Patents by Inventor Michael R. Hilton

Michael R. Hilton 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).

  • Ceramic ball bearing acoustic test method
    Patent number: 7370537
    Abstract: An acoustical mechanical test method prescribes compressing brittle balls in spherical conforming opposing platens producing equatorial bulging, tensile stresses, and resulting in crack or flaw growth with emissions of acoustical sounds for direct identification of brittle balls having a flaw exceeding a maximum allowable size, such as flaws in silicon-nitride balls used in hybrid bearings as well as conventional steel ball bearings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: The Aerospace Corporation
    Inventors: Michael J. O'Brien, Benjamin A. Nelson, Michael R. Hilton