Patents Assigned to Project Phoenix, LLC
  • Patent number: 11867203
    Abstract: A linear actuator system includes a linear actuator and at least one integrated pump assembly connected to the linear actuator to provide fluid to operate the linear actuator. The integrated pump assembly includes a pump with at least one fluid driver comprising a prime mover and a fluid displacement assembly to be driven by the prime mover such that fluid is transferred from a first port of the pump to a second port of the pump. The pump assembly also includes two valve assembles to isolate the pump from the system. The linear actuator system also includes a controller that establishes at least one of a speed and a torque of the at least one prime mover to exclusively adjust at least one of a flow and a pressure in the linear actuator system to an operational set point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Project Phoenix, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas Afshari
  • Patent number: 11846283
    Abstract: A fluid-driven actuator system includes a fluid-driven actuator and at least one proportional control valve and at least one pump connected to the fluid-driven actuator to provide fluid to operate the fluid-driven actuator. The at least one pump includes at least one fluid driver having a prime mover and a fluid displacement assembly to be driven by the prime mover such that fluid is transferred from the pump inlet to the pump outlet. The fluid driven actuator system also includes a controller that establishes at least one of a speed and a torque of the at least one prime mover to adjust at least one of a flow in the fluid system to a flow set point and a pressure in the fluid system to pressure set point and a concurrently establishes an opening of the at least one proportional control valve to adjust at least one of the flow to the flow set point and the pressure to the pressure set point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: Project Phoenix, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas Afshari
  • Patent number: 11713757
    Abstract: A pump having at least two fluid drivers and a method of delivering fluid from an inlet of the pump to an outlet of the pump using the at least two fluid drivers. Each of the fluid drives includes a prime mover and a fluid displacement member. The prime mover drives the fluid displacement member to transfer fluid. The fluid drivers are independently operated. However, the fluid drivers are operated such that contact between the fluid drivers is synchronized. That is, operation of the fluid drivers is synchronized such that the fluid displacement member in each fluid driver makes contact with another fluid displacement member. The contact can include at least one contact point, contact line, or contact area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: PROJECT PHOENIX, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas Afshari
  • Patent number: 11655831
    Abstract: An accumulator for storing fluid that includes a shell that defines an interior volume of the accumulator. The shell includes at least one port for providing fluid to a fluid system. The accumulator also includes an accumulator shaft disposed in the interior volume and extending at least partially across the interior volume from a first interior surface of the shell along a longitudinal axis of the shell, e.g., a central axis. The accumulator includes a piston-plate disposed in the interior volume such that the piston-plate and a second interior surface of the shell define a chamber in the interior volume. The accumulator further includes a motor disposed in the interior volume. The accumulator is configured such that rotational movement of the motor translates to linear movement of the piston-plate along the accumulator shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: PROJECT PHOENIX, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas Afshari
  • Patent number: 11512695
    Abstract: A pump includes a casing defining an interior volume. The pump casing includes at least one balancing plate that can be part of a wall of the pump casing with each balancing plate including a protruding portion having two recesses. Each recess is configured to accept one end of a fluid driver. The balancing plate aligns the fluid displacement members with respect to each other such that the fluid displacement members can pump the fluid when rotated. The balancing plates can include cooling grooves connecting the respective recesses. The cooling grooves ensure that some of the liquid being transferred in the internal volume is directed to bearings disposed in the recesses as the fluid drivers rotate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: PROJECT PHOENIX, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas Afshari
  • Patent number: 11408442
    Abstract: A fluid system includes a variable-speed and/or a variable-torque pump to pump a fluid, at least one proportional control valve assembly, an actuator that is operated by the fluid to control a load, and a controller that establishes a speed and/or torque of the pump and a position of the at least one proportional control valve assembly. The pump includes at least one fluid driver that provides fluid to the actuator, which can be, e.g., a fluid-actuated cylinder, a fluid-driven motor or another type of fluid-driven actuator that controls a load. Each fluid driver includes a prime mover and a fluid displacement assembly. The fluid displacement assembly can be driven by the prime mover such that fluid is transferred from the inlet port to the outlet port of the pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: PROJECT PHOENIX, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas Afshari
  • Patent number: 11280334
    Abstract: A fluid delivery system having at least one fluid storage device and a pump with at least one fluid driver with a flow-through shaft that has a through-passage. The pump includes a casing, and at least one fluid driver having a prime mover and at least one fluid displacement member. A shaft of the prime mover and/or a shaft of the fluid displacement member and/or a common shaft of the prime mover/fluid displacement member (depending on the configuration of the pump) is a flow-through shaft with a through-passage configuration that allows fluid communication between at least one port of the pump and the at least one fluid storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: PROJECT PHOENIX, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas Afshari
  • Patent number: 11242851
    Abstract: A linear actuator system includes a linear actuator and at least one proportional control valve and at least one pump connected to the linear actuator to provide fluid to operate the linear actuator. The at least one pump includes at least one fluid driver having a prime mover and a fluid displacement assembly to be driven by the prime mover such that fluid is transferred from the pump inlet to the pump outlet. The linear actuator system also includes a controller that establishes at least one of a speed and a torque of the at least one prime mover and concurrently establishes an opening of the at least one proportional control valve to adjust at least one of a flow and a pressure in the linear actuator system to an operational set point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: PROJECT PHOENIX, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas Afshari
  • Patent number: 11118581
    Abstract: A pump having at least two fluid drivers and a method of delivering fluid from an inlet of the pump to an outlet of the pump using the at least two fluid drivers. Each of the fluid drives includes a prime mover and a fluid displacement member. The prime mover drives the fluid displacement member to transfer fluid. The fluid drivers are independently operated. However, the fluid drivers are operated such that contact between the fluid drivers is synchronized. That is, operation of the fluid drivers is synchronized such that the fluid displacement member in each fluid driver makes contact with another fluid displacement member. The contact can include at least one contact point, contact line, or contact area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: PROJECT PHOENIX, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas Afshari
  • Patent number: 11085440
    Abstract: A fluid-driven actuator system includes a fluid-driven actuator and at least one proportional control valve and at least one pump connected to the fluid-driven actuator to provide fluid to operate the fluid-driven actuator. The at least one pump includes at least one fluid driver having a prime mover and a fluid displacement assembly to be driven by the prime mover such that fluid is transferred from the pump inlet to the pump outlet. The fluid-driven actuator system also includes a controller that establishes at least one of a speed and a torque of the at least one prime mover to adjust at least one of a flow in the fluid-driven system to a flow set point and a pressure in the fluid-driven actuator system to a pressure set point and concurrently establishes an opening of the at least one proportional control valve to adjust at least one of the flow to the flow set point and the pressure to the pressure set point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: Project Phoenix, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas Afshari
  • Patent number: 11067170
    Abstract: A hydrostatic transmission system includes a fluid-driven motor and an integrated pump assembly connected to the fluid-driven motor to provide fluid to operate the fluid-driven motor. The integrated pump assembly includes a pump with at least one fluid driver comprising a prime mover and a fluid displacement assembly to be driven by the prime mover such that fluid is transferred from a first port of the pump to a second port of the pump. The pump assembly also includes two valve assembles to isolate the pump from the system. The hydrostatic transmission system also includes a controller that establishes at least one of a speed and a torque of the at least one prime mover to exclusively adjust at least one of a flow and a pressure in the hydrostatic transmission system to an operational set point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Project Phoenix, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas Afshari
  • Patent number: 11060534
    Abstract: A linear actuator system includes a linear actuator and at least one integrated pump assembly connected to the linear actuator to provide fluid to operate the linear actuator. The integrated pump assembly includes a pump with at least one fluid driver comprising a prime mover and a fluid displacement assembly to be driven by the prime mover such that fluid is transferred from a first port of the pump to a second port of the pump. The pump assembly also includes two valve assembles to isolate the pump from the system. The linear actuator system also includes a controller that establishes at least one of a speed and a torque of the at least one prime mover to exclusively adjust at least one of a flow and a pressure in the linear actuator system to an operational set point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Project Phoenix, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas Afshari
  • Patent number: 11054026
    Abstract: A hydrostatic transmission system includes a hydraulic motor and at least one proportional control valve and at least one pump connected to the hydraulic motor to provide fluid to operate the hydraulic motor. The at least one pump includes at least one fluid driver having a prime mover and a fluid displacement assembly to be driven by the prime mover such that fluid is transferred from the pump inlet to the pump outlet. The hydrostatic transmission system also includes a controller that establishes at least one of a speed and a torque of the at least one prime mover and concurrently establishes an opening of the at least one proportional control valve to adjust at least one of a flow and a pressure in the hydrostatic transmission system to an operational set point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Project Phoenix, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas Afshari
  • Patent number: 10995750
    Abstract: A pump includes a casing defining an interior volume. The pump casing includes at least one balancing plate that can be part of a wall of the pump casing with each balancing plate including a protruding portion having two recesses. Each recess is configured to accept one end of a fluid driver. The balancing plate aligns the fluid displacement members with respect to each other such that the fluid displacement members can pump the fluid when rotated. The balancing plates can include cooling grooves connecting the respective recesses. The cooling grooves ensure that some of the liquid being transferred in the internal volume is directed to bearings disposed in the recesses as the fluid drivers rotate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Project Phoenix, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas Afshari
  • Patent number: 10975891
    Abstract: An accumulator for storing fluid that includes a shell that defines an interior volume of the accumulator. The shell includes at least one port for providing fluid to a fluid system. The accumulator also includes an accumulator shaft disposed in the interior volume and extending at least partially across the interior volume from a first interior surface of the shell along a longitudinal axis of the shell, e.g., a central axis. The accumulator includes a piston-plate disposed in the interior volume such that the piston-plate and a second interior surface of the shell define a chamber in the interior volume. The accumulator further includes a motor disposed in the interior volume. The accumulator is configured such that rotational movement of the motor translates to linear movement of the piston-plate along the accumulator shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Project Phoenix, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas Afshari
  • Patent number: 10865788
    Abstract: A fluid-driven actuator system includes a fluid-driven actuator and at least one proportional control valve and at least one pump connected to the fluid-driven actuator to provide fluid to operate the fluid-driven actuator. The at least one pump includes at least one fluid driver having a prime mover and a fluid displacement assembly to be driven by the prime mover such that fluid is transferred from the pump inlet to the pump outlet. The fluid driven actuator system also includes a controller that establishes at least one of a speed and a torque of the at least one prime mover to adjust at least one of a flow in the fluid system to a flow set point and a pressure in the fluid system to pressure set point and a concurrently establishes an opening of the at least one proportional control valve to adjust at least one of the flow to the flow set point and the pressure to the pressure set point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: Project Phoenix, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas Afshari
  • Patent number: 10808732
    Abstract: A fluid system includes a variable-speed and/or a variable-torque pump to pump a fluid, at least one proportional control valve assembly, an actuator that is operated by the fluid to control a load, and a controller that establishes a speed and/or torque of the pump and a position of the at least one proportional control valve assembly. The pump includes at least one fluid driver that provides fluid to the actuator, which can be, e.g., a fluid-actuated cylinder, a fluid-driven motor or another type of fluid-driven actuator that controls a load. Each fluid driver includes a prime mover and a fluid displacement assembly. The fluid displacement assembly can be driven by the prime mover such that fluid is transferred from the inlet port to the outlet port of the pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Project Phoenix, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas Afshari
  • Patent number: 10738799
    Abstract: A linear actuator system includes a linear actuator and an integrated pump assembly connected to the linear actuator to provide fluid to operate the linear actuator. The integrated pump assembly includes a pump with two fluid drivers, each fluid driver comprising a prime mover and a fluid displacement assembly to be driven by the prime mover such that fluid is transferred from a first port of the pump to a second port of the pump. The pump assembly also includes two valve assembles to isolate the pump from the system. The linear actuator system also includes a controller that establishes the pump in a normal mode of operation in which the prime movers are independently driven and switches to a fail-safe mode of operation in which only one prime mover is operated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Project Phoenix, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas Afshari
  • Patent number: 10677352
    Abstract: A hydrostatic transmission system includes a hydraulic motor and at least one proportional control valve and at least one pump connected to the hydraulic motor to provide fluid to operate the hydraulic motor. The at least one pump includes at least one fluid driver having a prime mover and a fluid displacement assembly to be driven by the prime mover such that fluid is transferred from the pump inlet to the pump outlet. The hydrostatic transmission system also includes a controller that establishes at least one of a speed and a torque of the at least one prime mover and concurrently establishes an opening of the at least one proportional control valve to adjust at least one of a flow and a pressure in the hydrostatic transmission system to an operational set point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: Project Phoenix, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas Afshari
  • Patent number: 10598176
    Abstract: A pump includes a casing defining an interior volume. The pump casing includes at least one balancing plate that can be part of a wall of the pump casing with each balancing plate including a protruding portion having two recesses. Each recess is configured to accept one end of a fluid driver. The balancing plate aligns the fluid displacement members with respect to each other such that the fluid displacement members can pump the fluid when rotated. The balancing plates can include cooling grooves connecting the respective recesses. The cooling grooves ensure that some of the liquid being transferred in the internal volume is directed to bearings disposed in the recesses as the fluid drivers rotate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: Project Phoenix, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas Afshari