Patents by Inventor Nathan Cantrell

Nathan Cantrell 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).

  • Hall-effect thruster system with applied counter-torque
    Patent number: 12650115
    Abstract: A Hall effect thruster system includes a thruster body and a diffuser configured to apply a torque to the thruster body during operation. The diffuser applies the torque by ejecting the propellant in a non-axial direction, such as a direction tangent to helical or curvilinear channels formed within a body of the diffuser. The applied torque can be used to counteract a swirl torque that is induced on the thruster body by the ionizing Hall current flowing in an annular channel of the thruster body. This effective counter-torque is useful in deep space applications outside the Earth's magnetic field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2024
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2026
    Assignee: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
    Inventors: Braden Oh, Mahderekal Regassa, Avery Clowes, Grant Miner, Albert Countryman, Nathan Cantrell, Lucas Ewing, Christopher Lee, Marissa Klein
  • HALL-EFFECT THRUSTER SYSTEM WITH APPLIED COUNTER-TORQUE
    Publication number: 20240401576
    Abstract: A Hall effect thruster system includes a thruster body and a diffuser configured to apply a torque to the thruster body during operation. The diffuser applies the torque by ejecting the propellant in a non-axial direction, such as a direction tangent to helical or curvilinear channels formed within a body of the diffuser. The applied torque can be used to counteract a swirl torque that is induced on the thruster body by the ionizing Hall current flowing in an annular channel of the thruster body. This effective counter-torque is useful in deep space applications outside the Earth's magnetic field.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2024
    Publication date: December 5, 2024
    Inventors: Braden Oh, Mahderekal Regassa, Avery Clowes, Grant Miner, Albert Countryman, Nathan Cantrell, Lucas Ewing, Christopher Lee, Marissa Klein