Patents by Inventor Charles J. Fiterman

Charles J. Fiterman 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: 9669936
    Abstract: There are provided aircraft air conditioning systems and methods. The aircraft air conditioning system has a duct in an aircraft connected to an aircraft cabin and configured to flow pressurized cabin outflow air from the aircraft cabin. The aircraft air conditioning system further has a turbine connected to the duct and configured to reduce a temperature of the pressurized cabin outflow air and to generate power, and further has a compressor configured to generate a compressed inlet air stream, and further has an air conditioning pack configured to receive a reduced temperature cabin outflow air from the turbine and configured to receive the compressed inlet air stream from the compressor. The air conditioning pack has a cooling cycle system, a humidity control system, and one or more heat exchangers configured to use the reduced temperature cabin outflow air as a heat sink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Charles J. Fiterman, Warren A. Atkey
  • Patent number: 9656755
    Abstract: An air cycle machine (ACM) pack system for an aircraft with an improved low inlet pressure cooling performance is provided. The ACM pack system has an air cycle machine (ACM) with at least one compressor mechanically coupled to at least one turbine in series on an ACM shaft. The ACM pack system further has a pack heat exchanger coupled to and in fluid communication with the at least one compressor of the ACM. The ACM system further has a bypass air flow assembly coupled in a parallel operation path to the ACM and has a bypass air flow regulating element. The bypass air flow assembly transfers energy extracted by the bypass air flow assembly to the ACM to aid the ACM pack system in cooling performance at a low inlet pressure, resulting in an improved low inlet pressure cooling performance of the ACM pack system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Richard R. Durbin, Charles J. Fiterman, Daniel J. Sullivan
  • Publication number: 20150166187
    Abstract: An air cycle machine (ACM) pack system for an aircraft with an improved low inlet pressure cooling performance is provided. The ACM pack system has an air cycle machine (ACM) with at least one compressor mechanically coupled to at least one turbine in series on an ACM shaft. The ACM pack system further has a pack heat exchanger coupled to and in fluid communication with the at least one compressor of the ACM. The ACM system further has a bypass air flow assembly coupled in a parallel operation path to the ACM and has a bypass air flow regulating element. The bypass air flow assembly transfers energy extracted by the bypass air flow assembly to the ACM to aid the ACM pack system in cooling performance at a low inlet pressure, resulting in an improved low inlet pressure cooling performance of the ACM pack system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2013
    Publication date: June 18, 2015
    Applicant: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Richard R. Durbin, Charles J. FITERMAN, Daniel J. Sullivan
  • Patent number: 7950606
    Abstract: Methods and systems for providing secondary power to aircraft systems. In one embodiment, an aircraft system architecture for providing power to an environmental control system includes an electric generator operably coupled to a jet engine. The jet engine can be configured to provide propulsive thrust to the aircraft, and the electric generator can be configured to receive shaft power from the jet engine. The environmental control system can be configured to provide outside air to a passenger cabin of the aircraft in the absence of bleed air from the jet engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Warren A. Atkey, Alan T. Bernier, Michael D. Bowman, Thomas A. Campbell, Jonathan M. Cruse, Charles J. Fiterman, Charles S. Meis, Casey Ng, Farhad Nozari, Edward Zielinski
  • Patent number: 7871038
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing airflow in an aerospace vehicle are disclosed. A system in accordance with one embodiment includes an aerospace vehicle having an interior volume with a first portion and a second portion. The system can further include an external air supply device positioned to provide supply air to the interior volume at a variable supply flow rate and a recirculation fan configured to move air positioned within the interior volume between the first portion of the interior volume and the second portion of the interior volume. The system can still further include a controller operably coupled to the recirculation fan and configured to vary a rotation speed of the recirculation fan. Variations in the rotation speed of the recirculation fan can be associated with variations in a recirculation flow rate. In selected embodiments, the system can include sensors and/or data link devices operably coupled to the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: David R. Space, Jane V. Matera, Warren A. Atkey, Charles J. Fiterman, John Gray, Timothy J. Arnaud
  • Publication number: 20080283663
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing airflow in an aerospace vehicle are disclosed. A system in accordance with one embodiment includes an aerospace vehicle having an interior volume with a first portion and a second portion. The system can further include an external air supply device positioned to provide supply air to the interior volume at a variable supply flow rate and a recirculation fan configured to move air positioned within the interior volume between the first portion of the interior volume and the second portion of the interior volume. The system can still further include a controller operably coupled to the recirculation fan and configured to vary a rotation speed of the recirculation fan. Variations in the rotation speed of the recirculation fan can be associated with variations in a recirculation flow rate. In selected embodiments, the system can include sensors and/or data link devices operably coupled to the controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2007
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Applicant: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: David R. Space, Jane V. Matera, Warren A. Atkey, Charles J. Fiterman, John Gray, Timothy J. Arnaud
  • Patent number: 7210653
    Abstract: Methods and systems for providing secondary power to aircraft systems. In one embodiment, an aircraft system architecture for providing power to an environmental control system includes an electric generator operably coupled to a jet engine. The jet engine can be configured to provide propulsive thrust to the aircraft, and the electric generator can be configured to receive shaft power from the jet engine. The environmental control system can be configured to provide outside air to a passenger cabin of the aircraft in the absence of bleed air from the jet engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Warren A. Atkey, Alan T. Bernier, Michael D. Bowman, Thomas A. Campbell, Jonathan M. Cruse, Charles J. Fiterman, Charles S. Meis, Casey Y. K. Ng, Farhad Nozari, Edward Zielinski
  • Patent number: 7207521
    Abstract: Methods and systems for providing secondary power to aircraft systems. In one embodiment, an aircraft system architecture for providing power to an environmental control system includes an electric generator operably coupled to a jet engine. The jet engine can be configured to provide propulsive thrust to the aircraft, and the electric generator can be configured to receive shaft power from the jet engine. The environmental control system can be configured to provide outside air to a passenger cabin of the aircraft in the absence of bleed air from the jet engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Warren A. Atkey, Alan T. Bernier, Michael D. Bowman, Thomas A. Campbell, Jonathan M. Cruse, Charles J. Fiterman, Charles S. Meis, Casey Y. K. Ng, Farhad Nozari, Edward Zielinski
  • Patent number: 7121100
    Abstract: A thermal management system for an aircraft is provided. The aircraft includes a primary air conditioning system which compresses and cools outside air to create inside air. The inside air pressurizes the internal volume of the aircraft and ventilates a first object in the internal volume. An exhaust exhausts a portion of the inside air to allow more outside air to be drawn into the aircraft. A cooler cools a coolant which in turn controls temperature of at least two objects in the internal volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Warren A. Atkey, Charles J. Fiterman
  • Publication number: 20040129835
    Abstract: Methods and systems for providing secondary power to aircraft systems. In one embodiment, an aircraft system architecture for providing power to an environmental control system includes an electric generator operably coupled to a jet engine. The jet engine can be configured to provide propulsive thrust to the aircraft, and the electric generator can be configured to receive shaft power from the jet engine. The environmental control system can be configured to provide outside air to a passenger cabin of the aircraft in the absence of bleed air from the jet engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2003
    Publication date: July 8, 2004
    Inventors: Warren A. Atkey, Alan T. Bernier, Michael D. Bowman, Thomas A. Campbell, Jonathan M. Cruse, Charles J. Fiterman, Charles S. Meis, Casey Y.K. Ng, Farhad Nozari, Edward Zielinski
  • Publication number: 20030051500
    Abstract: An all electric air conditioning system for an aircraft, wherein the aircraft defines an interior volume having conditioned air at a first pressure. A compressor is provided and is operable to compress supply air to a second pressure. The compressor being operated in response to an electrical drive motor. A passage fluidly couples the compressor and the interior volume of the aircraft. A heat dissipating device, such as a heat exchanger, is positioned in the passage to extract heat energy from the supply air. This arrangement permits conditioning of air within the aircraft without using bleed air from the engines. The use of bleed air results in a significant amount of fuel burn. An optional conditioned air recovery system may be coupled to the interior volume of the fuselage to direct at least a portion of the conditioned air from the interior volume back for further conditioning and use.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2001
    Publication date: March 20, 2003
    Inventors: Julie F. Asfia, Kenneth R. Williams, Warren A. Atkey, Charles J. Fiterman, Steven M. Loukusa, Casey Y. Ng
  • Patent number: 6526775
    Abstract: An all electric air conditioning system for an aircraft, wherein the aircraft defines an interior volume having conditioned air at a first pressure. A compressor is provided and is operable to compress supply air to a second pressure. The compressor being operated in response to an electrical drive motor. A passage fluidly couples the compressor and the interior volume of the aircraft. A heat dissipating device, such as a heat exchanger, is positioned in the passage to extract heat energy from the supply air. This arrangement permits conditioning of air within the aircraft without using bleed air from the engines. The use of bleed air results in a significant amount of fuel burn. An optional conditioned air recovery system may be coupled to the interior volume of the fuselage to direct at least a portion of the conditioned air from the interior volume back for further conditioning and use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2003
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Julie F. Asfia, Kenneth R. Williams, Warren A. Atkey, Charles J. Fiterman, Steven M. Loukusa, Casey Y. Ng