Patents by Inventor Charles Chiou

Charles Chiou 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: 11685516
    Abstract: A passive gust load alleviation device for an aerodynamic panel includes a free-floating aerodynamic control surface connected to the panel via a revolute joint. A counterweight is connected to the control surface. Relative to a direction of ambient airflow, the counterweight has a center of gravity forward of the axis of rotation. The counterweight is configured to passively deflect the control surface about the axis to alleviate a gust load. A vehicle includes an aerodynamic panel connected to a body and extending into ambient airflow, and the control surface and counterweight. A method for alleviating the gust load on an aircraft panel includes connecting the control panel, via the revolute joint, along a trailing edge of the panel, and during a flight of an aircraft having the panel, passively deflecting the control panel about the axis in response to an incident wind gust.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE ADMINISTRATOR OF NASA
    Inventors: Thomas G. Ivanco, Patrick S. Heaney, Charles Chiou
  • Publication number: 20220041268
    Abstract: A passive gust load alleviation device for an aerodynamic panel includes a free-floating aerodynamic control surface connected to the panel via a revolute joint. A counterweight is connected to the control surface. Relative to a direction of ambient airflow, the counterweight has a center of gravity forward of the axis of rotation. The counterweight is configured to passively deflect the control surface about the axis to alleviate a gust load. A vehicle includes an aerodynamic panel connected to a body and extending into ambient airflow, and the control surface and counterweight. A method for alleviating the gust load on an aircraft panel includes connecting the control panel, via the revolute joint, along a trailing edge of the panel, and during a flight of an aircraft having the panel, passively deflecting the control panel about the axis in response to an incident wind gust.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2021
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Inventors: Thomas G. Ivanco, Patrick S. Heaney, Charles Chiou
  • Patent number: 5411401
    Abstract: An electrical connector includes a bottom shell, a cover shell covered on the bottom shell, a PC board mounted within the bottom and cover shell and having a male connector extended out of the bottom and cover shells, and two fasteners mounted on respective mounting blocks on the bottom and cover shells at two opposite sides to fasten the male connector of the PC board to a respective parallel port on the computer, wherein each fastener consists of a rotary driving roller mounted on the mounting blocks at either side and having wings for turning by hand, a bolt driven into a respective screw hole on the computer by the rotary driving roller, and a spring received in a polygonal hole on the rear end of the bolt and supported on the rotary driving roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 2, 1995
    Assignee: Silitek Corporation
    Inventor: Charles Chiou
  • Patent number: 4106976
    Abstract: A nozzle array structure for pressurized fluid jets includes a uniform deposited membrane having an array of uniform small orifices therein overlaying a planar substrate having an array of larger aperture openings therethrough with approximately the same central axes as the orifice array. The method of making includes forming a substrate of a planar single crystal material oriented with the (100) planes parallel to the surface. A membrane comprising a uniform coating of an inorganic material is applied to the planar surface of the substrate. The substrate is preferentially etched from the rear surface to form an array of openings therein extending therethrough to the membrane. The membrane is then selectively eroded to form an array of uniform small orifices therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1977
    Date of Patent: August 15, 1978
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Charles Chiou, Guido Galli, Karl H. Loeffler, Max R. Lorenz
  • Patent number: 3958255
    Abstract: A nozzle array structure for pressurized fluid jets includes a uniform deposited membrane having an array of uniform small orifices therein overlaying a planar substrate having an array of larger aperture openings therethrough with approximately the same central axes as the orifice array. The method of making includes forming a substrate of a planar single crystal material oriented with the (100) planes parallel to the surface. A membrane comprising a uniform coating of an inorganic material is applied to the planar surface of the substrate. The substrate is preferentially etched from the rear surface to form an array of openings therein extending therethrough to the membrane. The membrane is then selectively eroded to form an array of uniform small orifices therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 1974
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1976
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Charles Chiou, Guido Galli, Karl H. Loeffler, Max R. Lorenz