Patents by Inventor Keith A. Bloxham
Keith A. Bloxham 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).
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Publication number: 20230383831Abstract: A harmonic gearset, having: a drive shaft; first and second ground gears spaced apart from each other along the drive shaft; an output gear disposed on the drive shaft, between the first and second ground gears; a first flexspline disposed radially between the drive shaft, the first ground gear and the output gear; and a second flexspline disposed radially between the drive shaft, the second ground gear and the output gear, wherein the first and second flexsplines are axially adjacent to each other.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 27, 2022Publication date: November 30, 2023Inventors: Derick S. Balsiger, Keith A. Bloxham
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Patent number: 11713108Abstract: A hinge-line actuator has: a drive shaft; first and second ground gears spaced apart along the drive shaft, wherein the first and second output gears include first and second contoured outer gear surfaces; and an output gear disposed on the drive shaft and disposed between the first and second ground gears, wherein the output gear includes a third contoured outer gear surface; an actuator housing that includes: contoured first, second and third gear seats that, respectively, seat the first, second and third outer gear surfaces.Type: GrantFiled: October 5, 2021Date of Patent: August 1, 2023Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATIONInventors: Derick S. Balsiger, Keith Bloxham
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Publication number: 20230105006Abstract: A hinge-line actuator has: a drive shaft; first and second ground gears spaced apart along the drive shaft, wherein the first and second output gears include first and second contoured outer gear surfaces; and an output gear disposed on the drive shaft and disposed between the first and second ground gears, wherein the output gear includes a third contoured outer gear surface; an actuator housing that includes: contoured first, second and third gear seats that, respectively, seat the first, second and third outer gear surfaces.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 5, 2021Publication date: April 6, 2023Inventors: Derick S. Balsiger, Keith Bloxham
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Patent number: 11519487Abstract: Disclosed is a compound harmonic gear motor having: first and second ground gears connected by a stationary shaft; a wave generator including an outer surface that can rotate completely around the stationary shaft, the wave generator including a rotor and a stator, wherein rotation of the rotor causes rotation of the outer surface; a flex spline surrounding the outer surface of the wave generator that is driven to rotate by rotation of the outer surface of the wave generator; and an output flange including internal teeth that mate with the flex spline to cause rotation of the output flange completely around the stationary shaft.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2019Date of Patent: December 6, 2022Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATIONInventors: Derick S. Balsiger, Keith Bloxham
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Patent number: 11371596Abstract: Disclosed is a compound harmonic gearbox having: a first ground gear and a second ground gear being interconnected about a stationary shaft to form a housing, wherein only the first ground gear includes gearbox mounting features; an output flange partially encased within the housing; a flex spline within the housing that drives the output flange; a wave generator within the housing that drives the flex spline; an input shaft with an input gear that drives the wave generator, the input shaft extending through the first ground gear, wherein the output flange is configured to rotate completely around the stationary shaft by rotating the input shaft.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2019Date of Patent: June 28, 2022Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATIONInventors: Derick S. Balsiger, Keith Bloxham
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Patent number: 11085518Abstract: An inverted compound harmonic drive including: a wave generator configured to receive rotational input; a flex spline disposed radially within the wave generator that receives energy due to the rotation of the wave generator, the flex spline including a plurality of inner facing splines that include an axial center spline, a first axial end spline being adjacent to and forward of the axial center spline, and a second axial end spline adjacent to and aft of the axial center spline; an output gear meshes with the axial center spline; a first ground gear adjacent to and forward of the output gear that meshes with the first axial end spline; and a second ground gear adjacent to an aft of the output gear that meshes with the second axial end spline.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2019Date of Patent: August 10, 2021Assignee: HAMILTON SUNSTRAND CORPORATIONInventors: Derick S. Balsiger, Keith Bloxham
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Publication number: 20210071744Abstract: Disclosed is a compound harmonic gearbox having: a first ground gear and a second ground gear being interconnected about a stationary shaft to form a housing, wherein only the first ground gear includes gearbox mounting features; an output flange partially encased within the housing; a flex spline within the housing that drives the output flange; a wave generator within the housing that drives the flex spline; an input shaft with an input gear that drives the wave generator, the input shaft extending through the first ground gear, wherein the output flange is configured to rotate completely around the stationary shaft by rotating the input shaft.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 10, 2019Publication date: March 11, 2021Inventors: Derick S. Balsiger, Keith Bloxham
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Publication number: 20210048095Abstract: Disclosed is a compound harmonic gear motor having: first and second ground gears connected by a stationary shaft; a wave generator including an outer surface that can rotate completely around the stationary shaft, the wave generator including a rotor and a stator, wherein rotation of the rotor causes rotation of the outer surface; a flex spline surrounding the outer surface of the wave generator that is driven to rotate by rotation of the outer surface of the wave generator; and an output flange including internal teeth that mate with the flex spline to cause rotation of the output flange completely around the stationary shaft.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 16, 2019Publication date: February 18, 2021Inventors: Derick S. Balsiger, Keith Bloxham
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Patent number: 10844944Abstract: An inverted harmonic gear actuator is provided and includes a motor stator and a motor rotor radially disposed within the motor stator. The inverted harmonic gear actuator also includes a wave generator radially disposed within the motor rotor, where the wave generator has a radially inner surface with a cammed shape. An actuator output shaft is radially disposed within the wave generator. A flex spline is radially interposable between the radially inner surface of the wave generator and the actuator output shaft. The flex spline is deformable to conform to the radially inner surface of the wave generator and drive rotation of the actuator output shaft slower than rotation of the motor rotor.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2017Date of Patent: November 24, 2020Assignee: HAMILTON SUNSTRAND CORPORATIONInventors: Keith Bloxham, Derick S. Balsiger
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Publication number: 20200332872Abstract: An inverted compound harmonic drive including: a wave generator configured to receive rotational input; a flex spline disposed radially within the wave generator that receives energy due to the rotation of the wave generator, the flex spline including a plurality of inner facing splines that include an axial center spline, a first axial end spline being adjacent to and forward of the axial center spline, and a second axial end spline adjacent to and aft of the axial center spline; an output gear meshes with the axial center spline; a first ground gear adjacent to and forward of the output gear that meshes with the first axial end spline; and a second ground gear adjacent to an aft of the output gear that meshes with the second axial end spline.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 18, 2019Publication date: October 22, 2020Inventors: Derick S. Balsiger, Keith Bloxham
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Publication number: 20190063578Abstract: An inverted harmonic gear actuator is provided and includes a motor stator and a motor rotor radially disposed within the motor stator. The inverted harmonic gear actuator also includes a wave generator radially disposed within the motor rotor, where the wave generator has a radially inner surface with a cammed shape. An actuator output shaft is radially disposed within the wave generator. A flex spline is radially interposable between the radially inner surface of the wave generator and the actuator output shaft. The flex spline is deformable to conform to the radially inner surface of the wave generator and drive rotation of the actuator output shaft slower than rotation of the motor rotor.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 25, 2017Publication date: February 28, 2019Inventors: Keith Bloxham, Derick S. Balsiger
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Patent number: 9816390Abstract: An electric actuator for control of an engine includes an electric motor coupled to a drive shaft that extends to align a gear interface of the electric actuator with a variable geometry adjustment interface of the engine. A position feedback shaft extends coaxially with respect to the drive shaft. The position feedback shaft is coupled to an output shaft of the gear interface at a gear interface end of the position feedback shaft. A rotational position sensor is coupled to a motor end of the position feedback shaft proximate the electric motor. The drive shaft and the position feedback shaft are sized to position an output ring gear of the output shaft in contact with the variable geometry adjustment interface within a casing of the engine and to further position the electric motor and the rotational position sensor external to the casing of the engine.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 2015Date of Patent: November 14, 2017Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATIONInventors: Keith Bloxham, Derick S. Balsiger
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Publication number: 20170002679Abstract: An electric actuator for control of an engine includes an electric motor coupled to a drive shaft that extends to align a gear interface of the electric actuator with a variable geometry adjustment interface of the engine. A position feedback shaft extends coaxially with respect to the drive shaft. The position feedback shaft is coupled to an output shaft of the gear interface at a gear interface end of the position feedback shaft. A rotational position sensor is coupled to a motor end of the position feedback shaft proximate the electric motor. The drive shaft and the position feedback shaft are sized to position an output ring gear of the output shaft in contact with the variable geometry adjustment interface within a casing of the engine and to further position the electric motor and the rotational position sensor external to the casing of the engine.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 1, 2015Publication date: January 5, 2017Inventors: Keith Bloxham, Derick S. Balsiger
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Patent number: 9353804Abstract: A harmonic drive assembly with selective disconnect includes a motor with a motor drive shaft, a harmonic drive operatively coupled to the motor drive shaft, and a wave generator operatively coupled to the motor drive shaft and a flex gear of the harmonic drive. Also included is a ring gear of the harmonic drive operatively coupled to the flex gear with a plurality of ring gear teeth configured to mesh with a plurality of flex gear teeth. Further included is an output shaft operatively coupled to the harmonic drive. Yet further included is a retracting mechanism configured to selectively retract the motor drive shaft and the wave generator to decouple the motor drive shaft and the wave generator from the harmonic drive, wherein a clearance between the ring gear teeth and the flex gear teeth is established upon retraction of the motor drive shaft and the wave generator.Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 2014Date of Patent: May 31, 2016Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATIONInventors: Derick S. Balsiger, Keith A. Bloxham
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Publication number: 20160010701Abstract: A harmonic drive assembly with selective disconnect includes a motor with a motor drive shaft, a harmonic drive operatively coupled to the motor drive shaft, and a wave generator operatively coupled to the motor drive shaft and a flex gear of the harmonic drive. Also included is a ring gear of the harmonic drive operatively coupled to the flex gear with a plurality of ring gear teeth configured to mesh with a plurality of flex gear teeth. Further included is an output shaft operatively coupled to the harmonic drive. Yet further included is a retracting mechanism configured to selectively retract the motor drive shaft and the wave generator to decouple the motor drive shaft and the wave generator from the harmonic drive, wherein a clearance between the ring gear teeth and the flex gear teeth is established upon retraction of the motor drive shaft and the wave generator.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 8, 2014Publication date: January 14, 2016Inventors: Derick S. Balsiger, Keith A. Bloxham