Patents by Inventor Thomas Afshari

Thomas Afshari 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: 11867203
    Abstract: A linear actuator system includes a linear actuator and at least one integrated pump assembly connected to the linear actuator to provide fluid to operate the linear actuator. The integrated pump assembly includes a pump with at least one fluid driver comprising a prime mover and a fluid displacement assembly to be driven by the prime mover such that fluid is transferred from a first port of the pump to a second port of the pump. The pump assembly also includes two valve assembles to isolate the pump from the system. The linear actuator system also includes a controller that establishes at least one of a speed and a torque of the at least one prime mover to exclusively adjust at least one of a flow and a pressure in the linear actuator system to an operational set point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Project Phoenix, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas Afshari
  • Patent number: 11846283
    Abstract: A fluid-driven actuator system includes a fluid-driven actuator and at least one proportional control valve and at least one pump connected to the fluid-driven actuator to provide fluid to operate the fluid-driven actuator. The at least one pump includes at least one fluid driver having a prime mover and a fluid displacement assembly to be driven by the prime mover such that fluid is transferred from the pump inlet to the pump outlet. The fluid driven actuator system also includes a controller that establishes at least one of a speed and a torque of the at least one prime mover to adjust at least one of a flow in the fluid system to a flow set point and a pressure in the fluid system to pressure set point and a concurrently establishes an opening of the at least one proportional control valve to adjust at least one of the flow to the flow set point and the pressure to the pressure set point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: Project Phoenix, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas Afshari
  • Publication number: 20230313795
    Abstract: A pump having at least two fluid drivers and a method of delivering fluid from an inlet of the pump to an outlet of the pump using the at least two fluid drivers. Each of the fluid drives includes a prime mover and a fluid displacement member. The prime mover drives the fluid displacement member to transfer fluid. The fluid drivers are independently operated. However, the fluid drivers are operated such that contact between the fluid drivers is synchronized. That is, operation of the fluid drivers is synchronized such that the fluid displacement member in each fluid driver makes contact with another fluid displacement member. The contact can include at least one contact point, contact line, or contact area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2023
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Inventor: Thomas AFSHARI
  • Publication number: 20230279856
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a position adjustment circuit to receive a gap setpoint and a gap feedback signal corresponding to a gap width between a pair of meshing gear teeth of a first gear and a second gear. The position adjustment circuit outputs a gap adjustment signal corresponding to a difference between the gap setpoint and the gap feedback signal. The apparatus includes a motion control circuit to provide a first speed demand signal to the first motor that drives the first gear and a second demand signal to the second motor that drives the second gear, and dynamically synchronize position between the pair of meshing gear teeth such that the gap width between the pair of meshing gear teeth is within a predetermined range of the gap setpoint by adjusting at least one of the first speed demand signal or the second speed demand signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2021
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Inventor: Thomas AFSHARI
  • Publication number: 20230250820
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a torque adjustment circuit to receive a torque setpoint and a torque feedback signal corresponding to a differential torque between a pair of meshing gear teeth of a first gear and a second gear. The torque adjustment circuit is further configured to output a torque adjustment signal corresponding to a difference between the torque setpoint and the torque feedback signal. The apparatus also includes a motion control circuit to provide a first speed demand signal to a first motor that drives the first gear and a second demand signal to a second motor that drives the second gear, and dynamically synchronize torque between the pair of meshing gear teeth such that the differential torque between the pair of meshing gear teeth is within a predetermined range by adjusting at least one of the first speed demand signal or the second speed demand signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2021
    Publication date: August 10, 2023
    Inventor: Thomas AFSHARI
  • Patent number: 11713757
    Abstract: A pump having at least two fluid drivers and a method of delivering fluid from an inlet of the pump to an outlet of the pump using the at least two fluid drivers. Each of the fluid drives includes a prime mover and a fluid displacement member. The prime mover drives the fluid displacement member to transfer fluid. The fluid drivers are independently operated. However, the fluid drivers are operated such that contact between the fluid drivers is synchronized. That is, operation of the fluid drivers is synchronized such that the fluid displacement member in each fluid driver makes contact with another fluid displacement member. The contact can include at least one contact point, contact line, or contact area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: PROJECT PHOENIX, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas Afshari
  • Publication number: 20230194202
    Abstract: A firearm assembly has a barrel and a barrel receiving unit for receiving the barrel. A primary barrel nut is disposed over the barrel and mating with the barrel receiving unit. A primary end of the barrel is mated to a barrel extension. The primary barrel nut has an internal shoulder making contact with a shoulder of the barrel extension. A secondary barrel nut is disposed over the barrel and mating with the primary barrel nut to align the barrel with the barrel receiving unit. The internal shoulder of the primary barrel nut and the shoulder of the barrel extension can be flat or beveled. The secondary barrel nut has an internal shoulder contacting a shoulder of the barrel. The internal shoulder of the secondary barrel nut and the shoulder of the barrel are beveled or tapered.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2022
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Applicant: 03312004 LLC
    Inventor: Thomas Afshari
  • Patent number: 11655831
    Abstract: An accumulator for storing fluid that includes a shell that defines an interior volume of the accumulator. The shell includes at least one port for providing fluid to a fluid system. The accumulator also includes an accumulator shaft disposed in the interior volume and extending at least partially across the interior volume from a first interior surface of the shell along a longitudinal axis of the shell, e.g., a central axis. The accumulator includes a piston-plate disposed in the interior volume such that the piston-plate and a second interior surface of the shell define a chamber in the interior volume. The accumulator further includes a motor disposed in the interior volume. The accumulator is configured such that rotational movement of the motor translates to linear movement of the piston-plate along the accumulator shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: PROJECT PHOENIX, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas Afshari
  • Patent number: 11512695
    Abstract: A pump includes a casing defining an interior volume. The pump casing includes at least one balancing plate that can be part of a wall of the pump casing with each balancing plate including a protruding portion having two recesses. Each recess is configured to accept one end of a fluid driver. The balancing plate aligns the fluid displacement members with respect to each other such that the fluid displacement members can pump the fluid when rotated. The balancing plates can include cooling grooves connecting the respective recesses. The cooling grooves ensure that some of the liquid being transferred in the internal volume is directed to bearings disposed in the recesses as the fluid drivers rotate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: PROJECT PHOENIX, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas Afshari
  • Patent number: 11408442
    Abstract: A fluid system includes a variable-speed and/or a variable-torque pump to pump a fluid, at least one proportional control valve assembly, an actuator that is operated by the fluid to control a load, and a controller that establishes a speed and/or torque of the pump and a position of the at least one proportional control valve assembly. The pump includes at least one fluid driver that provides fluid to the actuator, which can be, e.g., a fluid-actuated cylinder, a fluid-driven motor or another type of fluid-driven actuator that controls a load. Each fluid driver includes a prime mover and a fluid displacement assembly. The fluid displacement assembly can be driven by the prime mover such that fluid is transferred from the inlet port to the outlet port of the pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: PROJECT PHOENIX, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas Afshari
  • Publication number: 20220220959
    Abstract: A pump having at least two fluid drivers and a method of delivering fluid from an inlet of the pump to an outlet of the pump using the at least two fluid drivers. Each of the fluid drives includes a prime mover and a fluid displacement member. The prime mover drives the fluid displacement member to transfer fluid. The fluid drivers are independently operated. However, the fluid drivers are operated such that contact between the fluid drivers is synchronized. That is, operation of the fluid drivers is synchronized such that the fluid displacement member in each fluid driver makes contact with another fluid displacement member. The contact can include at least one contact point, contact line, or contact area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2021
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Inventor: Thomas AFSHARI
  • Publication number: 20220214126
    Abstract: A firearm trigger assembly has a trigger housing including a first opening and second opening through a surface of the trigger housing. A trigger assembly is disposed partially within the trigger housing. The trigger assembly has a trigger body with a trigger pull disposed within the trigger housing, disconnector in contact with the trigger body, and hammer body rotationally connected to the trigger body and latchable to the trigger body. A first limit stop, such as a first set screw, is disposed through the first opening and contacts the trigger body to stop movement of the trigger assembly in the first direction, and a second limit stop, such as a second set screw, is disposed through the second opening and contacts the trigger body to stop movement of the trigger assembly in the second direction. The trigger body has a concave surface adapted to receive a safety selector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2021
    Publication date: July 7, 2022
    Applicant: 03312004 LLC
    Inventor: Thomas Afshari
  • Publication number: 20220163054
    Abstract: A linear actuator system includes a linear actuator and at least one integrated pump assembly connected to the linear actuator to provide fluid to operate the linear actuator. The integrated pump assembly includes a pump with at least one fluid driver comprising a prime mover and a fluid displacement assembly to be driven by the prime mover such that fluid is transferred from a first port of the pump to a second port of the pump. The pump assembly also includes two valve assembles to isolate the pump from the system. The linear actuator system also includes a controller that establishes at least one of a speed and a torque of the at least one prime mover to exclusively adjust at least one of a flow and a pressure in the linear actuator system to an operational set point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2021
    Publication date: May 26, 2022
    Inventor: Thomas Afshari
  • Patent number: 11280334
    Abstract: A fluid delivery system having at least one fluid storage device and a pump with at least one fluid driver with a flow-through shaft that has a through-passage. The pump includes a casing, and at least one fluid driver having a prime mover and at least one fluid displacement member. A shaft of the prime mover and/or a shaft of the fluid displacement member and/or a common shaft of the prime mover/fluid displacement member (depending on the configuration of the pump) is a flow-through shaft with a through-passage configuration that allows fluid communication between at least one port of the pump and the at least one fluid storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: PROJECT PHOENIX, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas Afshari
  • Patent number: 11242851
    Abstract: A linear actuator system includes a linear actuator and at least one proportional control valve and at least one pump connected to the linear actuator to provide fluid to operate the linear actuator. The at least one pump includes at least one fluid driver having a prime mover and a fluid displacement assembly to be driven by the prime mover such that fluid is transferred from the pump inlet to the pump outlet. The linear actuator system also includes a controller that establishes at least one of a speed and a torque of the at least one prime mover and concurrently establishes an opening of the at least one proportional control valve to adjust at least one of a flow and a pressure in the linear actuator system to an operational set point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: PROJECT PHOENIX, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas Afshari
  • Publication number: 20210317828
    Abstract: A pump includes a casing defining an interior volume. The pump casing includes at least one balancing plate that can be part of a wall of the pump casing with each balancing plate including a protruding portion having two recesses. Each recess is configured to accept one end of a fluid driver. The balancing plate aligns the fluid displacement members with respect to each other such that the fluid displacement members can pump the fluid when rotated. The balancing plates can include cooling grooves connecting the respective recesses. The cooling grooves ensure that some of the liquid being transferred in the internal volume is directed to bearings disposed in the recesses as the fluid drivers rotate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2021
    Publication date: October 14, 2021
    Inventor: Thomas AFSHARI
  • Publication number: 20210317829
    Abstract: A hydraulic system includes a hydraulic gear pump with a first gear having a plurality of first gear teeth and a second gear having a plurality of second gear teeth. The hydraulic system also includes a control valve and a control circuit. The control circuit controls the pump to adjust at least one of a flow in the hydraulic system to a flow set point or a pressure in the hydraulic system to a pressure set point, and concurrently establishes an opening of the control valve to adjust at least one of the flow to the flow set point or the pressure to the pressure set point. The control circuit establishes a position of a first tooth relative to a position of a second tooth to seal a fluid path from the outlet of the hydraulic gear pump to the inlet of the hydraulic gear pump.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2021
    Publication date: October 14, 2021
    Inventor: Thomas Afshari
  • Publication number: 20210301837
    Abstract: An accumulator for storing fluid that includes a shell that defines an interior volume of the accumulator. The shell includes at least one port for providing fluid to a fluid system. The accumulator also includes an accumulator shaft disposed in the interior volume and extending at least partially across the interior volume from a first interior surface of the shell along a longitudinal axis of the shell, e.g., a central axis. The accumulator includes a piston-plate disposed in the interior volume such that the piston-plate and a second interior surface of the shell define a chamber in the interior volume. The accumulator further includes a motor disposed in the interior volume. The accumulator is configured such that rotational movement of the motor translates to linear movement of the piston-plate along the accumulator shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2021
    Publication date: September 30, 2021
    Inventor: Thomas Afshari
  • Patent number: 11118581
    Abstract: A pump having at least two fluid drivers and a method of delivering fluid from an inlet of the pump to an outlet of the pump using the at least two fluid drivers. Each of the fluid drives includes a prime mover and a fluid displacement member. The prime mover drives the fluid displacement member to transfer fluid. The fluid drivers are independently operated. However, the fluid drivers are operated such that contact between the fluid drivers is synchronized. That is, operation of the fluid drivers is synchronized such that the fluid displacement member in each fluid driver makes contact with another fluid displacement member. The contact can include at least one contact point, contact line, or contact area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: PROJECT PHOENIX, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas Afshari
  • Publication number: 20210277893
    Abstract: A fluid-driven actuator system includes a fluid-driven actuator and at least one proportional control valve and at least one pump connected to the fluid-driven actuator to provide fluid to operate the fluid-driven actuator. The at least one pump includes at least one fluid driver having a prime mover and a fluid displacement assembly to be driven by the prime mover such that fluid is transferred from the pump inlet to the pump outlet. The fluid driven actuator system also includes a controller that establishes at least one of a speed and a torque of the at least one prime mover to adjust at least one of a flow in the fluid system to a flow set point and a pressure in the fluid system to pressure set point and a concurrently establishes an opening of the at least one proportional control valve to adjust at least one of the flow to the flow set point and the pressure to the pressure set point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2020
    Publication date: September 9, 2021
    Inventor: Thomas AFSHARI