Patents by Inventor Ian M. Barnes

Ian M. Barnes 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).

  • Orbital winch
    Patent number: 9238572
    Abstract: Orbital winch having: lower and upper frames; spool having upper and lower flanges with lower flange attached to lower frame; axial tether guide mounted to upper frame; secondary slewing ring coaxial with spool and rotatably mounted to upper frame, wherein secondary slewing ring's outer surface has gearing; upper tether guide mounted to inner surface of secondary slewing ring; linear translation means having upper end mounted to upper frame and lower end mounted on lower frame; primary slewing ring rotatably mounted within linear translation means allowing translation axially between flanges, wherein primary slewing ring's outer surface has gearing; lower tether guide mounted on primary slewing ring's inner surface; pinion rod having upper end mounted to upper frame and lower end mounted to lower frame, wherein pinion rod's teeth engage primary and secondary slewing rings' outer surface teeth; and tether passing through axial, upper, and lower tether guides and winding around spool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: TETHERS UNLIMITED Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Hoyt, Jeffrey T. Slostad, Scott Frank, Ian M. Barnes
  • Orbital Winch
    Publication number: 20140284531
    Abstract: Orbital winch having: lower and upper frames; spool having upper and lower flanges with lower flange attached to lower frame; axial tether guide mounted to upper frame; secondary slewing ring coaxial with spool and rotatably mounted to upper frame, wherein secondary slewing ring's outer surface has gearing; upper tether guide mounted to inner surface of secondary slewing ring; linear translation means having upper end mounted to upper frame and lower end mounted on lower frame; primary slewing ring rotatably mounted within linear translation means allowing translation axially between flanges, wherein primary slewing ring's outer surface has gearing; lower tether guide mounted on primary slewing ring's inner surface; pinion rod having upper end mounted to upper frame and lower end mounted to lower frame, wherein pinion rod's teeth engage primary and secondary slewing rings' outer surface teeth; and tether passing through axial, upper, and lower tether guides and winding around spool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Inventors: Robert Hoyt, Jeffrey T. Slostad, Scott Frank, Ian M. Barnes
  • TERMINATOR TAPE SATELLITE DEORBIT MODULE
    Publication number: 20120138748
    Abstract: A deorbit device comprising a passive electrodynamic conductive tape connected at one end to a spacecraft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2010
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: Tethers Unlimited, Inc.
    Inventors: Ian M. Barnes, Nestor Voronka, Robert Hoyt, Jeffrey Thor Slostad