Patents by Inventor Christopher Hodges

Christopher Hodges 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: 11879438
    Abstract: Methods for replacing a Wye-ring of a wind turbine generator preferably, but not necessarily, in-situ are described along with a combination of three arcuate Wye-ring sections that when assembled comprise a Wye-ring. The method after gaining access to the Wye-ring typically comprises: removing all or most of the damaged Wye-ring; installing the replacement sections typically by welding or brazing them in place; insulating the new ring; installing new blocking; and adhesively securing the new blocking in place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Inventor: Christopher Hodges
  • Patent number: 11073086
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are apparatus, assemblies, and methods for mitigating thermal bow in the rotor of an engine at start-up. One apparatus includes a control module that facilitates operating the rotor prior to starting the engine and an acceleration module that facilitates accelerating the rotor to at least a threshold speed prior to starting the engine. An assembly includes a start-up device coupleable to the rotor and configured to start the rotor and a start-up module coupled to the start-up device in which the start-up device and the start-up module are configured to coordinate operations to accelerate the rotor to at least a threshold speed prior to starting the aircraft engine. One method includes transmitting a control signal to control the rotor prior to starting the engine and commanding the start-up device to accelerate the rotor to at least a threshold speed prior to starting the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Kevin Brown, Christopher Hodges
  • Publication number: 20210071648
    Abstract: Methods for replacing a Wye-ring of a wind turbine generator preferably, but not necessarily, in-situ are described along with a combination of three arcuate Wye-ring sections that when assembled comprise a Wye-ring. The method after gaining access to the Wye-ring typically comprises: removing all or most of the damaged Wye-ring; installing the replacement sections typically by welding or brazing them in place; insulating the new ring; installing new blocking; and adhesively securing the new blocking in place.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2020
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Inventor: Christopher Hodges
  • Publication number: 20210003116
    Abstract: Methods for replacing a Wye-ring of a wind turbine generator preferably, but not necessarily, in-situ are described along with a combination of three arcuate Wye-ring sections that when assembled comprise a Wye-ring. The method after gaining access to the Wye-ring typically comprises: removing all or most of the damaged Wye-ring; installing the replacement sections typically by welding or brazing them in place; insulating the new ring; installing new blocking; and adhesively securing the new blocking in place.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2020
    Publication date: January 7, 2021
    Inventor: Christopher Hodges
  • Patent number: 10871152
    Abstract: Methods for replacing a Wye-ring of a wind turbine generator preferably, but not necessarily, in-situ are described along with a combination of three arcuate Wye-ring sections that when assembled comprise a Wye-ring. The method after gaining access to the Wye-ring typically comprises: removing all or most of the damaged Wye-ring; installing the replacement sections typically by welding or brazing them in place; insulating the new ring; installing new blocking; and adhesively securing the new blocking in place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Inventor: Christopher Hodges
  • Patent number: 10823154
    Abstract: Methods for replacing a Wye-ring of a wind turbine generator preferably, but not necessarily, in-situ are described along with a combination of three arcuate Wye-ring sections that when assembled comprise a Wye-ring. The method after gaining access to the Wye-ring typically comprises: removing all or most of the damaged Wye-ring; installing the replacement sections typically by welding or brazing them in place; insulating the new ring; installing new blocking; and adhesively securing the new blocking in place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Inventor: Christopher Hodges
  • Patent number: 10759544
    Abstract: In an example, method of controlling thrust produced by a plurality of engines on an aircraft for assisting with nose-down recovery of the aircraft is described. The method includes selecting a maximum value of an aircraft parameter, measuring a value of the aircraft parameter while the aircraft is in flight, based on a comparison of the maximum value and the measured value determining that the measured value exceeds the maximum value, and reducing a thrust produced by each of the engines of the plurality of engines to bring the measured value of the aircraft parameter below the maximum value of the aircraft parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Nikos Mills, David Eggold, Heidi Haugeberg, Douglas Wilson, Leonard Inderhees, Steven Beland, Kent Karnofski, Christopher Hodges
  • Publication number: 20200165976
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are apparatus, assemblies, and methods for mitigating thermal bow in the rotor of an engine at start-up. One apparatus includes a control module that facilitates operating the rotor prior to starting the engine and an acceleration module that facilitates accelerating the rotor to at least a threshold speed prior to starting the engine. An assembly includes a start-up device coupleable to the rotor and configured to start the rotor and a start-up module coupled to the start-up device in which the start-up device and the start-up module are configured to coordinate operations to accelerate the rotor to at least a threshold speed prior to starting the aircraft engine. One method includes transmitting a control signal to control the rotor prior to starting the engine and commanding the start-up device to accelerate the rotor to at least a threshold speed prior to starting the engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2018
    Publication date: May 28, 2020
    Inventors: Kevin Brown, Christopher Hodges
  • Publication number: 20190241273
    Abstract: In an example, method of controlling thrust produced by a plurality of engines on an aircraft for assisting with nose-down recovery of the aircraft is described. The method includes selecting a maximum value of an aircraft parameter, measuring a value of the aircraft parameter while the aircraft is in flight, based on a comparison of the maximum value and the measured value determining that the measured value exceeds the maximum value, and reducing a thrust produced by each of the engines of the plurality of engines to bring the measured value of the aircraft parameter below the maximum value of the aircraft parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2018
    Publication date: August 8, 2019
    Inventors: Nikos Mills, David Eggold, Heidi Haugeberg, Douglas Wilson, Leonard Inderhees, Steven Beland, Kent Karnofski, Christopher Hodges
  • Publication number: 20190040847
    Abstract: Methods for replacing a Wye-ring of a wind turbine generator preferably, but not necessarily, in-situ are described along with a combination of three arcuate Wye-ring sections that when assembled comprise a Wye-ring. The method after gaining access to the Wye-ring typically comprises: removing all or most of the damaged Wye-ring; installing the replacement sections typically by welding or brazing them in place; insulating the new ring; installing new blocking; and adhesively securing the new blocking in place.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2018
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Inventor: Christopher Hodges
  • Publication number: 20090276695
    Abstract: A document template generator is provided for creating a document template, a pair of templates (200, 300) is provided with corresponding objects. A processing module (22) compares a parameter of input data to a parameter of a dominant object in one of the paired templates (200, 300) to calculate a transformation value therebetween. A template creation module (26) transforms objects in one template (200) towards the form of objects in the second template (300) by a factor equal to the calculated transformation value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2009
    Publication date: November 5, 2009
    Inventors: Christopher Hodges, Leigh Warren