Patents by Inventor Stephen C. Matthews
Stephen C. Matthews 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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Patent number: 9618148Abstract: The invention comprises dielectric isolators for use in aircraft fuel systems to control lightning induced current and allow dissipation of electrostatic charge. The dielectric isolators are configured to have a high enough impedance to limit lightning currents to low levels, but low enough impedance to allow electrostatic charge to dissipate without allowing buildup. Although the dielectric isolators may develop a potential difference across the dielectric length due to the effects of lightning currents and its inherent impedance, they are configured to withstand these induced voltages without dielectric breakdown or performance degradation. In one embodiment, the dielectric isolator includes a tube constructed of a composition including a thermoplastic organic polymer (e.g., PEEK) and carbon nanotubes, and a pair of fittings attached to opposing ends of the tube.Type: GrantFiled: January 5, 2015Date of Patent: April 11, 2017Assignee: Eaton CorporationInventors: Clifton P. Breay, Sara D. Pfannenstiel, Stephen C. Matthews, Edward W. S. Bryant
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Patent number: 9234615Abstract: The present application is directed to dielectric isolators for use in aircraft fuel systems to control lightning induced current and allow dissipation of electrostatic charge. The dielectric isolators are configured to have a high enough impedance to limit lightning currents to low levels, but low enough impedance to allow electrostatic charge to dissipate without allowing buildup. Although the dielectric isolators may develop a potential difference across the dielectric length due to the effects of lightning currents and its inherent impedance, they are configured to withstand these induced voltages without dielectric breakdown or performance degradation. In one embodiment, the dielectric isolator includes a tube constructed of a composition including a thermoplastic organic polymer (e.g., PEEK) and carbon nanotubes, and a pair of couplings attached to opposing ends of the tube.Type: GrantFiled: July 18, 2011Date of Patent: January 12, 2016Assignee: Eaton CorporationInventors: Clifton P. Breay, Sara D. Pfannenstiel, Stephen C. Matthews, Edward W. S. Bryant
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Publication number: 20150123394Abstract: The invention comprises dielectric isolators for use in aircraft fuel systems to control lightning induced current and allow dissipation of electrostatic charge. The dielectric isolators are configured to have a high enough impedance to limit lightning currents to low levels, but low enough impedance to allow electrostatic charge to dissipate without allowing buildup. Although the dielectric isolators may develop a potential difference across the dielectric length due to the effects of lightning currents and its inherent impedance, they are configured to withstand these induced voltages without dielectric breakdown or performance degradation. In one embodiment, the dielectric isolator includes a tube constructed of a composition including a thermoplastic organic polymer (e.g., PEEK) and carbon nanotubes, and a pair of fittings attached to opposing ends of the tube.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 5, 2015Publication date: May 7, 2015Inventors: Clifton P. Breay, Sara D. Pfannenstiel, Stephen C. Matthews, Edward W.S. Bryant
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Patent number: 8956556Abstract: The present application is directed to dielectric isolators for use in aircraft fuel systems to control lightning induced current and allow dissipation of electrostatic charge. The dielectric isolators are configured to have a high enough impedance to limit lightning currents to low levels, but low enough impedance to allow electrostatic charge to dissipate without allowing buildup. Although the dielectric isolators may develop a potential difference across the dielectric length due to the effects of lightning currents and its inherent impedance, they are configured to withstand these induced voltages without dielectric breakdown or performance degradation. In one embodiment, the dielectric isolator includes a tube constructed of a composition including a thermoplastic organic polymer (e.g., PEEK) and carbon nanotubes, and a pair of fittings attached to opposing ends of the tube.Type: GrantFiled: December 31, 2008Date of Patent: February 17, 2015Assignee: Eaton CorporationInventors: Clifton P. Breay, Sara D. Pfannenstiel, Stephen C. Matthews, Edward W. S. Bryant
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Publication number: 20120012219Abstract: The present application is directed to dielectric isolators for use in aircraft fuel systems to control lightning induced current and allow dissipation of electrostatic charge. The dielectric isolators are configured to have a high enough impedance to limit lightning currents to low levels, but low enough impedance to allow electrostatic charge to dissipate without allowing buildup. Although the dielectric isolators may develop a potential difference across the dielectric length due to the effects of lightning currents and its inherent impedance, they are configured to withstand these induced voltages without dielectric breakdown or performance degradation. In one embodiment, the dielectric isolator includes a tube constructed of a composition including a thermoplastic organic polymer (e.g., PEEK) and carbon nanotubes, and a pair of couplings attached to opposing ends of the tube.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 18, 2011Publication date: January 19, 2012Applicant: EATON CORPORATIONInventors: Clifton P. Breay, Sara D. Pfannenstiel, Stephen C. Matthews, Edward W. S. Bryant
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Patent number: 8003014Abstract: The present application is directed to dielectric isolators for use in aircraft fuel systems to control lightning induced current and allow dissipation of electrostatic charge. The dielectric isolators are configured to have a high enough impedance to limit lightning currents to low levels, but low enough impedance to allow electrostatic charge to dissipate without allowing buildup. Although the dielectric isolators may develop a potential difference across the dielectric length due to the effects of lightning currents and its inherent impedance, they are configured to withstand these induced voltages without dielectric breakdown or performance degradation. In one embodiment, the dielectric isolator includes a tube constructed of a composition including a thermoplastic organic polymer (e.g., PEEK) and carbon nanotubes, and a pair of couplings attached to opposing ends of the tube.Type: GrantFiled: July 2, 2008Date of Patent: August 23, 2011Assignee: Eaton CorporationInventors: Clifton P. Breay, Sara D. Pfannenstiel, Stephen C. Matthews, Edward W. S. Bryant
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Publication number: 20100003840Abstract: The present application is directed to dielectric isolators for use in aircraft fuel systems to control lightning induced current and allow dissipation of electrostatic charge. The dielectric isolators are configured to have a high enough impedance to limit lightning currents to low levels, but low enough impedance to allow electrostatic charge to dissipate without allowing buildup. Although the dielectric isolators may develop a potential difference across the dielectric length due to the effects of lightning currents and its inherent impedance, they are configured to withstand these induced voltages without dielectric breakdown or performance degradation. In one embodiment, the dielectric isolator includes a tube constructed of a composition including a thermoplastic organic polymer (e.g., PEEK) and carbon nanotubes, and a pair of couplings attached to opposing ends of the tube.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 2, 2008Publication date: January 7, 2010Applicant: Eaton CorporationInventors: Clifton P. Breay, Sara D. Pfannenstiel, Stephen C. Matthews, Edward W.S. Bryant
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Publication number: 20100001512Abstract: The present application is directed to dielectric isolators for use in aircraft fuel systems to control lightning induced current and allow dissipation of electrostatic charge. The dielectric isolators are configured to have a high enough impedance to limit lightning currents to low levels, but low enough impedance to allow electrostatic charge to dissipate without allowing buildup. Although the dielectric isolators may develop a potential difference across the dielectric length due to the effects of lightning currents and its inherent impedance, they are configured to withstand these induced voltages without dielectric breakdown or performance degradation. In one embodiment, the dielectric isolator includes a tube constructed of a composition including a thermoplastic organic polymer (e.g., PEEK) and carbon nanotubes, and a pair of fittings attached to opposing ends of the tube.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 31, 2008Publication date: January 7, 2010Inventors: Clifton P. Breay, Sara D. Pfannenstiel, Stephen C. Matthews, Edward W.S. Bryant
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Patent number: 6282895Abstract: A heater head assembly for a multi-cylinder heat engine the stirling engine, such as a multi-cylinder Stirling engine, having a plurality of regenerators and cylinders. Each regenerator has a regenerator manifold and each cylinder has a cylinder manifold. First identical cast heater tubes connect the regenerator manifold to first heater tube openings in a heater head manifold. Second identical cast heater tubes connect second heater tube openings in the heater head manifold to the cylinder manifold. The first and second heater tubes are parallel with respect to each other and form a pair of partial concentric staggered arrays. The heater tubes are rotationally asymmetric, having fin sections with less surface area upstream than downstream and thicknesses which decrease radially away from the central passageways of said heater tubes.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 1997Date of Patent: September 4, 2001Assignee: STM Power, Inc.Inventors: Lennart N. Johansson, Stephen C. Matthews, Amedee Roy, William H. Houtman
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Patent number: 5884481Abstract: A heater assembly for a heat engine designed to utilize solar energy and heat produced by combustion of a fuel such as natural gas. A receiver housing allows concentrated solar energy to be directed through a receiver aperture into a receiver chamber. Inner and outer arrays of heater tubes within the receiver chamber absorb the solar energy and transfer heat to working fluid in the heater tubes. A burner within the housing produces combustion gases which circulate past the heater tubes and transfer heat to the working fluid. The heater tubes form an opaque surface to solar energy and have uniform gaps which allow heated fluid to be passed between adjacent heater tubes. A precise three-dimensional mathematical description for the centerlines of the heater tubes which maintains uniform gaps between adjacent heater tubes is disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 1997Date of Patent: March 23, 1999Assignee: STM CorporationInventors: Lennart N. Johansson, Nicholas R. Marchionna, Stephen C. Matthews, Benjamin Ziph