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: 11732811
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: BWXT Advanced Technologies LLC
    Inventor: James Brian Inman
  • Patent number: 11469004
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: BWXT Advanced Technologies LLC
    Inventors: James Brian Inman, Gary W. Neeley
  • Patent number: 11401891
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: BWXT Nuclear Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Paul Martin, Jeremy Leslie Gustafson, Ryan Z. Ziegler, Charles Larry Fisher, James Brian Inman
  • Publication number: 20210381609
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2021
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Inventor: James Brian Inman
  • Patent number: 11158433
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: BWXT Nuclear Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: James Brian Inman, Andrew C. Whitten
  • Publication number: 20200373028
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2020
    Publication date: November 26, 2020
    Inventors: James Brian Inman, Gary W. Neeley
  • Publication number: 20200357531
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Publication date: November 12, 2020
    Inventors: James Brian Inman, Andrew C. Whitten
  • Publication number: 20200240364
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2020
    Publication date: July 30, 2020
    Inventors: Robert Paul Martin, Jeremy Leslie Gustafson, Ryan Z. Ziegler, Charles Larry Fisher, James Brian Inman
  • Patent number: 9999108
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: 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: 20170079111
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2015
    Publication date: March 16, 2017
    Inventors: Stefan-Cristian REZEANU, David Blake CRENSHAW, Abhishek Chandrashekhar SABNIS, Shawn CROLEY, Brian INMAN, Tawatos PHADUNGSOONDARARAK, Madan VENN
  • Patent number: 9000787
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Carrier Corporation
    Inventors: Brian Inman, Robert P. Dolan, Anthony G. Russo, Steven M. Palermo
  • Publication number: 20110204907
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Inventors: Brian Inman, Robert P. Dolan, Anthony G. Russo, Steven M. Palermo