Patents by Inventor Aaron M Brown

Aaron M Brown 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: 10774820
    Abstract: A cryogenic pump includes a drive assembly and a pressurization assembly operatively coupled to each other. The drive assembly includes a housing having sidewall and piston slidably disposed therein, the sidewall and a first surface of piston defining expansion chamber. A fuel supply valve is provided in fluid communication with supply of liquid cryogenic fuel and configured to selectively provide liquid cryogenic fuel into expansion chamber. A heating element extends at least partially into expansion chamber to heat and facilitate vaporization of liquid cryogenic fuel, thereby increasing pressure within expansion chamber and causing movement of piston in first direction. The pressurization assembly includes barrel defining bore and a plunger slidably disposed therein to define pressurization chamber for receiving liquid cryogenic fuel. The plunger is driven by the piston such that the movement of piston in first direction causes movement of plunger to pressurize cryogenic fuel within pressurization chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Aaron M. Brown
  • Patent number: 10544769
    Abstract: A fuel system is disclosed for use with an engine, including a fuel injector assembly fluidly coupled with a low-pressure fuel conduit, an accumulator, and a cap within an opening in the accumulator. The fuel injector assembly may be structured to draw in low-pressure fuel, pressurize the fuel, and store the pressurized fuel in the accumulator for injection to a combustion chamber. The cap has a pressure sensor and a pressure relief valve therein, and drains fuel leaked past fluid seals between the cap and each of the pressure sensor, the pressure relief valve, and the accumulator by way of a common drain line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron M. Brown, Cory A. Brown, Sridhar Thangaswamy, Alan R. Stockner, Victor I. Yacoub, Zhenyu Li, Lifeng Wang, Satya Naga Deepak Pillarisetti, Scott Shafer, Robert Michael Campion, George Kodikulam Joseph
  • Patent number: 10519940
    Abstract: A linearly actuated hydraulic piston pump is provided. The pump includes a piston disposed between a first section and a second section of a piston chamber. The pump also includes a control valve having a valve body defining a valve chamber therein. The control valve also includes an inlet port, a first port, a regeneration port, a second port, and a spool. The spool in a first spool position fluidly couples a pressurized fluid source to the first section via the inlet port and the first port, and fluidly couples an accumulator to the second section via the regeneration port and the second port. The spool in the second spool position fluidly couples the first section to a drain via the first port and a drain port, and fluidly couples the second section to the pressurized fluid source via the inlet port and the second port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron M. Brown, Alan R. Stockner
  • Patent number: 10495083
    Abstract: A pushrod assembly 5 may include a seal carrier 50 for a spaced seal assembly 60 and/or a seal carrier 70 for a stacked seal assembly 74, the spaced seal assembly including first and second annular seals 61, 62 separated by a spacer 63 to isolate between the seals a vented region 28 of the pushrod housing 6, the stacked seal assembly including at least two annular seals 80 stacked on the seal carrier. Each seal assembly can be removed and replaced via an access end 52, 72 of the seal carrier after detaching the access end from an adjacent component of the assembly. The seal carriers may be incorporated into a cryogenic pump 2 wherein at least one annular seal is arranged on each seal carrier to seal the pushrod assembly 5 within its housing 6.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Alan Stockner, Aaron M. Brown, Sridhar Thangaswamy, Dana R. Coldren, Dennis Gibson
  • Patent number: 10393111
    Abstract: A pumping mechanism is disclosed. The pumping mechanism may include a barrel formed of a barrel substrate and including a first end surface, a second end surface opposite the first end surface, and a bore between the first and second end surfaces. Each of the first and second end surfaces and the bore is coated with a metal plating. The pumping mechanism may further include a plunger formed of a plunger substrate and configured to be slidably disposed in the bore in barrel, the plunger substrate having a tribological coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Alan Ray Stockner, Aaron M. Brown, Sridhar Thangaswamy, Glenn B. Cox, John Jay Truhan, Jr., Michael J. Pollard, John P. McDonnel
  • Patent number: 10316839
    Abstract: A pump plunger is disclosed. The plunger may include a proximal end and a distal end opposite the proximal end. The plunger may also include a body portion extending between the proximal end and a second transition datum, and additionally include a transition section extending between a first transition datum and the second transition datum. The transition section may have a non-linear geometric profile. A first shoulder portion may be positioned adjacent to the transition section that may extend between the second transition datum and a third datum. The third datum may be positioned radially inward of the second transition datum. The plunger may also include a tip portion positioned adjacent to the first shoulder portion that may extend between the third datum and a fourth datum positioned at the distal end. The fourth datum may be positioned radially inward of the third datum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron M. Brown, Alan R. Stockner
  • Publication number: 20190145392
    Abstract: A cryogenic pump includes a drive assembly and a pressurization assembly operatively coupled to each other. The drive assembly includes a housing having sidewall and piston slidably disposed therein, the sidewall and a first surface of piston defining expansion chamber. A fuel supply valve is provided in fluid communication with supply of liquid cryogenic fuel and configured to selectively provide liquid cryogenic fuel into expansion chamber. A heating element extends at least partially into expansion chamber to heat and facilitate vaporization of liquid cryogenic fuel, thereby increasing pressure within expansion chamber and causing movement of piston in first direction. The pressurization assembly includes barrel defining bore and a plunger slidably disposed therein to define pressurization chamber for receiving liquid cryogenic fuel. The plunger is driven by the piston such that the movement of piston in first direction causes movement of plunger to pressurize cryogenic fuel within pressurization chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2017
    Publication date: May 16, 2019
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Aaron M. Brown
  • Publication number: 20180347560
    Abstract: A pushrod assembly 5 may include a seal carrier 50 for a spaced seal assembly 60 and/or a seal carrier 70 for a stacked seal assembly 74, the spaced seal assembly including first and second annular seals 61, 62 separated by a spacer 63 to isolate between the seals a vented region 28 of the pushrod housing 6, the stacked seal assembly including at least two annular seals 80 stacked on the seal carrier. Each seal assembly can be removed and replaced via an access end 52, 72 of the seal carrier after detaching the access end from an adjacent component of the assembly. The seal carriers may be incorporated into a cryogenic pump 2 wherein at least one annular seal is arranged on each seal carrier to seal the pushrod assembly 5 within its housing 6.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2017
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Inventors: Alan Stockner, Aaron M. Brown, Sridhar Thangaswamy, Dana R. Coldren, Dennis Gibson
  • Publication number: 20180306173
    Abstract: A linearly actuated hydraulic piston pump is provided. The pump includes a piston disposed between a first section and a second section of a piston chamber. The pump also includes a control valve having a valve body defining a valve chamber therein. The control valve also includes an inlet port, a first port, a regeneration port, a second port, and a spool. The spool in a first spool position fluidly couples a pressurized fluid source to the first section via the inlet port and the first port, and fluidly couples an accumulator to the second section via the regeneration port and the second port. The spool in the second spool position fluidly couples the first section to a drain via the first port and a drain port, and fluidly couples the second section to the pressurized fluid source via the inlet port and the second port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2017
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron M. Brown, Alan R. Stockner
  • Publication number: 20180163718
    Abstract: A pump plunger is disclosed. The plunger may include a proximal end and a distal end opposite the proximal end. The plunger may also include a body portion extending between the proximal end and a second transition datum, and additionally include a transition section extending between a first transition datum and the second transition datum. The transition section may have a non-linear geometric profile. A first shoulder portion may be positioned adjacent to the transition section that may extend between the second transition datum and a third datum. The third datum may be positioned radially inward of the second transition datum. The plunger may also include a tip portion positioned adjacent to the first shoulder portion that may extend between the third datum and a fourth datum positioned at the distal end. The fourth datum may be positioned radially inward of the third datum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2016
    Publication date: June 14, 2018
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron M. Brown, Alan R. Stockner
  • Publication number: 20180100476
    Abstract: A fuel system is disclosed for use with an engine, including a fuel injector assembly fluidly coupled with a low-pressure fuel conduit, an accumulator, and a cap within an opening in the accumulator. The fuel injector assembly may be structured to draw in low-pressure fuel, pressurize the fuel, and store the pressurized fuel in the accumulator for injection to a combustion chamber. The cap has a pressure sensor and a pressure relief valve therein, and drains fuel leaked past fluid seals between the cap and each of the pressure sensor, the pressure relief valve, and the accumulator by way of a common drain line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Publication date: April 12, 2018
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron M. Brown, Cory A. Brown, Sridhar Thangaswamy, Alan R. Stockner, Victor I. Yacoub, Zhenyu Li, Lifeng Wang, Satya Naga Deepak Pillarisetti, Scott Shafer, Robert Michael Campion, George Kodikulam Joseph
  • Publication number: 20170096998
    Abstract: A pumping mechanism is disclosed. The pumping mechanism may include a barrel formed of a barrel substrate and including a first end surface, a second end surface opposite the first end surface, and a bore between the first and second end surfaces. Each of the first and second end surfaces and the bore is coated with a metal plating. The pumping mechanism may further include a plunger formed of a plunger substrate and configured to be slidably disposed in the bore in barrel, the plunger substrate having a tribological coating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2016
    Publication date: April 6, 2017
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Alan Ray STOCKNER, Aaron M. BROWN, Sridhar THANGASWAMY, Glenn B. COX, John Jay TRUHAN, JR., Michael J. POLLARD, John P. MCDONNEL
  • Patent number: 7086085
    Abstract: A level of trust is determined based on a combination of scores for one or more successful authentications. Scores indicate relative degrees of reliability for authentications, so that differing authentication methods may correspond to different scores. The determined level of trust can then be used to allow or deny access to a resource, and can be used to specify the type of access that is allowed, if applicable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Inventors: Bruce E Brown, Aaron M Brown, Bruce-Eric Brown, II