Patents Assigned to PHOENIX LLC
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Patent number: 11867203Abstract: A linear actuator system includes a linear actuator and at least one integrated pump assembly connected to the linear actuator to provide fluid to operate the linear actuator. The integrated pump assembly includes a pump with at least one fluid driver comprising a prime mover and a fluid displacement assembly to be driven by the prime mover such that fluid is transferred from a first port of the pump to a second port of the pump. The pump assembly also includes two valve assembles to isolate the pump from the system. The linear actuator system also includes a controller that establishes at least one of a speed and a torque of the at least one prime mover to exclusively adjust at least one of a flow and a pressure in the linear actuator system to an operational set point.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2021Date of Patent: January 9, 2024Assignee: Project Phoenix, LLCInventor: Thomas Afshari
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Publication number: 20230408425Abstract: A neutron imaging system that includes a central neutron source configured to produce source neutrons, wherein the central neutron source comprises a beam target, a moderator chamber surrounding at least a portion of the beam target, the moderator chamber housing a moderator, and a re-entrant cone extending into the moderator chamber. The re-entrant cone includes an entrance surface having a concave curvature facing the beam target. The entrance surface encloses a cone chamber, isolating the cone chamber from the moderator.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 1, 2023Publication date: December 21, 2023Applicant: Phoenix, LLCInventors: Tye Gribb, Lucas Jacobson
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Patent number: 11846283Abstract: A fluid-driven actuator system includes a fluid-driven actuator and at least one proportional control valve and at least one pump connected to the fluid-driven actuator to provide fluid to operate the fluid-driven actuator. The at least one pump includes at least one fluid driver having a prime mover and a fluid displacement assembly to be driven by the prime mover such that fluid is transferred from the pump inlet to the pump outlet. The fluid driven actuator system also includes a controller that establishes at least one of a speed and a torque of the at least one prime mover to adjust at least one of a flow in the fluid system to a flow set point and a pressure in the fluid system to pressure set point and a concurrently establishes an opening of the at least one proportional control valve to adjust at least one of the flow to the flow set point and the pressure to the pressure set point.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2020Date of Patent: December 19, 2023Assignee: Project Phoenix, LLCInventor: Thomas Afshari
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Patent number: 11774375Abstract: A neutron imaging system that includes a central neutron source configured to produce source neutrons, wherein the central neutron source comprises a beam target, a moderator chamber surrounding at least a portion of the beam target, the moderator chamber housing a moderator, and a re-entrant cone extending into the moderator chamber. The re-entrant cone includes an entrance surface facing the beam target. The entrance surface encloses a cone chamber, isolating the cone chamber from the moderator. Furthermore, the entrance surface is shaped such that source neutrons produced at the beam target impinge the entrance surface with a neutron flux that varies by 10% or less along the entrance surface.Type: GrantFiled: April 15, 2022Date of Patent: October 3, 2023Assignee: Phoenix, LLCInventors: Tye Gribb, Lucas Jacobson
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Patent number: 11713757Abstract: A pump having at least two fluid drivers and a method of delivering fluid from an inlet of the pump to an outlet of the pump using the at least two fluid drivers. Each of the fluid drives includes a prime mover and a fluid displacement member. The prime mover drives the fluid displacement member to transfer fluid. The fluid drivers are independently operated. However, the fluid drivers are operated such that contact between the fluid drivers is synchronized. That is, operation of the fluid drivers is synchronized such that the fluid displacement member in each fluid driver makes contact with another fluid displacement member. The contact can include at least one contact point, contact line, or contact area.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2021Date of Patent: August 1, 2023Assignee: PROJECT PHOENIX, LLCInventor: Thomas Afshari
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Patent number: 11655831Abstract: An accumulator for storing fluid that includes a shell that defines an interior volume of the accumulator. The shell includes at least one port for providing fluid to a fluid system. The accumulator also includes an accumulator shaft disposed in the interior volume and extending at least partially across the interior volume from a first interior surface of the shell along a longitudinal axis of the shell, e.g., a central axis. The accumulator includes a piston-plate disposed in the interior volume such that the piston-plate and a second interior surface of the shell define a chamber in the interior volume. The accumulator further includes a motor disposed in the interior volume. The accumulator is configured such that rotational movement of the motor translates to linear movement of the piston-plate along the accumulator shaft.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2021Date of Patent: May 23, 2023Assignee: PROJECT PHOENIX, LLCInventor: Thomas Afshari
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Patent number: 11512695Abstract: A pump includes a casing defining an interior volume. The pump casing includes at least one balancing plate that can be part of a wall of the pump casing with each balancing plate including a protruding portion having two recesses. Each recess is configured to accept one end of a fluid driver. The balancing plate aligns the fluid displacement members with respect to each other such that the fluid displacement members can pump the fluid when rotated. The balancing plates can include cooling grooves connecting the respective recesses. The cooling grooves ensure that some of the liquid being transferred in the internal volume is directed to bearings disposed in the recesses as the fluid drivers rotate.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2021Date of Patent: November 29, 2022Assignee: PROJECT PHOENIX, LLCInventor: Thomas Afshari
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Patent number: 11506460Abstract: Multi-modal gas blocks utilized in conjunction with gas piston-operated firearms are disclosed, as are firearms equipped with such gas blocks. In embodiments, the multi-modal gas block includes a gas block body, a valve element cavity, a gas inlet port through which the valve element cavity is fluidly coupled to a barrel bleed port of a firearm, a gas exhaust port fluidly coupled to the valve element cavity, and a gas return port fluidly coupling the valve element cavity to a gas piston cylinder contained in the firearm. A valve element housed within the valve element cavity is movable between: (i) a first position in which the valve element blocks gas flow from the gas inlet port to the gas exhaust port; and (ii) a second position in which the valve element divides gas flow received at the gas inlet port between the gas return and gas exhaust ports.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2021Date of Patent: November 22, 2022Assignee: FULLER PHOENIX, LLCInventors: Jim Fuller, Leif Strom, Kevin Yang
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Patent number: 11408442Abstract: A fluid system includes a variable-speed and/or a variable-torque pump to pump a fluid, at least one proportional control valve assembly, an actuator that is operated by the fluid to control a load, and a controller that establishes a speed and/or torque of the pump and a position of the at least one proportional control valve assembly. The pump includes at least one fluid driver that provides fluid to the actuator, which can be, e.g., a fluid-actuated cylinder, a fluid-driven motor or another type of fluid-driven actuator that controls a load. Each fluid driver includes a prime mover and a fluid displacement assembly. The fluid displacement assembly can be driven by the prime mover such that fluid is transferred from the inlet port to the outlet port of the pump.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2020Date of Patent: August 9, 2022Assignee: PROJECT PHOENIX, LLCInventor: Thomas Afshari
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Patent number: 11280334Abstract: A fluid delivery system having at least one fluid storage device and a pump with at least one fluid driver with a flow-through shaft that has a through-passage. The pump includes a casing, and at least one fluid driver having a prime mover and at least one fluid displacement member. A shaft of the prime mover and/or a shaft of the fluid displacement member and/or a common shaft of the prime mover/fluid displacement member (depending on the configuration of the pump) is a flow-through shaft with a through-passage configuration that allows fluid communication between at least one port of the pump and the at least one fluid storage device.Type: GrantFiled: April 3, 2019Date of Patent: March 22, 2022Assignee: PROJECT PHOENIX, LLCInventor: Thomas Afshari
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Patent number: 11242851Abstract: A linear actuator system includes a linear actuator and at least one proportional control valve and at least one pump connected to the linear actuator to provide fluid to operate the linear actuator. The at least one pump includes at least one fluid driver having a prime mover and a fluid displacement assembly to be driven by the prime mover such that fluid is transferred from the pump inlet to the pump outlet. The linear actuator system also includes a controller that establishes at least one of a speed and a torque of the at least one prime mover and concurrently establishes an opening of the at least one proportional control valve to adjust at least one of a flow and a pressure in the linear actuator system to an operational set point.Type: GrantFiled: November 27, 2019Date of Patent: February 8, 2022Assignee: PROJECT PHOENIX, LLCInventor: Thomas Afshari
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Patent number: 11226428Abstract: Provided herein are neutron-based detection systems and methods that provide, for example, high throughput analysis of elemental analysis of scrap materials. Such systems and methods find use for the commercial-scale evaluation of bulk process materials where hazardous or otherwise undesirable materials or high value materials may be interspersed with the primary process material. In certain embodiments, the system is used to detect and potentially remove unexploded ordinance (UXO) from a conveyor of demilitarized shell casings being recycled by detecting the presence of nitrogen and other elements present in the UXO. In other embodiments, the system detects and removes unwanted or highly valuable materials from a stream of scrap material.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2020Date of Patent: January 18, 2022Assignee: PHOENIX LLCInventors: Ross Radel, Brad Bloomquist, Evan Sengbusch, Rob O'Connell, Eli Moll, Daniel Cech, Gabriel Becerra
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Patent number: 11118581Abstract: A pump having at least two fluid drivers and a method of delivering fluid from an inlet of the pump to an outlet of the pump using the at least two fluid drivers. Each of the fluid drives includes a prime mover and a fluid displacement member. The prime mover drives the fluid displacement member to transfer fluid. The fluid drivers are independently operated. However, the fluid drivers are operated such that contact between the fluid drivers is synchronized. That is, operation of the fluid drivers is synchronized such that the fluid displacement member in each fluid driver makes contact with another fluid displacement member. The contact can include at least one contact point, contact line, or contact area.Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 2018Date of Patent: September 14, 2021Assignee: PROJECT PHOENIX, LLCInventor: Thomas Afshari
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Patent number: 11085440Abstract: A fluid-driven actuator system includes a fluid-driven actuator and at least one proportional control valve and at least one pump connected to the fluid-driven actuator to provide fluid to operate the fluid-driven actuator. The at least one pump includes at least one fluid driver having a prime mover and a fluid displacement assembly to be driven by the prime mover such that fluid is transferred from the pump inlet to the pump outlet. The fluid-driven actuator system also includes a controller that establishes at least one of a speed and a torque of the at least one prime mover to adjust at least one of a flow in the fluid-driven system to a flow set point and a pressure in the fluid-driven actuator system to a pressure set point and concurrently establishes an opening of the at least one proportional control valve to adjust at least one of the flow to the flow set point and the pressure to the pressure set point.Type: GrantFiled: September 1, 2016Date of Patent: August 10, 2021Assignee: Project Phoenix, LLCInventor: Thomas Afshari
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Patent number: 11067170Abstract: A hydrostatic transmission system includes a fluid-driven motor and an integrated pump assembly connected to the fluid-driven motor to provide fluid to operate the fluid-driven motor. The integrated pump assembly includes a pump with at least one fluid driver comprising a prime mover and a fluid displacement assembly to be driven by the prime mover such that fluid is transferred from a first port of the pump to a second port of the pump. The pump assembly also includes two valve assembles to isolate the pump from the system. The hydrostatic transmission system also includes a controller that establishes at least one of a speed and a torque of the at least one prime mover to exclusively adjust at least one of a flow and a pressure in the hydrostatic transmission system to an operational set point.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2019Date of Patent: July 20, 2021Assignee: Project Phoenix, LLCInventor: Thomas Afshari
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Patent number: 11060534Abstract: A linear actuator system includes a linear actuator and at least one integrated pump assembly connected to the linear actuator to provide fluid to operate the linear actuator. The integrated pump assembly includes a pump with at least one fluid driver comprising a prime mover and a fluid displacement assembly to be driven by the prime mover such that fluid is transferred from a first port of the pump to a second port of the pump. The pump assembly also includes two valve assembles to isolate the pump from the system. The linear actuator system also includes a controller that establishes at least one of a speed and a torque of the at least one prime mover to exclusively adjust at least one of a flow and a pressure in the linear actuator system to an operational set point.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2019Date of Patent: July 13, 2021Assignee: Project Phoenix, LLCInventor: Thomas Afshari
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Patent number: 11054026Abstract: A hydrostatic transmission system includes a hydraulic motor and at least one proportional control valve and at least one pump connected to the hydraulic motor to provide fluid to operate the hydraulic motor. The at least one pump includes at least one fluid driver having a prime mover and a fluid displacement assembly to be driven by the prime mover such that fluid is transferred from the pump inlet to the pump outlet. The hydrostatic transmission system also includes a controller that establishes at least one of a speed and a torque of the at least one prime mover and concurrently establishes an opening of the at least one proportional control valve to adjust at least one of a flow and a pressure in the hydrostatic transmission system to an operational set point.Type: GrantFiled: November 27, 2019Date of Patent: July 6, 2021Assignee: Project Phoenix, LLCInventor: Thomas Afshari
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Patent number: 10995750Abstract: A pump includes a casing defining an interior volume. The pump casing includes at least one balancing plate that can be part of a wall of the pump casing with each balancing plate including a protruding portion having two recesses. Each recess is configured to accept one end of a fluid driver. The balancing plate aligns the fluid displacement members with respect to each other such that the fluid displacement members can pump the fluid when rotated. The balancing plates can include cooling grooves connecting the respective recesses. The cooling grooves ensure that some of the liquid being transferred in the internal volume is directed to bearings disposed in the recesses as the fluid drivers rotate.Type: GrantFiled: February 11, 2020Date of Patent: May 4, 2021Assignee: Project Phoenix, LLCInventor: Thomas Afshari
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Patent number: 10975891Abstract: An accumulator for storing fluid that includes a shell that defines an interior volume of the accumulator. The shell includes at least one port for providing fluid to a fluid system. The accumulator also includes an accumulator shaft disposed in the interior volume and extending at least partially across the interior volume from a first interior surface of the shell along a longitudinal axis of the shell, e.g., a central axis. The accumulator includes a piston-plate disposed in the interior volume such that the piston-plate and a second interior surface of the shell define a chamber in the interior volume. The accumulator further includes a motor disposed in the interior volume. The accumulator is configured such that rotational movement of the motor translates to linear movement of the piston-plate along the accumulator shaft.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2017Date of Patent: April 13, 2021Assignee: Project Phoenix, LLCInventor: Thomas Afshari
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Patent number: 10950409Abstract: A negative ion source includes a plasma chamber, a microwave source, a negative ion converter, a magnetic filter and a beam formation mechanism. The plasma chamber contains gas to be ionized. The microwave source transmits microwaves to the plasma chamber to ionize the gas into atomic species including hyperthermal neutral atoms. The negative ion converter converts the hyperthermal neutral atoms to negative ions. The magnetic filter reduces a temperature of an electron density provided between the plasma chamber and the negative ion converter. The beam formation mechanism extract the negative ions.Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 2019Date of Patent: March 16, 2021Assignee: PHOENIX LLCInventors: Joseph D. Sherman, Evan R. Sengbusch, Ross F. Radel, Arne V. Kobernik, Tye T. Gribb, Preston J. Barrows, Christopher M. Seyfert, Logan D. Campbell, Daniel J. Swanson, Eric D. Risley, Jin W. Lee, Kevin D. Meaney