Patents by Inventor Eric M. Rohrbaugh

Eric M. Rohrbaugh 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: 7281367
    Abstract: A propulsion system including an extinguishable rocket motor and an incorporated maneuver control system. The rocket motor may be of the solid fuel type. One or more proportional axial thrust valves in communication with a pressure vessel or motor case containing a solid fuel propellant may be used to release combustion products for creating axial thrust. A plurality of proportional maneuver control valves in communication with the pressure vessel and having associated maneuver control thrusters may be selectively actuated in different modes of operation to provide control of pitch, yaw and roll. Fully opening all valves in communication with the pressure vessel may be used to cause rapid depressurization to extinguish the propellant. Reignition of the rocket motor may be effected upon repressurization of the pressure vessel through closing at least some of the valves. Ignition grains may be employed to shorten reignition time, and multiple propellant grains may be provided for multiple pulses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2007
    Assignee: Alliant Techsystems Inc.
    Inventors: Eric M. Rohrbaugh, Jeffrey M. White
  • Patent number: 6393830
    Abstract: This propulsion system of a rocket motor assembly includes an array of attitude-control rocket engines, one or more oxidizer-fluid sources, one or more ignition-fluid sources, and, optionally, one or more primary rocket engines. Each of the attitude-control rocket engines has a respective combustion chamber and is offset from the longitudinal axis of the rocket motor assembly so that when a selected one or group of the attitude-control rocket engines is fired, the flight path of the assembly is diverted and/or the rocket assembly spins. The oxidizer-fluid and ignition-fluid sources are in operative communication with the attitude-control rocket engines to respectively permit oxidizer fluid and ignition fluid to be supplied to selected ones or groups of the attitude-control rocket engines. Optionally, a portion of the ignition fluid from the ignition-fluid source can be cooled and used to pressurize the oxidizer-fluid source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2002
    Assignee: Alliant Techsystems Inc.
    Inventors: Rolf E. Hamke, Eric M. Rohrbaugh