Patents by Inventor David Allen Spencer

David Allen Spencer 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: 11142350
    Abstract: A drag sail deployment assembly has an enclosure supporting four boom deployment assemblies and four retractable booms. Each boom deployment assembly includes a hub and motor. The hub is configured to hold a wound boom and to rotatably pay out the wound boom. The motor is disposed at least in part within an interior of the hub, and rotates the hub. Each boom is associated with a corresponding one of the four boom deployment assemblies. Each boom includes a plurality of spring elements disposed within a sleeve. Each boom is wound onto the hub of the corresponding boom deployment assembly in a first configuration wherein the spring elements are compressed toward each other. Each boom is configured to expand into a second configuration wherein central portions of the spring elements are spaced apart from each other when the boom is unwound from the hub of the corresponding boom deployment assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: Purdue Research Foundation
    Inventors: David Allen Spencer, Anthony George Cofer
  • Publication number: 20200130872
    Abstract: A drag sail deployment assembly has an enclosure supporting four boom deployment assemblies and four retractable booms. Each boom deployment assembly includes a hub and motor. The hub is configured to hold a wound boom and to rotatably pay out the wound boom. The motor is disposed at least in part within an interior of the hub, and rotates the hub. Each boom is associated with a corresponding one of the four boom deployment assemblies. Each boom includes a plurality of spring elements disposed within a sleeve. Each boom is wound onto the hub of the corresponding boom deployment assembly in a first configuration wherein the spring elements are compressed toward each other. Each boom is configured to expand into a second configuration wherein central portions of the spring elements are spaced apart from each other when the boom is unwound from the hub of the corresponding boom deployment assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2019
    Publication date: April 30, 2020
    Inventors: David Allen Spencer, Anthony George Cofer