Patents by Inventor Richard A. Pfefferle

Richard A. Pfefferle 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: 20200316512
    Abstract: Expanded metal sheets are used to produce tubular filters. The expanded metal sheet has a multiplicity of rows of openings arranged to reduce nesting when the sheet is rolled on itself. In particular, the pitch between the rows of openings, the sizes of the openings, or both the pitch between the rows of openings and the sizes of the openings are varied to reduce nesting when the expanded metal sheet is rolled on itself. The filters can include external circumferential grooves, rounded corners produced by a point loading process, textured surfaces between openings, and/or torturous internal paths produced by non-perforated areas of an expanded metal sheet. The expanded metal sheet can be composed of carbon steel coated with a material having a higher heat conductivity, e.g., tin. Among other things, the filters can be used in automobile airbag inflators to capture slag and absorb heat produced by the inflator's explosive charge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2020
    Publication date: October 8, 2020
    Inventors: George Greenwood, Richard Pfefferle
  • Patent number: 10717032
    Abstract: Expanded metal sheets are used to produce tubular filters. The expanded metal sheet has a multiplicity of rows of openings arranged to reduce nesting when the sheet is rolled on itself. In particular, the pitch between the rows of openings, the sizes of the openings, or both the pitch between the rows of openings and the sizes of the openings are varied to reduce nesting when the expanded metal sheet is rolled on itself. The filters can include external circumferential grooves, rounded corners produced by a point loading process, textured surfaces between openings, and/or torturous internal paths produced by non-perforated areas of an expanded metal sheet. The expanded metal sheet can be composed of carbon steel coated with a material having a higher heat conductivity, e.g., tin. Among other things, the filters can be used in automobile airbag inflators to capture slag and absorb heat produced by the inflator's explosive charge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: ACS Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: George Greenwood, Michael McCarthy, Richard Pfefferle
  • Patent number: 9700825
    Abstract: Expanded metal sheets (5) are used to produce tubular filters (13). The expanded metal sheet (5) has a multiplicity of rows of openings arranged to reduce nesting when the sheet (5) is rolled on itself. In particular, the pitch between the rows of openings, the sizes of the openings, or both the pitch between the rows of openings and the sizes of the openings are varied to reduce nesting when the expanded metal sheet (5) is rolled on itself. The filters (13) can include external circumferential grooves (3), rounded corners (19) produced by a point loading process, textured surfaces (37) between openings, and/or torturous internal paths produced by non-perforated areas of an expanded metal sheet. The expanded metal sheet (5) can be composed of carbon steel coated with a material having a higher heat conductivity, e.g., tin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: ACS Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: George Greenwood, Richard Pfefferle
  • Publication number: 20120067015
    Abstract: Expanded metal sheets (5) are used to produce tubular filters (13). The expanded metal sheet (5) has a multiplicity of rows of openings arranged to reduce nesting when the sheet (5) is rolled on itself. In particular, the pitch between the rows of openings, the sizes of the openings, or both the pitch between the rows of openings and the sizes of the openings are varied to reduce nesting when the expanded metal sheet (5) is rolled on itself. The filters (13) can include external circumferential grooves (3), rounded corners (19) produced by a point loading process, textured surfaces (37) between openings, and/or torturous internal paths produced by non-perforated areas of an expanded metal sheet. The expanded metal sheet (5) can be composed of carbon steel coated with a material having a higher heat conductivity, e.g., tin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2011
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Applicant: ACS Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: George Greenwood, Michael McCarthy, Scott J. MacKenzie, Richard Pfefferle
  • Publication number: 20090184504
    Abstract: Expanded metal sheets are used to produce tubular filters. The expanded metal sheet has a multiplicity of rows of openings arranged to reduce nesting when the sheet is rolled on itself. In particular, the pitch between the rows of openings, the sizes of the openings, or both the pitch between the rows of openings and the sizes of the openings are varied to reduce nesting when the expanded metal sheet is rolled on itself. The filters can include external circumferential grooves, rounded corners produced by a point loading process, textured surfaces between openings, and/or torturous internal paths produced by non-perforated areas of an expanded metal sheet. The expanded metal sheet can be composed of carbon steel coated with a material having a higher heat conductivity, e.g., tin. Among other things, the filters can be used in automobile airbag inflators to capture slag and absorb heat produced by the inflator's explosive charge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2009
    Publication date: July 23, 2009
    Applicant: ACS INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: George Greenwood, Michael McCarthy, Richard Pfefferle
  • Patent number: 4686826
    Abstract: In a turbofan jet engine, having a circumferentially rotatable mixer segment capable of orienting the afterburner ignitors and flameholders into the path of either the exhaust gases or bypass air, a fuel-air transfer apparatus for capturing, transporting and the releasing of an enriched fuel-air concentration from the fuel spray bars, on the stationary structure of the jet engine, to the afterburner ignitors and flameholders rigidly attached at the rear of the rotatable segment of the mixer. The enriched fuel-air mixture is transported between a location of reliable fuel availability, through a region of highly turbulent gas flow and is thereafter released while still in an enriched concentration immediately upstream of the ignitors and flameholders, facilitating ignition and sustained operation of the afterburner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1980
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1987
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventors: John M. Koshoffer, Richard A. Pfefferle, Harold A. Larson