Patents Assigned to Astronautics Corporation of America
-
Patent number: 11402136Abstract: A magnetic refrigeration apparatus according to the present disclosure includes a magnetic-field source and two or more bed rings. The bed rings can be arranged in pairs with shared cold and hot fluid plenums. A flow of heat transfer fluid may pass at least partially radially through the shared fluid plenum or through a connection between the fluid plenum and one or more flow tubes. The MR apparatus and systems of the present disclosure may further include one or more circumferential flux returns with radial through-hole passageways to accommodate flow tubing. For apparatus configurations with an even number of bed rings, the axial dimension of the passageways may be smaller than the circumferential dimension of the passageways.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2018Date of Patent: August 2, 2022Assignee: Astronautics Corporation of AmericaInventors: Kyle Charles Rule, Andre Michael Boeder, Carl Bruno Zimm, Bryant Wayne Mueller, Steven Lee Russek, Jeremy Jonathan Chell
-
Patent number: 11125477Abstract: A magnetic refrigeration apparatus includes one or more beds of magnetocaloric material arranged along a circumferential direction. The apparatus also includes a heat transfer fluid, one or more hot side heat exchangers (HHEX), one or more pumps or fluid displacement devices configured to move the heat transfer fluid, and a magnetic-field source. The magnetic-field source generates magnetic flux oriented substantially in a radial direction through the beds. The field source advantageously includes one or more pole pieces, one or more axial-end magnets, and one or more axial-end flux return pieces. Additionally, one or more circumferential flux returns, one or more gap flux return pieces, one or more side magnets, and one or more side flux return pieces can be added to increase system performance and reduce cost.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2017Date of Patent: September 21, 2021Assignee: Astronautics Corporation of AmericaInventors: Kyle Charles Rule, Jeremy Jonathan Chell, Andre Michael Boeder, Bryant Wayne Mueller, Steven Lee Russek, Carl Bruno Zimm, Markus Schwind
-
Patent number: 10288327Abstract: A dual-mode magnetic refrigeration apparatus includes beds of magnetocaloric material, a magnet to apply a time-varying magnetic field to the beds, a heat transfer fluid (HTF), a pump to circulate the HTF, a hot side heat exchanger (HHEX), a cold side heat exchanger (CHEX), valves to direct flow of the HTF, and a controller configured to control periodic switching of the valves to allow the apparatus to operate in a first mode and in a second mode. The first mode transfers heat from the CHEX to the HHEX. In the second mode of operation, the periodic switching of the valves is suspended to allow unidirectional flow of the HTF through the HHEX, the beds, and the CHEX such that heat is transferred from the HHEX to the CHEX.Type: GrantFiled: August 17, 2017Date of Patent: May 14, 2019Assignee: ASTRONAUTICS CORPORATION OF AMERICAInventors: Carl B. Zimm, Steven L. Russek, Andre Boeder
-
Patent number: 10268334Abstract: A method and apparatus for using portable electronic devices such as commercial off-the-shelf cell phones and tablets for the communication of critical aviation data provides a protocol which minimizes processing by the portable electronic device other than the confirmation of a receipt of uncorrupted data. Failure of timely, accurate communication is detected at a certified avionics data server and communicated to the portable electronic device in the form of a fail-image. The communicated images may be composited with animated frames to provide a human recognizable indication of data integrity.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2015Date of Patent: April 23, 2019Assignee: Astronautics Corporation of AmericaInventors: David Owczarski, Jason Shuler
-
Patent number: 10189577Abstract: An avionics display for rotorcraft provides a depiction of 360 degrees of terrain and obstacles about the rotorcraft using a top plan view at above a predetermined altitude that transitions to an angle perspective view as the altitude drops. The display provides improved situational awareness for highly mobile aircraft at critical times of takeoff and landing.Type: GrantFiled: April 11, 2016Date of Patent: January 29, 2019Assignee: Astronautics Corporation of AmericaInventors: David J. Moore, Terrance J. McCraw
-
Patent number: 9995511Abstract: A magnetic refrigeration system provides flow-balanced channels between fluid control valves and the magnetocaloric beds to eliminate inefficiencies caused by unequal utilization of the magnetic beds from flow variations.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2014Date of Patent: June 12, 2018Assignee: Astronautics Corporation of AmericaInventors: John Paul Leonard, Jon Jay Auringer, Andre Michael Boeder, Jeremy Jonathan Chell, Carl Bruno Zimm
-
Patent number: 9927155Abstract: A magnetic refrigeration apparatus includes beds of magnetocaloric material with a hot side and a cold side. The apparatus also includes a magnet to apply a magnetic field to the beds, a heat transfer fluid, a pump to circulate the heat transfer fluid, a hot side heat exchanger, a cold side heat exchanger, and a controller to control the flow of heat transfer fluid from the cold side to the hot side of the beds when the magnetic field on the beds is high at an average flow rate of ?H for a duration ?tH. The controller also controls the flow of heat transfer fluid from the hot side of the beds to the cold side of the beds when the magnetic field on the beds is low at an average flow rate of ?C for a duration ?tC, where ?tC>?tH and ?C<?H.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2014Date of Patent: March 27, 2018Assignee: ASTRONAUTICS CORPORATION OF AMERICAInventors: Andre Michael Boeder, Jeremy Jonathan Chell, Steve Alan Jacobs, John Paul Leonard, Jon Jay Auringer, Carl Bruno Zimm, Bryant Wayne Mueller
-
Patent number: 9746214Abstract: A dual-mode magnetic refrigeration apparatus includes beds of magnetocaloric material, a magnet to apply a time-varying magnetic field to the beds, a heat transfer fluid (HTF), a pump to circulate the HTF, a hot side heat exchanger (HHEX), a cold side heat exchanger (CHEX), valves to direct flow of the HTF, and a controller configured to control periodic switching of the valves to allow the apparatus to operate in a first mode and in a second mode. The first mode transfers heat from the CHEX to the HHEX. In the second mode of operation, the periodic switching of the valves is suspended to allow unidirectional flow of the HTF through the HHEX, the beds, and the CHEX such that heat is transferred from the HHEX to the CHEX.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2013Date of Patent: August 29, 2017Assignee: ASTRONAUTICS CORPORATION OF AMERICAInventors: Carl B. Zimm, Steven L. Russek, Andre Boeder
-
Patent number: 9677792Abstract: An active magnetic regenerative (AMR) refrigerator apparatus can include at least one AMR bed with a first end and a second end and a first heat exchanger (HEX) with a first end and a second end. The AMR refrigerator can also include a first pipe that fluidly connects the first end of the first HEX to the first end of the AMR bed and a second pipe that fluidly connects the second end of the first HEX to the first end of the AMR bed. The first pipe can divide into two or more sub-passages at the AMR bed. The second pipe can divide into two or more sub-passages at the AMR bed. The sub-passages of the first pipe and the second pipe can interleave at the AMR bed.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2014Date of Patent: June 13, 2017Assignee: ASTRONAUTICS CORPORATION OF AMERICAInventors: Jon Jay Auringer, Andre Michael Boeder, Jeremy Jonathan Chell, John Paul Leonard, Carl Bruno Zimm
-
Publication number: 20160349933Abstract: A method and apparatus for using portable electronic devices such as commercial off-the-shelf cell phones and tablets for the communication of critical aviation data provides a protocol which minimizes processing by the portable electronic device other than the confirmation of a receipt of uncorrupted data. Failure of timely, accurate communication is detected at a certified avionics data server and communicated to the portable electronic device in the form of a fail-image. The communicated images may be composited with animated frames to provide a human recognizable indication of data integrity.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 20, 2015Publication date: December 1, 2016Applicant: Astronautics Corporation of AmericaInventors: David Owczarski, Jason Shuler
-
Patent number: 9223633Abstract: An electronic flight bag providing computational services for an aircraft and communicating with aircraft avionics may execute aircraft-design-approved Type-C applications together with non-design-approved Type-A/B on a single processor through specific modifications of the operating system to control memory and processor access thereby providing isolation comparable to that of dual processor systems in which the Type-C applications and Type-A/B applications are executed on different processors.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 2011Date of Patent: December 29, 2015Assignee: Astronautics Corporation of AmericaInventors: Jason Shuler, Jonathan Schaaf, Andrew Lindgren, Micah Fedke, Peter Schotz, David Owczarski, Ram Gupta, Liya Chernyakova, Eugene Zobachev, Nicholas Holupchinski, Stephen Chula, Matthew Hungerford, Jeffrey Hering, David Jones, Bernard Newman, John Lehsten
-
Patent number: 8917200Abstract: An avionic weather radar system tracks aircraft orientation with respect to acquired scan radar data to correct the display of the weather radar data for range distortion and orientation changes of the aircraft between radar acquisition and display, reducing image artifacts.Type: GrantFiled: July 5, 2011Date of Patent: December 23, 2014Assignee: Astronautics Corporation of AmericaInventors: Jeffrey Hering, Ronald Elliot Zelazo
-
Publication number: 20140165595Abstract: A dual-mode magnetic refrigeration apparatus includes beds of magnetocaloric material, a magnet to apply a time-varying magnetic field to the beds, a heat transfer fluid (HTF), a pump to circulate the HTF, a hot side heat exchanger (HHEX), a cold side heat exchanger (CHEX), valves to direct flow of the HTF, and a controller configured to control periodic switching of the valves to allow the apparatus to operate in a first mode and in a second mode. The first mode transfers heat from the CHEX to the HHEX. In the second mode of operation, the periodic switching of the valves is suspended to allow unidirectional flow of the HTF through the HHEX, the beds, and the CHEX such that heat is transferred from the HHEX to the CHEX.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 13, 2013Publication date: June 19, 2014Applicant: Astronautics Corporation of AmericaInventors: Carl B. ZIMM, Steven L. RUSSEK, Andre BOEDER
-
Patent number: 8615684Abstract: A method of testing the integrity of microprogramming within a computer processor employs a test calculation designed to exercise instructions and to reveal errors in those instructions. The problem of testing instructions using the very instructions which may possibly be corrupt is addressed by developing a signature passed from instruction to instruction providing a low likelihood of a false positive outcome. A time-out system is used in the evaluation of the test calculation to capture a wide variety of other pathological operating conditions.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2011Date of Patent: December 24, 2013Assignee: Astronautics Corporation of AmericaInventor: Jeffrey Hering
-
Patent number: 7557518Abstract: A color balanced solid-state backlight provides feedback control of each color using a single photodetector by imposing a modulation pattern on the solid-state lamps revealing individual colors to the photodetector. The photodetector signal provides feedback controlling color balance over a small range of instantaneous brightness less than larger range of average brightness of the display to provide for accurate color balance throughout a large range of average brightnesses.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2006Date of Patent: July 7, 2009Assignee: Astronautics Corporation of AmericaInventors: Peter A. Zagar, Frederick C. Ellner, Hans C. Hansen
-
Patent number: 7525611Abstract: A system and method of backlighting a display using LEDs is night vision viewing compatible and requires no filters. The backlight includes an array of LEDs and a controller configured to selectively illuminate the LEDs in the array. The array of LEDs includes orange LEDs that are illuminated during a night vision viewing mode and may include red LEDs that are illuminated in a non-night vision viewing mode.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2006Date of Patent: April 28, 2009Assignee: Astronautics Corporation of AmericaInventors: Peter A. Zagar, Thaddeus Raymond Ulijasz
-
Patent number: 7148777Abstract: A permanent magnet assembly is disclosed that is adapted to provide a magnetic field across an arc-shaped gap. Such a permanent magnet assembly can be used, for example, to provide a time-varying magnetic field to an annular region for use in a magnetic refrigerator.Type: GrantFiled: February 3, 2005Date of Patent: December 12, 2006Assignee: Astronautics Corporation of AmericaInventors: Jeremy Chell, Carl B. Zimm
-
Patent number: 7038565Abstract: A permanent magnet assembly is disclosed that utilizes at least two rotating magnet subassemblies, and first and second stationary magnet subassemblies arranged so that their magnetic vectors oppose each other. At a first rotational position of the rotating magnet subassemblies, the magnetic vectors of the rotating magnet subassemblies align with the magnetic vector of the first stationary magnet subassembly and oppose the magnetic vector of the second stationary magnet subassembly. At a second rotational position, the magnetic vectors of the rotating magnet subassemblies are reversed, thereby aligning with the magnetic vector of the second stationary magnet subassembly and opposing the magnetic vector of the first stationary magnet subassembly. By locating air gap portions where the magnetic vectors of the rotating magnetic subassemblies meet the magnetic vectors of the stationary magnetic subassemblies, the air gap portions are subjected to a time-varying magnetic flux density.Type: GrantFiled: June 9, 2004Date of Patent: May 2, 2006Assignee: Astronautics Corporation of AmericaInventor: Jeremy Chell
-
Patent number: 6946941Abstract: A permanent magnet assembly is disclosed that is adapted to provide a magnetic field across an arc-shaped gap. Such a permanent magnet assembly can be used, for example, to provide a time-varying magnetic field to an annular region.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2004Date of Patent: September 20, 2005Assignee: Astronautics Corporation of AmericaInventor: Jeremy Chell
-
Patent number: 6758046Abstract: A slush hydrogen production device (10) utilizes a hydrogen slushifier magnetic refrigerator (30) having a wheel (50) of material exhibiting the magnetocaloric effect. The wheel is rotated through a magnetic field of varying intensity around the circumference of a wheel housing (36) created by the windings of superconductive magnets (56). The material of the wheel (50) follows a magnetic Carnot cycle as the wheel rotates (36) through regions of low temperature heat transfer and high temperature heat transfer. Liquid hydrogen is supplied to the regions of low and high temperature heat transfer through inlet pipes (39 and 42). Gaseous hydrogen is produced in the high temperature heat transfer region and vented away by an outlet pipe (48). Solid hydrogen is produced in the low temperature heat transfer region by direct solidification upon the magnetic wheel (50); and is removed by scrapers (76) and deposited in a compartment (26) where it mixes with liquid hydrogen to form slush hydrogen.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 1988Date of Patent: July 6, 2004Assignee: Astronautics Corporation of AmericaInventors: John A. Barclay, Steven R. Jaeger, Peter J. Claybaker, Carl B. Zimm, Steven F. Kral