Patents by Inventor Adam Keith Norman

Adam Keith Norman 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: 12366218
    Abstract: A variable flow area injector for a liquid rocket engine. The injector has a poppet with a variable outer width portion and a housing with a variable inner width portion. An annular flow path is defined between the variable width portions. Increased throttling of the engine passively increases the annular flow area of the injector by forcing the poppet in a distal direction. Decreased throttling allows a restoring spring to move the poppet in a proximal direction to decrease the annular flow area. A bellows can be included to dampen movement of the poppet. The bellows may be in a propellant-filled cavity separate from the main propellant flow path and have a series of openings through which the separate propellant flows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2024
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2025
    Assignee: Blue Origin Manufacturing, LLC
    Inventors: Mark David Horn, Adam Keith Norman
  • Publication number: 20250129893
    Abstract: Techniques and materials provide for thermal insulation for tanks, such as tanks for use in space flight missions. Microporous glass blocks may be used as an insulative bridge between spray-on foam insulation and a stainless steel wall of a tank, for example. Blocks of microporous glass may be mechanically attached to the interior of the tank, after which spray-on foam insulation is applied directly to the blocks. The bridging insulation provided by the microporous glass blocks allows the temperature of the stainless steel tank wall to exceed the usable temperature of the spray-on foam insulation by preventing a substantial portion of heat of the stainless steel wall from reaching the spray-on foam insulation. An insulated tank may instead comprise a tank wall that is a sandwich-structured composite layer including an exterior skin, an interior skin, and a core that presents a relatively long thermal path, for improved thermal insulation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2023
    Publication date: April 24, 2025
    Inventors: Rachel Anne Clark, Mark Francis Wagner, Artem Alexander Dyakonov, Arash Ghabchi, Gary D. Grayson, Adam Keith Norman
  • Publication number: 20240318616
    Abstract: A variable flow area injector for a liquid rocket engine. The injector has a poppet with a variable outer width portion and a housing with a variable inner width portion. An annular flow path is defined between the variable width portions. Increased throttling of the engine passively increases the annular flow area of the injector by forcing the poppet in a distal direction. Decreased throttling allows a restoring spring to move the poppet in a proximal direction to decrease the annular flow area. A bellows can be included to dampen movement of the poppet. The bellows may be in a propellant-filled cavity separate from the main propellant flow path and have a series of openings through which the separate propellant flows.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2024
    Publication date: September 26, 2024
    Inventors: Mark David Horn, Adam Keith Norman
  • Patent number: 12065991
    Abstract: A high temperature thermal protection systems for rockets, and associated methods, is disclosed. A representative system includes a launch vehicle having a first end and a second end generally opposite the first end. The launch vehicle is elongated along a vehicle axis extending between the first and second ends and carries a propulsion system having at least one nozzle positioned at the second end of the launch vehicle. A thermal protection apparatus positioned around the nozzle is used to provide cooling and/or insulation to the nozzle during the flight of the launch vehicle. The thermal protection apparatus can include multiple fabric layers and an insulation layer stacked and stitched together. The fabric layers can include metal alloy fibers. In representative systems, the thermal protection apparatus can further include provisions for water that saturates the insulation layer to provide further insulating and/or cooling effects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2024
    Assignee: BLUE ORIGIN, LLC
    Inventors: Adam Keith Norman, John Paul Brendel, Christopher Patrick Hupf, Stefano Gulli
  • Patent number: 12031505
    Abstract: A variable flow area injector for a liquid rocket engine. The injector has a poppet with a variable outer width portion and a housing with a variable inner width portion. An annular flow path is defined between the variable width portions. Increased throttling of the engine passively increases the annular flow area of the injector by forcing the poppet in a distal direction. Decreased throttling allows a restoring spring to move the poppet in a proximal direction to decrease the annular flow area. A bellows can be included to dampen movement of the poppet. The bellows may be in a propellant-filled cavity separate from the main propellant flow path and have a series of openings through which the separate propellant flows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2024
    Assignee: BLUE ORIGIN, LLC
    Inventors: Mark David Horn, Adam Keith Norman
  • Publication number: 20230304457
    Abstract: A variable flow area injector for a liquid rocket engine. The injector has a poppet with a variable outer width portion and a housing with a variable inner width portion. An annular flow path is defined between the variable width portions. Increased throttling of the engine passively increases the annular flow area of the injector by forcing the poppet in a distal direction. Decreased throttling allows a restoring spring to move the poppet in a proximal direction to decrease the annular flow area. A bellows can be included to dampen movement of the poppet. The bellows may be in a propellant-filled cavity separate from the main propellant flow path and have a series of openings through which the separate propellant flows.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2023
    Publication date: September 28, 2023
    Inventors: Mark David Horn, Adam Keith Norman
  • Publication number: 20230257136
    Abstract: A metal encapsulated ceramic tile thermal insulation system for rockets and associated methods is disclosed. A representative system includes a launch vehicle having a first end and a second end generally opposite the first end and includes a heat shield positioned at the second end. The heat shield includes a plurality of thermal protection apparatuses, where individual of the thermal protection apparatuses include ceramic tiles encapsulated by inner and outer metal layers, which are positioned on opposing top and bottom surfaces of the ceramic tiles. The plurality of thermal protection apparatuses includes a plurality of pins positioned within corresponding holes drilled through the ceramic tiles and are secured to the metal layers. The outer metal layer can protect the ceramic tile from tool strikes and debris and can also prevent water from reaching and being absorbed by the ceramic tile.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2023
    Publication date: August 17, 2023
    Inventors: John Paul Brendel, Christopher Patrick Hupf, Adam Keith Norman
  • Patent number: 11667408
    Abstract: A metal encapsulated ceramic tile thermal insulation system for rockets and associated methods is disclosed. A representative system includes a launch vehicle having a first end and a second end generally opposite the first end and includes a heat shield positioned at the second end. The heat shield includes a plurality of thermal protection apparatuses, where individual of the thermal protection apparatuses include ceramic tiles encapsulated by inner and outer metal layers, which are positioned on opposing top and bottom surfaces of the ceramic tiles. The plurality of thermal protection apparatuses includes a plurality of pins positioned within corresponding holes drilled through the ceramic tiles and are secured to the metal layers. The outer metal layer can protect the ceramic tile from tool strikes and debris and can also prevent water from reaching and being absorbed by the ceramic tile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Blue Origin, LLC
    Inventors: John Paul Brendel, Christopher Patrick Hupf, Adam Keith Norman
  • Patent number: 11643995
    Abstract: A variable flow area injector for a liquid rocket engine. The injector has a poppet with a variable outer width portion and a housing with a variable inner width portion. An annular flow path is defined between the variable width portions. Increased throttling of the engine passively increases the annular flow area of the injector by forcing the poppet in a distal direction. Decreased throttling allows a restoring spring to move the poppet in a proximal direction to decrease the annular flow area. A bellows can be included to dampen movement of the poppet. The bellows may be in a propellant-filled cavity separate from the main propellant flow path and have a series of openings through which the separate propellant flows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: BLUE ORIGIN, LLC
    Inventors: Mark David Horn, Adam Keith Norman
  • Publication number: 20220099047
    Abstract: A high temperature thermal protection systems for rockets, and associated methods, is disclosed. A representative system includes a launch vehicle having a first end and a second end generally opposite the first end. The launch vehicle is elongated along a vehicle axis extending between the first and second ends and carries a propulsion system having at least one nozzle positioned at the second end of the launch vehicle. A thermal protection apparatus positioned around the nozzle is used to provide cooling and/or insulation to the nozzle during the flight of the launch vehicle. The thermal protection apparatus can include multiple fabric layers and an insulation layer stacked and stitched together. The fabric layers can include metal alloy fibers. In representative systems, the thermal protection apparatus can further include provisions for water that saturates the insulation layer to provide further insulating and/or cooling effects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2021
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Inventors: Adam Keith Norman, John Paul Brendel, Christopher Patrick Hupf, Stefano Gulli
  • Patent number: 11174818
    Abstract: A high temperature thermal protection systems for rockets, and associated methods, is disclosed. A representative system includes a launch vehicle having a first end and a second end generally opposite the first end. The launch vehicle is elongated along a vehicle axis extending between the first and second ends and carries a propulsion system having at least one nozzle positioned at the second end of the launch vehicle. A thermal protection apparatus positioned around the nozzle is used to provide cooling and/or insulation to the nozzle during the flight of the launch vehicle. The thermal protection apparatus can include multiple fabric layers and an insulation layer stacked and stitched together. The fabric layers can include metal alloy fibers. In representative systems, the thermal protection apparatus can further include provisions for water that saturates the insulation layer to provide further insulating and/or cooling effects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: BLUE ORIGIN, LLC
    Inventors: Adam Keith Norman, John Paul Brendel, Christopher Patrick Hupf, Stefano Gulli
  • Publication number: 20200002030
    Abstract: A metal encapsulated ceramic tile thermal insulation system for rockets and associated methods is disclosed. A representative system includes a launch vehicle having a first end and a second end generally opposite the first end and includes a heat shield positioned at the second end. The heat shield includes a plurality of thermal protection apparatuses, where individual of the thermal protection apparatuses include ceramic tiles encapsulated by inner and outer metal layers, which are positioned on opposing top and bottom surfaces of the ceramic tiles, The plurality of thermal protection apparatuses includes a plurality of pins positioned within corresponding holes drilled through the ceramic tiles and are secured to the metal layers. The outer metal layer can protect the ceramic tile from tool strikes and debris and can also prevent water from reaching and being absorbed by the ceramic tile.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2019
    Publication date: January 2, 2020
    Inventors: John Paul Brendel, Christopher Patrick Hupf, Adam Keith Norman
  • Publication number: 20190345896
    Abstract: A high temperature thermal protection systems for rockets, and associated methods, is disclosed. A representative system includes a launch vehicle having a first end and a second end generally opposite the first end. The launch vehicle is elongated along a vehicle axis extending between the first and second ends and carries a propulsion system having at least one nozzle positioned at the second end of the launch vehicle. A thermal protection apparatus positioned around the nozzle is used to provide cooling and/or insulation to the nozzle during the flight of the launch vehicle. The thermal protection apparatus can include multiple fabric layers and an insulation layer stacked and stitched together. The fabric layers can include metal alloy fibers. In representative systems, the thermal protection apparatus can further include provisions for water that saturates the insulation layer to provide further insulating and/or cooling effects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2019
    Publication date: November 14, 2019
    Inventors: Adam Keith Norman, John Paul Brendel, Christopher Patrick Hupf, Stefano Gulli