Patents by Inventor Thomas R. Chase

Thomas R. Chase 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).

  • Patent number: 11936415
    Abstract: An air interface plane (AIP) of a radio frequency (RF) aperture includes: a circuit board having a first side and a second side opposite the first side; and a matrix of tapered elements arranged on the first side of the circuit board and secured to the circuit board, the matrix of tapered elements cooperating to at least one of receive or transmit an over-the-air RF signal. Suitably, each tapered element of the matrix has: a central hub extending along a longitudinal axis from a hub base which is proximate to the first side of the circuit board to an apex of the tapered element which is distal from the first side of the first circuit board; and a plurality of arms extending from the central hub at the apex of the tapered element, each of the plurality of arms including a first portion that projects the arm radially away from the longitudinal axis and a second portion that projects the arm longitudinally toward the first side of the circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: BATTELLE MEMORIAL INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Raphael Joseph Welsh, Douglas A. Thornton, Mackenzie Jordan Hawkins, Micah John Meleski, Katherine M. Armitage, Daniel G. Loesch, Matthew E. Huntwork, David R. Chase, Erik W. Edwards, John Bartholomew, Thomas Lloyd Moffitt, Curt Hudberg
  • Publication number: 20230323980
    Abstract: A valve includes an orifice plate including at least one orifice surrounded by an orifice plate seal surface, a seal plate, and an actuator. The seal plate includes a seal boss having a seal boss surface that faces the orifice plate, and a pocket that overlays the at least one orifice. The pocket includes a recessed surface that is surrounded by the seal boss surface and is displaced from the seal boss surface along an axis. The actuator is configured to move the seal plate relative to the orifice plate along the axis to transition the valve between open and closed states. The seal boss surface engages the orifice plate seal surface, surrounds the at least one orifice, and blocks a flow of fluid through the at least one orifice when the valve is in the closed state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2023
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Inventors: Nathan P. Hagstrom, Matthew L. Gallagher, Thomas R. Chase
  • Patent number: 11761357
    Abstract: A hydraulic pump-motor includes a cylinder block including a plurality of fluid chambers, a piston in each of the fluid chambers, a cam, a fixed valve area profile, and a timing adjustment actuator. The cam includes a cam surface that engages the pistons and drives movement of the pistons relative to the fluid chambers in response to relative rotation between the cam and the fluid chambers. The fixed valve area profile is configured to control fluid flows between the fluid chambers and first and second ports. The timing adjustment actuator is configured to adjust an angular orientation of the fixed valve area profile relative to an angular orientation of the cam based on a pressure differential between a pressure at the first port and a pressure at the second port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
    Inventors: Grey C. Boyce-Erickson, James D. Van de Ven, Thomas R. Chase
  • Publication number: 20220074324
    Abstract: A hydraulic pump-motor includes a cylinder block including a plurality of fluid chambers, a piston in each of the fluid chambers, a cam, a fixed valve area profile, and a timing adjustment actuator. The cam includes a cam surface that engages the pistons and drives movement of the pistons relative to the fluid chambers in response to relative rotation between the cam and the fluid chambers. The fixed valve area profile is configured to control fluid flows between the fluid chambers and first and second ports. The timing adjustment actuator is configured to adjust an angular orientation of the fixed valve area profile relative to an angular orientation of the cam based on a pressure differential between a pressure at the first port and a pressure at the second port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Inventors: Grey C. Boyce-Erickson, James D. Van de Ven, Thomas R. Chase
  • Patent number: 10330212
    Abstract: A fluidic control valve includes a piezostack actuator, a seal plate, and an orifice plate including a plurality of orifices. The piezostack actuator is configured to move the seal plate along a longitudinal axis between a closed position, in which the seal plate seals the orifices of the orifice plate and closes the valve, and an open position, in which the seal plate is displaced from the orifice plate to open the valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: Regents of the University of Minnesota
    Inventors: Thomas R. Chase, Nebiyu Fikru, Alexander M. Hargus
  • Publication number: 20170211716
    Abstract: A fluidic control valve includes a piezostack actuator, a seal plate, and an orifice plate including a plurality of orifices. The piezostack actuator is configured to move the seal plate along a longitudinal axis between a closed position, in which the seal plate seals the orifices of the orifice plate and closes the valve, and an open position, in which the seal plate is displaced from the orifice plate to open the valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2017
    Publication date: July 27, 2017
    Inventors: Thomas R. Chase, Nebiyu Fikru, Alexander M. Hargus
  • Patent number: 8286939
    Abstract: A pulse width modulated fluidic valve 3005 includes a cylinder (352) having an elongate bore, a length, and first (344) and second (346) ports which extend from outside the cylinder (352) into the bore. A rotatable spool (302) is carried in the bore and movable in a direction of the length of cylinder (352). The spool (302) has a variable blocking feature (306) which blocks passage of fluid' between the first (344) and second (346) ports as a function of angular position relative to the first (344) and second (346) ports and as a function of linear position along the length of the cylinder (352).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Regents of the University of Minnesota
    Inventors: Perry Y. Li, Thomas R. Chase
  • Publication number: 20100212743
    Abstract: A pulse width modulated fluidic valve 3005 includes a cylinder (352) having an elongate bore, a length, and first (344) and second (346) ports which extend from outside the cylinder (352) into the bore. A rotatable spool (302) is carried in the bore and movable in a direction of the length of cylinder (352). The spool (302) has a variable blocking feature (306) which blocks passage of fluid between the first (344) and second (346) ports as a function of angular position relative to the first (344) and second (346) ports and as a function of linear position along the length of the cylinder (352).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2007
    Publication date: August 26, 2010
    Inventors: Perry Y. Li, Thomas R. Chase
  • Publication number: 20080083894
    Abstract: A pulse width modulated fluidic valve includes a cylinder having an elongate bore, a length and first and second ports which extend from outside the cylinder into the bore. A rotatable spool is carried in the bore and movable in a direction of the length of cylinder. The spool has a variable blocking feature which blocks passage of fluid between the first and second ports as a function of angular position relative to the first and second ports and as a function of linear position along the length of the cylinder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2006
    Publication date: April 10, 2008
    Inventors: Perry Y. Li, Thomas R. Chase