Patents by Inventor Douglas H. Greiner
Douglas H. Greiner 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).
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Patent number: 9611024Abstract: Systems and methods for measuring a volume of a ballonet are provided. In some aspects, the system may include a plurality of sensors configured to transmit a plurality of signals toward an interior surface of the ballonet and to receive the plurality of signals reflected off of the interior surface of the ballonet, a distance calculating module configured to calculate a plurality of distances from the plurality of sensors to the interior surface of the ballonet using the received plurality of signals, and a mapping module configured to create a three-dimensional surface using the calculated plurality of distances. The system may further include a measurement module configured to calculate the volume of the ballonet using the three-dimensional surface.Type: GrantFiled: August 3, 2011Date of Patent: April 4, 2017Assignee: Lockheed Martin CorporationInventors: Douglas H. Greiner, Brian T. Holm-Hansen, John P. Morehead
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Publication number: 20130035894Abstract: Systems and methods for measuring a volume of a ballonet are provided. In some aspects, the system may include a plurality of sensors configured to transmit a plurality of signals toward an interior surface of the ballonet and to receive the plurality of signals reflected off of the interior surface of the ballonet, a distance calculating module configured to calculate a plurality of distances from the plurality of sensors to the interior surface of the ballonet using the received plurality of signals, and a mapping module configured to create a three-dimensional surface using the calculated plurality of distances. The system may further include a measurement module configured to calculate the volume of the ballonet using the three-dimensional surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 3, 2011Publication date: February 7, 2013Applicant: LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATIONInventors: Douglas H. GREINER, Brian T. Holm-Hansen, John P. Morehead
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Patent number: 8177161Abstract: An air vehicle includes a bag skirt extendable along a portion of a hull of the air vehicle. The bag skirt is inflatable to provide an air cushion during touchdown and deflatable during flight of the air vehicle. The air vehicle also includes a cover roller adjacent the bag skirt, and a cover portion coupled to the cover roller. The cover roller is operable between exposed position and unexposed positions to expose and hide the bag skirt with the cover portion. The cover roller includes an extensible shaft and a pad securely wrapped around the extensible shaft. The extensible shaft is capable of being rotated along a shaft axis. One end of the extensible shaft is pivotally coupled to the hull by an anchor. A circumference of the cover roller is configured as a function of a distance between the exposed and the unexposed positions.Type: GrantFiled: June 10, 2011Date of Patent: May 15, 2012Assignee: Lockheed Martin CorporationInventors: John P. Morehead, Douglas H. Greiner, Renee Pasman, Robert R. Boyd
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Patent number: 8167240Abstract: An airship comprising a hull configured to be inflated with a first gas; a ballonet in the hull, the ballonet configured to be inflated with a second gas that is heavier than the first gas; a fan configured to draw the second gas into the ballonet; an inflatable landing system; a duct configured in the ballonet to allow access to components in the airship; and a valve coupled to the ballonet. The valve provides a pathway for air to flow between the ballonet and a plenum chamber, the plenum chamber is formed by the airship, a landing surface, and the inflatable landing system when the inflatable landing system is in contact with the landing surface.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2009Date of Patent: May 1, 2012Assignee: Lockheed Martin CorporationInventor: Douglas H. Greiner
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Publication number: 20120043416Abstract: An air vehicle includes a bag skirt extendable along a portion of a hull of the air vehicle. The bag skirt is inflatable to provide an air cushion during touchdown and deflatable during flight of the air vehicle. The air vehicle also includes a cover roller adjacent the bag skirt, and a cover portion coupled to the cover roller. The cover roller is operable between exposed position and unexposed positions to expose and hide the bag skirt with the cover portion. The cover roller includes an extensible shaft and a pad securely wrapped around the extensible shaft. The extensible shaft is capable of being rotated along a shaft axis. One end of the extensible shaft is pivotally coupled to the hull by an anchor. A circumference of the cover roller is configured as a function of a distance between the exposed and the unexposed positions.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 10, 2011Publication date: February 23, 2012Applicant: LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATIONInventors: John P. MOREHEAD, Douglas H. GREINER, Renee PASMAN, Robert R. BOYD
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Patent number: 8016229Abstract: A hybrid air vehicle is disclosed in which a cover is provided for a plurality of air cushioned landing pads to reduce drag when airborne. The pad is inflatable to provide an air cushioned during touchdown and deflatable during flight of the air vehicle. The cover can include a first cover portion and a second cover portion. A first cover roller of the first cover portion and a matching second cover roller of the second cover portion abut to cover the corresponding pad. The first cover roller and the second cover roller, which are separate and free from a physical linkage there between, are separable in an eyelid fashion to expose the corresponding pad. A separation gap between the first cover roller and the second cover roller is increased or decreased by roller straps to cover or expose the corresponding pad.Type: GrantFiled: July 7, 2008Date of Patent: September 13, 2011Assignee: Lockheed Martin CorporationInventors: Douglas H. Greiner, John P. Morehead, Renee Pasman, Robert R. Boyd
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Publication number: 20100230533Abstract: An airship comprising a hull configured to be inflated with a first gas; a ballonet in the hull, the ballonet configured to be inflated with a second gas that is heavier than the first gas; a fan configured to draw the second gas into the ballonet; an inflatable landing system; a duct configured in the ballonet to allow access to components in the airship; and a valve coupled to the ballonet. The valve provides a pathway for air to flow between the ballonet and a plenum chamber, the plenum chamber is formed by the airship, a landing surface, and the inflatable landing system when the inflatable landing system is in contact with the landing surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 13, 2009Publication date: September 16, 2010Inventor: Douglas H. Greiner
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Publication number: 20100001128Abstract: A hybrid air vehicle is disclosed in which a cover is provided for a plurality of air cushioned landing pads to reduce drag when airborne. The pad is inflatable to provide an air cushioned during touchdown and deflatable during flight of the air vehicle. The cover can include a first cover portion and a second cover portion. A first cover roller of the first cover portion and a matching second cover roller of the second cover portion abut to cover the corresponding pad. The first cover roller and the second cover roller, which are separate and free from a physical linkage there between, are separable in an eyelid fashion to expose the corresponding pad. A separation gap between the first cover roller and the second cover roller is increased or decreased by roller straps to cover or expose the corresponding pad.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 7, 2008Publication date: January 7, 2010Inventors: John P. Morehead, Douglas H. Greiner, Renee Pasman, Robert R. Boyd