Patents by Inventor Mark D. Bird

Mark D. Bird 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).

  • Publication number: 20230298790
    Abstract: A magnet includes a stack of a plurality of superconducting pancake wound coils having a stacking axis normal to a winding direction of the coils. The stack has axial ends and has a stack midplane relative to the stacking axis. A quench detector is provided for detecting a quench in the stack of superconducting pancake wound coils. A plurality of resistance quench heaters (RQH) are distributed symmetrically along the axis with respect to the stack midplane. Control circuitry is provided for controlling the operation of the RQH upon the detection of a quench by the quench detector. A method of quenching a magnet is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2023
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Inventors: William Denis Markiewicz, Mark D. Bird, Iain R. Dixon, William Scott Marshall, Thomas A. Painter, Peng Xu
  • Publication number: 20230238178
    Abstract: Coils for superconducting magnets and methods of making coils for superconducting magnets and controlling the turn-to-turn contact resistance of coils. The coils include a REBCO superconducting tape coated with a layer of tin-lead solder, co-wound with an oxidized stainless steel tape. The inclusion of tin-lead solder on the REBCO tape and a layer of oxidation on the stainless steel tape advantageously allow for tuning of the turn-to-turn contact resistance of the coil, and advantageously mitigates the effect of repeated pressure cycling on the turn-to-turn contact resistance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2023
    Publication date: July 27, 2023
    Inventors: Jun Lu, Iain R. Dixon, Mark D. Bird, Justin Deterding, Hongyu Bai, Emsley L. Marks, William Denis Markiewicz
  • Patent number: 10984934
    Abstract: An active quench protection system for a superconducting coil in a magnet includes a quench detector. An inductive heating device is configured to generate an electric field to inductively heat a portion of the superconducting coil. A processor can generate a quench signal responsive to the detection of a quench by the quench detector to cause the inductive heating device to generate the electric field to inductively heat a portion of the superconducting coil. A quench power source can supply a time varying current to the inductive heating device to generate the electric field responsive to a quench signal from the processor. A magnet and a method for the active quench protection of a superconducting coil in a magnet are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INC.
    Inventors: William Denis Markiewicz, Mark D. Bird
  • Publication number: 20200194154
    Abstract: An active quench protection system for a superconducting coil in a magnet includes a quench detector. An inductive heating device is configured to generate an electric field to inductively heat a portion of the superconducting coil. A processor can generate a quench signal responsive to the detection of a quench by the quench detector to cause the inductive heating device to generate the electric field to inductively heat a portion of the superconducting coil. A quench power source can supply a time varying current to the inductive heating device to generate the electric field responsive to a quench signal from the processor. A magnet and a method for the active quench protection of a superconducting coil in a magnet are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Inventors: William Denis Markiewicz, Mark D. Bird
  • Patent number: 9488169
    Abstract: Disclosed is a system for allocating torque, supplied in one embodiment by an engine, to multiple variable and fixed displacement pumps coupled together in a series by coupling elements interspersed between the pumps. A controller is included which monitors the torque applied to each coupling element. The controller automatically varies displacement in one or more of the variable displacement pumps to prioritize and allocate torque to optimize available torque while keeping the torque applied to each coupling element within the torque limit for that particular coupling element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: Coneqtec Corp.
    Inventors: Gary L. Cochran, Mark D. Bird, William H. Dillahunty, Dan E. Starns
  • Patent number: 8813482
    Abstract: One embodiment of the system comprises a towable machine having at least one hydraulic motor arranged on the machine and operable to drive at least one wheel arranged on the machine. At least one hydraulic propelling pump is arranged to supply hydraulic fluid flow via a hydraulic circuit to the hydraulic motor to selectively drive the wheel. The system has a non-operative configuration wherein hydraulic fluid flow is blocked between the hydraulic motor and the hydraulic pump. A pressure sensor is associated with the hydraulic circuit to detect an improper pressure load when the circuit is in a non-operative configuration, and operates to trigger an alarm element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Coneqtec Corp.
    Inventors: Gary L. Cochran, Mark D. Bird
  • Patent number: 8051651
    Abstract: A hydraulic system for use in a work vehicle with a powered implement is disclosed. In one embodiment, the hydraulic system may include a first hydraulic circuit including a first hydraulic pump with a low pressure and low flow output, switch and valve; a second hydraulic circuit including a second hydraulic pump with a high flow and high pressure output, switch and valve; and a third hydraulic circuit including a third hydraulic pump with a high flow and high pressure output, switch and valve. The first, second, and third circuits each include an output selectively combinable with each other by an operator control which controls the switch and valve configurations. The hydraulic system has several configurations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Coneqtec Corp.
    Inventors: Gary Cochran, David S. Moorman, Mark D. Bird
  • Publication number: 20110192154
    Abstract: One embodiment of the system comprises a towable machine having at least one hydraulic motor arranged on the machine and operable to drive at least one wheel arranged on the machine. At least one hydraulic propelling pump is arranged to supply hydraulic fluid flow via a hydraulic circuit to the hydraulic motor to selectively drive the wheel. The system has a non-operative configuration wherein hydraulic fluid flow is blocked between the hydraulic motor and the hydraulic pump. A pressure sensor is associated with the hydraulic circuit to detect an improper pressure load when the circuit is in a non-operative configuration, and operates to trigger an alarm element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2011
    Publication date: August 11, 2011
    Inventors: Gary L. Cochran, Mark D. Bird
  • Patent number: 7825760
    Abstract: An electromagnet having a conical bore. The conical bore is created by wrapping a conductor around a conically-offset helix. The cross sectional area of the conductor can be varied in order to maintain a desired current carrying capacity along the helix. A single element can be used as the conductor. The conductor can also be created by stacking a series of specially-shaped plates analogous to prior art Bitter-disks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Inventors: Mark D. Bird, Jack Toth
  • Publication number: 20100033280
    Abstract: An electromagnet having a conical bore. The conical bore is created by wrapping a conductor around a conically-offset helix. The cross sectional area of the conductor can be varied in order to maintain a desired current carrying capacity along the helix. A single element can be used as the conductor. The conductor can also be created by stacking a series of specially-shaped plates analogous to prior art Bitter-disks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2008
    Publication date: February 11, 2010
    Inventors: Mark D. Bird, Jack Toth
  • Patent number: 7609139
    Abstract: An electromagnet having at least one access port oriented perpendicularly to the electromagnet's central axis. The magnet has a conventional helical winding along its central axis. However, at some point along the length of the axis, the pitch of the helical winding is greatly increased in order to create a region with a comparatively low turn density. One or more ports are provided in this region. These ports provide access from the magnet's central bore to the magnet's exterior. A sample can be placed in the central bore near the ports. A beam traveling down the central bore, or through one of the radial ports, will strike the sample and be scattered in all directions. The ports allow access for instrumentation which is used to evaluate the scattered beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Florida State University Research Foundation
    Inventors: Mark D. Bird, Scott T. Bole, Scott R. Gundlach, Jack Toth
  • Publication number: 20070210884
    Abstract: An electromagnet having at least one access port oriented perpendicularly to the electromagnet's central axis. The magnet has a conventional helical winding along its central axis. However, at some point along the length of the axis, the pitch of the helical winding is greatly increased in order to create a region with a comparatively low turn density. One or more ports are provided in this region. These ports provide access from the magnet's central bore to the magnet's exterior. A sample can be placed in the central bore near the ports. A beam traveling down the central bore, or through one of the radial ports, will strike the sample and be scattered in all directions. The ports allow access for instrumentation which is used to evaluate the scattered beam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2007
    Publication date: September 13, 2007
    Inventors: Mark D. Bird, Scott T. Bole, Scott R. Gundlach, Jack Toth
  • Patent number: 6876288
    Abstract: A new type of coil magnet in which the plane of each turn of the conducting coil is rotated with respect to the central axis. This results in the induced magnetic field being oriented off the central axis. A set of two such disk assemblies are preferably nested, with the current flowing in opposite directions within the two assemblies. This results in the components of the two induced magnetic fields lying along the center axis canceling each other out, leaving only a purely transverse magnetic field. In addition, variations in the angular offset of the nested coils can be used to create a magnetic field having almost any orientation. Three or more such nested disk assemblies can be employed to strengthen and adjust the transverse magnetic field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2005
    Inventors: Andrey V. Gavrilin, Mark D. Bird
  • Patent number: 6850137
    Abstract: A cost effective apparatus and method for levitating a diamagnetic material using a magnetic field produced by a superconducting magnet. Concentric superconducting coils produces magnetic fields when energized with current. The magnetic fields of the coils combine to produce an operational magnetic field for levitating the diamagnetic material inside a central bore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2005
    Assignee: FSU Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark D. Bird, James Brooks, Yehia M. Eyssa
  • Publication number: 20040113503
    Abstract: A cost effective apparatus and method for levitating a diamagnetic material using a magnetic field produced by a superconducting magnet. Concentric superconducting coils produces magnetic fields when energized with current. The magnetic fields of the coils combine to produce an operational magnetic field for levitating the diamagnetic material inside a central bore.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2003
    Publication date: June 17, 2004
    Applicant: FSU Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark D. Bird, James Brooks, Yehia M. Eyssa
  • Patent number: 6720552
    Abstract: A magnet for use with a neutron scattering apparatus. The neutron scattering apparatus provides an incident beam of neutrons to a sample under analysis. The magnet has first and second body portions of high conductivity material and has a mid-plane portion there between in which the sample under analysis is positioned. The first and second body portions of the coil are electrically connected to each other via the mid-plane portion of the coil between the body portions of the coil. The conductive mid-plane portion has a split that allows neutron scattering through large angles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: FSU Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark D. Bird, Iain R. Dixon, Yehia Eyssa, Andrei Gavrilin, Scott Gundluch
  • Publication number: 20030184427
    Abstract: A new type of coil magnet in which the plane of each turn of the conducting coil is rotated with respect to the central axis. This results in the induced magnetic field being oriented off the central axis. A set of two such disk assemblies are preferably nested, with the current flowing in opposite directions within the two assemblies. This results in the components of the two induced magnetic fields lying along the center axis canceling each other out, leaving only a purely transverse magnetic field. In addition, variations in the angular offset of the nested coils can be used to create a magnetic field having almost any orientation. Three or more such nested disk assemblies can be employed to strengthen and adjust the transverse magnetic field.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2003
    Publication date: October 2, 2003
    Inventors: Andrey V. Gavrilin, Mark D. Bird
  • Publication number: 20030127590
    Abstract: A magnet for use with a neutron scattering apparatus. The neutron scattering apparatus provides an incident beam of neutrons to a sample under analysis. The magnet has first and second body portions of high conductivity material and has a mid-plane portion there between in which the sample under analysis is positioned. The first and second body portions of the coil are electrically connected to each other via the mid-plane portion of the coil between the body portions of the coil. The conductive mid-plane portion has a split that allows neutron scattering through large angles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2002
    Publication date: July 10, 2003
    Applicant: FSU Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark D. Bird, Iain R. Dixon, Yehia Eyssa, Andrei Gavrilin, Scott Gundluch
  • Patent number: 5482121
    Abstract: A vibratory cable plow assembly including a frame assembly for connecting a plow blade to a frame of a prime mover. The frame assembly supports a vibrating mechanism or shaker that is adapted to impart vibratory movements to the plow blade. The frame assembly includes a lower support that extends rearwardly from its pivotal connection to the frame of the prime mover. The lower support mounts a blade supporting frame for rocking movement about a generally horizontal pivot mechanism. The blade supporting frame is mounted toward a distal end of the lower support intermediate its free ends and has the plow blade attached to a free end thereof. The vibratory mechanism is mounted on the blade supporting frame. An extendable/retractable driver extends about the lower support and is pivotally connected between the frame of the prime mover and the other free end of the blade supporting frame. An elastomeric bearing assembly isolates the blade supporting frame from transferring vibrations to the prime mover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1996
    Assignee: Case Corporation
    Inventors: Robert G. Draney, James W. Donoghue, Mark D. Bird, David W. Beatenbough