Patents by Inventor Thomas John McGuire

Thomas John McGuire 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: 11672074
    Abstract: A plasma confinement system includes an enclosure, one or more internal magnetic coils suspended within the enclosure in a plasma region, and one or more supports configured to support the one or more internal magnetic coils suspended within the enclosure. Each support of the one or more supports includes a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The first end is coupled to an interior portion of the enclosure and the second end is coupled to a component disposed within the plasma region. Each support further includes electrical conducting material disposed between the first end and the second end. The electrical conducting material is configured to, when supplied with one or more electrical currents, generate a magnetic field having a magnetic field gradient that varies along the support from the first end to the second end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Jonathon Robert Heinrich, Thomas John McGuire, Gabriel Ivan Font, Michael Lane Garrett
  • Patent number: 11049619
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a fusion reactor includes an enclosure, one or more internal magnetic coils suspended within an interior of the enclosure and co-axial with a center axis of the enclosure, one or more encapsulating magnetic coils co-axial with the center axis of the enclosure, the encapsulating magnetic coils having a larger diameter than the internal magnetic coils, one or more mirror magnetic coils co-axial with the center axis of the enclosure, and one or more magnetic reconnection coils co-axial with the center axis of the enclosure, wherein the one or more magnetic reconnection coils, when pulsed by a power source, are disposed to reconfigure one or more magnetic fields within the enclosure. The reconfiguration, or magnetic reconnection, of the one or more magnetic fields is disposed to increase energy in the magnetic fields, thereby facilitating the conditions operable to generate plasma, and further, when the magnetic fields are collapsed, releasing the energy into the plasma.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas John McGuire
  • Publication number: 20210193337
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a fusion reactor includes an enclosure, one or more internal magnetic coils suspended within an interior of the enclosure and co-axial with a center axis of the enclosure, one or more encapsulating magnetic coils co-axial with the center axis of the enclosure, the encapsulating magnetic coils having a larger diameter than the internal magnetic coils, one or more mirror magnetic coils co-axial with the center axis of the enclosure, and one or more magnetic reconnection coils co-axial with the center axis of the enclosure, wherein the one or more magnetic reconnection coils, when pulsed by a power source, are disposed to reconfigure one or more magnetic fields within the enclosure. The reconfiguration, or magnetic reconnection, of the one or more magnetic fields is disposed to increase energy in the magnetic fields, thereby facilitating the conditions operable to generate plasma, and further, when the magnetic fields are collapsed, releasing the energy into the plasma.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Inventor: Thomas John McGuire
  • Publication number: 20210014957
    Abstract: A plasma confinement system includes an enclosure, one or more internal magnetic coils suspended within the enclosure in a plasma region, and one or more supports configured to support the one or more internal magnetic coils suspended within the enclosure. Each support of the one or more supports includes a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The first end is coupled to an interior portion of the enclosure and the second end is coupled to a component disposed within the plasma region. Each support further includes electrical conducting material disposed between the first end and the second end. The electrical conducting material is configured to, when supplied with one or more electrical currents, generate a magnetic field having a magnetic field gradient that varies along the support from the first end to the second end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Publication date: January 14, 2021
    Inventors: Jonathon Robert Heinrich, Thomas John McGuire, Gabriel Ivan Font, Michael Lane Garrett
  • Publication number: 20180261335
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a fusion reactor includes an enclosure, an open-field magnetic system comprising one or more internal magnetic coils suspended within the enclosure, and one or more encapsulating magnetic coils coaxial with the one or more internal magnetic coils of the open-field magnetic system. The one or more encapsulating magnetic coils form a magnetosphere around the open-field magnetic system. The open-field magnetic system and the one or more encapsulating magnetic coils, when supplied with electrical currents, form magnetic fields for confining plasma within the enclosure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2018
    Publication date: September 13, 2018
    Inventor: Thomas John McGuire
  • Patent number: 10049773
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a fusion reactor includes two internal magnetic coils suspended within an enclosure, a center magnetic coil coaxial with the two internal magnetic coils and located proximate to a midpoint of the enclosure, a plurality of encapsulating magnetic coils coaxial with the internal magnetic coils, and two mirror magnetic coil coaxial with the internal magnetic coils. The fusion reactor further includes one or more heat injectors operable to inject a beam of neutral particles toward the center of the enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas John McGuire, Josh Eugene Coleman
  • Patent number: 9959942
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a fusion reactor includes an enclosure, an open-field magnetic system comprising one or more internal magnetic coils suspended within the enclosure, and one or more encapsulating magnetic coils coaxial with the one or more internal magnetic coils of the open-field magnetic system. The one or more encapsulating magnetic coils form a magnetosphere around the open-field magnetic system. The open-field magnetic system and the one or more encapsulating magnetic coils, when supplied with electrical currents, form magnetic fields for confining plasma within the enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas John McGuire
  • Patent number: 9959941
    Abstract: A fusion reactor includes an enclosure having a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a midpoint substantially equidistant between the first and second ends of the enclosure. The fusion reactor includes two internal magnetic coils suspended within the enclosure and positioned on opposite sides of the midpoint of the enclosure, one or more encapsulating magnetic coils positioned on each side of the midpoint of the enclosure, two mirror magnetic coils positioned on opposite sides of the midpoint of the enclosure, and one or more support stalks for supporting the two internal magnetic coils suspended within the enclosure. The one or more encapsulating magnetic coils and the two mirror magnetic coils are coaxial with the internal magnetic coils. The magnetic coils are operable, when supplied with electric currents, to form magnetic fields for confining plasma within the enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas John McGuire
  • Patent number: 9947420
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a fusion reactor includes a plurality of internal magnetic coils suspended within an enclosure, one or more center magnetic coils coaxial with the plurality of internal magnetic coils, a plurality of encapsulating magnetic coils coaxial with the internal magnetic coils, and a plurality of mirror magnetic coils coaxial with the internal magnetic coils. The encapsulating magnetic coils maintain a magnetic wall that prevents plasma within the enclosure from expanding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas John McGuire
  • Patent number: 9941024
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a fusion reactor includes two internal magnetic coils suspended within an enclosure, a center magnetic coil coaxial with the two internal magnetic coils and located proximate to a midpoint of the enclosure, a plurality of encapsulating magnetic coils coaxial with the internal magnetic coils, and two mirror magnetic coil coaxial with the internal magnetic coils. The fusion reactor further includes one or more electromagnetic wave generators operable to inject a beam of electromagnetic waves into the enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas John McGuire, Josh Eugene Coleman
  • Patent number: 9934876
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a fusion reactor includes two internal magnetic coils suspended within an enclosure, a center magnetic coil coaxial with the two internal magnetic coils and located proximate to a midpoint of the enclosure, a plurality of encapsulating magnetic coils coaxial with the internal magnetic coils, and two mirror magnetic coil coaxial with the internal magnetic coils. The encapsulating magnetic coils preserve the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) stability of the fusion reactor by maintaining a magnetic wall that prevents plasma within the enclosure from expanding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas John McGuire
  • Publication number: 20180090232
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a fusion reactor includes two internal magnetic coils suspended within an enclosure, a center magnetic coil coaxial with the two internal magnetic coils and located proximate to a midpoint of the enclosure, a plurality of encapsulating magnetic coils coaxial with the internal magnetic coils, and two mirror magnetic coil coaxial with the internal magnetic coils. The fusion reactor further includes one or more heat injectors operable to inject a beam of neutral particles toward the center of the enclosure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2014
    Publication date: March 29, 2018
    Inventors: Thomas John McGuire, Josh Eugene Coleman
  • Patent number: 9928926
    Abstract: A fusion reactor includes an enclosure having a first end, a second end, and a midpoint substantially equidistant between the first and second ends of the enclosure. The fusion reactor includes two internal magnetic coils suspended within the enclosure and positioned on opposite sides of the midpoint of the enclosure, one or more encapsulating magnetic coils positioned on each side of the midpoint of the enclosure, two mirror magnetic coils positioned on opposite sides of the midpoint of the enclosure, and one or more cooling lines within each of the internal magnetic coils. The cooling lines carry a coolant and are operable to remove heat from the internal magnetic coils. The one or more encapsulating magnetic coils and the two mirror magnetic coils are coaxial with the internal magnetic coils. The magnetic coils are operable, when supplied with electric currents, to form magnetic fields for confining plasma within the enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas John McGuire
  • Patent number: 9928927
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a fusion reactor includes two internal magnetic coils suspended within an enclosure, a center magnetic coil coaxial with the two internal magnetic coils and located proximate to a midpoint of the enclosure, a plurality of encapsulating magnetic coils coaxial with the internal magnetic coils, and two mirror magnetic coil coaxial with the internal magnetic coils. The fusion reactor is configured to vary electrical currents supplied to the magnetic coils to heat the plasma confined within the magnetic wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas John McGuire
  • Publication number: 20180068747
    Abstract: A fusion reactor includes an enclosure having a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a midpoint substantially equidistant between the first and second ends of the enclosure. The fusion reactor includes two internal magnetic coils suspended within the enclosure and positioned on opposite sides of the midpoint of the enclosure, one or more encapsulating magnetic coils positioned on each side of the midpoint of the enclosure, two mirror magnetic coils positioned on opposite sides of the midpoint of the enclosure, and one or more support stalks for supporting the two internal magnetic coils suspended within the enclosure. The one or more encapsulating magnetic coils and the two mirror magnetic coils are coaxial with the internal magnetic coils. The magnetic coils are operable, when supplied with electric currents, to form magnetic fields for confining plasma within the enclosure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2014
    Publication date: March 8, 2018
    Inventor: Thomas John McGuire
  • Publication number: 20180068748
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a fusion reactor includes two internal magnetic coils suspended within an enclosure, a center magnetic coil coaxial with the two internal magnetic coils and located proximate to a midpoint of the enclosure, a plurality of encapsulating magnetic coils coaxial with the internal magnetic coils, and two mirror magnetic coil coaxial with the internal magnetic coils. The encapsulating magnetic coils preserve the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) stability of the fusion reactor by maintaining a magnetic wall that prevents plasma within the enclosure from expanding.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2014
    Publication date: March 8, 2018
    Inventor: Thomas John McGuire
  • Publication number: 20180047463
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a fusion reactor includes two internal magnetic coils suspended within an enclosure, a center magnetic coil coaxial with the two internal magnetic coils and located proximate to a midpoint of the enclosure, a plurality of encapsulating magnetic coils coaxial with the internal magnetic coils, and two mirror magnetic coil coaxial with the internal magnetic coils. The fusion reactor further includes one or more electromagnetic wave generators operable to inject a beam of electromagnetic waves into the enclosure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2014
    Publication date: February 15, 2018
    Inventors: Thomas John McGuire, Josh Eugene Coleman
  • Publication number: 20180047462
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a fusion reactor includes an enclosure, an open-field magnetic system comprising one or more internal magnetic coils suspended within the enclosure, and one or more encapsulating magnetic coils coaxial with the one or more internal magnetic coils of the open-field magnetic system. The one or more encapsulating magnetic coils form a magnetosphere around the open-field magnetic system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2014
    Publication date: February 15, 2018
    Inventor: Thomas John McGuire
  • Publication number: 20140301517
    Abstract: A fusion reactor includes an enclosure having a first end, a second end, and a midpoint substantially equidistant between the first and second ends of the enclosure. The fusion reactor includes two internal magnetic coils suspended within the enclosure and positioned on opposite sides of the midpoint of the enclosure, one or more encapsulating magnetic coils positioned on each side of the midpoint of the enclosure, two mirror magnetic coils positioned on opposite sides of the midpoint of the enclosure, and one or more cooling lines within each of the internal magnetic coils. The cooling lines carry a coolant and are operable to remove heat from the internal magnetic coils. The one or more encapsulating magnetic coils and the two mirror magnetic coils are coaxial with the internal magnetic coils. The magnetic coils are operable, when supplied with electric currents, to form magnetic fields for confining plasma within the enclosure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2014
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Inventor: Thomas John McGuire
  • Publication number: 20140301518
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a fusion reactor includes a plurality of internal magnetic coils suspended within an enclosure, one or more center magnetic coils coaxial with the plurality of internal magnetic coils, a plurality of encapsulating magnetic coils coaxial with the internal magnetic coils, and a plurality of mirror magnetic coils coaxial with the internal magnetic coils. The encapsulating magnetic coils maintain a magnetic wall that prevents plasma within the enclosure from expanding.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2014
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Inventor: Thomas John McGuire