Honeywell International Inc.

Alliedsignal Inc.

Fram Group IP LLC

Steven Robert Eccles

Wayne Schindler

Filip Reinis

Allen Kent MacKnight

Vipul P Patel

Mike Medhi Masoudipour

Wei-Shing Chaing

Leonard Walitt

Frank Babayi

Mike S Koerner

Roger P Murry

Robert Alan Dietrich

Edward Mark Down

Sam Shiao

Ru-Li Kung

Davis Jensen

Wayne Godoy Schindler

Stephen L Grosfeld

Amanda L Anthony

Allen C Hansen

Mathew C Schacht

A method for removing particulates from a fluid, the method including the steps of: producing a laminar flow of the fluid through a single-flow passageway defined by an interior surface of an outer rotor of a centrifuge; and imparting centrifugal force on the fluid in a direction orthogonal to a direction of the flow of the fluid to capture the particulates from the fluid. The method may further comprise rotation of the centrifuge at a speed of 5,000 to 15,000 revolutions per minute. The method may also or alternatively comprise locating the interior surface between 3 and 5 inches from an axis of rotation of the centrifuge.

Method for removing particulates from a fluid

A system for lubricating a remote bearing in rotating machinery is disclosed. An aerator is coupled on an end of a shaft distally from a gearbox and on a far side of an obstruction coupled to the shaft. Oil is carried centrifugally along an inner diameter wall of the shaft while air is carried along a central axis of the shaft. The aerator may include an axial groove for receiving oil from the inner diameter wall of the shaft. The aerator may further include a radial passage for carrying air into the oil to provide a misted lubricant that may be provided into the remote bearing.

Shaft bearing lubricant aerator, system, and method

A ducted ram air turbine may be used to drive a generator to provide power to an aircraft. The ducted ram air turbine may be used in a pod attached to the aircraft, where the pod is fully powered, cooled and lubricated by devices attached to the ram air turbine. A gearbox may be deployed to control the speed of the turbine for driving various pumps and the like. The speed of the turbine may be controlled by inlet and exit actuators driving inlet and exit doors.

Ducted ram air generator assembly

A fluid control system may comprise a pressurized fluid path; at least two sensors for determining a state of fluid within the main fluid path; an isolation valve; and fluid-filled connection paths between the main fluid path and each of the at least two sensors. The connection paths may comprise first sensing tubes connected between the main fluid path and the isolation valve; the isolation valve; and second sensing tubes connected between the isolation valve and the at least two sensors. Upon closure of the isolation valve, the connection paths may be interrupted so that the sensors may be isolated from the main fluid path and so that they may be removed from the system without a need to de-pressurize or drain the fluid from the main fluid path of the system.

Sensor replacement valve

An apparatus for determining the fluid level of a container, such as an accumulator, may include both a remote quantity indicator and a direct quantity indicator. The remote quantity indicator may include a remote dial at the end of a flexible cable or an electrical signal receiver receiving an electrical signal from a rotary variable differential transformer (RVDT), such as a potentiometer. The RVDT type of indicator may include an electrical connector on the accumulator to attach an electrical cable to carry the quantity level signal. The direct quantity indicator may include a dial directly mounted on the accumulator. The remote/direct quantity indicators may include, for example, one of the following three combinations: 1) a dial directly on the accumulator and a remote dial at the end of a flexible cable; 2) an RVDT output and a dial directly on the accumulator; and 3) an RVDT output on an accumulator, a remote dial at the end of a flexible cable and a dial directly on the accumulator.

Accumulator with both direct and remote quantity level indication

A fluid coupler for connecting two hydraulic appliances together without requiring flexible hoses is described. The fluid coupler enables fluid-tight connecting between fixed position components and allows for separating the hydraulic appliances without decoupling the coupler while maintaining fluid-tightness of both appliances after separation.

Rigid mount anti-leak fluid coupler

A centrifuge is employed to continuously remove particulates from a fluid. In one embodiment, the centrifuge removes small particles of soot from lubricating oil of diesel engines. The fluid is introduced into the centrifuge through a distribution rotor so that vortexes are not propagated in the fluid. Laminar flow of the fluid down the sides of the outer rotor may contribute to the soot-removal effectiveness of the centrifuge.

Oil centrifuge for extracting particulates from a fluid using centrifugal force

An engine starting apparatus and method may allow for two methods of engine start where only one engine gearbox accessory pad exists off the aircraft engine. A gearbox lubricating apparatus may also be provided to lubricate the gearbox at altitude without added complexity. Two engine starting inputs (for example, one input for ground start and one input for in-flight engine start) are provided while avoiding complex gearbox designs. Clutches may also be used to prevent the starter gearbox from continuous operation (rotation) after the engine has started. Apparatus and methods are also provided for improving the air-fuel combustion of the hot-gas turbine start input (for in-flight engine start) to minimize the build-up of solid carbon (soot) in and around the combustor and turbine nozzle flow passages.

Emergency power engine restart system

An emergency power system may provide hydraulic and electrical power to an aircraft in the event of a failure of the aircraft's primary control power system. The system may be constructed as a ram air turbine in which a single ram air fan may drive both a hydraulic pump and an electrical generator. A unique gearbox may incorporate compound gearing to permit the pump and the generator to be driven at different speeds. Thus the pump and the generator may be driven at their respective optimum speeds. The pump and the generator may be detachably mounted on a gearbox that supports the ram air fan. The detachable mounting of the pump and generator may accommodate ease of maintenance of these items. The gearbox may be provided with a ground testing port through which rotational testing force may be introduced to a shaft that supports the ram air fan. This may permit ground level testing of the system. Ground level testing may reduce a need to perform periodic in-flight testing of the system.

Ram air turbine with compound geartrain gearbox

A vibration damping sleeve for a stator assembly having radial vibration isolator features at both ends is provided. At one end, the vibration damping sleeve comprises a groove for a damping element such as an annular gasket while a plurality of beams circumferentially disposed are at the other end. The plurality of beams may comprise mounting flanges for mounting the stator to a housing support.

Vibration damper for generator or motor stator

A rotary remote visual liquid quantity indicator allows a user to remotely determine the amount of liquid in a container, such as an accumulator on an aircraft. A flexible rotary cable assembly may be coupled between a rotatable drum and a remote indicator having a rotatable cap, the rotatable drum responsive to axial motion of a sweeper within the accumulator. Changes in the fluid level of the accumulator may be translated into rotational motion of the rotatable drum, which, via the flexible rotary cable assembly, changes a reading on a remotely located indicator.

Rotary remote visual liquid quantity indicator

A ram air turbine power system includes a ram air turbine having a turbine shaft, turbine blades for rotating the turbine shaft; and an electrical generator or other power source device driven by a power shaft, for providing power. The power shaft has a generally hollow tubular shape, and the turbine shaft extends coaxially within the power shaft. The ram air turbine power system also includes a gearbox housing a planetary gear train, where one end of the gear train is a planetary sun gear spline coupled to the power shaft and the other end of the gear train is a planetary ring gear spline coupled to the turbine shaft so that the rotating turbine shaft drives the power shaft through the gear train increasing the speed of the power shaft over the speed of the turbine shaft.

Ram air turbine with speed increasing gearbox

A ram air turbine system provides liquid cooling of its generator by employing a closed loop liquid cooling line originating from a pump in the gearbox of the system. In the preferred embodiment the pump may be a pitot pump to which gearbox lubricating oil may be channeled along a trough that is located in the gearbox. At least a portion of the trough is immersed in the oil which travels along the trough toward the pump in response to turbine shaft rotation. The oil is directed into a cooling jacket which is integral to the generator and then to a heat exchanger exposed to airflow. The oil is then returned to the gearbox.

Ram air turbine with high power density generator and self-contained fluid cooling loop

The heating apparatus and method for the nose fairing of a rotating blade assembly has an electrical generator connected to a heating element attached to the interior of the forward end of the nose fairing. The electrical generator has a rotor with conductor windings attached to the aft end of the rotating blade assembly hub housing. The stator of the electrical generator is attached opposite the rotor on the support structure for the hub housing with stator magnets spaced from and opposite the rotor windings. When the hub housing is rotated by for example airflow through the blades of the rotating blade assembly the rotor moves relative to the stator thereby creating an induced current in the windings. This converts the rotational energy to electrical energy to power the heater to heat the nose fairing to inhibit the formation of ice thereon.

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Torrance, CA, United States of America

Steven Robert Eccles