Patents by Inventor Paul BROUGHTON

Paul BROUGHTON 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: 20160125855
    Abstract: A cover for a bass drum. The cover has a disc-shaped main body. A surface of the main body has a layer of sound proofing material. The cover is attachable in a detachable manner to a rim of the drum so as to extend across the surface of the drum skin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2014
    Publication date: May 5, 2016
    Inventor: Paul Broughton
  • Publication number: 20160057873
    Abstract: A rigid electrical panel has both a flexible printed circuit and an electromagnetic protection layer embedded therein. The flexible printed circuit has an integral electromagnetic shield. The integral electromagnetic shield and the electromagnetic protection layer are electrically isolated, so as to provide independent grounding paths. The independent grounding paths can be individually tested for safe operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2015
    Publication date: February 25, 2016
    Inventors: John Philip RICHARDSON, Paul BROUGHTON
  • Patent number: 9259808
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine 10 is provided with rigid raft assemblies 290, which may be electrical harness raft assemblies 290 comprising electrical conductors embedded in a rigid composite material. The rigid raft assemblies 290 can be provided with engine dressings, such as pipework and ECUs to produce an electrical raft assembly. In order to assemble or dress the gas turbine engine 10, the rigid raft assemblies can be pre-prepared to incorporate at least a part of at least one gas turbine engine system/component before being installed on the gas turbine engine 10. During maintenance, whole raft assemblies can be removed and replaced with corresponding, pre-prepared assemblies. This can save considerable time during engine build and maintenance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Paul Broughton, Richard Peace
  • Patent number: 9204497
    Abstract: An electrical assembly including electrical raft having electrical conductors embedded in a rigid material is provided. The electrical assembly has an electrically conductive screen layer. The electrically conductive screen layer provides electromagnetic protection to the electrical conductors. The electrically conductive screen layer is electrically connected to a mounting fixture, which in turn may be electrically connected to an apparatus on which the electrical assembly may be mounted. The electrical raft is used to transport electrical signals (which may be, for example power and/or control signals), for example around a gas turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: Michael Christopher Willmot, John Philip Richardson, Jason Watkiss, Paul Broughton, Richard Peace, Gary Alan Skinner, Robin Charles Kennea
  • Patent number: 9139144
    Abstract: A connector is provided for joining two electrical harnesses. Each harness is formed from a flexible printed circuit board which provides a plurality of conductive tracks, and each harness has a substantially planar terminating region at which the conductive tracks of the harness fan out. One or more receiving holes are formed in each terminating region to extend to respective conductive tracks. A connector includes a connection formation which is between respective terminating regions of the two electrical harnesses. The connector further includes a housing configured to hold the respective terminating regions of the two electrical harnesses in face-to-face relationship with the connection formation sandwiched therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: Paul Broughton
  • Publication number: 20150083488
    Abstract: A connector is provided for joining two electrical harnesses. Each harness is formed from a flexible printed circuit board which provides a plurality of conductive tracks, and each harness has a substantially planar terminating region at which the conductive tracks of the harness fan out. One or more receiving holes are formed in each terminating region to extend to respective conductive tracks. A connector includes a connection formation which is between respective terminating regions of the two electrical harnesses. The connector further includes a housing configured to hold the respective terminating regions of the two electrical harnesses in face-to-face relationship with the connection formation sandwiched therebetween.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Applicant: Rolls-Royce plc,
    Inventor: Paul BROUGHTON
  • Patent number: 8932066
    Abstract: A connector is provided for joining two electrical harnesses. Each harness is formed from a flexible printed circuit board which provides a plurality of conductive tracks, and each harness has a substantially planar terminating region at which the conductive tracks of the harness fan out. One or more receiving holes are formed in each terminating region to extend to respective conductive tracks. Each receiving hole extends in a direction substantially perpendicularly to the plane of the respective terminating region. When in use, the connector includes a connection formation between respective terminating regions of the two electrical harnesses. The connector further includes a housing configured to hold the respective terminating regions of the two electrical harnesses in face-to-face relationship with the connection formation. The housing has one or more apertures through which the harnesses can exit the housing as they extend away from their terminating regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventor: Paul Broughton
  • Publication number: 20140325993
    Abstract: An electrical harness assembly is provided that comprises a flexible printed circuit electrically connected to one end of an electrical connector. The other end of the electrical connector is presented for connection to another electrical component. Electrical tracks or conductors in the flexible printed circuit terminate in receiving holes. The electrical connector comprises terminals, each of which has a first end that is received in one of the receiving holes to form a connection formation, and a second end which is present for connection to the other electrical device. The connection formation is encapsulated so as to be sealed, thereby providing a reliable and robust connection between the connector and the flexible printed circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2014
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Inventors: Paul BROUGHTON, Jonathan WILSON
  • Publication number: 20140326058
    Abstract: A vehicle is provided that has a rigid dressing raft 200. The rigid dressing raft 200 provides a part of a fluid and/or electrical system to the vehicle. The rigid dressing raft comprises elongate fibres 232, which may provide strength to the raft. The fibres 232 are electrically conductive, and a voltage source may be applied to at least one of the fibres. The fibre 232 may form a part of an electrical measurement circuit 400, such as a wheatstone bridge, which may be used to determine the electrical resistance of the fibre 232. The electrical resistance of the fibre 232 may then be used to determine the temperature to and/or stress/strain of the raft 200.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2014
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Inventor: Paul BROUGHTON
  • Publication number: 20140327299
    Abstract: The present invention provides a rigid raft. The raft has an electrical system including electrical conductors embedded in the raft. The raft further has one or more sensors embedded therein for monitoring parameters, for example the temperature and/or strain of the raft itself.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2014
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Inventors: Paul BROUGHTON, Michael Christopher WILLMOT
  • Publication number: 20140328030
    Abstract: An electrical connection between two electrical harnesses is provided. The electrical harnesses include flexible printed circuits with embedded conductive tracks, each of which terminates in a receiving hole in a respective terminating region The terminating regions are connected together using conductive pins. The connection formation is then encapsulated by an encapsulating body formed of an insulating. The encapsulating body seals and protects the electrical connection, which is thus reliable and robust.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2014
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventor: Paul BROUGHTON
  • Publication number: 20140165531
    Abstract: A rigid electrical raft has electrical conductors embedded in a rigid material. The electrical conductors transmit electrical signals through the rigid electrical raft, which may form part of an electrical system of a gas turbine engine. The rigid electrical raft also has electrical heating elements embedded therein. The electrical heating elements provide heat which may be used, for example, to prevent condensation and/or ice build-up and/or to raise the temperature of electrical components to be within a desired range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2013
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: Paul BROUGHTON, Michael Christopher WILLMOT, Justin Sean DALTON
  • Publication number: 20130298566
    Abstract: An electrical raft 200 is provided that has electrical conductors 252 embedded in a rigid material 220. The electrical raft 200 may have other embedded components, such as embedded fluid pipes 210. The electrical raft 200 is provided with a raft map 400 that indicates the location and/or path of components embedded in the electrical raft 200. The raft map 400 can be used to identify the positions of the embedded components, and may also be provided with active elements, such as LEDs, which may be used to indicate an operating state of the systems/components embedded in the electrical raft 200. The raft map 400 may be useful in assembly, repair and fault diagnosis, for example.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Inventors: Paul BROUGHTON, Richard PEACE, Gary Alan SKINNER, Robin Charles KENNEA, Michael Christopher WILLMOT, Philip SUMMERFIELD