Patents by Inventor Nicholas R. Van De Veire

Nicholas R. Van De Veire 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: 10883590
    Abstract: A compound harmonic actuator is provided and includes a motor, a flex spline disposed about the motor and a wave generator radially interposable between the motor and the flex spline. The wave generator being rotatably drivable by the motor and shaped to form the flex spline into an elliptical shape with an axis such that wave generator rotations drive rotations of the axis of the ellipse of the flex spline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Derick S. Balsiger, Nicholas R. Van De Veire, Zaffir A. Chaudhry, Huan Zhang
  • Patent number: 10823268
    Abstract: A compound harmonic drive including: a first internal ring gear; a second internal ring gear, the second internal ring gear being coaxial to the first internal ring gear; a first external gear located within the first internal ring gear and coaxial to the first internal ring gear, the first external gear meshes with the first internal ring gear; and a second external gear located within the second internal ring gear and coaxial to the second internal ring gear, the second external gear meshes with the second internal ring gear. The first internal ring gear and the second internal ring gear are composed of a flexible material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Derick S. Balsiger, Nicholas R. Van De Veire
  • Patent number: 10759515
    Abstract: An electromechanical rotary actuator includes a drive member, a motor disposed inside and directly coupled to the drive member, and an output arm. The motor has a rotor configured toward an outside of the motor and directly coupled to an input of the drive member and a stator configured toward an inside of the motor and positioned inside the rotor. The output arm is disposed about the motor and is drivably connected to the drive member. The output arm defines an arcuate opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nicholas R. Van De Veire, Derick S. Balsiger
  • Patent number: 10584782
    Abstract: A compound harmonic drive including: a flexible ring having an inner surface and an outer surface; a first flexible gear disposed around the outer surface of the flexible ring and coaxial to the flexible ring; a second flexible gear disposed around the outer surface of the flexible ring and coaxial to the flexible ring; a first ring gear that meshes with the first flexible gear and is coaxial to the first flexible gear; and a second ring gear that meshes with the second flexible gear and is coaxial to the second flexible gear. The first flexible gear and second flexible gear are fixedly attached to the outer surface of the flexible ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Derick S. Balsiger, Nicholas R. Van De Veire
  • Patent number: 10400878
    Abstract: A compound harmonic drive assembly includes a ring gear assembly, a wave generator, a flex spline, and a rolling element. The wave generator is received within the ring gear assembly along the rotational axis. The wave generator has a body that extends radially between an exterior surface and an interior surface. The body defines at least one groove that extends radially from the exterior surface towards the interior surface. The flex spline is disposed between the ring gear assembly and the wave generator. The rolling element is disposed between the wave generator and the flex spline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Derick S. Balsiger, Nicholas R. Van De Veire
  • Patent number: 10220937
    Abstract: A multi-slice electromechanical hinge-line rotary actuator includes a motor stator configured to generate rotational motion about a rotational axis. The multi-slice electromechanical hinge-line rotary actuator further includes a plurality of layers rotatably coupled to the motor stator. Each layer includes an output arm slice configured to rotate about the rotational axis in response to the rotational motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Derick S. Balsiger, Nicholas R. Van De Veire
  • Publication number: 20190011032
    Abstract: A compound harmonic actuator is provided and includes a motor, a flex spline disposed about the motor and a wave generator radially interposable between the motor and the flex spline. The wave generator being rotatably drivable by the motor and shaped to form the flex spline into an elliptical shape with an axis such that wave generator rotations drive rotations of the axis of the ellipse of the flex spline.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2017
    Publication date: January 10, 2019
    Inventors: Derick S. Balsiger, Nicholas R. Van De Veire, Zaffir A. Chaudhry, Huan Zhang
  • Publication number: 20180112760
    Abstract: A compound harmonic drive assembly includes a ring gear assembly, a wave generator, a flex spline, and a rolling element. The wave generator is received within the ring gear assembly along the rotational axis. The wave generator has a body that extends radially between an exterior surface and an interior surface. The body defines at least one groove that extends radially from the exterior surface towards the interior surface. The flex spline is disposed between the ring gear assembly and the wave generator. The rolling element is disposed between the wave generator and the flex spline.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2016
    Publication date: April 26, 2018
    Inventors: Derick S. Balsiger, Nicholas R. Van De Veire
  • Patent number: 9915334
    Abstract: A method and system providing a flex spline for a compound harmonic generator having a harmonic wave generator, a primary ring gear, and a secondary ring gear, includes a primary flex spline with a first number of primary teeth, the primary flex spline driven by the harmonic wave generator and in meshed contact with the primary ring gear, and at least one secondary flex spline with a second number of secondary teeth, the at least one secondary flex spline driven by the harmonic wave generator and in meshed contact with the secondary ring gear, wherein the at least one secondary flex spline rotates independently from the primary flex spline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Derick S. Balsiger, Nicholas R. Van De Veire
  • Publication number: 20180038468
    Abstract: A compound harmonic drive including: a flexible ring having an inner surface and an outer surface; a first flexible gear disposed around the outer surface of the flexible ring and coaxial to the flexible ring; a second flexible gear disposed around the outer surface of the flexible ring and coaxial to the flexible ring; a first ring gear that meshes with the first flexible gear and is coaxial to the first flexible gear; and a second ring gear that meshes with the second flexible gear and is coaxial to the second flexible gear. The first flexible gear and second flexible gear are fixedly attached to the outer surface of the flexible ring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2016
    Publication date: February 8, 2018
    Inventors: Derick S. Balsiger, Nicholas R. Van De Veire
  • Publication number: 20180038467
    Abstract: A compound harmonic drive including: a first internal ring gear; a second internal ring gear, the second internal ring gear being coaxial to the first internal ring gear; a first external gear located within the first internal ring gear and coaxial to the first internal ring gear, the first external gear meshes with the first internal ring gear; and a second external gear located within the second internal ring gear and coaxial to the second internal ring gear, the second external gear meshes with the second internal ring gear. The first internal ring gear and the second internal ring gear are composed of a flexible material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2016
    Publication date: February 8, 2018
    Inventors: Derick S. Balsiger, Nicholas R. Van De Veire
  • Publication number: 20180015999
    Abstract: An electromechanical rotary actuator includes a drive member, a motor disposed inside and directly coupled to the drive member, and an output arm. The motor has a rotor configured toward an outside of the motor and directly coupled to an input of the drive member and a stator configured toward an inside of the motor and positioned inside the rotor. The output arm is disposed about the motor and is drivably connected to the drive member. The output arm defines an arcuate opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2017
    Publication date: January 18, 2018
    Inventors: Nicholas R. Van De Veire, Derick S. Balsiger
  • Publication number: 20170305532
    Abstract: A multi-slice electromechanical hinge-line rotary actuator includes a motor stator configured to generate rotational motion about a rotational axis. The multi-slice electromechanical hinge-line rotary actuator further includes a plurality of layers rotatably coupled to the motor stator. Each layer includes an output arm slice configured to rotate about the rotational axis in response to the rotational motion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2017
    Publication date: October 26, 2017
    Inventors: Derick S. Balsiger, Nicholas R. Van De Veire
  • Patent number: 9751617
    Abstract: A multi-slice electromechanical hinge-line rotary actuator includes a motor stator configured to generate rotational motion about a rotational axis. The multi-slice electromechanical hinge-line rotary actuator further includes a plurality of layers rotatably coupled to the motor stator. Each layer includes an output arm slice configured to rotate about the rotational axis in response to the rotational motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Derick S. Balsiger, Nicholas R. Van De Veire
  • Publication number: 20170108107
    Abstract: A method and system providing a flex spline for a compound harmonic generator having a harmonic wave generator, a primary ring gear, and a secondary ring gear, includes a primary flex spline with a first number of primary teeth, the primary flex spline driven by the harmonic wave generator and in meshed contact with the primary ring gear, and at least one secondary flex spline with a second number of secondary teeth, the at least one secondary flex spline driven by the harmonic wave generator and in meshed contact with the secondary ring gear, wherein the at least one secondary flex spline rotates independently from the primary flex spline.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2015
    Publication date: April 20, 2017
    Inventors: Derick S. Balsiger, Nicholas R. Van De Veire
  • Patent number: 9528587
    Abstract: A harmonic drive includes a flexible gear. Also included is a ring gear that meshes with the flexible gear. Further included is a rotor. Yet further included is a wave generator sleeve directly fitted over an outer surface of the rotor, wherein the wave generator sleeve is disposed radially within the flexible gear. Also included is a bearing assembly disposed between the wave generator sleeve and the flexible gear, wherein the wave generator rotates the flexible gear as the wave generator sleeve is rotated by the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Derick S. Balsiger, Nicholas R. Van De Veire
  • Publication number: 20160229525
    Abstract: An electromechanical hinge-line rotary actuator is provided. The actuator includes a drive member and a motor disposed inside and directly coupled to the drive member. The motor has a rotor configured toward an outside of the motor and directly coupled to an input of the drive member and a stator configured toward an inside of the motor and positioned inside the rotor. The drive member, rotor, and stator are arranged concentrically with each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2014
    Publication date: August 11, 2016
    Inventors: Nicholas R. Van De Veire, Derick S. Balsiger
  • Publication number: 20160152322
    Abstract: A multi-slice electromechanical hinge-line rotary actuator includes a motor stator configured to generate rotational motion about a rotational axis. The multi-slice electromechanical hinge-line rotary actuator further includes a plurality of layers rotatably coupled to the motor stator. Each layer includes an output arm slice configured to rotate about the rotational axis in response to the rotational motion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2014
    Publication date: June 2, 2016
    Inventors: Derick S. Balsiger, Nicholas R. Van De Veire
  • Publication number: 20160010738
    Abstract: A harmonic drive includes a flexible gear. Also included is a ring gear that meshes with the flexible gear. Further included is a rotor. Yet further included is a wave generator sleeve directly fitted over an outer surface of the rotor, wherein the wave generator sleeve is disposed radially within the flexible gear. Also included is a bearing assembly disposed between the wave generator sleeve and the flexible gear, wherein the wave generator rotates the flexible gear as the wave generator sleeve is rotated by the rotor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2014
    Publication date: January 14, 2016
    Inventors: Derick S. Balsiger, Nicholas R. Van De Veire