Patents by Inventor Stephen Noble

Stephen Noble 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).

  • Patent number: 7739941
    Abstract: A hydraulic drive system comprises a hydraulic actuator comprising a piston reciprocable between two cylinder heads for actuating a machine. A flow switching device reverses the direction of hydraulic fluid flow to and from chambers on opposite sides of the piston. The piston stops at the end of each piston stroke when a shuttle valve associated with the piston opens to allow hydraulic fluid to flow between the chambers cancelling the differential pressure that acts on the piston to cause reciprocal movement. A controller is programmed to determine when the piston reaches the end of each stroke based upon at least one of hydraulic pump speed, hydraulic fluid pressure, or elapsed time, with each of these measured during each stroke. The controller then sends an electronic signal to command the flow switching device to reverse the direction of hydraulic fluid flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: Westport Power Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Noble, Greg Harper, Thomas Brook
  • Publication number: 20090077957
    Abstract: A hydraulic drive system comprises a hydraulic actuator comprising a piston reciprocable between two cylinder heads for actuating a machine. A flow switching device reverses the direction of hydraulic fluid flow to and from chambers on opposite sides of the piston. The piston stops at the end of each piston stroke when a shuttle valve associated with the piston opens to allow hydraulic fluid to flow between the chambers cancelling the differential pressure that acts on the piston to cause reciprocal movement. A controller is programmed to determine when the piston reaches the end of each stroke based upon at least one of hydraulic pump speed, hydraulic fluid pressure, or elapsed time, with each of these measured during each stroke. The controller then sends an electronic signal to command the flow switching device to reverse the direction of hydraulic fluid flow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2007
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Inventors: Stephen Noble, Greg Harper, Thomas Brook
  • Publication number: 20070107089
    Abstract: A novel hybrid maize variety designated X5F802 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof, produced by crossing Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. proprietary inbred maize varieties. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprises crossing hybrid maize variety X5F802 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into X5F802 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. This invention relates to the maize hybrid variety X5F802, the hybrid seed, the hybrid plant produced from the seed, and variants, mutants, and minor modifications of hybrid maize variety X5F802. This invention further relates to methods for producing maize varieties derived from hybrid maize variety X5F802 and to the maize varieties derived by the use of those methods.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2007
    Publication date: May 10, 2007
    Inventors: Stephen Noble, Dennis Dolan
  • Patent number: 7036322
    Abstract: A storage tank for cryogenic liquids incorporates an ullage vessel that provides for an ullage space. The ullage vessel is in communication through an ullage line to a fill line that provides cryogen to a cryogen space. The junction where the ullage line and fill line meet is of a certain cross-sectional area. Downstream of the junction, the fill line is of a greater cross-sectional area than at the junction. This creates a pressure reduction at the junction during filling, which causes a net flow of material from the ullage space over the course of filling. Once the tank is liquid full, causing cryogen to be redirected down the ullage line, the smaller cross-sectional area of the ullage line compared to the fill line causes a reduction in flow of cryogen which is detected by the fill pump causing filling to stop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: Westport Research Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Noble, Gregory C. Harper
  • Publication number: 20050281549
    Abstract: A lightmeter-remote is usable in a system with a remotely settable camera and a plurality of remotely settable photolamps. The lightmeter-remote has a body, and a lightmeter, exposure controller, and transmitter disposed in the body. The exposure controller can be selectively actuated to set aperture, exposure time, and gain parameters of the camera and to set output parameters of each of the photolamps. The transmitter operatively and wirelessly connects the camera and photolamps with the exposure controller. The lightmeter-remote can have a plurality of lighting models, each providing user instructions defining a lighting setup and requiring one or more light measurements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2004
    Publication date: December 22, 2005
    Inventors: Willy Shih, Stephen Noble, Kenneth Parulski
  • Publication number: 20050273889
    Abstract: A novel inbred maize line designated PH8TN and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing inbred maize line PH8TN with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PH8TN through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. Hybrid maize seed, plant or plant part produced by crossing the inbred line PH8TN or an introgressed trait conversion of PH8TN with another maize line. Inbred maize lines derived from inbred maize line PH8TN, methods for producing other inbred maize lines derived from inbred maize line PH8TN and the inbred maize lines and their parts derived by the use of those methods.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2005
    Publication date: December 8, 2005
    Inventor: Stephen Noble
  • Publication number: 20050147513
    Abstract: This invention relates to an apparatus for pressurizing a fluid and delivering a gas comprising a pump, an accumulator and a heater such that the pump pressurizes a quantity fluid received from a fluid store and delivers that pressurized fluid to an accumulator. The accumulator then delivers a quantity of the pressurized fluid to a heater that, in turn, warms the fluid to a gas within a specified temperature and pressure range to be delivered to the end user as required. The invention further relates to a method of delivering a gas at a desired pressure and temperature wherein a quantity of fluid is received, pressurized and stored as a fluid in an accumulator storage vessel at a desired pressure. The fluid is then delivered from the accumulator to a heater where it is warmed and delivered to the end user as a gas at specified temperature and pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2002
    Publication date: July 7, 2005
    Inventors: Stephen Noble, Thomas Brook, Daniel Brennan, Valerie LeBlanc
  • Publication number: 20050086949
    Abstract: The present invention is a cryogenic tank assembly that includes a vessel with a cryogen space capable of storing a cryogenic fluid at an initial pressure. The assembly further includes a pump that has an intake opening so that it can receive a quantity of the cryogenic fluid, pressurize it to a pressure above its storage pressure and deliver it to an accumulator within the cryogen space. The accumulator includes a storage volume to hold the pressurized fluid so that it is available depending on the demands of the end user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2002
    Publication date: April 28, 2005
    Inventors: Stephen Noble, Thomas Brook, Lance Follett, Gregory Harper
  • Publication number: 20050028536
    Abstract: The storage tank for cryogenic liquids incorporates an ullage vessel that provides for an ullage space. The ullage vessel is in communication through an ullage line to a fill line that provides cryogen to a cryogen space. The junction where the ullage line and fill line meet is of a certain cross-sectional area. Downstream of the junction within the fill line, measured in reference to the direction of cryogen flow during a coruse of filling the cryogen space, is of a greater cross-sectional area than is the case at the junction. This creates a pressure reduction at the junction during a course of filling that causes a net flow of material from the ullage space over the course of filling. Once the cryogen tank is liquid full causing cryogen to be redirected down the ullage line, the smaller cross-sectional area of the ullage line compared to the fill line causes a reduction in flow of cryogen which is detected by the fill pump causing filling to stop providing the ullage space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2003
    Publication date: February 10, 2005
    Inventors: Stephen Noble, Gregory Harper