Patents by Inventor Vincent K. Rawlin

Vincent K. Rawlin 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).

  • Pulsed mode cathode
    Patent number: 5357747
    Abstract: A cathode in an MPD thruster has an internal heater and utilizes low work function material. The cathode is preheated to operating temperature, and then the thruster is fired by discharging a capacitor bank in a pulse forming network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 25, 1994
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Roger M. Myers, Vincent K. Rawlin
  • Ring-cusp ion thruster with shell anode
    Patent number: 4466242
    Abstract: An improved ion thruster (10) for low specific impulse operation in the 1500 sec to 6000 sec range has a multicusp boundary field (48) provided by high strength magnets (30-38) on an iron anode shell (14) which lengthens the paths of electrons from a hollow cathode assembly (20). A downstream anode pole piece in the form of an iron ring (40) supports a ring of magnets (44) to provide a more uniform beam profile. A cylindrical cathode magnet (46) can be moved selectively in an axial direction along a feed tube (22) to produce the desired magnetic field at the cathode tip (24).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 1983
    Date of Patent: August 21, 1984
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: James S. Sovey, Vincent K. Rawlin, Robert F. Roman