ROBERT MASON SMITH
Veterinary in State College, PA

2003019, Oct 16, 2003

Apr 9, 2003

10/410492

Robert W. Smith - State College PA, US
Matthew Poese - State College PA, US
Steven Garrett - State College PA, US
Ray Wakeland - Muncie IN, US

F25B009/00, F02G001/04, F01B029/10

062/006000, 060/520000

A thermocoustic device includes a housing with a thermal core supported in the housing and having a first and a second surface. The thermal core includes a first heat exchanger defining the first surface of the thermal core and a second heat exchanger defining the second surface of the thermal core. A main chamber is in fluid communication with the first surface of the thermal core and a secondary multiplier chamber is in fluid communication with the second surface of the thermal core. A working volume of a gaseous working fluid fills the main chamber, the multiplier chamber, and the thermal core at a pressure. An equilibrium pressure is defined as the pressure of the working volume of gaseous working fluids with the thermoacoustic device is in a non-operating mode. The main chamber includes a first oscillating member that is operable when the thermoacoustic device is in an operating mode to oscillate such that the pressure in both the main chamber and in the multiplier chamber is oscillated between a peak pressure greater than the equilibrium pressure and a minimum pressure less than the equilibrium pressure. A main pressure amplitude is defined as one-half of the difference between the peak pressure and the minimum pressure in the main chamber. The secondary multiplier chamber includes a second oscillating member that is operable when the thermoacoustic device is in the operating mode to oscillate such that the pressure in the multiplier chamber is oscillated between a peak pressure greater than the equilibrium pressure and a minimum pressure less than the equilibrium pressure. A multiplier pressure amplitude is defined as one-half of the difference between the peak pressure and the minimum pressure in the multiplier chamber. The first and second oscillating members oscillate at substantially the same frequency and such that the pressure oscillations in the main chamber and the multiplier chamber are substantially in phase with each other. The multiplier pressure amplitude is greater than the main pressure amplitude.

2005027, Dec 15, 2005

Mar 2, 2004

10/791497

Robert Smith - State College PA, US
Matthew Poese - State College PA, US
Ray Wakeland - Muncie IN, US
Steven Garrett - State College PA, US

The Penn State Research Foundation - University Park PA

F25B009/00

062006000

A thermocoustic device includes a housing with a thermal core supported in the housing and having a first and a second surface. The thermal core includes a first heat exchanger defining the first surface of the thermal core and a second heat exchanger defining the second surface of the thermal core. A main chamber is in fluid communication with the first surface of the thermal core and a secondary multiplier chamber is in fluid communication with the second surface of the thermal core. A working volume of a gaseous working fluid fills the main chamber, the multiplier chamber, and the thermal core at a pressure. An equilibrium pressure is defined as the pressure of the working volume of gaseous working fluids with the thermoacoustic device is in a non-operating mode. The main chamber includes a first oscillating member that is operable when the thermoacoustic device is in an operating mode to oscillate such that the pressure in both the main chamber and in the multiplier chamber is oscillated between a peak pressure greater than the equilibrium pressure and a minimum pressure less than the equilibrium pressure. A main pressure amplitude is defined as one-half of the difference between the peak pressure and the minimum pressure in the main chamber. The secondary multiplier chamber includes a second oscillating member that is operable when the thermoacoustic device is in the operating mode to oscillate such that the pressure in the multiplier chamber is oscillated between a peak pressure greater than the equilibrium pressure and a minimum pressure less than the equilibrium pressure. A multiplier pressure amplitude is defined as one-half of the difference between the peak pressure and the minimum pressure in the multiplier chamber. The first and second oscillating members oscillate at substantially the same frequency and such that the pressure oscillations in the main chamber and the multiplier chamber are substantially in phase with each other. The multiplier pressure amplitude is greater than the main pressure amplitude.

2004009, May 20, 2004

Nov 12, 2003

10/706550

Tony Shearer - Port Matilda PA, US
Robert Smith - State College PA, US
Heath Hofmann - State College PA, US

The Penn State Research Foundation - University Park PA

H02K041/00

310/012000

The present invention provides a method of sensorless control of a linear reciprocating electrodynamic machine used for driving a thermoacoustic device, and/or a similar frequency dependent load. Sensorless control is accomplished by estimating the state of predetermined performance parameters at the linear machine through the use of a system model. Thereafter, the method comprises providing a control means operative to obtain the estimated performance parameters and cause manipulation of at least one input parameter to the linear machine such that desired performance parameters are obtained in view of the estimated performance parameters.

2005002, Feb 10, 2005

Sep 16, 2004

10/942417

Matthew Poese - State College PA, US
Robert Smith - State College PA, US
Ray Wakeland - Muncie IN, US
Steven Garrett - State College PA, US

F25B009/00

062006000

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a thermoacoustic device has a complaint enclosure which includes a rigid portion and a compliant portion. The compliant portion includes an oscillating member and a flexure seal with a pair of ends and a flexure body extending between the ends. One of the ends is sealed to the rigid portion and the other end is sealed to the oscillating member. The flexure seal has an average cross-sectional area and an end-to-end equilibrium length. A flexure volume is defined as the product of the average cross-sectional area and the end-to-end equilibrium length. A thermal core is disposed in the complaint enclosure and includes at least a first and a second heat exchanger. A working volume of gaseous working fluid fills the complaint enclosure. The working volume of gaseous working fluid has an equilibrium pressure. A motor is operable to oscillate the oscillating member such that the end-to-end length of the flexure seal is increased and decreased with respect to the equilibrium length. Therefore, the pressure of the working volume of gaseous working fluid is oscillated between a peak pressure greater than the equilibrium pressure and a minimum pressure less than the equilibrium pressure. In some embodiments, the working volume is less than or equal to four times the flexure volume, while in other embodiments, the working volume is less than or equal to two times or one times the flexure volume.

2003019, Oct 16, 2003

Apr 9, 2003

10/409855

Mathew Poese - State College PA, US
Robert Smith - State College PA, US
Ray Wakeland - Muncie IN, US
Steven Garrett - State College PA, US

F25B009/00

062/006000

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a thermoacoustic device has a complaint enclosure which includes a rigid portion and a compliant portion. The compliant portion includes an oscillating member and a flexure seal with a pair of ends and a flexure body extending between the ends. One of the ends is sealed to the rigid portion and the other end is sealed to the oscillating member. The flexure seal has an average cross-sectional area and an end-to-end equilibrium length. A flexure volume is defined as the product of the average cross-sectional area and the end-to-end equilibrium length. A thermal core is disposed in the complaint enclosure and includes at least a first and a second heat exchanger. A working volume of gaseous working fluid fills the complaint enclosure. The working volume of gaseous working fluid has an equilibrium pressure. A motor is operable to oscillate the oscillating member such that the end-to-end length of the flexure seal is increased and decreased with respect to the equilibrium length. Therefore, the pressure of the working volume of gaseous working fluid is oscillated between a peak pressure greater than the equilibrium pressure and a minimum pressure less than the equilibrium pressure. In some embodiments, the working volume is less than or equal to four times the flexure volume, while in other embodiments, the working volume is less than or equal to two times or one times the flexure volume.

6307287, Oct 23, 2001

Mar 8, 2000

9/521368

Steven L. Garrett - State College PA
Robert M. Keolian - State College PA
Robert W. Smith - State College PA

The Penn State Research Foundation - University Park PA

F03G 700, F25B 900, H02K 714, H02K 3302

310 30

A thermoacoustic driver incorporates a linear electrodynamic motor having electrical terminals and a moving part, a driver suspension housing, a piston, and a stiffness-enhancing device for raising the mechanical resonance frequency of the electrodynamic motor without reducing the piston stroke. The stiffness enhancement is accomplished by the use of specially optimized suspension spring structures and/or by attaching one or more electrical inductors to the electrical terminals of the driver. The stiffness enhancement using mechanical springs incorporates one or more starfish structures extending between the driver suspension housing and the piston and rigidly clamped to both. The starfish structures comprise radially extending legs, which are leaf springs or beams of varying width. The shape of the beams and the shape of the overall spring structure are optimized to enhance flexural or torsional stiffness and relieve arc tension within the constraints of cost-effectiveness. In one version, two modified triangular (trapezoidal) cantilever beams are connected through a straight middle section and form a bow-tie shaped beam.

2005018, Sep 1, 2005

Apr 28, 2005

11/116636

Robert Smith - State College PA, US

F16J003/00

277634000

A bellows has an elongated bellows body defined by a flexible wall. The wall encloses a volume and extends between a first end and a second end. The body has a cross-sectional shape and a cross-sectional dimension that are generally constant between the first and second ends. The wall has an axial stiffness and an axial linear mass density. The stiffness and/or density varies generally monotonically between the first and second ends of the bellows body.

8025297, Sep 27, 2011

Nov 6, 2007

11/935787

Robert W.M. Smith - State College PA, US

The Penn State Research Foundation - University Park PA

F16J 3/00, F16J 15/52

277635, 277636

A bellows has a generally tubular elongated bellows body. The bellows body is defined by a wall generally enclosing a volume. The wall has a generally cylindrical inner surface and a generally cylindrical outer surface. The bellows body is formed by alternating layers of low compliance material and high compliance material. The cross sectional shape and dimension of the bellows body are generally constant between the first and second ends.