Rhett Steven Henrickson from Timnath, CO, age 44

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Location:

Palmdale, CA

Work:

Senior Mechanical Engineer

Floating Piston Actuator For Operation With Multiple Hydraulic Systems
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US Patent:

20120090459, Apr 19, 2012
Filed:

Oct 14, 2010
Appl. No.:

12/904687
Inventors:

John Lauffer - Santa Clarita CA, US
Rhett Henrickson - Palmdale CA, US
Assignee:

WOODWARD HRT, INC. - Santa Clarita CA
International Classification:

F15B 15/17
US Classification:

91508
Abstract:

A floating piston actuator for use with multiple hydraulic systems includes a housing and a piston assembly. The piston assembly includes an elongate shaft or ram, at least one secured piston coupled to the ram, and a set of moveable pistons moveably disposed within the housing chamber on the ram such that the set of moveable pistons are translatable relative to a longitudinal axis of the ram. The set of moveable pistons form at least three hydraulically separate actuator cylinders where each of the three hydraulically separate actuator cylinders are disposed in fluid communication with a corresponding pressurized fluid source. The floating piston actuator allows hydraulic redundancy while maintaining a similar length compared to existing multi-system actuators. The floating pistons can be arranged in multiple configurations to allow operation with a hydraulic system failure without force fight or binding and with a higher output force than conventional multi-system actuators.

Rhett Steven Henrickson