grate being displaced from the intake of the jet engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Inventors: Cedric Strickland, Stanley Gilley
  • Patent number: 11554873
    Abstract: A rotorcraft having an aerodynamic device arranged below a rotor, which rotor participates at least in providing lift for the rotorcraft, the rotor being mounted to rotate about an axis of rotation, the aerodynamic device having a fairing provided with at least one air inlet for enabling a stream of cool air to flow from a region that is situated outside the rotorcraft to another region that is situated inside, the air inlet being delimited by an outer peripheral portion of the fairing. In accordance with the invention, the aerodynamic device has a perforated plate provided with at least one perforation, the perforation being suitable for allowing the stream of cool air to pass through it, the perforated plate having at least one main portion shaped to match an outer shape of the outer peripheral portion of said fairing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: AIRBUS HELICOPTERS
    Inventors: Christophe Serr, Olivier Honnorat, Jean-Christophe Coquillat
  • Patent number: 11542028
    Abstract: An air intake including an air duct inside an aircraft, an inlet at one end of the air duct, a flap door and driving mechanism that moves the flap door between closed and open positions. The flap door includes a barrier filter configured to filter an incoming airflow into the air duct, and wherein the driving mechanism is configured to pivot the flap door about a first end of the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS S.L.
    Inventor: Juan Manuel Canalejo Bautista
  • Patent number: 11535391
    Abstract: A cooling duct configured to introduce air flow to a cooling target device provided in a helicopter body of a helicopter includes a duct body, a front opening, an upper opening, a hinge, and a movable blade. The duct body is mountable below a main rotor of the helicopter to be adjacent to the cooling target device. The front opening is formed on a forward side of the helicopter body in the duct body. The upper opening is formed on an upper side of the helicopter body in the duct body. The hinge is disposed in an upper portion of the duct body and includes a pivot shaft extending in a lateral direction of the helicopter body. The movable blade with an end that is pivotally supported by the hinge is provided to be pivotable about the pivot shaft between a first position and a second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kai Yamada
  • Patent number: 11525398
    Abstract: A system that filters airborne particles when the aircraft is in a dusty environment and is disengaged when the aircraft is flying up and away from the dusty environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventor: Elia N. Gianopulos
  • Patent number: 11499478
    Abstract: An asymmetric inlet particle separator for a gas turbine engine includes an inlet having a first cross-sectional shape, and a duct downstream of the inlet. The duct includes a bend upstream from a splitter, a scavenge branch and an engine airflow branch. The splitter is outside of a line of sight from the inlet and the splitter separates the scavenge branch from the engine airflow branch. The asymmetric inlet particle separator includes an annulus downstream of the engine airflow branch configured to be coupled to the gas turbine engine. The annulus has a second cross-sectional shape, and the engine airflow branch transitions from the first cross-sectional shape to the second cross-sectional shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Zedic Judd, John Pearson, Douglas Hollingshead, Bradley Tucker, Yogendra Sheoran
  • Patent number: 11378007
    Abstract: A system and method of an airflow control system for a vehicle is described herein. The airflow control system (100) includes an airflow housing (120) defining an airflow passageway (125) extending between a bypass opening (122) and an intake outlet (124). The airflow housing also defines a duct opening (126) positioned between the bypass opening (122) and the intake outlet (124). The intake outlet (124) may be in fluid communication with an engine intake (12) of the vehicle such that air passes from the bypass opening (122) and/or the duct opening (126) to the engine intake (12). The airflow control system (100) also includes a movable duct (160) movably connected to the airflow housing (120) to selectively allow or prevent air passage through the duct opening (126) and into the engine intake (12), and further includes a bypass door (140) movably connected to the airflow housing (120) to selectively allow or prevent air passage through the bypass opening (122) and into the engine intake (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Donaldson Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael P. O'Brien
  • Patent number: 11359544
    Abstract: A system and method of an airflow control system for a vehicle is described herein. The airflow control system (100) includes an airflow housing (120) defining an airflow passageway (125) extending between a bypass opening (122) and an intake outlet (124). The airflow housing also defines a duct opening (126) positioned between the bypass opening (122) and the intake outlet (124). The intake outlet (124) may be in fluid communication with an engine intake (12) of the vehicle such that air passes from the bypass opening (122) and/or the duct opening (126) to the engine intake (12). The airflow control system (100) also includes a movable duct (160) movably connected to the airflow housing (120) to selectively allow or prevent air passage through the duct opening (126) and into the engine intake (12), and further includes a bypass door (140) movably connected to the airflow housing (120) to selectively allow or prevent air passage through the bypass opening (122) and into the engine intake (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Donaldson Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael P. O'Brien
  • Patent number: 11261788
    Abstract: An inlet particle separator system for a gas turbine engine includes a separator manifold. The separator manifold includes an inlet upstream from an outlet. The inlet is to receive an incoming airflow, and the outlet is to be fluidly coupled to an inlet of the gas turbine engine. The inlet particle separator system includes at least one dry fog nozzle coupled proximate the inlet so as to face at least partially away from the inlet. The dry fog nozzle is external to the separator manifold, and the dry fog nozzle is to direct a spray of dry fog in a direction transverse to the incoming airflow to agglomerate with fine particles in the incoming airflow to form agglomerated particles. The inlet particle separator system includes a scavenging system coupled to the separator manifold downstream from the inlet, and the scavenging system removes the agglomerated particles from the separator manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Tirumala Rao Koka, Shailesh Kumar, Karthik Narayanasamy, Yogendra Yogi Sheoran
  • Patent number: 11181044
    Abstract: An air inlet deflector for a structure having an air inlet. The deflector may be retractable within the structure, may be integrally formed with the structure, and may prevent the structure from ingesting foreign matter, such as birds. The deflector may include a series of ribs, spokes, or vanes that may vary in width and/or thickness from fore to aft, and/or may be curvilinear in one or more planes of view, and/or may serve double duty as inlet vanes for redirecting inlet air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Inventor: Michael J. Kline
  • Patent number: 11162462
    Abstract: An air intake system for a vehicle has a conduit having an internal wall forming an air passage. A deflector is disposed within the air passage. A restricting structure is disposed within the air passage between the deflector and a conduit outlet. The restricting structure defines at least in part an opening substantially laterally aligned with the deflector. The restricting structure has a lateral wall disposed downstream of the deflector and extending within the air passage. The lateral wall has a front surface generally facing a conduit inlet, and a plurality of surface-increasing features provided on the front surface. Each of the surface-increasing features has a length of at least 1 mm measured from the front surface in a direction normal thereto. An air intake system having a collector connected to the deflector and positioned to collect at least some moisture from air flowing past the deflector is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: BOMBARDIER RECREATIONAL PRODUCTS INC.
    Inventor: Thomas Driant
  • Patent number: 11125192
    Abstract: A centrifugal air filter for an automotive system includes a plurality of single separators for setting an air flow passing therethrough in a turbulent motion and a separation area surrounding the plurality of single separators. The separation area receives particles from the air flow due to the centrifugal forces. A filter housing portion is located below a predefined or operation position for receiving particles from the air flow due to gravity, and an intake pipe is connected by an extraction line to a connecting pipe emerging on a filter housing and opening into the filter housing portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Ming Parker Yuen, Phouphadeth Sananikone, Dierk Esau, Alexander Berg
  • Patent number: 11047305
    Abstract: A debris deflector for a jet engine. The debris deflector includes a housing having a base and a nose, wherein the housing tapers radially inwardly from the base towards the nose, such that the nose can deflect debris away from the housing. The housing includes a flexible shroud that extends between the base and the nose, such that the housing can selectively move between a collapsed position and an extended position, such that a linear distance between the nose and the base is less when in the collapsed position. A fastener is disposed on the base to removably secure the housing to a jet engine cowling. The debris deflector is useful for deflecting debris, such as wildlife or small aircraft, away from the jet engine during flight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Inventor: Stephanie Fraser-Beekman
  • Patent number: 10946975
    Abstract: A turbomachine of the «open rotor» type or a turboprop engine comprises a nacelle defining an air inlet, a central hub and an annular air intake section surrounding the central hub and opening into a air supply main section, with the central hub comprising a central trap having an aperture for trapping the foreign objects in an air flow entering the turbomachine, and an air recovery channel having a discharge end, through which said air recovery channel opens into the main section, is provided on the central hub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: Safran Aircraft Engines
    Inventors: Romain Jean-Claude Ferrier, Romeo Brogna, Jackie Raymond Julien Prouteau, Nicolas Joseph Sirvin
  • Patent number: 10906660
    Abstract: An exemplary vertical takeoff and landing includes a rotor driven by an electric motor, a generator located in a compartment and electrically connected to the electric motor, and an inlet formed through a side of the compartment to direct sideward airflow across the generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Bell Textron Inc.
    Inventor: Eric Albert Sinusas
  • Patent number: 10889384
    Abstract: The present invention achieves technical advantages as a rotorcraft engine inlet configuration to optimize performance in both hover and high-speed flight. A rotorcraft fuselage with a ram air intake and a side air intake allows airflow into the engine inlet plenum. A door can be operably coupled to the fuselage, wherein the door is in an open position when the airspeed is below a first threshold and is in a closed position when the airspeed exceeds a second threshold. Additionally, control logic, compares the rotorcraft airspeed with a stored airspeed to operate an actuator to open and close the door to modulate the airflow into the engine inlet plenum. The present invention realizes the advantages of eliminating the inlet spillage drag due to inlet ram airflow in forward flight and increasing the available engine power by mitigating the loss of inlet air pressure recovery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas Dewey Parsons
  • Patent number: 10858995
    Abstract: A system includes an engine cover covering a side-facing rotorcraft engine and having an opening and an ice protection member mounted on the engine cover between the opening and the engine, an area of the ice protection member smaller than an area of the opening. The ice protection member is configured to partially cover the opening to prevent ice having a particular size from entering into the engine and to allow air flow downstream into the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON INC.
    Inventor: Roger J. Aubert
  • Patent number: 10836504
    Abstract: One embodiment is a passive particle separation system including a plenum; an inlet for feeding outside air into the plenum, wherein the outside air has particles entrained therewith; a housing for enclosing the plenum; and a standpipe installed on the housing. The outside air enters the plenum via the inlet and plenum, housing, and standpipe interact to impact the outside air entering the plenum to cause the particles to be released from the outside air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: TEXTRON INNOVATIONS INC.
    Inventors: Joshua Allan Edler, Brent Scannell, Thomas Mast, Sarah R. Villanueva, David Michael Tiedeman, Keith C. Pedersen
  • Patent number: 10823063
    Abstract: Foreign object damage (FOD) screen assemblies and gas turbine engine compartments having FOD screen assemblies are provided. FOD screen assemblies provided herein are formed of materials that reduce the overall weight of the assembly such that easier handling and repair of the FOD screen assembly may be achieved. Further, the FOD screen assemblies provided herein include features that provide for a secure attachment of one or more mesh members to frame members of the assembly. The one or more mesh members are secured to the frame members in such a way that minimal stress is placed on the mesh member at the attachment points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John Joseph Wunsch, Randy Ray Johnson, Justin Sanjay Rao, Adam Patrick Young
  • Patent number: 10774744
    Abstract: An air inlet deflector for a structure having an air inlet. The deflector may be retractable within the structure, may be integrally formed with the structure, and may prevent the structure from ingesting foreign matter, such as birds. The deflector may include a series of ribs, spokes, or vanes that may vary in width and/or thickness from fore to aft, and/or may be curvilinear in one or more planes of view, and/or may serve double duty as inlet vanes for redirecting inlet air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Inventor: Michael J. Kline
  • Patent number: 10765980
    Abstract: An inertial particle separator for an aircraft engine inlet, including inlet, intermediate and bypass ducts. The intermediate duct extends generally transversally from the inlet duct to the engine inlet, and communicates with the inlet duct adjacent its downstream end. The bypass duct extends downstream from the inlet duct and intermediate duct, and defines an outlet communicating with the environment of the engine. A wall of the intermediate duct intersects a wall of the inlet duct on an engine side of the wall of the inlet duct. The engine side of the wall of the inlet duct defines an engine-side inlet air flow line of the inertial particle separator. A wall of the bypass duct intersects the wall of the intermediate duct closer to a central axis of the engine than an extension of the engine-side inlet air flow line into the bypass duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Francois Bisson, Mark Cunningham
  • Patent number: 10556701
    Abstract: An energy absorbing arrangement may comprise an inner barrel comprising a centerline axis, an outer barrel, a webbing extending between the outer barrel and the inner barrel and configured to be offset from a nose lip by a distance, the webbing being folded together to form a plurality of folds, the plurality of folds being stitched together via a plurality of stitches, wherein the webbing is configured to absorb energy from an object in response to the object passing through the nose lip and applying a force to the webbing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: Rohr, Inc.
    Inventor: Johann Steven Schrell
  • Patent number: 10513980
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine arrangement comprising a gas turbine engine and an inlet screen. The gas turbine engine comprises an engine core comprising an inlet having a radial extent extending from an engine longitudinal axis to a first radial position, and a fan duct comprising an inlet having a radial extent extending from the first radial position to a fan casing, the inlet screen comprising an at least part annular porous grid radially extending across at least part of the radial extent of the fan duct inlet, and not extending across any substantial part of the radial extent of the core inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventor: Vasileios Kyritsis
  • Patent number: 10480413
    Abstract: An intertial particle seperator (IPS) including an intake air duct, a scavenge duct that shares an interior common wall with the intake air duct, a clean air duct, and a splitter. The splitter is configured to split a flow of intake air into a flow of scavenge air to pass through the scavenge duct and a flow of clean air to pass through the clean air duct. The IPS also includes a plurality of valleys on the intake air duct. The plurality of valleys includes a plurality of troughs and peaks along the interior common wall. In addition, each trough of the plurality of valleys extends along a direction of the flow of intake air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Philip H. Snyder
  • Patent number: 10393023
    Abstract: A tangential on-board injector for a gas turbine engine is provided. The tangential on-board injector includes a body having an entrance and an exit, the body having a curved shape and defining an air passageway between the entrance and the exit and an inlet extension connected to the entrance of the body, the inlet extension extending from the body and having an inlet configured to force air to change direction when entering the inlet of the inlet extension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Mark F. Zelesky
  • Patent number: 10265707
    Abstract: A ram circuit for an aircraft includes a ram inlet housing, a ram outlet housing, a heat exchanger, a ram air fan, and a particle separator. The ram inlet housing includes a chamber and an inlet configured to receive air. The ram outlet housing is fluidly connected to the ram inlet housing. The heat exchanger is disposed between and fluidly connected to the inlet housing and the outlet housing. The ram air fan is disposed in the outlet housing and includes a motor with a cooling inlet. The particle separator includes an outer inlet and a clean air outlet. The outer inlet is configured to receive ram air from the chamber of the ram inlet housing and faces into a flow of air passing through the chamber. Clean air is discharged through the clean air outlet which is fluidly connected to the cooling inlet of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventor: Richard A. Himmelmann
  • Patent number: 10184399
    Abstract: An inertial inlet particle separator system for a vehicle engine is provided. A separator assembly and collector assembly are coupled to the scavenge flow path and configured to receive the scavenge air. The collector inlet has a throat defining a cumulative throat area at each position along the throat length from the first throat end to the second throat end. The collector body defines a cross-sectional area associated with each position along the throat length between the first throat end and the second throat end. The collector outlet is coupled to the collector body such that scavenge air flows into the collector inlet, through the collector body, and out through the collector outlet. At a first position between the first throat end and the second throat end, the respective cross-sectional area of the collector body is greater than or equal to the respective cumulative throat area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Zedic Daniel Judd, Yogendra Yogi Sheoran, Jennifer Ann Reich, Todd A. Kincheloe, Yates Wong, Cristopher Frost
  • Patent number: 10086321
    Abstract: A liquid separation device for the separation of liquid or liquid mist from a gas, with at least one pair of basic carriers being a first and a second plate-shaped basic carrier, where in each of the first and the second basic carrier, at least two separator elements are formed. The separator elements each have a passage pipe with a gas inlet and a gas outlet, which are arranged at opposite sides of the respective plate-shaped basic carrier in such a way that the passage pipe extends through the respective plate-shaped basic carrier. The first and the second basic carrier being arranged one next to the other in flow direction of the gas. Each of the two separator elements in both basic carriers in which the separator elements are arranged adjacent to each other, with their passage pipes form continuous flow paths for the gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Reinz-Dichtungs-GmbH
    Inventors: Philipp Zedelmair, Christoph Erdmann, Francesco Zitarosa
  • Patent number: 10046861
    Abstract: An aircraft system comprising a deflector assembly including, a base having mounting apertures; an inner ring concentrically positioned within an outer ring, the inner ring and the outer ring have an annulus defined therebetween via a base plate, a plurality of rods attached within the annulus and culminating at an apex creating a conical profile; and a forward-mounted cone-shaped deflecting member. The base plate comprises a through hole allowing airflow through the deflector assembly to supply an airplane engine. The aircraft safety device system further comprises at least one locking latch for removably securing the deflector assembly to a housing of the airplane engine. The aircraft safety device is mountable inside a lip of the housing of the airplane engine. Further, the aircraft safety device provides protection for airplane engines from air born animate and inanimate objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Inventors: Richard Jones, Terrell Jones
  • Patent number: 9810079
    Abstract: A dirt separator assembly for a gas turbine engine comprises a cyclonic accelerator in flow communication with compressor discharge air, the accelerator having a plurality of passages, each passage having an inlet, an outlet and at least one vent located in the passage, a plurality of turning vanes disposed along each of the passages, the passage turning tangentially between the inlet and the outlet, the accelerator passages decreasing from a first cross-sectional area to a second cross-sectional area and said turning vanes inducing helical swirl of compressed cooling air, and, at least one vent located in the accelerator passages for expelling dust separated from the swirling compressed cooling air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert Francis Manning, Victor Hugo Silva Correia
  • Patent number: 9709275
    Abstract: A casing for a turbo-machine at least partially defines a flow path for a working fluid through or around one or more of a compressor section, a combustor assembly, or a turbine section. The casing defines an inner surface and the inner surface defines a plurality of debris routing channels. The plurality of debris routing channels are configured to route debris in a working fluid within the casing towards a debris collection mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Peter de Diego, Herbert Chidsey Roberts, III, Frederic Woodrow Roberts, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9550140
    Abstract: A separator method and apparatus that includes a rotatable drum defining an annular passageway therein, a plurality of blades coupled to the rotatable drum and located in the annular passageway, each of the plurality of blades including a leading section, a trailing section, a concave surface, and a convex surface, the concave and convex surfaces extending from the leading section to the trailing section, each of the plurality of blades disposed circumferentially adjacent to at least another one of the plurality of blades so as to define blade flowpaths therebetween, and a housing at least partially surrounding the rotatable drum and defining a fluid collection chamber fluidly communicating with the annular passageway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: Dresser-Rand Company
    Inventors: William C. Maier, Gocha G. Chochua
  • Patent number: 9517842
    Abstract: Some examples of an aircraft engine barrier filtration system include an engine barrier filter layer positioned near an aircraft engine intake. The filter layer filters aircraft engine intake air. The system includes a check valve assembly positioned adjacent to the engine barrier filter layer. The check valve assembly permits the engine intake air to flow into the engine through the filter layer during a first aircraft operation mode and to prevent air flow away from the engine through the filter layer during a second aircraft operation mode that is different from the first aircraft operation mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON INC.
    Inventor: Albert G. Brand
  • Patent number: 9403601
    Abstract: An aircraft engine guard, for protecting an aircraft engine against ingestion of large objects, includes a generally cone-shaped body, a base section of the rear end of the guard body and a dome section at the distal forward end of the guard body, at least three, vertical, peripherally extending walls located between the base and the dome section, with successive ones of the peripheral walls having different peripheral dimensions, peripherally cylindrical, with the dimension increasing from the base toward the dome section. A plurality of air intake openings are defined in and between the peripheral walls with at least one dimensional size which is small enough to prevent having birds from being able to pass through the guard into the aircraft engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Inventor: William Bekoe Boateng
  • Patent number: 9316183
    Abstract: An engine system including an air intake duct positioned upstream of an engine cylinder may include an ice ingestion feature for retaining condensation. An ice ingestion feature may include indents formed in the bottom of an air intake duct wall. As such, the ice ingestion feature may include compartments and/or grooves of varying depths, widths, and/or angles such that the ice retention rate may be based on the surface area of the compartment or grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Scott M. Rollins, Christopher B. Bishop
  • Patent number: 9272293
    Abstract: A particle separator comprises a vessel, a fluid inlet, a fluid swirl passage, a scupper cavity, a first fluid outlet, and a second fluid outlet. The vessel includes a vessel sidewall extending between a vessel top side and a vessel bottom side. The fluid swirl passage includes a first passage end in communication with a fluid inlet disposed on the vessel top side. A second passage end is in communication with a vessel swirl cavity defined at least in part by an inner surface of the vessel sidewall. The scupper cavity includes a scupper entrance disposed along the inner surface of the vessel sidewall, and is spaced circumferentially apart from the second passage end. The first fluid outlet is in communication with the scupper cavity and disposed on the vessel bottom side. The second fluid outlet is disposed above the first fluid outlet in communication with the vessel swirl cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Peter Bizzarro, Charles J. McColgan, Thomas E. Vatter
  • Patent number: 9249727
    Abstract: A retractable deflector to deflect birds and debris from an air intake duct of an aircraft jet engine. The duct has a forward opening for air receipt. The deflector includes a plurality of elongate members disposed on the duct in spaced relation to each other, each member having two end segments and a central segment disposed between the two end segments; and a plurality of guiding members, each mounted for movement along the perimeter of the duct and coupled to one end segment of an elongate member. The central segment of each elongate member extends between a pair of guiding members such that the elongate member is movable by a respective pair of guiding members between a retracted position and a deployed position in front of the duct. When in the deployed position, the central segments are situated to impede the ingress of debris into the duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Inventor: Jeffrey A. Matos
  • Patent number: 9234461
    Abstract: An environmental defense shield includes symmetric airfoil-shaped vanes contributing to and positioned around a plenum space and positioned in front of a turbine engine. An annular band stiffener is set into the vanes, which projects forward in a diminishing size, the vanes merging together to create or attaching to a solid nose. The environmental defense shield serves to protect the engine from debris while also smoothing airflow into the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: Shield Aerodynamics LLC
    Inventor: Dennis Snyder