US 12,552,518 B2Granted

Modification of aircraft for parabolic flight

AssigneeMU-G Technologies, LLC

InventorRobert Scott Ward

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A hydraulic system for use during reduced gravity flight including: a reservoir; a hydraulic device; a supply line providing fluid communication between the reservoir and the hydraulic device; a return line providing fluid communication between the hydraulic device and the reservoir; a supply valve located on the supply line between the reservoir and the hydraulic device and selectively configurable in an open or closed position; and a return valve located on the return line between the reservoir and the hydraulic device and selectively configurable in an open or closed position; and wherein the supply valve is adapted to prevent fluid communication between the reservoir and the hydraulic device when in the supply valve closed position; and wherein the return valve is adapted to prevent fluid communication between the reservoir and the hydraulic device when in the return valve closed position.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A hydraulic system for use during reduced gravity flight comprising:

a reservoir;
a hydraulic device;
a supply line adapted to provide fluid communication between the reservoir and the hydraulic device;
a return line adapted to provide fluid communication between the hydraulic device and the reservoir;
a supply valve located on the supply line between the reservoir and the hydraulic device and selectively configurable in a supply valve open position or a supply valve closed position;
a return valve located on the return line between the reservoir and the hydraulic device and selectively configurable in a return valve open position or a return valve closed position;
a second supply line in fluid communication with the return line and the supply line;
a first accumulator in fluid communication with the supply line;
and
a shutoff valve positioned on the supply line between the first accumulator and the supply valve and also positioned between the second supply line and the first accumulator;
and
wherein the supply valve is adapted to prevent fluid communication between the reservoir and the hydraulic device when in the supply valve closed position;
and
wherein the return valve is adapted to prevent fluid communication between the reservoir and the hydraulic device when in the return valve closed position;
wherein the second supply line is not in fluid communication with the reservoir when the return valve is in the return valve closed position;
and
wherein the second supply line is not in fluid communication with the reservoir when the supply valve is in the supply valve closed position.

14 more elements

A hydraulic system for use during reduced gravity flight comprising:

a reservoir;
a hydraulic device;
an engine bleed line;
a supply line adapted to provide fluid communication between the reservoir and the hydraulic device;
a return line adapted to provide fluid communication between the hydraulic device and the reservoir;
a bleed air line adapted to provide fluid communication between the reservoir and the engine bleed line;
a supply valve located on the supply line between the reservoir and the hydraulic device and selectively configurable in a supply valve open position or a supply valve closed position;
a return valve located on the return line between the reservoir and the hydraulic device and selectively configurable in a return valve open position or a return valve closed position;
a bleed valve located on the bleed air line between the reservoir and the engine bleed line and selectively configurable in a bleed valve open position or a bleed valve closed position;
a second supply line in fluid communication with the return line and the supply line;
and
a first accumulator in fluid communication with the supply line;
and
wherein the supply valve is adapted to prevent fluid communication between the reservoir and the hydraulic device when in the supply valve closed position;
wherein the return valve is adapted to prevent fluid communication between the reservoir and the hydraulic device when in the return valve closed position;
wherein the bleed valve is adapted to prevent fluid communication between the reservoir and the engine bleed line when in the bleed valve closed position;
wherein the second supply line is not in fluid communication with the reservoir when the return valve is in the return valve closed position;
wherein the second supply line is not in fluid communication with the reservoir when the supply valve is in the supply valve closed position;
and
wherein a shutoff valve is positioned on the supply line between the first accumulator and the supply valve and between the second supply line and the first accumulator.

17 more elements

A hydraulic system for use during reduced gravity flight comprising:

a reservoir;
a hydraulic device;
a supply line adapted to provide fluid communication between the reservoir and the hydraulic device;
a first accumulator in fluid communication with the supply line;
a return line adapted to provide fluid communication between the hydraulic device and the reservoir;
a second supply line in fluid communication with the return line and the supply line;
a return extension line in fluid communication with the return line and the second supply line;
a supply extension line in fluid communication with the supply line and the second supply line;
a second accumulator in fluid communication with the second supply line;
a supply valve located on the supply line between the reservoir and the hydraulic device and selectively configurable in a supply valve open position or a supply valve closed position;
a return valve located on the return line between the reservoir and the hydraulic device and selectively configurable in a return valve open position or a return valve closed position;
a shutoff valve positioned on the supply line between the first accumulator and the supply and between the second supply line and the first accumulator;
a first connector configured to place the return line in fluid communication with the return extension line;
a second connector configured to place the supply line in fluid communication with the supply extension line;
and
a third connector configured to place the return extension line, supply extension line, and second supply line in fluid communication;
and
wherein the supply valve is adapted to prevent fluid communication between the reservoir and the hydraulic device when in the supply valve closed position;
wherein the return valve is adapted to prevent fluid communication between the reservoir and the hydraulic device when in the return valve closed position;
wherein the second supply line is not in fluid communication with the reservoir when the return valve is in the return valve closed position;
and
wherein the second supply line is not in fluid communication with the reservoir when the supply valve is in the supply valve closed position.

19 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/326,133Filed 31 May 2023 · us provisional application
Priority: 1 Jun 2022
Published: US 2023/0391446 A17 Dec 2023
Granted: 17 Feb 2026
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

B64C 13/40
With power amplification: using fluid pressure
F15B 1/02
Installations or systems with accumulators; Supply reservoir or sump assemblies: installations or systems with accumulators
F15B 1/265
Supply reservoir or sump assemblies: with pressurised main reservoir
F15B 21/006
Common features of fluid actuator systems; Fluid-pressure actuator systems or details thereof, not covered by any other group of this subclass:…