Patents by Inventor John Anthony Schaefer

John Anthony Schaefer 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).

  • Vortex generator system and method for assisting in store separation from a vehicle, and aircraft having vortex generator system
    Patent number: 11247770
    Abstract: A vortex generator system has at least two vortex generators protrudable from an outer mold line of a vehicle surface at a location upstream of a cavity leading edge of a cavity in the vehicle surface. The vortex generators are spaced apart from each other and oriented such that the vortex generator aft ends are nearer to each than the vortex generator forward ends. The vortex generator lengthwise direction of each one of the vortex generators is oriented at a vortex generator directional angle relative to a direction of an airflow. The vortex generators are configured to generate a pair of counter-rotating vortices when the airflow passes over through or over the vortex generators. The counter-rotating vortices interact to produce a downwash of air away from the cavity that urges the store away from the vehicle as the store exits the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Andrew Wham Cary, Rene Woszidlo, John Anthony Schaefer
  • VORTEX GENERATOR SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ASSISTING IN STORE SEPARATION FROM A VEHICLE, AND AIRCRAFT HAVING VORTEX GENERATOR SYSTEM
    Publication number: 20210245866
    Abstract: A vortex generator system has at least two vortex generators protrudable from an outer mold line of a vehicle surface at a location upstream of a cavity leading edge of a cavity in the vehicle surface. The vortex generators are spaced apart from each other and oriented such that the vortex generator aft ends are nearer to each than the vortex generator forward ends. The vortex generator lengthwise direction of each one of the vortex generators is oriented at a vortex generator directional angle relative to a direction of an airflow. The vortex generators are configured to generate a pair of counter-rotating vortices when the airflow passes over through or over the vortex generators. The counter-rotating vortices interact to produce a downwash of air away from the cavity that urges the store away from the vehicle as the store exits the cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2020
    Publication date: August 12, 2021
    Inventors: Andrew Wham Cary, Rene Woszidlo, John Anthony Schaefer