The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 07, 2003
Filed:
Apr. 25, 2002
Randolph T. Johnson, Waldorf, MD (US);
The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy, Washington, DC (US);
Abstract
An aerospike nozzle includes a nozzle body and a spike, the nozzle body and the spike defining a generally annular gas flow channel therebetween; the spike comprising an upper, generally conical section having a decreasing diameter in a downstream direction; a middle, generally cylindrical section having a generally constant diameter; and a lower, generally conical section having a decreasing diameter in a downstream direction; a shroud disposed radially outward of the spike and longitudinally downstream of the nozzle body, the shroud comprising a first generally cylindrical section and, downstream of the first section, a second generally concave section; a plurality of struts connected between the spike and the shroud; an ambient air inlet defined between the nozzle body and the shroud; a mixing and combustion chamber defined between the spike and the first section of the shroud; and an expansion chamber defined between the spike and the second section of the shroud.