Patents by Inventor Timothy R. R. Verhey

Timothy R. R. Verhey 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: 6729174
    Abstract: The design and manufacturing processes for Hollow Cathode Assemblies (HCA's) that operate over a broad range of emission currents up to 30 Amperes, at low potentials, with lifetimes in excess of 17,500 hours. The processes include contamination control procedures which cover hollow cathode component cleaning procedures, gas feed system designs and specifications, and hollow cathode activation and operating procedures to thereby produce cathode assemblies that have demonstrated stable and repeatable operating conditions, for both the discharge current and voltage. The HCA of this invention provides lifetimes of greater than 10,000 hours, and expected lifetimes of greater than 17,500 hours, whereas the present state-of-the-art is less than 500 hours at emission currents in excess of 1 Ampere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2004
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Michael J. Patterson, Timothy R. R. Verhey, George C. Soulas
  • Patent number: 6676288
    Abstract: A process for thermal imaging scanning of a swaged heater of an anode subassembly of a hollow cathode assembly, comprising scanning a swaged heater with a thermal imaging radiometer to measure a temperature distribution of the heater; raising the current in a power supply to increase the temperature of the swaged heater; and measuring the swaged heater temperature using the radiometer, whereupon the temperature distribution along the length of the heater shall be less than plus or minus 5 degrees C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Michael J. Patterson, Timothy R. R. Verhey, George C. Soulas
  • Patent number: 6539818
    Abstract: A process for testing compaction of a swaged heater for an anode sub-assembly of a Hollow Cathode Assembly (HCA), in which a test sample is cleaned, its mass measured before and after immersion in kerosene for 24 hours, and a compaction percentage calculated. A swaged heater is rejected if the compaction percentage exceeds 84%, plus or minus 4%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Michael J. Patterson, Timothy R. R. Verhey, George C. Soulas
  • Patent number: 6240932
    Abstract: “The present invention is a process for cleaning a cathode tube and other subassemblies in a hollow cathode assembly. In the disclosed process, hand covering elastomer gloves are used for handling all cathode assembly parts. The cathode tube and other subassemblies are cleaned with a lint-free cloth damped with acetone, then wiped with alcohol, immersed in ethyl alcohol or acetone, and ultrasonic agitation is applied, heating to 60° C. for ethyl alcohol or 56° C. for acetone. The cathode tube and other sub assemblies are dried by blowing with nitrogen gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of NASA
    Inventors: Michael J. Patterson, Timothy R. R. Verhey, George C. Soulas
  • Patent number: 6064156
    Abstract: The design and manufacturing processes for Hollow Cathode Assemblies (HCA that operate over a broad range of emission currents up to 30 Amperes, at low potentials, with lifetimes in excess of 17,500 hours. The processes include contamination control procedures which cover hollow cathode component cleaning procedures, gas feed system designs and specifications, and hollow cathode activation and operating procedures to thereby produce cathode assemblies that have demonstrated stable and repeatable operating conditions, for both the discharge current and voltage. The HCA of this invention provides lifetimes of greater than 10,000 hours, and expected lifetimes of greater than 17,500 hours, whereas the present state-of-the-art is less than 500 hours at emission currents in excess of 1 Ampere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2000
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of NASA
    Inventors: Michael J. Patterson, Timothy R. R. Verhey, George C. Soulas