Patents by Inventor Rick Hooker

Rick Hooker 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).

  • Finlets for aircraft aft-body drag reduction
    Patent number: 11046413
    Abstract: A system and a method for reducing drag on the aft-fuselage of an aircraft are provided, which system and method utilize at least one finlet provided on each side of the aft-fuselage of an aircraft for reducing drag—on the aft-fuselage, which finlets are (i) positioned at the rear half of an upswept portion of the aft-fuselage starting at a breakline, (ii) positioned in the path of the vortices generated by the aft-fuselage, and (iii) oriented at 1 to 9 degrees angle relative to the local airflow about the aft-fuselage of the aircraft to straighten the airflow about the aft-fuselage. In addition, the finlets generate an induced secondary vortex having an opposite rotation direction relative to the rotation direction of the vortices generated by the aft-fuselage, thereby counteracting the vortices generated by the aft-fuselage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: Vortex Control Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: John Rick Hooker
  • FINLETS FOR AIRCRAFT AFT-BODY DRAG REDUCTION
    Publication number: 20190344876
    Abstract: A system and a method for reducing drag on the aft-fuselage of an aircraft are provided, which system and method utilize at least one (inlet provided on each side of the aft-fuselage of an aircraft for reducing drag -on the aft-fuselage, which finlets are (i) positioned at the rear half of an upswept portion of the aft-fuselage starting at a breakline, (ii) positioned in the path of the vortices generated by the aft-fuselage, and (iii) oriented at 1 to 9 degrees angle relative to the local airflow about the aft-fuselage of the aircraft to straighten the airflow about the aft-fuselage. In addition, the finlets generate an induced secondary vortex having an opposite rotation direction relative to the rotation direction of the vortices generated by the aft-fuselage, thereby counteracting the vortices generated by the aft-fuselage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2018
    Publication date: November 14, 2019
    Inventor: John Rick HOOKER
  • Sound detector device
    Patent number: 6360607
    Abstract: A sound detector device for locating and diagnosing sound in a motor vehicle includes a headphone and a plurality of directional microphones. The sound detector device also includes a main unit having a circuit operatively connected to the headphone and the directional microphones for allowing an operator to diagnose sound in the motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2002
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Francois Charette, Hsiao-An Hsieh, Keng D. Hsueh, Vy Tran, Rick Hooker