Patents by Inventor Derek P. Dougherty

Derek P. Dougherty 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).

  • Actuator and method
    Patent number: 10975940
    Abstract: An actuator includes an end fitting, a ball screw connected to the end fitting, a ball nut engaged with the ball screw, a rod disposed at least partially within the ball screw, and a rotating member engaged with the rod. A method of verifying an actuator may include rotating a manual input portion in a first direction under substantially no load until the manual input portion stops, rotating the manual input portion in a second, opposite direction until a first torque is measured, determining a first rotational angle at which the first torque was measured, rotating the manual input portion in the first direction until a second torque is measured, determining a second rotational angle at which the second torque was measured, and verifying a second load path if a backlash is within a predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited
    Inventors: Andrew M. Laskovy, Douglas A. Gordon, Derek P. Dougherty
  • ACTUATOR AND METHOD
    Publication number: 20190063568
    Abstract: An actuator includes an end fitting, a ball screw connected to the end fitting, a ball nut engaged with the ball screw, a rod disposed at least partially within the ball screw, and a rotating member engaged with the rod. A method of verifying an actuator may include rotating a manual input portion in a first direction under substantially no load until the manual input portion stops, rotating the manual input portion in a second, opposite direction until a first torque is measured, determining a first rotational angle at which the first torque was measured, rotating the manual input portion in the first direction until a second torque is measured, determining a second rotational angle at which the second torque was measured, and verifying a second load path if a backlash is within a predetermined range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2018
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Inventors: Andrew M. Laskovy, Douglas A. Gordon, Derek P. Dougherty