Patents by Inventor Mark Ralston

Mark Ralston 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: 20060168968
    Abstract: Methods and systems for starting aircraft turbofan engines are disclosed. A system in accordance with one embodiment includes an electrically-powered starter motor coupled to a turbofan engine to provide power to the turbofan engine during an engine start procedure. The system can further include an on-board, deployable, ram air driven turbine coupled to an electrical generator, which is in turn coupled to the starter motor to provide electrical power to the starter motor. In other embodiments, the ram air driven turbine can be replaced with a fuel cell or a battery. In still further embodiments, a single controller can control operation of both the engine starter and other motors of the aircraft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2005
    Publication date: August 3, 2006
    Inventors: Edward Zielinski, Alan Bernier, Kent Knechtel, Thomas Campbell, Jeffrey White, Mark Ralston