Patents by Inventor Thomas Vatter

Thomas Vatter 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: 6709474
    Abstract: A water separator is provided for use in an environmental control system that includes first and second housing portions at least partially defining an interior cavity. A coalescer assembly that may include a mesh material is disposed within the interior cavity for separating water from the air flowing through the interior cavity. First and second interlocking features, which may include a plurality of circumferentially arranged tabs received in the slots of circumferentially arranged flanges, secure the housing portions together. The tabs and flanges interlock with one another in response to moving the first and second housings relative to one another from and open position to a closed position in which the housing portions are secured to another. In this manner, V-band coupling of the prior art may be eliminated and the service time of the water separator may be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand
    Inventors: Mark Zaffetti, Thomas Vatter, Shoufeng Hu, Donald E. Army, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20030226337
    Abstract: A water separator is provided for use in an environmental control system that includes first and second housing portions at least partially defining an interior cavity. A coalescer assembly that may include a mesh material is disposed within the interior cavity for separating water from the air flowing through the interior cavity. First and second interlocking features, which may include a plurality of circumferentially arranged tabs received in the slots of circumferentially arranged flanges, secure the housing portions together. The tabs and flanges interlock with one another in response to moving the first and second housings relative to one another from and open position to a closed position in which the housing portions are secured to another. In this manner, V-band coupling of the prior art may be eliminated and the service time of the water separator may be reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2002
    Publication date: December 11, 2003
    Inventors: Mark Zaffetti, Thomas Vatter, Shoufeng Hu, Donald E. Army