Search Patents
  • Welding ground detection system and method
    Patent number: 9820614
    Abstract: A welding ground detection system and method are provided. In one embodiment, a switch actuator is interconnected to a grounding device and operatively associated with a switch. The switch is electrically connected to an electrical circuit that is operatively associated with the welding equipment. The switch is normally in an open state in which the switch opens the electrical circuit, thereby preventing welding. Upon connection of the grounding device to a workpiece, the switch actuator actuates the switch to a closed state, thereby permitting welding. In one embodiment, detection of a voltage, a current, a resistance, or an impedance of a ground connection is not required to actuate the switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: United Launch Alliance, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Johnny W. Dingler
  • Polar-oriented lattice isogrid for circular structures
    Patent number: 9234351
    Abstract: A new adaptable grid or lattice structure identified by the coined term “polargrid” is disclosed. A polargrid may be designed or engineered to fill any space between two generally circular structures and where the ribs will intersect with both circular structures at a node. The intersection of a polargrid with a circular structure will not occur mid-rib. Rather, a polargrid can be designed to always have ribs terminate at an inner or outer circular structure at a node. Polargrids have particular applicability in cylindrical structures or when interconnecting concentric circular or cylindrical structures that may or may not be co-planar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: United Launch Alliance, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Philip M. Echelman
  • Cryogenic propellant depot and integral sunshield
    Patent number: 8196868
    Abstract: A cryogenic propellant depot and sunshield are provided for operation in earth orbit to fuel or refuel other space vehicles. The sunshield is deployed to effectively mitigate solar radiation emanating from the earth and the sun thereby providing a long term storage solution for cryogenic fluids prone to boil-off. The depot has supporting subsystems to include station keeping equipment and communication equipment so that the depot can be independently controlled. Inflatable booms are used to deploy the sunshield in a desired pattern around the depot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: United Launch Alliance, LLC
    Inventors: Bernard Friedrich Kutter, Frank Charles Zegler, Mohamed R. Ragab
  • Integrated vehicle fluids
    Patent number: 10717550
    Abstract: A system and methods are provided for combining systems of an upper stage space launch vehicle for enhancing the operation of the space vehicle. Hydrogen and oxygen already on board as propellant for the upper stage rockets is also used for other upper stage functions. Specifically, gases from the propellant tanks, instead of being dumped overboard, are used as fuel and oxidizer to power an internal combustion engine that produces mechanical power for driving other elements including a generator for generation of electrical current, mechanical power for fluid pumps, and other uses. The exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine is also used directly in one or more vehicle thrusters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: United Launch Alliance, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Frank Charles Zegler
  • Friction welding apparatus, system and method
    Patent number: 8123104
    Abstract: A friction stir welding apparatus is provided herein. More specifically, traditional friction stir welding requires a rotatable head that is forced against a plurality of work pieces to bond the same. The rotational and normal forces generated by the friction stir welding tool are generally reacted by a backing plate, anvil, mandrel or other mechanisms, such hardware are subject to the applied forces and are often supported with additional internal supports. Conversely, an apparatus for performing a friction stir weld is described that omits the need for such a backing member and internal supports as it is performed using a self reacting pin tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: United Launch Alliance, LLC
    Inventors: David M. Potter, Richard K. Hansen
  • Friction stir welding apparatus, system and method
    Patent number: 8141764
    Abstract: A friction stir welding system is provided herein. More specifically, traditional friction stir welding requires a rotatable head that is forced against a plurality of work pieces to bond the same. The rotational and normal forces generated by the friction stir welding tool are generally reacted by a backing plate, anvil, mandrel or other mechanisms, such hardware are subject to the applied forces and are often supported with additional internal supports. Conversely, a friction stir weld system is described that omits the need for such a backing member and internal supports as it is performed using a self reacting pin tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: United Launch Alliance, LLC
    Inventors: David M. Potter, Richard K. Hansen
  • Friction stir welding apparatus, system and method
    Patent number: 8348136
    Abstract: A method of performing friction stir welding is provided herein. More specifically, traditional friction stir welding requires a rotatable head that is forced against a plurality of work pieces to bond the same. The rotational and normal forces generated by the friction stir welding tool are generally reacted by a backing plate, anvil, mandrel or other mechanisms, such hardware are subject to the applied forces and are often supported with additional internal supports. Conversely, a method of performing a friction stir weld is described that omits the need for such a backing member and internal supports as it is performed using a self reacting pin tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: United Launch Alliance, LLC
    Inventors: David M. Potter, Richard K. Hansen
  • Friction stir welding apparatus, system and method
    Patent number: 7866532
    Abstract: A method of performing friction stir welding is provided herein. More specifically, traditional friction stir welding requires a rotatable head that is forced against a plurality of work pieces to bond the same. The rotational and normal forces generated by the friction stir welding tool are generally reacted by a backing plate, anvil, mandrel or other mechanisms, such hardware are subject to the applied forces and are often supported with additional internal supports. Conversely, a method of performing a friction stir weld is described that omits the need for such a backing member and internal supports as it is performed using a self reacting pin tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: United Launch Alliance, LLC
    Inventors: David M. Potter, Richard K. Hansen
  • Inflatable bladder fairing recovery system with repositioning mechanisms and method
    Patent number: 11685557
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to a launch vehicle fairing recovery system and method using inflatable bags and fairing repositioning mechanisms. Embodiments of the present invention also relate to providing a system or mechanism to flip the fairing into the proper floating position. In some embodiments, the fairing has an inner surface and an outer surface, where the outer surface is exposed to the atmosphere when the fairing is interconnected to a spacecraft, and one or more inflatable bags interconnected to the outer surface of the fairing, where when the fairing is interconnected to the spacecraft the one or more inflatable bags is empty, and after the fairing separates from the spacecraft the one or more airbags are filled with pressurized gas and/or hydraulic liquids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: United Launch Alliance, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Ryan Shannon
  • Non-uniform sampling in bandwidth constrained data acquisition systems
    Patent number: 10024757
    Abstract: Systems and methods for sampling data in bandwidth constrained data acquisition systems are provided. More specifically, the method may include selecting an anti-aliasing filter corner frequency equal to a first frequency, selecting an oversampling rate that is greater than a data sample transmission bandwidth, wherein the data sample transmission bandwidth is a data sample transmission rate from a data acquisition system to a receiving entity for data samples acquired from a sensor and having a selected sample resolution, acquiring data samples at the oversampling rate with the data acquisition system, and transmitting a fraction of the acquired data samples in accordance with the data sample transmission bandwidth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: UNITED LAUNCH ALLIANCE, L.L.C.
    Inventor: John Niehues
  • Cryogenic propellant depot and deployable sunshield
    Patent number: 8196869
    Abstract: A cryogenic propellant depot and sunshield are provided for operation in earth orbit to fuel or refuel other space vehicles. The sunshield is deployed to effectively mitigate solar radiation emanating from the earth and the sun thereby providing a long term storage solution for cryogenic fluids prone to boil-off. The depot has supporting subsystems to include station keeping equipment and communication equipment so that the depot can be independently controlled. Inflatable booms are used to deploy the sunshield in a desired pattern around the depot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: United Launch Alliance, LLC
    Inventors: Bernard Friedrich Kutter, Frank Charles Zegler, Cliff E. Willey, John K. Lin, Mohamed M. Ragab, Michael W. Dew
  • Inflatable bladder fairing recovery system with repositioning mechanisms and method
    Patent number: 11066193
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to a launch vehicle fairing recovery system and method using inflatable bags and fairing repositioning mechanisms. Embodiments of the present invention also relate to providing a system or mechanism to flip the fairing into the proper floating position. In some embodiments, the fairing has an inner surface and an outer surface, where the outer surface is exposed to the atmosphere when the fairing is interconnected to a spacecraft, and one or more inflatable bags interconnected to the outer surface of the fairing, where when the fairing is interconnected to the spacecraft the one or more inflatable bags is empty, and after the fairing separates from the spacecraft the one or more airbags are filled with pressurized gas and/or hydraulic liquids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: United Launch Alliance, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Ryan Shannon
  • Friction stir welding apparatus, system and method
    Patent number: 8132708
    Abstract: A method of performing friction stir welding is provided herein. More specifically, traditional friction stir welding requires a rotatable head that is forced against a plurality of work pieces to bond the same. The rotational and normal forces generated by the friction stir welding tool are generally reacted by a backing plate, anvil, mandrel or other mechanisms, such hardware are subject to the applied forces and are often supported with additional internal supports. Conversely, a method of performing a friction stir weld is described that omits the need for such a backing member and internal supports as it is performed using a self reacting pin tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: United Launch Alliance, LLC
    Inventors: David M. Potter, Richard K. Hansen
  • Friction stir welding of aluminum alloys
    Patent number: 10688592
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to friction stir welding, and in particular to apparatuses, methods, and systems using friction stir welding to join one or more components comprising an aluminum 2xxx alloy with one or more components comprising an aluminum 7xxx alloy. The aluminum 2xxx alloy may be in the form of a filler insert, for example a sheet or strip, between two larger aluminum 7xxx alloy components, or the aluminum 2xxx alloy may be in the form of a larger component welded directly to an aluminum 7xxx alloy component of comparable size. Weldments according to the present invention have improved resistance to stress corrosion cracking without the need for post-weld artificial aging and are useful in many applications, for example in construction of spacecraft parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: United Launch Alliance L.L.C
    Inventor: Brian D. Vickers
  • Highly adaptable platform
    Patent number: 11718426
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for servicing objects such as a launch vehicle or an aircraft with an elevated platform that conforms to differently sized and shaped objects. The platform can have telescoping planks that extend to conform to the outer surface of the object. Glide pads with low friction surfaces, rollers, etc. can reduce the friction between a plank and a supporting surface and between adjacent planks such that planks can be manually moved into position. In addition, the plank holders can limit the planks to a linear movement, secure the planks to a supporting surface, and control the friction force between the planks and the supporting surface. Further still, the supporting surface can be a carrier and/or a support that moves the planks closer to the object and tilts the planks out of the way so that an object can be positioned within the platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: UNITED LAUNCH ALLIANCE, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Steven F. Duschl, Daniel P. Norfolk, Mark J. Dornseif
  • System and method to enable the application of optical tracking techniques for generating dynamic quantities of interest with alias protection
    Patent number: 9852330
    Abstract: Systems and methods for realizing practical applications of high speed digital image correlation (DIC) for dynamic quantities of interest are provided. In particular, a series of images are captured for a component of interest in which a non-filtered sensor and an analog low-pass filtered sensor are included within the region of interest for the series of images. Displacement signals are obtained for the component of interest, the non-filtered sensor, and the analog low-pass filtered sensor by applying digital image correlation processing to the series of images, which may also be wavelet filtered. Dynamic quantities of interest may be generated and derived from the displacement signals after having been wavelet filtered. Such dynamic quantities of interest based on the wavelet filtered DIC-derived displacement signal may be compared to sensor-derived dynamic quantities of interest to determine if aliasing is or is likely to be present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: UNITED LAUNCH ALLIANCE, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Ryan Lee Shannon
  • System and method to enable the application of optical tracking techniques for generating dynamic quantities of interest with alias protection
    Patent number: 10713516
    Abstract: Systems and methods for realizing practical applications of high speed digital image correlation (DIC) for dynamic quantities of interest are provided. In particular, a series of images are captured for a component of interest in which a non-filtered sensor and an analog low-pass filtered sensor are included within the region of interest for the series of images. Displacement signals are obtained for the component of interest, the non-filtered sensor, and the analog low-pass filtered sensor by applying digital image correlation processing to the series of images, which may also be wavelet filtered. Dynamic quantities of interest may be generated and derived from the displacement signals after having been wavelet filtered. Such dynamic quantities of interest based on the wavelet filtered DIC-derived displacement signal may be compared to sensor-derived dynamic quantities of interest to determine if aliasing is or is likely to be present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: United Launch Alliance, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Ryan Lee Shannon
  • Applied high speed digital image correlation (HSDIC)
    Patent number: 10712231
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide systems and methods for testing of separating systems between a space vehicle and a launch vehicle, at a component level and/or at a system level, using High Speed Digital Image Correlation (HSDIC). Proposed embodiments integrate HSDIC into the separation testing processes to better determine system function without contacting the object under test. By applying HSDIC to objects under test, the previously immeasurable quantities may be measured and may provide results leading to more complete and more understandable measurements of interest. As one example, local coordinate systems may be generated indicating symmetry and/or lack of symmetry. Furthermore, stay out volumes may be verified. In some embodiments, trajectories associated with measure targets, (e.g., features of the object under test and/or patterns such as a speckle pattern) may be utilized to track and analysis movements as well as verify stay out volumes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: United Launch Alliance, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Ryan Shannon
  • System and method to enable the application of optical tracking techniques for generating dynamic quantities of interest with alias protection
    Patent number: 11354881
    Abstract: Systems and methods for realizing practical applications of high speed digital image correlation (DIC) for dynamic quantities of interest are provided. In particular, a series of images are captured for a component of interest in which a non-filtered sensor and an analog low-pass filtered sensor are included within the region of interest for the series of images. Displacement signals are obtained for the component of interest, the non-filtered sensor, and the analog low-pass filtered sensor by applying digital image correlation processing to the series of images, which may also be wavelet filtered. Dynamic quantities of interest may be generated and derived from the displacement signals after having been wavelet filtered. Such dynamic quantities of interest based on the wavelet filtered DIC-derived displacement signal may be compared to sensor-derived dynamic quantities of interest to determine if aliasing is or is likely to be present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: United Launch Alliance, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Ryan Lee Shannon
  • INTEGRATED VEHICLE FLUIDS
    Publication number: 20120227374
    Abstract: A system and methods are provided for combining systems of an upper stage space launch vehicle for enhancing the operation of the space vehicle. Hydrogen and oxygen already on board as propellant for the upper stage rockets is also used for other upper stage functions to include propellant tank pressurization, attitude control, vehicle settling, and electrical requirements. Specifically, gases from the propellant tanks, instead of being dumped overboard, are used as fuel and oxidizer to power an internal combustion engine that produces mechanical power for driving other elements including a starter/generator for generation of electrical current, mechanical power for fluid pumps, and other uses. The exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine is also used directly in one or more vehicle settling thrusters. Accumulators which store the waste ullage gases are pressurized and provide pressurization control for the propellant tanks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2011
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Applicant: UNITED LAUNCH ALLIANCE, LLC
    Inventor: Frank C. Zegler
Narrow Results

Filter by US Classification