Patents by Inventor Ronald Tatsuji Kawai

Ronald Tatsuji Kawai 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: 20240132220
    Abstract: A system for a blended wing body aircraft with a combustion engine is illustrated. The aircraft comprises a blended wing body, at least a fuel source located within the blended wing body and configured to store a fuel, wherein the fuel includes liquid hydrogen, and at least a propulsor configured to propel the blended wing body aircraft. The at least a propulsor comprises a combustion engine configured to burn the fuel from the fuel source and produce mechanical work to power the at least a propulsor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2023
    Publication date: April 25, 2024
    Applicant: JetZero, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald Tatsuji Kawai, Shailesh Atreya
  • Patent number: 11891178
    Abstract: A system for a blended wing body aircraft with a combustion engine is illustrated. The aircraft comprises a blended wing body, at least a fuel source located within the blended wing body and configured to store a fuel, wherein the fuel includes liquid hydrogen, and at least a propulsor configured to propel the blended wing body aircraft. The at least a propulsor comprises a combustion engine configured to burn the fuel from the fuel source and produce mechanical work to power the at least a propulsor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: JETZERO, INC.
    Inventors: Ronald Tatsuji Kawai, Shailesh Atreya
  • Publication number: 20240025556
    Abstract: Methods and systems for venting a fuel tank includes a fuel tank on a blended wing body aircraft. A fuel tank may include a vent. A vent line is connected to the vent. The vent line is heated. The vent line is attached to an external fuel tank configured to store the collected boil-off gaseous fuel from the aircraft fuel tank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2022
    Publication date: January 25, 2024
    Applicant: Blended Wing Aircraft, Inc.
    Inventors: Blaine Knight Rawdon, Ronald Tatsuji Kawai
  • Patent number: 11878798
    Abstract: Certain aspects relate to a blended wing body aircraft with a fuel cell and methods of use. An exemplary aircraft includes a blended wing body, at least a propulsor mechanically affixed to the aircraft and configured to propel the aircraft, at least a first fuel store configured to store a first fuel, and at least a fuel cell configured to combine the first fuel with oxygen to produce electricity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: JETZERO, INC.
    Inventors: Shailesh Atreya, Ronald Tatsuji Kawai
  • Patent number: 11851210
    Abstract: In an aspect, an aircraft fueling apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes at least a container comprising a fuel tank configured to store liquified gas fuel. The apparatus may also include a translocation device configured to carry the at least a container. An orientation guidance track may also be included in the apparatus. The orientation guidance track may be configured to direct a movement of the translocation device to a first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: JETZERO, INC.
    Inventors: Ronald Tatsuji Kawai, Shailesh Atreya
  • Publication number: 20230348090
    Abstract: Aircraft with fuel tanks stored aft of the main body and method of manufacturing an aircraft with fuel tanks stored aft of the main body. Aircraft includes a blended wing body, wherein the blended wing body includes a main body and a cabin at least partially located within the main body. The aircraft further including a plurality of fuel tanks located at least partially aft of the cabin within the main body and configured to store liquified gas fuel. The fuel tanks may include a multi-lobe geometry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2022
    Publication date: November 2, 2023
    Applicant: Blended Wing Aircraft, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas James O'Leary, Terrence Kevin O'Leary, JR., Blaine Knight Rawdon, Ronald Tatsuji Kawai
  • Publication number: 20230348101
    Abstract: In an aspect, an aircraft fueling apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes at least a container comprising a fuel tank configured to store liquified gas fuel. The apparatus may also include a translocation device configured to carry the at least a container. An orientation guidance track may also be included in the apparatus. The orientation guidance track may be configured to direct a movement of the translocation device to a first position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2022
    Publication date: November 2, 2023
    Applicant: Blended Wing Aircraft, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald Tatsuji Kawai, Shailesh Atreya
  • Publication number: 20230348057
    Abstract: A system for a blended wing body aircraft with a combustion engine is illustrated. The aircraft comprises a blended wing body, at least a fuel source located within the blended wing body and configured to store a fuel, wherein the fuel includes liquid hydrogen, and at least a propulsor configured to propel the blended wing body aircraft. The at least a propulsor comprises a combustion engine configured to burn the fuel from the fuel source and produce mechanical work to power the at least a propulsor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2022
    Publication date: November 2, 2023
    Applicant: Blended Wing Aircraft, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald Tatsuji Kawai, Shailesh Atreya
  • Publication number: 20230348089
    Abstract: A system and method for a blended wing body aircraft with permanent tanks is presented. The aircraft comprises a blended wing body and at least a tank permanently attached the blended wing body. The at least a tank is configured to store liquified gas fuel and further comprises at least a vent configured to vent gaseous fuel from the at least a tank and an insulation to reduce thermal transfer to the liquified gas fuel inside of the at least a tank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2022
    Publication date: November 2, 2023
    Applicant: Blended Wing Aircraft, Inc.
    Inventors: Blaine Knight Rawdon, Ronald Tatsuji Kawai, Thomas James O'Leary, Terrence Kevin O'Leary, JR.
  • Publication number: 20230348091
    Abstract: An aircraft with a multi-walled fuel tank and method of manufacturing is presented. The aircraft includes a blended wing body and a fuel tank attached to the blended wing body configured to store liquified gas fuel. The fuel tank includes an inner wall, outer wall, and interstitial volume in between that is filled with insulation. The interstitial volume includes a reflective film layer and a structural insulation layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2023
    Publication date: November 2, 2023
    Applicant: JETZERO, INC.
    Inventors: Ronald Tatsuji Kawai, Blaine Knight Rawdon
  • Patent number: 11697507
    Abstract: An aircraft with a multi-walled fuel tank and method of manufacturing is presented. The aircraft includes a blended wing body and a fuel tank attached to the blended wing body configured to store liquified gas fuel. The fuel tank includes an inner wall, outer wall, and interstitial volume in between that is filled with insulation. The interstitial volume includes a reflective film layer and a structural insulation layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: Blended Wing Aircraft, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald Tatsuji Kawai, Blaine Knight Rawdon
  • Publication number: 20230091929
    Abstract: Certain aspects relate to a blended wing body aircraft with a fuel cell and methods of use. An exemplary aircraft includes a blended wing body, at least a propulsor mechanically affixed to the aircraft and configured to propel the aircraft, at least a first fuel store configured to store a first fuel, and at least a fuel cell configured to combine the first fuel with oxygen to produce electricity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2021
    Publication date: March 23, 2023
    Applicant: Blended Wing Aircraft, Inc.
    Inventors: Shailesh Atreya, Ronald Tatsuji Kawai
  • Patent number: 10933976
    Abstract: A leading edge high-lift device, that may be deployable from a wing of an aircraft, may include a leading edge and a trailing edge. A lower surface and an upper surface may both extend between the leading edge and the trailing edge. A trailing edge region may be defined by the trailing edge and an adjacent region thereto. A shaping device may be disposed at the trailing edge region and may be movable between a non-activated position and an activated position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Ronald Tatsuji Kawai, Daniel Michael Tompkins, Robert Hauschild Liebeck, Kevin Robert Elmer, Eric David Dickey
  • Patent number: 10399687
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to vary an air intake of aircraft engines are disclosed. An example nacelle assembly includes a fan cowl and an inlet cowl movably coupled to the fan cowl. The inlet cowl defines a primary flow path and an auxiliary flow path of an intake of the aircraft engine. The inlet cowl moves relative to the fan cowl between an open position to allow airflow via an auxiliary flow path and a closed position to prevent airflow through the auxiliary flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Ronald Tatsuji Kawai, John T. Bonet
  • Publication number: 20190002084
    Abstract: A leading edge high-lift device, that may be deployable from a wing of an aircraft, may include a leading edge and a trailing edge. A lower surface and an upper surface may both extend between the leading edge and the trailing edge. A trailing edge region may be defined by the trailing edge and an adjacent region thereto. A shaping device may be disposed at the trailing edge region and may be movable between a non-activated position and an activated position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Publication date: January 3, 2019
    Applicant: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Ronald Tatsuji Kawai, Daniel Michael Tompkins, Robert Hauschild Liebeck, Kevin Robert Elmer, Eric David Dickey
  • Patent number: 10077740
    Abstract: Example folding door thrust reversers for aircraft engines are disclosed herein. An example apparatus includes a nacelle of a turbofan engine, where a fan duct is defined between the nacelle and a core of the turbofan engine. The example apparatus includes an opening in the nacelle between an outside of the nacelle and the fan duct and an inner door and an outer door disposed within the opening and pivotably coupled to the nacelle along aft edges thereof. The example inner and outer doors are pivotable between a first position in which the inner door and the outer door are disposed within the opening and oriented substantially parallel to each other, and a second position in which the inner door is disposed in the fan duct and oriented substantially perpendicular to an outer surface of the core and the outer door extends outward from the nacelle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Ronald Tatsuji Kawai, John Bonet
  • Patent number: 9982843
    Abstract: A system for maintaining a substantially constant pressure within an ullage space of a cryogenic storage tank is provided. The system includes a compressor configured to receive fuel gas from the cryogenic storage tank, and compress the fuel gas to produce heated fuel gas. The system further includes a heat exchanger in flow communication with the compressor and configured to cool the heated fuel gas to produce cooled fuel gas, and a turbine in flow communication with the heat exchanger and configured to expand the cooled fuel gas to produce a gas and liquid mixture having a predetermined liquid to gas ratio, and discharge the gas and liquid mixture into the cryogenic storage tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Ronald Tatsuji Kawai
  • Patent number: 9941526
    Abstract: A dual purpose fuel cell configuration generates electricity and oxygen-depleted inert gases. The inert gaseous outflows are then applied to fuel tanks comprising electric compartments, fuel tanks, battery compartments, storage cavities, and refrigeration containers. Due to the low oxygen concentration in the generated gas, applications for these inerted gases range from fire prevention, fire suppression, and fumigation, to preservation of perishables, refrigeration, food and beverage preparation, and oxidation prevention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Ronald Tatsuji Kawai
  • Publication number: 20170158341
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to vary an air intake of aircraft engines are disclosed. An example nacelle assembly includes a fan cowl and an inlet cowl movably coupled to the fan cowl. The inlet cowl defines a primary flow path and an auxiliary flow path of an intake of the aircraft engine. The inlet cowl moves relative to the fan cowl between an open position to allow airflow via an auxiliary flow path and a closed position to prevent airflow through the auxiliary flow path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2015
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Inventors: Ronald Tatsuji Kawai, John T. Bonet
  • Publication number: 20170152018
    Abstract: A leading edge high-lift device, that may be deployable from a wing of an aircraft, may include a leading edge and a trailing edge. A lower surface and an upper surface may both extend between the leading edge and the trailing edge. A trailing edge region may be defined by the trailing edge and an adjacent region thereto. A shaping device may be disposed at the trailing edge region and may be movable between a non-activated position and an activated position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2015
    Publication date: June 1, 2017
    Applicant: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Ronald Tatsuji Kawai, Daniel Michael Tompkins, Robert Hauschild Liebeck, Kevin Robert Elmer, Eric David Dickey