Patents by Inventor Michael T. O'Brien

Michael T. O'Brien 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: 20100108777
    Abstract: The invention relates to a hazer system that includes a base unit, an air capture unit and an air return line. The base unit is configured to hold a haze fluid and produce a haze, and has one or more outlets from which the haze is emitted. The air capture unit has one or more openings through which a negative pressure exists to capture at least a portion of the haze produced by the base unit. The air return line is configured to return at least a portion of the captured haze to the base unit and/or exhaust at least a portion of the capture haze.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2009
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Inventor: Michael T. O'Brien
  • Patent number: 5443229
    Abstract: An aircraft engine sideways mount assembly includes a thrust mount and an engine suspension for suspending the engine structure sideways from the aircraft such that the thrust mount is operable to react substantially all the thrust load forces from the engine to the aircraft. The thrust mount has a thrust bar extending between the engine structure and a structure fixed to the aircraft such that the thrust bar has a line of action which intersects the engine centerline in a support mount plane through which the engine suspension suspends the engine and which is generally perpendicular the engine centerline. The thrust bar has two thrust links pivotably joined to the aircraft at their aft ends and pivotably joined to the engine structure between the pivotal support mounts at their forward ends and include lines of force which intersect the engine centerline at the forward mount plane through which the forward pivotal support mount acts to support the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 22, 1995
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Michael T. O'Brien, Melvin Bobo, deceased
  • Patent number: 5388964
    Abstract: A hybrid gas turbine engine rotor blade includes an airfoil and a dovetail integrally joined thereto. The airfoil includes an inner portion disposed adjacent to the dovetail to provide a structural transition, and an outer portion disposed thereabove for effecting a pressure rise in airflow channeled thereacross. A nosepiece is disposed adjacent to the leading edge of the airfoil inner portion, and a tailpiece is disposed adjacent to the trailing edge of the airfoil inner portion. The nosepiece, tailpiece, and airfoil inner portion are collectively aerodynamically configured for effecting a pressure rise in the airflow channeled thereacross.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1995
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John J. Ciokajlo, Michael T. O'Brien
  • Patent number: 5349814
    Abstract: A method and assembly are effective for air-starting an aircraft gas turbine engine having a fan powered by a low pressure turbine through a first shaft, and a compressor powered by a high pressure turbine through a second shaft disposed coaxially therewith. A gear train is selectively operatively joined between the first and second shafts by selectively engaging a first clutch for transmitting torque through the first clutch only in one direction from the first shaft to the second shaft when the fan is windmilling for driving the second shaft to allow an air-start of the gas turbine engine during flight. In a preferred embodiment, a second clutch is operatively joined to the gear train and is selectively engageable at speeds of the second shaft below a predetermined release speed, and disengageable at the release speed and above for disconnecting the air-start assembly once the engine has been started.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 27, 1994
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John J. Ciokajlo, Michael T. O'Brien
  • Patent number: 4631392
    Abstract: An assembly comprising a flexible corrugated metal tube and an elongate resistive heating element that is within the tube and which can be connected to a power supply to provide an elongate electrical heater. The tube has a wall thickness less than 0.012 inch, a corrugation depth greater than 0.030 inches and a distance between corresponding points in adjacent corrugations from 0.02 inch to 0.75 inch. The corrugations extend around the entire periphery of the tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 1984
    Date of Patent: December 23, 1986
    Assignee: Raychem Corporation
    Inventors: Michael T. O'Brien, Umesh K. Sopory, Shou-Mean Fang