Patents by Inventor Frank Holman

Frank Holman 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).

  • Miniature gas turbine engine with unitary rotor shaft for power generation
    Patent number: 6866478
    Abstract: The present invention provides a miniature gas turbine engine for power generation. The engine has a highly integrated unitary rotor shaft where turbine, compressor and shaft are made in one piece in one fabrication process. The turbine and compressor are positioned back to back on the shaft in an overhung configuration, allowing the front bearings to be located in the cold zone of the engine. Preferably, the Mold SDM fabrication technique is utilized to make the unitary rotor shaft in one monolithic part out of ceramics such as silicon nitride, eliminating the need for post process assembly while strengthening the integrity, reliability, and performance of the unitary rotor shaft. Integrated with a permanent magnet in the unitary rotor shaft, the miniature gas turbine engine can generate electric power of 1 kW or less. Additionally, the axial length of the miniature gas turbine engine is about 100 mm or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2005
    Assignees: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University, Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tibor Fabian, Frank Holman, Sangkyun Kang, Hao-Chih Liu, Minoru Matsunaga, Fritz B. Prinz, Hideaki Tsuru
  • Miniature gas turbine engine with unitary rotor shaft for power generation
    Publication number: 20040016239
    Abstract: The present invention provides a miniature gas turbine engine for power generation. The engine has a highly integrated unitary rotor shaft where turbine, compressor and shaft are made in one piece in one fabrication process. The turbine and compressor are positioned back to back on the shaft in an overhung configuration, allowing the front bearings to be located in the cold zone of the engine. Preferably, the Mold SDM fabrication technique is utilized to make the unitary rotor shaft in one monolithic part out of ceramics such as silicon nitride, eliminating the need for post process assembly while strengthening the integrity, reliability, and performance of the unitary rotor shaft. Integrated with a permanent magnet in the unitary rotor shaft, the miniature gas turbine engine can generate electric power of 1 kW or less. Additionally, the axial length of the miniature gas turbine engine is about 100 mm or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2003
    Publication date: January 29, 2004
    Inventors: Tibor Fabian, Frank Holman, Sangkyun Kang, Hao-Chih Liu, Minoru Matsunaga, Fritz B. Prinz, Hideaki Tsuru