Patents by Inventor Mark J. Holthaus

Mark J. Holthaus 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: 9989014
    Abstract: A liquid injector system for a combustion engine, having a single feed inlet configured to receive a premixed liquid propellant under pressure or a purge gas under pressure, and having a liquid injector assembly. The assembly has a liquid injector having a hollow dome and injector holes configured to receive and inject the premixed liquid propellant or the purge gas through the liquid injector and into a combustion chamber. The liquid injector system has a liquid-to-gas zone between an injector outlet side and a flame front. A pressure gradient decrease between the liquid injector and the combustion chamber causes the premixed liquid propellant to expand from liquid to gas phases, which causes a temperature decrease at the liquid-to-gas zone, wherein the pressure gradient decrease and the temperature decrease prevent or mitigate the flame front from propagating upstream of the combustion chamber, which achieves an anti-flashback quenching liquid injector design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Anthony D. Straw, Mark J. Holthaus, Steven J. Hoeser
  • Patent number: 9499381
    Abstract: An apparatus for exchanging fluid with a tank through a tank port includes a bung extractor casing that has a first end configured to removably couple to a tank port. The tank port is configured to be sealingly coupled to a bung plug. The bung extractor casing also includes a second end opposite the first end, a hose connector configured to removably couple to a hose, and a channel defined between the first end and the hose connector. The apparatus also includes a bung extractor coupled to the extractor casing second end. The bung extractor includes a tip portion configured to releasably engage the bung plug. The bung extractor is operable to selectively uncouple the bung plug from the tank port such that a sealed flow path is formed through the tank port and the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Mark J. Holthaus
  • Publication number: 20160160801
    Abstract: A liquid injector system for a combustion engine, having a single feed inlet configured to receive a premixed liquid propellant under pressure or a purge gas under pressure, and having a liquid injector assembly. The assembly has a liquid injector having a hollow dome and injector holes configured to receive and inject the premixed liquid propellant or the purge gas through the liquid injector and into a combustion chamber. The liquid injector system has a liquid-to-gas zone between an injector outlet side and a flame front. A pressure gradient decrease between the liquid injector and the combustion chamber causes the premixed liquid propellant to expand from liquid to gas phases, which causes a temperature decrease at the liquid-to-gas zone, wherein the pressure gradient decrease and the temperature decrease prevent or mitigate the flame front from propagating upstream of the combustion chamber, which achieves an anti-flashback quenching liquid injector design.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2014
    Publication date: June 9, 2016
    Applicant: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Anthony D. Straw, Mark J. Holthaus, Steven J. Hoeser
  • Publication number: 20150246803
    Abstract: An apparatus for exchanging fluid with a tank through a tank port includes a bung extractor casing that has a first end configured to removably couple to a tank port. The tank port is configured to be sealingly coupled to a bung plug. The bung extractor casing also includes a second end opposite the first end, a hose connector configured to removably couple to a hose, and a channel defined between the first end and the hose connector. The apparatus also includes a bung extractor coupled to the extractor casing second end. The bung extractor includes a tip portion configured to releasably engage the bung plug. The bung extractor is operable to selectively uncouple the bung plug from the tank port such that a sealed flow path is formed through the tank port and the channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2014
    Publication date: September 3, 2015
    Applicant: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Mark J. Holthaus