Patents by Inventor Paul Oppenheimer

Paul Oppenheimer 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).

  • Agile attitude control system for small spacecraft
    Patent number: 10518910
    Abstract: An agile attitude control system (AACS) that is a three axis attitude control device for small spacecraft based on miniature single gimbal control moment gyroscopes (SGCMGs) actuators. The AACS enables agile attitude slewing and accurate pointing/tracking for spacecraft made of multiple CubeSat units, or, more generally, for nanosatellites.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Marcello Romano, Paul Oppenheimer
  • Separation system and burn wire release mechanism for tethered spacecraft
    Patent number: 10266284
    Abstract: A tethered spacecraft has a first endmass and a second endmass with a telescoping stacer spring and a tether arranged between the endmasses. The spring is coiled around a center rod and initially contained within a housing, the spring being biased to push the first endmass away from the second endmass. The spring housing is affixed to the first endmass, a first end of the spring being affixed to the spring housing, and tether are affixed to spring at one end and to the second endmass at the other end. A pretensioned loop holds the endmasses abuttingly together, and a burnwire release mechanism cuts the loop to deploy the spring. Upon deployment, the spring extends to its full length to form a cylindrical boom, and the endmasses continue to move outward along the spring centerline until stopped by the tether.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Shannon Coffey, Joseph A. Carroll, Paul Oppenheimer, Jordan R. Schlater, Ivan Galysh, Eugene Levin, Curt Hogan, Adam Thurn
  • SEPARATION SYSTEM AND BURN WIRE RELEASE MECHANISM FOR TETHERED SPACECRAFT
    Publication number: 20150115106
    Abstract: A tethered spacecraft has a first endmass and a second endmass with a telescoping stacer spring and a tether arranged between the endmasses. The spring is coiled around a center rod and initially contained within a housing, the spring being biased to push the first endmass away from the second endmass. The spring housing is affixed to the first endmass, a first end of the spring being affixed to the spring housing, and tether are affixed to spring at one end and to the second endmass at the other end. A pretensioned loop holds the endmasses abuttingly together, and a burnwire release mechanism cuts the loop to deploy the spring. Upon deployment, the spring extends to its full length to form a cylindrical boom, and the endmasses continue to move outward along the spring centerline until stopped by the tether.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2014
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Applicant: The Government of the US, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Shannon Coffey, Joseph A. Carroll, Paul Oppenheimer, Jordan R. Schlater, Ivan Galysh, Eugene Levin, Curt Hogan, Adam Thurn
  • Spacecraft docking interface mechanism
    Patent number: 8006937
    Abstract: A demountable docking interface mechanism and method for docking and undocking two spacecraft utilizing the demountable docking interface mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Marcello Romano, Paul Oppenheimer