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:
Nov. 10, 2015
Filed:
Nov. 21, 2012
The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US);
John F. Stickelmaier, Manhattan Beach, CA (US);
John Ziavras, Hermosa Beach, CA (US);
Julie Marie Perkins, Hawthorne, CA (US);
Kurt B. Kreiner, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA (US);
Glenn N. Caplin, Manhattan Beach, CA (US);
Brian K. Smith, Redondo Beach, CA (US);
Peter S. Lauenstein, Hermosa Beach, CA (US);
The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US);
Abstract
A gridded ion propulsion system comprising two power controllers, four ion thrusters, and two switch assemblies. One switch assembly is connected to the two power controllers and to two of the four ion thrusters. The other switch assembly is connected to the two power controllers and to the other two ion thrusters. Each switch assembly has first and second switching states which can be selected to enable either power controller to supply power to any one of the four ion thrusters. Each switch assembly comprises a respective movable body and a respective multiplicity of switches which change state in unison when the movable body changes position. For example, the movable body may be a rotatable hollow shaft driven by a stepper motor.