...that Robert Adler has the dubious distinction of being the Father of the Couch Potato? Back in 1955 Adler was employed by what was then Zenith Radio Corp., where he was charged to invent something that would allow viewers to turn down the TV volume without leaving their chairs. After a series of flops (such as a wired contraption that people tripped over), Adler hit on the idea of using sound waves. Thus the Remote Control was born...
Make the Most of Our Site
See this month's Top Inventors and Most Cited Patents.
Stay on top of the latest innovations by subscribing to an RSS feed.
Registered users: Manage your profile.
| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7434762 | Retractable thrust vector control vane system and method A retractable thrust vector control system (10) for a rocket motor (26) that can generate an exhaust plume comprises at least one control vane (12) connectable to an attitude control assembly (20) that rotates the vane (12) about a... | 10/14/2008 |
| 7377099 | System and method for cooling lateral edge regions of a divergent seal of an axisymmetric nozzle An axisymmetric nozzle for a gas turbine engine has divergent flaps and seals disposed about a central longitudinal axis thereof. The divergent flaps and seals each have an inner surface defining cooling air inlet holes at an upstream portion, cooling air exit holes... | 05/27/2008 |
| 7370468 | Turbojet electromechanical thrust reverser with servo-controlled door displacement A turbojet thrust reverser includes two doors each displaceable between an open position and a closed position of the reverser by at least one respective control actuator. Two electric motors drive the control actuators for the doors; each motor being controlled by ... | 05/13/2008 |
| 7366593 | Method and system for maneuvering movable object A movable object maneuver method wherein a destination point is set; wherein a thrust value is calculated in real time which minimizes or maximizes a performance index associated with one or more state variables and thrust required for a movable object to reach the ... | 04/29/2008 |
| 7334395 | Aircraft structure that includes a duct for guiding fluid flow therethrough An aircraft structure includes a duct having an inlet for fluid flow into the duct and a first outlet for fluid flow out of the duct. The duct is configured to guide fluid flow out of the duct through the first outlet in an at least partially reversed direction rela... | 02/26/2008 |
| 7334394 | Localized arc filament plasma actuators for noise mitigation and mixing enhancement A device for controlling fluid flow. The device includes an arc generator coupled to electrodes. The electrodes are placed adjacent a fluid flowpath such that upon being energized by the arc generator, an arc filament plasma adjacent the electrodes is formed. In tur... | 02/26/2008 |
| 7322790 | System for controlling stages of variable-pitch stator vanes in a turbomachine A system for controlling two stages of variable-pitch stator vanes of a turbomachine, the system comprising a drive element for turning the control ring of one of the stages via a leader member pivotally mounted on the casing, a synchronization bar for transmitting ... | 01/29/2008 |
| 7316109 | Lobed exhaust diffuser apparatus, system, and method A lobed exhaust diffuser apparatus, system, and method configured to cool exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine comprises a diffuser having a proximal end, configured to receive exhaust gases from the engine, and a distal end, configured to expel the exha... | 01/08/2008 |
| 7310949 | Method and apparatus for arresting a crack within a body An inseparable assembly includes a body having a first surface and a second surface. The body includes an oxide-based ceramic matrix composite material having a first predetermined ductility. The assembly further includes a crack extending through the body between t... | 12/25/2007 |
| 7293401 | Jet engine noise suppressor An embodiment of the invention is a technique to suppress noise in a jet engine. A noise suppressor includes an exhaust duct to exhaust a first stream from an air stream taken from an inlet. The exhaust duct has an exit end. The air stream is divided into the first ... | 11/13/2007 |
| 7278258 | Floating flexible firewall seal A seal assembly is provided for sealing an interface between a shaft and a bore formed in a firewall, where the shaft has an annular foot extending radially outward therefrom and a flowpath extending therethrough in fluid communication with the bore. The assembly in... | 10/09/2007 |
| 7273346 | System for controlling stages of variable-pitch stator vanes in a turbomachine A system for controlling two stages of variable-pitch stator vanes of a turbomachine, the system comprising a drive element for turning the control ring of one of the stages via a leader member pivotally mounted on the casing, a synchronization bar for transmitting ... | 09/25/2007 |
| 7210283 | Maintenance and inhibition plate for a thrust reverser Each manual control unit for a moving part of a thrust reverser is associated with a maintenance plate that is pivotable between at least two positions: a first or “normal operation” position in which said plate prevents the manual control unit with which it is ... | 05/01/2007 |
| 7188477 | High temperature dynamic seal for scramjet variable geometry A seal assembly for use in an engine, such as a scramjet engine, having a movable element, such as inlet cowl flap, is provided. The movable element has an outboard structural member which requires thermal protection. The seal assembly includes a sealing element and... | 03/13/2007 |
| 7174704 | Split shroud exhaust nozzle A variable geometry convergent-divergent nozzle for a gas turbine engine includes a centerbody extending rearward along a longitudinal axis of the engine which has a throat section of increased diameter. An inner shroud surrounds the centerbody and cooperates with t... | 02/13/2007 |
| 7159383 | Apparatus, method and system for gas turbine engine noise reduction An apparatus for reducing gas turbine engine noise, such as noise generated by an aircraft gas turbine engine, comprises at least one and preferably a plurality of gas injectors for injecting gas such as high pressure engine bleed air, diverted core air, air obtaine... | 01/09/2007 |
| 7155898 | Thrust vector control system for a plug nozzle rocket engine A thrust vector control system for a plug nozzle rocket engine for propelling and maneuvering a vehicle is disclosed. The plug nozzle rocket engine includes a housing having a nozzle throat, a plug disposed within the housing and positioned within the nozzle throat ... | 01/02/2007 |
| 7146796 | Nested latch thrust reverser A thrust reverser includes reverser doors pivotally mounted in a nacelle. Each door includes a latch pin mounted at a distal end thereof. A complementary latch hook is pivotally mounted in the nacelle for engagement with the pin to latch closed the reverser door. A ... | 12/12/2006 |
| 7143984 | Throttle lever for controlling the speed of at least one aircraft engine A throttle lever that for being pivoted by a pilot of an aircraft may include a guidance device that is integral with the lever and capable of interacting with first and second guide tracks. The first guide track allows the lever to be moved to continuously control ... | 12/05/2006 |
| 7117681 | Thrust control valve A thrust control valve includes a nozzle having a gas supply chamber, a gas jetting chamber and a connecting passage therebetween. The nozzle has an upstream inner surface defining the gas supply chamber and a downstream inner surface defining the gas jetting chambe... | 10/10/2006 |
| 7107757 | Aircraft provided with thrust reversers Some but not all engines of an aircraft are provided with thrust reversers. A safety device disables, at least from the position corresponding to idling, the action of the throttles corresponding to the engines devoid of thrust reversers when the thrust reversers ar... | 09/19/2006 |
| 7104500 | Thrust reverser with sliding pivot joints A target type thrust reverser is provided for reversing the thrust of jet engines, particularly on aircraft. The thrust reverser preferably has a plurality of doors that occupy a stowed position about the nozzle of the jet engine until deployed. In the stowed positi... | 09/12/2006 |
| 7096662 | Variable area throat exhaust nozzle with vectorable sideways shifting of exhaust flow A nozzle includes a sideways split and aftwardly swept nozzle ramp extends between a fixed lower nozzle wall and a pivotal upper nozzle wall pivotally connected to an aft end of the nozzle and operable to vary a throat area of a throat of the nozzle. The upper and l... | 08/29/2006 |
| 7096661 | Axial divergent section slot nozzle An axial divergent section slot nozzle for an engine is provided. The nozzle has a plurality of spaced apart divergent flaps, at least one device for moving the divergent flaps to change a cross sectional area of the nozzle in a throat region, and a bridge member po... | 08/29/2006 |
| 7069717 | Hybrid propulsion system Disclosed is a propulsion system for a spacecraft. The propulsion system includes a supply of oxidizer and at least one nozzle. A conduit fluidly couples the supply of oxidizer and the nozzle. The conduit provides a pathway for oxidizer to flow in a downstream direc... | 07/04/2006 |
| 7062901 | Variable geometry nozzle with flexible side wall The disclosed device is directed toward a periodic combustion propulsion system. The periodic combustion propulsion system comprises at least one periodic combustion chamber configured to contain periodic combustion and at least one supersonic exhaust nozzle coupled... | 06/20/2006 |
| 7055307 | Vectorable nozzle with sideways pivotable ramp A vectorable nozzle includes a longitudinally extending upper fixed wall spaced upwardly and aftwardly of a longitudinally extending lower fixed wall and an aftwardly swept fixed ramp extending between the upper and lower fixed walls. The upper and lower fixed walls... | 06/06/2006 |
| 7028462 | Method and apparatus for arresting a crack within a body An inseparable assembly includes a body having a plurality of plies stacked in face to face relation and bonded together, wherein each of the plurality of plies includes a ceramic matrix composite material having a first predetermined ductility. The assembly further... | 04/18/2006 |
| 7013650 | Flexible flap for a variable-section turbomachine nozzle In a variable-section turbomachine nozzle, a plurality of flexible follower flaps are provided that are interposed between adjacent controlled flaps against which the follower flaps are held by fastener means, each follower flap comprising a plurality of independent... | 03/21/2006 |
| 7007454 | Locking system on a cascade thrust reverser The invention provides a locking system on a cascade thrust reverser for a bypass turbojet, the reverser (20) comprising guide means (60) for the movable parts (50), and the guide means (60) comprising rails (64) attached to the mo... | 03/07/2006 |
| 6976352 | Toggle interlocked thrust reverser A fan thrust reverser includes a nacelle having radially outer and inner skins. An outer door is disposed in the outer skin, and mounted to the nacelle at a hinge joint. A toggle link is pivotally joined between the outer door and the nacelle for latching stowed the... | 12/20/2005 |
| 6968675 | Cascadeless fan thrust reverser with plume control A thrust reverser for a turbofan engine having an air duct defined radially inwardly by a wall around the turbofan engine and radially outwardly in part by a fan cowl of the engine. A bulkhead is adapted to be mounted on the fan cowl having a shaped surface defining... | 11/29/2005 |
| 6964154 | Axisymmetric, throttleable non-gimballed rocket engine A rocket engine assembly is provided for a vertically launched rocket vehicle. A rocket engine housing of the assembly includes two or more combustion chambers each including an outlet end defining a sonic throat area. A propellant supply for the combustion chambers... | 11/15/2005 |
| 6962044 | Method and apparatus of asymmetric injection into subsonic flow of a high aspect ratio/complex geometry nozzle The present invention reveals a method and apparatus for controlling the effective area and thrust vector angle of a fluid flow. In one embodiment, the fluid flow is controlled in an advanced, high aspect ratio, complex aperture geometry nozzle using asymmetric inje... | 11/08/2005 |
| 6938408 | Thrust vectoring and variable exhaust area for jet engine nozzle A jet engine nozzle having a pair of pivoting extension arms and a pair of pivoting shells connected to a jet pipe is provided. The first extension arm is pivotally connected to the jet pipe at a first location, while the second extension arm is pivotally connected ... | 09/06/2005 |
| 6935098 | Turbomachine nozzle with noise reduction A nozzle comprising an inner barrel, a centerbody disposed inside the inner barrel so as to define a first channel for a primary flow, and an outer barrel surrounding the inner barrel so as to define a second annular channel for a secondary flow, the free end of the... | 08/30/2005 |
| 6895742 | Bifold door thrust reverser A fan thrust reverser includes an outer louver door joined to an inner blocker door by a drive link in a bifold configuration. The louver door is stowed closed in the outer skin of a fan nacelle outside the blocker door stowed closed in the inner skin of the nacelle... | 05/24/2005 |
| 6857600 | Infrared suppressing two dimensional vectorable single expansion ramp nozzle A two dimensional gas turbine engine exhaust nozzle includes transversely spaced apart upper and lower convergent and divergent flaps and extending longitudinally in a downstream direction and between two widthwise spaced apart sidewalls. The divergent flaps have in... | 02/22/2005 |
| 6845945 | Thrust reverser with sliding pivot joints A target type thrust reverser is provided for reversing the thrust of jet engines, particularly on aircraft. The thrust reverser preferably has a plurality of doors that occupy a stowed position about the nozzle of the jet engine until deployed. In the stowed positi... | 01/25/2005 |
| 6820410 | Bifurcated turbofan nozzle A turbofan exhaust nozzle includes a fan duct defined between a fan nacelle and a core engine cowling. The fan duct includes a longitudinal endwall and a partition spaced therefrom to define a secondary flow duct. The fan duct also includes a primary outlet, and the... | 11/23/2004 |