Patents by Inventor Stephen M. Trent
Stephen M. Trent 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).
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Patent number: 11904267Abstract: An apparatus for irradiating air flow in a vehicle includes a filter unit configured to couple to a recirculating-air conduit connected to a manifold of an air circulation system, the filter unit having an inlet end, and a filter disposed in the inlet end of the filter unit, including an outer wall of filter media having a shape that defines an interior volume of the filter. The apparatus further includes an ultraviolet light disposed on an end plate, configured to be mounted with the ultraviolet light positioned in the interior volume of the filter and the end plate against an open end of the filter. The ultraviolet light is configured to emit ultraviolet radiation substantially at between 222 nm and 265 nm for irradiating air flow through the filter into the air circulation system.Type: GrantFiled: March 4, 2021Date of Patent: February 20, 2024Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Bryce A. Vandyke, Kevin S. Callahan, Stephen M. Trent
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Publication number: 20230227165Abstract: Ozone converters containing differing ozone converting materials are provided into air aircraft airflow management systems, with the ozone converter positioned in an air management architecture at positions configured to assist replacement, and maintenance, and with the ozone converters further positioned downstream of air conditioning packs, and with the ozone converters configured to reduce at least one of ozone concentrations and volatile organic compound concentrations from airflows directed to passenger cabin air volumes and flight deck air volumes.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 17, 2022Publication date: July 20, 2023Inventors: Bryce A. Tillack, Stephen M. Trent, Kevin J. Kelly, Brian C. Christenson
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Publication number: 20220234002Abstract: Air filtration apparatuses, systems and methods for nitrous oxide and volatile organic compound (VOC) removal and non-VOC particle removal enable the removal of particulates, nitrous oxide-containing compounds, and volatile organic compounds from large volume enclosed environments. Systems incorporate HEPA filtration upstream from UV LED-assisted photo reaction chamber comprising a plurality of baffles having air flow-through airflow spaces are spaced apart along a duct, with a porous and permeable nitrous oxide-adsorbing filter oriented downstream from the UV-assisted photo reaction chamber further filtering the airflow in the system to remove nitrous oxide-containing compounds.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 12, 2021Publication date: July 28, 2022Inventors: Stephen M. Trent, Stephanie Katherine Licht
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Patent number: 11344863Abstract: An environmental control system is provided. The system includes a sorbent regeneration device. The sorbent regeneration device includes at least one regenerative sorbent material operative to remove gas substances from air. The at least one regenerative sorbent material is operatively coupled to a source of hot air. The sorbent regeneration device further includes at least two bypass valves that are operative to selectively direct some or all of the hot air into the at least one regenerative sorbent material. The environmental control system further includes one or more air quality sensors and a controller operatively connected to the at least two bypass valves and the one or more air quality sensors. The controller is operative to control one or more of the at least two bypass valves in response to air quality determined from the air quality sensors.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 2018Date of Patent: May 31, 2022Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: David R. Space, Stephen M. Trent
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Publication number: 20220135235Abstract: A system and method include a seat assembly including a seat duct fluidly coupled to one or more air outlets. An air delivery manifold is underneath the seat assembly. The air delivery manifold includes a first outlet port. The seat duct is fluidly coupled to the first outlet port. Air is delivered to the one or more air outlets via the air delivery manifold.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 8, 2021Publication date: May 5, 2022Applicant: THE BOEING COMPANYInventors: David R. Space, Stephen M. Trent, Stephanie K. Licht, Timothy J. Arnaud, James A. Fullerton
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Publication number: 20220118899Abstract: A headrest ventilation assembly is configured to secure to a headrest of a seat assembly, and includes an air conduit including one or more air inlets and one or more air outlets, and an air filter disposed within the air conduit between the one or more air inlets and the one or more air outlets. The air filter is configured to remove contaminants from the air that is drawn into the air conduit before being delivered out of the one or more air outlets. The assembly can also include a fan disposed on or within the air conduit. The fan is configured to draw the air into the one or more air inlets and provide airflow to deliver the air out of the one or more air outlets. The assembly can also include one or more ultraviolet (UV) light emitters disposed on or within the air conduit. The UV light emitter(s) are configured to emit UV light into the air to sanitize the air before the air is delivered out of the one or more air outlets.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 18, 2021Publication date: April 21, 2022Applicant: THE BOEING COMPANYInventors: David R. Space, James A. Fullerton, Timothy J. Arnaud, Jon Burton Shaw, Stephen M. Trent, Ty A. Larsen, Myriam Khalil
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Publication number: 20210394103Abstract: An apparatus for irradiating air flow in a vehicle includes a filter unit configured to couple to a recirculating-air conduit connected to a manifold of an air circulation system, the filter unit having an inlet end, and a filter disposed in the inlet end of the filter unit, including an outer wall of filter media having a shape that defines an interior volume of the filter. The apparatus further includes an ultraviolet light disposed on an end plate, configured to be mounted with the ultraviolet light positioned in the interior volume of the filter and the end plate against an open end of the filter. The ultraviolet light is configured to emit ultraviolet radiation substantially at between 222 nm and 265 nm for irradiating air flow through the filter into the air circulation system.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 4, 2021Publication date: December 23, 2021Inventors: Bryce A. Vandyke, Kevin S. Callahan, Stephen M. Trent
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Publication number: 20210394911Abstract: Described herein are methods and systems for decontaminating aircraft cabins and providing an indication to provide confidence that the cabins are safe for reentry post-operation. These methods and systems are based on reducing concentrations of infectious agents inside a cabin utilizing outside air and/or filtered air. In some examples, a method is performed after a certain contamination event (e.g., a sick person present on a flight and/or as a part of periodic service (e.g., in between flights. The amount of time the system is run to introduce compounds into the cabin is specifically calculated to lower the fraction of the remaining infectious agents below a certain desired level, thereby reducing the contamination concentration in the cabin from the initial concentration, The decontamination duration depends on the cabin volume and the incoming airflow rates. For example, the fraction of the remaining is brought below 5% after 9 minutes of flowing incoming air at 20 air changes per hour.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 16, 2021Publication date: December 23, 2021Applicant: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Stephen M. Trent, David R. Space, Stephanie K. Licht
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Publication number: 20210393843Abstract: A filter assembly including a plurality of filter modules, wherein each filter module in the plurality of filter modules includes a frame, a filtration element coupled within the frame, and at least one mating feature. The at least one mating feature of each filter module is configured for selective engagement with the at least one mating feature of another filter module such that the plurality of filter modules are coupled together in a serial arrangement.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 17, 2021Publication date: December 23, 2021Inventors: Stephen M. Trent, David R. Space
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Patent number: 11175210Abstract: A method for evaluating an air purification system. The method includes generating, with an air flow generator, a flow of air through a test filter so that an upstream air flow exists an upstream side of the test filter and a downstream air flow exists on a downstream side of the test filter. A multiple contaminant mixture is injected, with a fluid injector, into the upstream air flow. Downstream concentrations for each contaminant of the multiple contaminant mixture in the downstream air flow are measured with a contaminant measurement device. Test filter breakthrough curves for each contaminant of the multiple contaminant mixture in the downstream air flow are generated based on the downstream concentrations for each contaminant of the multiple contaminant mixture.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2019Date of Patent: November 16, 2021Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Brian P. Berryessa, David R. Space, Timothy J. Arnaud, Stephen M. Trent
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Patent number: 10981102Abstract: A compact, lightweight, low power aircraft air filtration and VOC removal unit enables the removal of VOCs from cabin air in a passenger aircraft. A plurality of baffles having air flow-through airflow spaces are spaced apart along a duct. UV LEDs are mounted on the interior sides of the outermost baffles, and on both sides of all interior baffles. A filter module is disposed between pairs of baffles, and spaced from the baffles sufficiently to illuminate the entirety of both sides. Each filter modules comprises a plurality of filters. The filters are selected from a coarse foam, a fine foam, or a fused quartz filament felt. Each filter is loaded with a catalyst including one or more of AEROXIDE® P25, other pure titanium dioxide (TiO2), iron-doped TiO2, carbon-doped TiO2, and combinations thereof. The catalysts on the filters, under UV illumination, chemically reduce VOCs in the airflow to non-VOC molecules.Type: GrantFiled: October 17, 2018Date of Patent: April 20, 2021Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Stephen M. Trent, David R. Space, Rajesh Talwar, Hülya Cebeci
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Publication number: 20200400545Abstract: A method for evaluating an air purification system. The method includes generating, with an air flow generator, a flow of air through a test filter so that an upstream air flow exists an upstream side of the test filter and a downstream air flow exists on a downstream side of the test filter. A multiple contaminant mixture is injected, with a fluid injector, into the upstream air flow. Downstream concentrations for each contaminant of the multiple contaminant mixture in the downstream air flow are measured with a contaminant measurement device. Test filter breakthrough curves for each contaminant of the multiple contaminant mixture in the downstream air flow are generated based on the downstream concentrations for each contaminant of the multiple contaminant mixture.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 24, 2019Publication date: December 24, 2020Inventors: Brian P. BERRYESSA, David R. SPACE, Timothy J. ARNAUD, Stephen M. TRENT
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Patent number: 10737791Abstract: An Environmental Control Systems (ECS) for an aerospace vehicle comprises an air supply airflow path inputting, monitoring, and conditioning air from external to the vehicle, and a recirculation airflow path inputting, monitoring, filtering, and moving air from one portion of the interior of the vehicle to another portion. The air supply airflow can include a dynamically controlled VOC/ozone converter, which can be operated when the aerospace vehicle is on the ground. The recirculation airflow path can include a dynamically controlled regenerative gas contaminant filter and/or VOC/CO2 removal device. The filter/adsorption media of the controlled regenerative gas contaminant filter and/or VOC/CO2 removal device can be regenerated by suppling hot air or a vacuum, and gaseous contaminants can be broken down for removal from the regenerative gas contaminant filter by controlling UV irradiation. The controller can alert a flight crew if air quality falls outside predetermined or programmable parameters.Type: GrantFiled: October 4, 2017Date of Patent: August 11, 2020Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANYInventors: David R. Space, Stephen M. Trent, Dale A. Scheer, Warren A. Atkey, Anil Kumar Salgar
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Publication number: 20200122078Abstract: A compact, lightweight, low power aircraft air filtration and VOC removal unit enables the removal of VOCs from cabin air in a passenger aircraft. A plurality of baffles having air flow-through airflow spaces are spaced apart along a duct. UV LEDs are mounted on the interior sides of the outermost baffles, and on both sides of all interior baffles. A filter module is disposed between pairs of baffles, and spaced from the baffles sufficiently to illuminate the entirety of both sides. Each filter modules comprises a plurality of filters. The filters are selected from a coarse foam, a fine foam, or a fused quartz filament felt. Each filter is loaded with a catalyst including one or more of AEROXIDE® P25, other pure titanium dioxide (TiO2), iron-doped TiO2, carbon-doped TiO2, and combinations thereof. The catalysts on the filters, under UV illumination, chemically reduce VOCs in the airflow to non-VOC molecules.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 17, 2018Publication date: April 23, 2020Inventors: Stephen M. Trent, David R. Space, Rajesh Talwar, Hülya Cebeci
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Publication number: 20200009533Abstract: An environmental control system is provided. The system includes a sorbent regeneration device. The sorbent regeneration device includes at least one regenerative sorbent material operative to remove gas substances from air. The at least one regenerative sorbent material is operatively coupled to a source of hot air. The sorbent regeneration device further includes at least two bypass valves that are operative to selectively direct some or all of the hot air into the at least one regenerative sorbent material. The environmental control system further includes one or more air quality sensors and a controller operatively connected to the at least two bypass valves and the one or more air quality sensors. The controller is operative to control one or more of the at least two bypass valves in response to air quality determined from the air quality sensors.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 9, 2018Publication date: January 9, 2020Inventors: David R. Space, Stephen M. Trent
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Publication number: 20190100318Abstract: An Environmental Control Systems (ECS) for an aerospace vehicle comprises an air supply airflow path inputting, monitoring, and conditioning air from external to the vehicle, and a recirculation airflow path inputting, monitoring, filtering, and moving air from one portion of the interior of the vehicle to another portion. The air supply airflow can include a dynamically controlled VOC/ozone converter, which can be operated when the aerospace vehicle is on the ground. The recirculation airflow path can include a dynamically controlled regenerative gas contaminant filter and/or VOC/CO2 removal device. The filter/adsorption media of the controlled regenerative gas contaminant filter and/or VOC/CO2 removal device can be regenerated by suppling hot air or a vacuum, and gaseous contaminants can be broken down for removal from the regenerative gas contaminant filter by controlling UV irradiation. The controller can alert a flight crew if air quality falls outside predetermined or programmable parameters.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 4, 2017Publication date: April 4, 2019Inventors: David R. Space, Stephen M. Trent, Dale A. Scheer, Warren A. Atkey, Anil Kumar Salgar