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).

  • Patent number: 11858641
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Michael L. Trent, Warren A. Atkey
  • Patent number: 11518522
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Michael L. Trent, Warren A. Atkey
  • Publication number: 20210122476
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2019
    Publication date: April 29, 2021
    Inventors: Michael L. Trent, Warren A. Atkey
  • Publication number: 20210122477
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2019
    Publication date: April 29, 2021
    Inventors: Michael L. Trent, Warren A. Atkey
  • Publication number: 20210055023
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2019
    Publication date: February 25, 2021
    Inventors: Michael L. Trent, Zachary G. Brown, Chetan B. Megchiani
  • Patent number: 10734622
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Julie K. Plessner, Douglas D. Maben, Daniel F. Lewinski, George A. McEachen, Mark E. Smith, Michael L. Trent, Richard K. Johnson
  • Publication number: 20170259937
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2017
    Publication date: September 14, 2017
    Applicant: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Julie K. Plessner, Douglas D. Maben, Daniel F. Lewinski, George A. McEachen, Mark E. Smith, Michael L. Trent, Richard K. Johnson
  • Patent number: 9663233
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Julie K. Plessner, Douglas D. Maben, Daniel F. Lewinski, George A. McEachen, Mark E. Smith, Michael L. Trent, Richard K. Johnson
  • Patent number: 9614209
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: 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
  • Patent number: 9508970
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: 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
  • Patent number: 6619589
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: 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
  • Publication number: 20030141413
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2002
    Publication date: July 31, 2003
    Inventors: 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