Patents by Inventor Sean G. Thomas

Sean G. Thomas 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).

  • Publication number: 20240112890
    Abstract: A faceplate of a showerhead has a bottom side that faces a plasma generation region and a top side that faces a plenum into which a process gas is supplied during operation of a substrate processing system. The faceplate includes apertures formed through the bottom side and openings formed through the top side. Each of the apertures is formed to extend through a portion of an overall thickness of the faceplate to intersect with at least one of the openings to form a corresponding flow path for process gas through the faceplate. Each of the apertures has a cross-section that has a hollow cathode discharge suppression dimension in at least one direction. Each of the openings has a cross-section that has a smallest cross-sectional dimension that is greater than the hollow cathode discharge suppression dimension.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2023
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventors: Michael John Selep, Patrick G. Breiling, Karl Frederick Leeser, Timothy Scott Thomas, David William Kamp, Sean M. Donnelly
  • Patent number: 11603961
    Abstract: A crossbar assembly for facilitating isolation of a sensor assembly from vibration of a payload mounting system on a vehicle comprising an outer crossbar segment, an inner crossbar segment, an isolator, and a damper. The outer crossbar segment comprises a payload mount interface operable to mount to a payload mount, and an outer isolator interface operable to mount to an isolator. The inner crossbar segment comprises a structure interface to mount to a structure, and an inner isolator interface operable to mount to the isolator. The isolator can be supported by the outer and inner crossbar segments. The damper is adjacent the isolator. The isolator is operable to deform in response to relative movement between the outer and inner crossbar segments. The isolator operates to partially decouple the outer crossbar segment from the inner crossbar segment and the damper dampens vibrations propagating between the outer and inner crossbar segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventor: Sean G. Thomas
  • Patent number: 11524636
    Abstract: A crossbar system for facilitating isolation of a sensor assembly from external vibrations of a support structure. The crossbar system comprises first and second crossbar assemblies and a payload mount, Each of the first and second crossbar assemblies comprises a crossbar segment and a slip plate damper. Each crossbar segment comprises a payload mount interface at a first end of the crossbar assembly and a first support structure interface at a second end of the crossbar assembly. Each slip plate damper is disposed about the crossbar segment and is slidably coupled to the crossbar segment to constrain movement in two lateral degrees of freedom and to facilitate movement in a longitudinal degree of freedom, Each slip plate damper comprises a second support structure interface at the second end of the crossbar assembly. The payload mount is coupled to the payload mount interfaces of the first and second crossbar assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Kirk A. Miller, Sean G. Thomas
  • Patent number: 11448287
    Abstract: A crossbar assembly for facilitating isolation of a sensor assembly from vibration of a payload mounting system on a vehicle comprises an outer crossbar segment, an inner crossbar segment, and an isolator. The outer crossbar segment comprises a payload mount interface operable to mount to a payload mount, and an outer isolator interface operable to mount to an isolator. The inner crossbar segment comprises a structure interface to mount to a structure, and an inner isolator interface operable to mount to the isolator. The isolator can be supported by the outer and inner crossbar segments. The isolator comprises an elastomeric component operable to elastically deform in response to relative movement between the outer and inner crossbar segments. The isolator operates to partially decouple the outer crossbar segment from the inner crossbar segment and dampen vibrations propagating between the outer and inner crossbar segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Kirk A. Miller, Sean G. Thomas
  • Patent number: 11289799
    Abstract: Base station antennas include a RET actuator, a plurality of phase shifters and a plurality of mechanical linkages, where each mechanical linkage is connected between the RET actuator and a respective one or more of the phase shifters. The RET actuator includes a drive element, a rotatable element and a mechanical linkage selection system that is configured to move a selected one of the mechanical linkages into engagement with the drive element. The drive element is configured to move linearly in response to rotation of the rotatable element to move the selected one of the mechanical linkages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: CommScope Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Paul D. Everest, Sean G. Thomas, Amit Kaistha
  • Publication number: 20210190171
    Abstract: A crossbar system for facilitating isolation of a sensor assembly from external vibrations of a support structure. The crossbar system comprises first and second crossbar assemblies and a payload mount, Each of the first and second crossbar assemblies comprises a crossbar segment and a slip plate damper. Each crossbar segment comprises a payload mount interface at a first end of the crossbar assembly and a first support structure interface at a second end of the crossbar assembly. Each slip plate damper is disposed about the crossbar segment and is slidably coupled to the crossbar segment to constrain movement in two lateral degrees of freedom and to facilitate movement in a longitudinal degree of freedom, Each slip plate damper comprises a second support structure interface at the second end of the crossbar assembly. The payload mount is coupled to the payload mount interfaces of the first and second crossbar assemblies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Inventors: Kirk A. Miller, Sean G. Thomas
  • Publication number: 20210190170
    Abstract: A crossbar assembly for facilitating isolation of a sensor assembly from vibration of a payload mounting system on a vehicle comprises an outer crossbar segment, an inner crossbar segment, and an isolator. The outer crossbar segment comprises a payload mount interface operable to mount to a payload mount, and an outer isolator interface operable to mount to an isolator. The inner crossbar segment comprises a structure interface to mount to a structure, and an inner isolator interface operable to mount to the isolator. The isolator can be supported by the outer and inner crossbar segments. The isolator comprises an elastomeric component operable to elastically deform in response to relative movement between the outer and inner crossbar segments. The isolator operates to partially decouple the outer crossbar segment from the inner crossbar segment and dampen vibrations propagating between the outer and inner crossbar segments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Inventors: Kirk A. Miller, Sean G. Thomas
  • Publication number: 20210190263
    Abstract: A crossbar assembly for facilitating isolation of a sensor assembly from vibration of a payload mounting system on a vehicle comprising an outer crossbar segment, an inner crossbar segment, an isolator, and a damper. The outer crossbar segment comprises a payload mount interface operable to mount to a payload mount, and an outer isolator interface operable to mount to an isolator. The inner crossbar segment comprises a structure interface to mount to a structure, and an inner isolator interface operable to mount to the isolator. The isolator can be supported by the outer and inner crossbar segments. The damper is adjacent the isolator. The isolator is operable to deform in response to relative movement between the outer and inner crossbar segments. The isolator operates to partially decouple the outer crossbar segment from the inner crossbar segment and the damper dampens vibrations propagating between the outer and inner crossbar segments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2020
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Inventor: Sean G. Thomas
  • Publication number: 20210159589
    Abstract: Base station antennas include a RET actuator, a plurality of phase shifters and a plurality of mechanical linkages, where each mechanical linkage is connected between the RET actuator and a respective one or more of the phase shifters. The RET actuator includes a drive element, a rotatable element and a mechanical linkage selection system that is configured to move a selected one of the mechanical linkages into engagement with the drive element. The drive element is configured to move linearly in response to rotation of the rotatable element to move the selected one of the mechanical linkages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2019
    Publication date: May 27, 2021
    Inventors: Paul D. Everest, Sean G. Thomas, Amit Kaistha