Barnstead Thermolyne Corporation

Carleton Life Support Systems Inc.

Cobham Mission Systems Davenport Lss Inc.

Other

Abbott Laboratories Corporation

Mission Systems Davenport Inc.

Barnstead/thermodyne Corporation

Barnstead Thermolyn Corporation

Barnstead/thermlyne Corporation

Steven C Peake

Chester E Chomka

Joseph Francis Tilp

Kerry W Leppert

Thomas Joseph Larkner

Eric J Willman

Tina M Timmerman

Mark D Lockwood

Timothy Raleigh

Jason A Harms

Gary Chunshien Wu

Scott G Safar

Gary Neal Byrd

Ted J Hanagan

Courtney Joseph Monzyk

Dennis H Smith

Stacie Lynn Hoskins

Chester Chomka

Arthur D Rokusek

John Willmes

Chris Fellner

Mark J Friederick

Francis J Lahey

A method of monitoring health of an oxygen concentrator assembly within an onboard oxygen generating system (OBOGS) operable to produce an oxygen enriched gas is provided. The OBOGS includes a controller, a plurality of molecular sieve beds for producing the oxygen enriched gas, and a mechanical system for selectively communicating an inlet air to a subset of the plurality of molecular sieve at a given time. The method includes monitoring the health of the overall OBOGS and the mechanical system to determine whether one or more of the molecular sieve beds and/or the oxygen concentrator assembly need to be serviced.

OBOGS composition control and health monitoring

A control system for an onboard oxygen generating system (OBOGS) includes a gain control communicatively coupled to an oxygen sensor configured to measure an oxygen concentration outputted from the OBOGS. The gain control selectively switches between unbalanced and balanced bed cycling modes of the OBOGS to produce a target oxygen concentration based on demand. A corresponding method includes providing a gain control communicatively coupled to an oxygen sensor configured to measure an oxygen concentration outputted from the OBOGS, controlling the OBOGS to operate in the unbalanced bed cycling mode when a low demand is placed on the OBOGS whereby the gain control provides a short bed cycle and a corresponding long cycle of a fixed cycle time, and switching the OBOGS to operate in the balanced bed cycling mode when a high demand is placed on the OBOGS. The balanced bed cycling mode operates at a decreased bed cycle time.

Composition control for OBOGS

An onboard rebreathing loop system resident on an aircraft for providing oxygen to aircraft personnel includes a ceramic oxygen generating system (COGS) module configured to receive an inlet air and output a high purity oxygen (O) gas into a breathing loop and a carbon dioxide (CO) scrubber module configured to receive exhaled air from the aircraft personnel and output a CO-scrubbed air into the breathing loop. The high purity Ogas and CO-scrubbed air are mixed to form a mixed gas having a partial pressure of Osuitable for breathing by the aircraft personnel. The onboard rebreathing loop system may further include an odor removal module, an air temperature and/or humidity control module to condition the mixed gas before breathing by the aircraft personnel, and a gas sensor module to confirm the partial pressure of Owithin the mixed gas before breathing by the aircraft personnel.

Closed or semi-closed loop onboard ceramic oxygen generation system

An aerial refueling system utilizes the full drogue-probe coupling event as a control parameter for hose control. A variety of different types of signal sending and signal receiving devices may be used to indicate a coupling event between the drogue and probe. A positive coupling signal may serve to trigger a hose reel actuator to take up slack in the hose

Aerial refueling system, apparatus and methods

A system for monitoring the bed health of a molecular sieve bed within a pressure swing adsorption (PSA) system includes an oxygen sensor coupled to an outlet of the PSA system. The oxygen sensor measures an oxygen concentration of an output air produced by the molecular sieve bed. A controller is in communication with the oxygen sensor and records a series of oxygen concentrations over time. The controller is configured to determine bed health based upon the series of recorded oxygen concentrations.

System and method for monitoring PSA bed health

A system for detecting and alleviating pilot hypoxia is provided. The system includes an oxygen generator adapted to be powered by a power supply. The oxygen generator is in communication an oxygen delivery device where the oxygen delivery device is adapted to deliver supplemental oxygen to a pilot. A control module is in communication with the oxygen generator and the power supply. A hypoxia detection device is in communication with the control module wherein the control module causes one or both of the oxygen generator and the oxygen delivery device to increase an amount of oxygen being delivered to the pilot upon detection of pilot hypoxia. The hypoxia detection device may include a pupillometer and a luminometer and/or a flash generator.

Reduced cognitive function detection and alleviation system for a pilot

An air drying system for OBOGS is provided. The system comprises a bypass valve having an opened state and a closed state. The bypass valve is in fluid communication with an air inlet providing pressurized air. A dryer unit is configured to produce dried air when the bypass valve is in the closed state. An OBOGS unit produces oxygen enriched air while a purge valve has an opened state and a closed state. When the bypass valve is its closed state, the purge valve is in its opened state thereby directing a portion of the dried air to the oxygen generating system unit and a portion of the dried air to the dryer unit. When the bypass valve is its open state the pressurized air passes directly to the OBOGS unit.

Air drying system for OBOGS

A method of determining liquid absorption of an aggregate comprises providing a shaker apparatus, a vacuum source and a container; placing a sample of the aggregate in the container; adding liquid to the container sufficient to reach a calibration mark on the container; weighing the sample and liquid; mounting the container to the shaker apparatus; connecting the vacuum source to the container; agitating the sample and liquid with the shaker apparatus; applying a vacuum to the sample and liquid with the vacuum source; after the agitation and vacuum steps, adding liquid to the container sufficient to again reach the calibration mark on the container; again weighing the sample and liquid; and subtracting the initial weight of the sample and liquid from the final weight of the sample and liquid in order to determine the liquid absorption of the aggregate.

Method and apparatus for determining liquid absorption of aggregate

A water purification system for purifying water flowing through a water flow path. The system includes a water purification device having an inlet and an outlet in the water flow path and at least one interior volume communicating with the inlet and outlet. A purification medium is disposed within the interior volume of the water purification device. A flow control system is provided controlling a volume of purified water dispensed from the outlet. The flow control system includes an input device configured to allow a user to input a desired volume of purified water to be dispensed from the outlet and a sensing device coupled with the electronic input device and operative to determine the volume of purified water being dispensed from the outlet. A flow regulation device is coupled with the flow control system and operative to stop the discharge of purified water at the outlet upon reaching the desired volume of purified water.

Water purification system and method including dispensed volume sensing and control

A pressure vessel, such as a bench top sterilizer, including a pressurizable chamber housing having an interior for receiving items to be sterilized. The chamber housing includes an access opening and the sterilizer or pressure vessel includes a door with hinge structure facilitating door movement between an opened condition, a latch condition and a latched and sealed condition. A seal is connected with at least one of the chamber housing and the door and is disposed in sealing engagement around the access opening when the door is in the latched and sealed condition. After latch structure on the door is initially actuated by a user, a motorized drive mechanism with a rotatable output connects with the latch structure such that rotation of the output moves the door from the initially latched condition to the latched and sealed condition.

Pressure vessel having electromechanical latching mechanism

A filter assembly for a water purifying apparatus including a plurality of cartridges. Each cartridge includes first and second ends and an interior volume containing a filtering medium. A plurality of end caps are respectively connected with the first ends of the plurality of cartridges and each end cap includes a water inlet and a water outlet. A removable manifold is coupled with the water inlets and water outlets and the manifold includes a pair of auxiliary ports. One auxiliary port directs water from the cartridge assembly to an auxiliary processing device and another auxiliary port directs the water from the auxiliary processing device back to the filter assembly. The water inlets and water outlets extend generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of each cartridge. The cartridge includes an outer tubular member in fluid communication with the water inlet and an inner tubular member in fluid communication with the water outlet. The inner tubular member has a first end connected in a sliding manner to the first end cap and a second end rigidly affixed to the second end cap.

Growing community of inventors

Dubuque, IA, United States of America

Steven C Peake