US 12,454,371 B2Granted

2-stage cold gas thruster

AssigneeWoodward, Inc.

InventorsSteven Charles Stumbo, Brian E. Hoemke, Joe Sega, Brian K. Daniels, Ian S. Clark

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Abstract

A cold gas thruster having a two-stage solenoid is provided. Pressurized gas from the inlet flows to the back side of the piston to hold the piston closed. The pressure is maintained by a check ball held by the solenoid armature. When the solenoid is energized, the armature allows the check ball to move to bleed off the pressure holding the piston closed. The piston moves away from its seat and allows the pressurized gas to flow to the outlet creating thrust. When the solenoid coil is de-energized, the check ball is forced against its seat, which blocks the escape of pressure on the back side of the piston, so that it can re-pressurize back up to the inlet pressure. This creates a force imbalance and moves the piston to close the valve and stop the thrust. Different nozzles can be used for different thrust profiles without changing the solenoid.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A cold gas thruster, comprising:

a housing having an integrated inlet, a nozzle coupling, and an actuator coupling formed thereby;
a nozzle body removably coupled to the housing at the nozzle coupling;
and
an actuator removably coupled to the housing at the actuator coupling thereof, the actuator having a first stage solenoid configured to open and close a bleed orifice of a piston guide, and a second stage piston slidably received in a nozzle to open and close a thrust orifice in the nozzle between the integrated inlet and a thrust outlet;
wherein the second stage piston includes an orifice configured to couple pressurized gas from the integrated inlet to a back side of the second stage piston between the second stage piston and the piston guide to hold the second stage piston closed against the thrust orifice when the bleed orifice is closed by an armature of the first stage solenoid;
and
wherein energization of the first stage solenoid moves the armature away from the bleed orifice to thereby allow the second stage piston to open to bleed off the pressurized gas holding the second stage piston closed and to allow the pressurized gas to flow to the thrust outlet.

4 more elements

A two-stage actuator for a cold gas thruster having a housing with an integrated inlet, a nozzle coupling, and an actuator coupling formed thereby, and a nozzle body removably coupled to the housing at the nozzle coupling, the two-stage actuator comprising:

a solenoid housing configured to be removably coupled to the housing at the actuator coupling thereof;
a first stage solenoid configured to position a check ball on a bleed orifice of a piston guide;
and
a second stage piston slidably received in a nozzle to open and close a thrust orifice in the nozzle between the integrated inlet and a thrust outlet;
wherein the second stage piston includes an orifice configured to couple pressurized gas from the integrated inlet to a back side of the second stage piston between the second stage piston and the piston guide to hold the second stage piston closed against the thrust orifice when the check ball is held by an armature of the first stage solenoid against the bleed orifice;
and
wherein energization of the first stage solenoid moves the armature to allow the check ball to move off of the bleed orifice to bleed off the pressurized gas holding the second stage piston closed to thereby allow the second stage piston to open and allow the pressurized gas to flow to the thrust outlet.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/240,261Filed 30 Aug 2023 · us provisional application
Priority: 31 Aug 2022
Published: US 2024/0067365 A129 Feb 2024
Granted: 28 Oct 2025
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification12 codes

B64G 1/26
Guiding or controlling apparatus, e.g. for attitude control: using jets
B64G 1/401
Arrangements or adaptations of propulsion systems: liquid propellant rocket engines
B64G 1/24
Parts of, or equipment specially adapted for fitting in or to, cosmonautic vehicles: guiding or controlling apparatus, e.g. for attitude control
F02K 9/80
Rocket-engine plants, i.e. plants carrying both fuel and oxidant therefor; Control thereof: characterised by thrust or thrust vector control