Patents by Inventor Jim Benson

Jim Benson 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).

  • Single-piece hybrid rocket motor
    Patent number: 7966809
    Abstract: A hybrid rocket motor is formed from a single piece of material, such as, for example, by extrusion or injection molding. The rocket motor includes various components, such as casing, structure, oxidizer tank, combustion chamber, fuel, port and nozzle that are all formed from a single piece of material. The material can be, for example, a material that can be used as solid rocket fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Spacedev, Inc.
    Inventor: Jim Benson
  • High propulsion mass fraction hybrid propellant system
    Patent number: 7404288
    Abstract: Disclosed is a propulsion system having a structural configuration that provides easy and convenient access to the interior regions of a liquid fuel tank and a hybrid rocket motor case. The system operates with a high oxidizer-to-fuel ratio and a high bulk density propellant combination that has a near uniform specific impulse over a large oxidizer-to-fuel ratio range. The system has an increased propellant mass fraction and reduced propellant residuals. This improves the performance of the hybrid propulsion system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: SpaceDev, Inc.
    Inventors: Marti Sarigul-Klijn, Nesrin Sarigul-Klijn, Jim Benson, Grant Williams, Frank Macklin
  • Single-Piece Hybrid Rocket Motor
    Publication number: 20070261386
    Abstract: A hybrid rocket motor is formed from a single piece of material, such as, for example, by extrusion or injection molding. The rocket motor includes various components, such as casing, structure, oxidizer tank, combustion chamber, fuel, port and nozzle that are all formed from a single piece of material. The material can be, for example, a material that can be used as solid rocket fuel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2007
    Publication date: November 15, 2007
    Inventor: Jim Benson
  • High propulsion mass fraction hybrid propellant system
    Publication number: 20060213181
    Abstract: Disclosed is a propulsion system having a structural configuration that provides easy and convenient access to the interior regions of a liquid fuel tank and a hybrid rocket motor case. The system operates with a high oxidizer-to-fuel ratio and a high bulk density propellant combination that has a near uniform specific impulse over a large oxidizer-to-fuel ratio range. The system has an increased propellant mass fraction and reduced propellant residuals. This improves the performance of the hybrid propulsion system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2005
    Publication date: September 28, 2006
    Inventors: Marti Sarigul-Klijn, Nesrin Sarigul-Klijn, Jim Benson, Grant Williams, Frank Macklin