Patents by Inventor Darren Hitt

Darren Hitt 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).

  • Aeroacoustic duster
    Patent number: 9480375
    Abstract: The invention disclosed herein provides for high particle removal rate and/or heat transfer from surfaces. The device removes particulate matter from a surface using a bounded vortex generated over the surface, with suction in the vortex center and jets for blowing air along the periphery. The jets are tilted in the tangential direction to induce vortex motion within the suction region. The vortex is said to be bounded because streamlines originating in the downward jets are entrained back into the central vortex.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: The University of Vermont & State Agricultural College
    Inventors: Jeffrey S. Marshall, Darren Hitt, Jun-ru Wu, Nicholas M. Vachon, Di Chen
  • Aeroacoustic Duster
    Publication number: 20140289997
    Abstract: The invention disclosed herein provides for high particle removal rate and/or heat transfer from surfaces. The device removes particulate matter from a surface using a bounded vortex generated over the surface, with suction in the vortex center and jets for blowing air along the periphery. The jets are tilted in the tangential direction to induce vortex motion within the suction region. The vortex is said to be bounded because streamlines originating in the downward jets are entrained back into the central vortex.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Inventors: Jeffrey S. Marshall, Darren Hitt, Jun-ru Wu, Nicholas M. Vachon, Di Chen
  • Aeroacoustic duster
    Patent number: 8695156
    Abstract: The aero-acoustic duster invention disclosed herein provides for high particle removal rate from surfaces with low energy expenditure relative to competing vacuum-based devices. The device removes particulate matter from a surface using a two-step process: 1. Acoustic radiation is used to break the adhesive bonds between dust and the surface, forcing particles into a mode where they continuously bounce up and down on the surface; and, 2. A bounded vortex is generated over the surface, with suction in the vortex center and jets for blowing air along the periphery. The jets are tilted in the tangential direction to induce vortex motion within the suction region. The vortex is said to be bounded because streamlines originating in the downward jets are entrained back into the central vortex.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Inventors: Jeffrey S. Marshall, Di Chen, Nicholas Mario Vachon, Darren Hitt, Junru Wu
  • Aeroacoustic Duster
    Publication number: 20110214246
    Abstract: The aero-acoustic duster invention disclosed herein provides for high particle removal rate from surfaces with low energy expenditure relative to competing vacuum-based devices. The device removes particulate matter from a surface using a two-step process: 1. Acoustic radiation is used to break the adhesive bonds between dust and the surface, forcing particles into a mode where they continuously bounce up and down on the surface; and, 2. A bounded vortex is generated over the surface, with suction in the vortex center and jets for blowing air along the periphery. The jets are tilted in the tangential direction to induce vortex motion within the suction region. The vortex is said to be bounded because streamlines originating in the downward jets are entrained back into the central vortex.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2011
    Publication date: September 8, 2011
    Inventors: Jeffrey S. Marshall, Di Chen, Nicholas Mario Vachon, Darren Hitt, Junru Wu