Patents by Inventor Brad M. Addona

Brad M. Addona 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: 11873915
    Abstract: A poppet valve apparatus has a valve body with an aperture rimmed by a first sealing surface, and a valve stem with an axially oriented cup at its tip with a spring disposed within the cup. The valve plate includes a sealing surface at its perimeter and also has a central pocket which receives a spheroid. The valve stem passes through a collar which is affixed to the valve plate to trap the spheroid beneath the spring so that the plate is pivotably coupled to the valve stem and also tolerates radial and lateral excursion to allow the valve plate to self-align and seal within the valve seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Administrator of NASA
    Inventors: Brad M. Addona, James A. Richard, Maegan Rinehart Dawson, William Francis Sadowski
  • Patent number: 10746132
    Abstract: The present invention is directed toward a new and improved solenoid-controlled, liquid cryogenic-hydraulically actuated valve assembly wherein, in addition to the valve assembly controlling the flow of liquid cryogenic fluid therethrough, a portion of the liquid cryogenic fluid is effectively utilized to hydraulically actuate and control OPEN and CLOSED valves to predetermined positions such that the flow of cryogenic fluid, through the valve assembly from an inlet flange to an outlet flange of the valve assembly, is permitted or prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Administrator of NASA
    Inventors: James Andrew Richard, Travis Allen Davis, Brad M. Addona
  • Publication number: 20190331060
    Abstract: The present invention is directed toward a new and improved solenoid-controlled, liquid cryogenic-hydraulically actuated valve assembly wherein, in addition to the valve assembly controlling the flow of liquid cryogenic fluid therethrough, a portion of the liquid cryogenic fluid is effectively utilized to hydraulically actuate and control OPEN and CLOSED valves to predetermined positions such that the flow of cryogenic fluid, through the valve assembly from an inlet flange to an outlet flange of the valve assembly, is permitted or prevented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2018
    Publication date: October 31, 2019
    Inventors: James Andrew Richard, Travis Allen Davis, Brad M. Addona
  • Patent number: 10268213
    Abstract: A check valve's housing has a valve disposed therein to open or close a flow path from the housing's inlet to its outlet based on a difference between pressures at the inlet and outlet. The valve includes a bellows, a poppet, and a spring. The poppet includes a hollow structure extending through the poppet's plate and terminating in a first open end disposed within the bellows, an annular flange between the second face of the poppet's plate and the housing's outlet, and an open-ended tube extending from the annular flange into the housing's outlet. The spring, disposed within the hollow tubular structure, positions the annular flange to seal the outlet when the pressure difference is less than a predetermined amount and compresses when the difference exceeds the predetermined amount wherein the annular flange is unsealed from the housing's outlet to open the flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: The United States of America as Represented by the Administrator of NASA
    Inventors: Brad M Addona, James A Richard, Richard J Joye
  • Patent number: 10197165
    Abstract: A method is provided for installing a valve seat in the hole of a valve element. The valve seat is fabricated from a seal material having a freezing temperature. The seal material is stretched such that a portion thereof has a reduced diameter that is less than the diameter of the valve element's hole. The stretched portion of the seal material is immersed in a first environment having a temperature that is less than the freezing temperature of the seal material to thereby freeze the stretched portion and fix its reduced diameter. The stretched and frozen portion is then placed in the valve element's hole with the combination then being placed in a second environment having a temperature that is greater than the freezing temperature of the seal material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: The United States of America as Represented by the Administrator of NASA
    Inventors: James A. Richard, Brad M. Addona