Patents by Inventor Brian Inman
Brian Inman 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: 11732811Abstract: A dual shut-off valve including a valve body defining an interior cavity and a flow tube passing therethrough, an outer cylinder including a body portion defining an interior cavity and a through hole passing therethrough, the outer cylinder being rotatably disposed within the interior cavity of the valve body, and an inner cylinder including a body portion defining a through hole passing therethrough, the inner cylinder being rotatably disposed within the interior cavity of the outer cylinder, wherein the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder are both rotatable between a first position in which the through holes of the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder are aligned with the flow tube and a second position in which the through holes of the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder are transverse to the flow tube.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 2021Date of Patent: August 22, 2023Assignee: BWXT Advanced Technologies LLCInventor: James Brian Inman
-
Patent number: 11469004Abstract: A control rod assembly for a nuclear reactor having a reactor core and a pressurized fluid source, including a control rod disposed within a control rod sleeve, a lead screw that is selectively secured to the control rod, a trip latch that is secured to a bottom end of the lead screw, the trip latch being selectively securable to a top end of the control rod, a control rod drive motor that is operably connected to the lead screw, and a valve that is in fluid communication with the pressurized fluid source of the nuclear reactor and is movable between a first position and a second position, wherein in the second position of the gas valve the trip latch is in an open position.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2020Date of Patent: October 11, 2022Assignee: BWXT Advanced Technologies LLCInventors: James Brian Inman, Gary W. Neeley
-
Patent number: 11401891Abstract: A desuperheating spray chamber for use in a rocket exhaust recovery system for a nuclear thermal propulsion rocket, including a substantially-cylindrical outer tank with an upper end including an entrance port and two exhaust ports, a substantially-cylindrical shroud extending downwardly from an inner surface of the upper end of the tank, an annular inner spray ring that is both disposed within and concentric with the shroud; and an annular outer spray ring that is disposed between a side wall of the outer tank and the shroud, the annular outer ring being concentric with the shroud.Type: GrantFiled: January 13, 2020Date of Patent: August 2, 2022Assignee: BWXT Nuclear Energy, Inc.Inventors: Robert Paul Martin, Jeremy Leslie Gustafson, Ryan Z. Ziegler, Charles Larry Fisher, James Brian Inman
-
Publication number: 20210381609Abstract: A dual shut-off valve including a valve body defining an interior cavity and a flow tube passing therethrough, an outer cylinder including a body portion defining an interior cavity and a through hole passing therethrough, the outer cylinder being rotatably disposed within the interior cavity of the valve body, and an inner cylinder including a body portion defining a through hole passing therethrough, the inner cylinder being rotatably disposed within the interior cavity of the outer cylinder, wherein the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder are both rotatable between a first position in which the through holes of the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder are aligned with the flow tube and a second position in which the through holes of the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder are transverse to the flow tube.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 4, 2021Publication date: December 9, 2021Inventor: James Brian Inman
-
Patent number: 11158433Abstract: An internal interface structure of a nuclear thermal propulsion nuclear reactor including a reactor vessel and a reactor head, including a substantially cylindrical body having a top end, a bottom end, an inner surface, and an outer surface, and an annular flange extending radially-outwardly from the outer surface of the body, wherein the annular flange of the interface structure is mounted between an upper flange of the reactor vessel and a bottom flange of the reactor head.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 2020Date of Patent: October 26, 2021Assignee: BWXT Nuclear Energy, Inc.Inventors: James Brian Inman, Andrew C. Whitten
-
Publication number: 20200373028Abstract: A control rod assembly for a nuclear reactor having a reactor core and a pressurized fluid source, including a control rod disposed within a control rod sleeve, a lead screw that is selectively secured to the control rod, a trip latch that is secured to a bottom end of the lead screw, the trip latch being selectively securable to a top end of the control rod, a control rod drive motor that is operably connected to the lead screw, and a valve that is in fluid communication with the pressurized fluid source of the nuclear reactor and is movable between a first position and a second position, wherein in the second position of the gas valve the trip latch is in an open position.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 21, 2020Publication date: November 26, 2020Inventors: James Brian Inman, Gary W. Neeley
-
Publication number: 20200357531Abstract: An internal interface structure of a nuclear thermal propulsion nuclear reactor including a reactor vessel and a reactor head, including a substantially cylindrical body having a top end, a bottom end, an inner surface, and an outer surface, and an annular flange extending radially-outwardly from the outer surface of the body, wherein the annular flange of the interface structure is mounted between an upper flange of the reactor vessel and a bottom flange of the reactor head.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 19, 2020Publication date: November 12, 2020Inventors: James Brian Inman, Andrew C. Whitten
-
Publication number: 20200240364Abstract: A desuperheating spray chamber for use in a rocket exhaust recovery system for a nuclear thermal propulsion rocket, including a substantially-cylindrical outer tank with an upper end including an entrance port and two exhaust ports, a substantially-cylindrical shroud extending downwardly from an inner surface of the upper end of the tank, an annular inner spray ring that is both disposed within and concentric with the shroud; and an annular outer spray ring that is disposed between a side wall of the outer tank and the shroud, the annular outer ring being concentric with the shroud.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 13, 2020Publication date: July 30, 2020Inventors: Robert Paul Martin, Jeremy Leslie Gustafson, Ryan Z. Ziegler, Charles Larry Fisher, James Brian Inman
-
Patent number: 9999108Abstract: An emergency lighting driver (100, 200, 400) includes: a power translation circuit (120, 220, 421/423/425) which receives input power from an emergency power source (10) and supplies output power to a load (20); and a programmable control device (140, 240) which controls the power translation circuit in response to a voltage feedback signal and a current feedback signal to cause the output power supplied to the load to have a programmed power output profile (302, 304), wherein the programmed power output profile is a function of time, temperature, the type of energy source employed for the emergency power source, the amount of remaining energy stored in the emergency power source, and/or the occupancy of an area in which the emergency lighting driver is located.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2015Date of Patent: June 12, 2018Assignee: PHILIPS LIGHTING HOLDING B.V.Inventors: Stefan-Cristian Rezeanu, David Blake Crenshaw, Abhishek Chandrashekhar Sabnis, Shawn Croley, Brian Inman, Tawatos Phadungsoondararak, Madan Venn
-
Publication number: 20170079111Abstract: An emergency lighting driver (100, 200, 400) includes: a power translation circuit (120, 220, 421/423/425) which receives input power from an emergency power source (10) and supplies output power to a load (20); and a programmable control device (140, 240) which controls the power translation circuit in response to a voltage feedback signal and a current feedback signal to cause the output power supplied to the load to have a programmed power output profile (302, 304), wherein the programmed power output profile is a function of time, temperature, the type of energy source employed for the emergency power source, the amount of remaining energy stored in the emergency power source, and/or the occupancy of an area in which the emergency lighting driver is located.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 28, 2015Publication date: March 16, 2017Inventors: Stefan-Cristian REZEANU, David Blake CRENSHAW, Abhishek Chandrashekhar SABNIS, Shawn CROLEY, Brian INMAN, Tawatos PHADUNGSOONDARARAK, Madan VENN
-
Patent number: 9000787Abstract: A method and a system for three-phase detection of a three-phase electric device are provided. The system includes a testing circuit and a comparison module. The testing circuit generates two reference voltages by using the three phase voltages of the three-phase electric device. The two reference voltages are the first and second phase voltages with reference to the third phase voltage, respectively. Three-phase detection is performed by comparing the two reference voltages for a determined number of times. After testing is completed, the testing circuit is switched off by the comparison module, to save power.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2007Date of Patent: April 7, 2015Assignee: Carrier CorporationInventors: Brian Inman, Robert P. Dolan, Anthony G. Russo, Steven M. Palermo
-
Publication number: 20110204907Abstract: A method and a system for three-phase detection of a three-phase electric device are provided. The system includes a testing circuit and a comparison module. The testing circuit generates two reference voltages by using the three phase voltages of the three-phase electric device. The two reference voltages are the first and second phase voltages with reference to the third phase voltage, respectively. Three-phase detection is performed by comparing the two reference voltages for a determined number of times. After testing is completed, the testing circuit is switched off by the comparison module, to save power.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 21, 2007Publication date: August 25, 2011Inventors: Brian Inman, Robert P. Dolan, Anthony G. Russo, Steven M. Palermo