Patents by Inventor Roger M. Myers

Roger M. Myers 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).

  • Helicon hall thruster
    Patent number: 7436122
    Abstract: Atoms of a propellant gas are ionized in a helicon plasma source, preferably in an annular area between inner and outer cylinders. The annular ionization area is aligned with an annular acceleration stage similar to the electrical-magnetic acceleration stage of a Hall effect thruster.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: Aerojet-General Corporation
    Inventors: Brian E. Beal, Roger M. Myers, Kristi H. de Grys, Alfred C. Wilson
  • Uniform gas distribution in ion accelerators with closed electron drift
    Patent number: 6612105
    Abstract: A system for uniformly distributing propellant gas in a Hall-effect thruster (10) (HET) includes an anode (42, 42′) and a porous material gas distributor (60, 89) (PMGD). The porous material (120) may be porous metal or porous ceramic. Propellant gas is directed from a supply to the PMGD for distribution into a gas discharge region (16) of the HET (10). The gas flows through the porous material (120) of the PMGD and out of the PMGD's exit surface (71) into the annular gas discharge region (16). The PMGD has an average pore size, pore density and thickness that are optimized to control the flow of the gas at the desired flow rate and distribution uniformity at a relatively short distance downstream from the PMGD. This feature allows HET to be short, significantly decreasing susceptibility to vibration problems encountered during vehicle launch. The PMGD can include a shield (79, 80) for preventing contaminants from traveling upstream from the gas discharge region from adhering to the porous metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: Aerojet-General Corporation
    Inventors: Arnold W. Voigt, David Q. King, Kristi H. De Grys, Roger M. Myers
  • Three axis pulsed plasma thruster with angled cathode and anode strip lines
    Patent number: 6173565
    Abstract: A spacecraft attitude and altitude control system utilizes sets of three pulsed plasma thrusters connected to a single controller. The single controller controls the operation of each thruster in the set. The control of a set of three thrusters in the set makes it possible to provide a component of thrust along any one of three desired axes. This configuration reduces the total weight of a spacecraft since only one controller and its associated electronics is required for each set of thrusters rather than a controller for each thruster. The thrusters are positioned about the spacecraft such that the effect of the thrusters is balanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2001
    Assignee: Primex Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: R. Joseph Cassady, Roger M. Myers, Robert D. Osborne
  • Pulsed mode cathode
    Patent number: 5357747
    Abstract: A cathode in an MPD thruster has an internal heater and utilizes low work function material. The cathode is preheated to operating temperature, and then the thruster is fired by discharging a capacitor bank in a pulse forming network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 25, 1994
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Roger M. Myers, Vincent K. Rawlin