Patents by Inventor Michael L. Trent
Michael L. Trent 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).
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Patent number: 11858641Abstract: An aircraft includes a fuselage defining a cabin region and a crown region. The aircraft also includes a duct disposed within the fuselage. The duct is coupled to one or more drying air vents disposed in the crown region and coupled to one or more cabin vents disposed with the cabin region. The one or more drying air vents are configured to output drying air, received via the duct, into the crown region, and the one or more cabin vents are configured to output conditioned air, received via the duct, into the cabin region. The aircraft further includes one or more valves coupled to the duct and configured to, in a first valve position, route airflow within the duct to the one or more drying air vents and configured to, in a second valve position, route the airflow within the duct to the one or more cabin vents.Type: GrantFiled: October 24, 2019Date of Patent: January 2, 2024Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANYInventors: Michael L. Trent, Warren A. Atkey
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Patent number: 11518522Abstract: An aircraft includes a fuselage defining a cabin region and a crown region. The aircraft also includes a duct disposed within the fuselage. The duct is coupled to one or more drying air vents disposed in the crown region and coupled to one or more cabin vents disposed with the cabin region. The one or more drying air vents are configured to output drying air, received via the duct, into the crown region, and the one or more cabin vents are configured to output conditioned air, received via the duct, into the cabin region. The aircraft further includes one or more valves coupled to the duct and configured to, in a first valve position, route airflow within the duct to the one or more drying air vents and configured to, in a second valve position, route the airflow within the duct to the one or more cabin vents.Type: GrantFiled: October 24, 2019Date of Patent: December 6, 2022Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANYInventors: Michael L. Trent, Warren A. Atkey
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Publication number: 20210122476Abstract: An aircraft includes a fuselage defining a cabin region and a crown region. The aircraft also includes a duct disposed within the fuselage. The duct is coupled to one or more drying air vents disposed in the crown region and coupled to one or more cabin vents disposed with the cabin region. The one or more drying air vents are configured to output drying air, received via the duct, into the crown region, and the one or more cabin vents are configured to output conditioned air, received via the duct, into the cabin region. The aircraft further includes one or more valves coupled to the duct and configured to, in a first valve position, route airflow within the duct to the one or more drying air vents and configured to, in a second valve position, route the airflow within the duct to the one or more cabin vents.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 24, 2019Publication date: April 29, 2021Inventors: Michael L. Trent, Warren A. Atkey
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Publication number: 20210122477Abstract: An aircraft includes a fuselage defining a cabin region and a crown region. The aircraft also includes a duct disposed within the fuselage. The duct is coupled to one or more drying air vents disposed in the crown region and coupled to one or more cabin vents disposed with the cabin region. The one or more drying air vents are configured to output drying air, received via the duct, into the crown region, and the one or more cabin vents are configured to output conditioned air, received via the duct, into the cabin region. The aircraft further includes one or more valves coupled to the duct and configured to, in a first valve position, route airflow within the duct to the one or more drying air vents and configured to, in a second valve position, route the airflow within the duct to the one or more cabin vents.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 24, 2019Publication date: April 29, 2021Inventors: Michael L. Trent, Warren A. Atkey
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Publication number: 20210055023Abstract: A filter dryer functions bypass system in a vapor cycle machine includes a refrigerant filter/dryer receiving a flow of liquid refrigerant from an inlet line and expelling the liquid refrigerant to an outlet line. A bypass line interconnects the inlet line and the outlet line and a bypass valve is configured to divert a portion or all of the flow of liquid refrigerant from the inlet line into the bypass line. A condition sensor provides a status signal indicative of refrigerant filter dryer condition and the bypass valve is operable responsive to the status signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 21, 2019Publication date: February 25, 2021Inventors: Michael L. Trent, Zachary G. Brown, Chetan B. Megchiani
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Patent number: 10734622Abstract: According to an embodiment, an aircraft comprises a fuselage including composite skin; an enclosure located inside the fuselage; a rechargeable battery disposed inside the enclosure; and a ventilation conduit extending from the enclosure to an opening in the composite skin, the ventilation conduit including: a first portion having a first end coupled to the enclosure and a second end spaced from the composite skin, and a second portion extending between the composite skin and the second end of the first portion, the second portion comprising an electrically non-conductive material.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2017Date of Patent: August 4, 2020Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Julie K. Plessner, Douglas D. Maben, Daniel F. Lewinski, George A. McEachen, Mark E. Smith, Michael L. Trent, Richard K. Johnson
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Publication number: 20170259937Abstract: According to an embodiment, an aircraft comprises a fuselage including composite skin; an enclosure located inside the fuselage; a rechargeable battery disposed inside the enclosure; and a ventilation conduit extending from the enclosure to an opening in the composite skin, the ventilation conduit including: a first portion having a first end coupled to the enclosure and a second end spaced from the composite skin, and a second portion extending between the composite skin and the second end of the first portion, the second portion comprising an electrically non-conductive material.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 24, 2017Publication date: September 14, 2017Applicant: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Julie K. Plessner, Douglas D. Maben, Daniel F. Lewinski, George A. McEachen, Mark E. Smith, Michael L. Trent, Richard K. Johnson
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Patent number: 9663233Abstract: An aircraft comprises composite skin having an opening, and a ventilation conduit having an end portion that extends to the opening in the composite skin. The conduit is made of metal except for the end portion, which functions as an electrical insulator.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2014Date of Patent: May 30, 2017Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Julie K. Plessner, Douglas D. Maben, Daniel F. Lewinski, George A. McEachen, Mark E. Smith, Michael L. Trent, Richard K. Johnson
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Patent number: 9614209Abstract: An aircraft comprises a rechargeable battery including an array of battery cells, and means for mitigating consequences of failure of the rechargeable battery due to aircraft operating cycles.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2014Date of Patent: April 4, 2017Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Kelly T. Jones, Alfred R. Carlo, Alan D. Amort, Daniel F. Lewinski, Daniel J. Murray, Douglas D. Maben, Harry H. Ayubi, Craig G. Robotham, Julie K. Plessner, Kevin S. Callahan, Michael L. Trent, Michael R. Madden, Mohammad M. Malik, Richard K. Johnson, Royal E. Boggs, Mehdy Barekatein, Frederic P. Lacaux, Bruce L. Drolen, James C. Russell, John R. Lowell, Thomas P. Barrera, Timothy R. North, Richard P. Lorenz, Matthew J. O'Brien, Nels A. Olson, David C. Shangraw, Mark E. Smith, Jean-Philippe Belieres, George A. McEachen
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Patent number: 9508970Abstract: An apparatus comprises a rechargeable battery susceptible to thermal runaway, and a metal enclosure for the battery. The enclosure is configured to mitigate battery failure consequences resulting from thermal runaway.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2014Date of Patent: November 29, 2016Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Kelly T. Jones, Al R. Carlo, Alan D. Amort, Daniel F. Lewinski, Daniel J. Murray, Douglas D. Maben, Harry H. Ayubi, Howard E. McKenzie, Julie K. Plessner, Kevin S. Callahan, Michael L. Trent, Mike R. Madden, Mohammad M. Malik, Richard K. Johnson, Royal E. Boggs
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Patent number: 6619589Abstract: The present invention provides a temperature control system for an aircraft ventilation system that couples with existing aircraft upstream ventilation system architecture and downstream ventilation system architecture. The temperature control system includes an air duct arranged to receive a volume of ventilation air from the upstream ventilation system architecture and transfer the volume of air to the downstream ventilation system architecture. A heater is arranged to heat the ventilation air. A controller is arranged to control the heater responsive to a comparison of the actual temperature of the ventilation air to a desired range of temperatures. The controller maintains the actual ventilation air temperature within the predetermined range of temperatures such that formation of ice is minimized in the aircraft ventilation system. An exhaust shutoff valve between the air distribution system and the lavatory/galley ventilation system provides for ventilation in the event smoke is detected.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2002Date of Patent: September 16, 2003Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Andre G. Brasseur, Paul A. Guilford, Frank P. Brady, Cheh-Min J. Su, Charles A. Fieldson, Michael L. Trent, John J. Stevens, Stephen E. Izbicki
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Publication number: 20030141413Abstract: The present invention provides a temperature control system for an aircraft ventilation system that couples with existing aircraft upstream ventilation system architecture and downstream ventilation system architectureb. The temperature control system includes an air duct arranged to receive a volume of ventilation air from the upstream ventilation system architecture and transfer the volume of air to the downstream ventilation system architecture. A heater is arranged to heat the ventilation air. A controller is arranged to control the heater responsive to a comparison of the actual temperature of the ventilation air to a desired range of temperatures. The controller maintains the actual ventilation air temperature within the predetermined range of temperatures such that formation of ice is minimized in the aircraft ventilation system. An exhaust shutoff valve between the air distribution system and the lavatory/galley ventilation system provides for ventilation in the event smoke is detected.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2002Publication date: July 31, 2003Inventors: Andre G. Brasseur, Paul A. Guilford, Frank P. Brady, Cheh-Min J. Su, Charles A. Fieldson, Michael L. Trent, John J. Stevens, Stephen E. Izbicki