Thomas E Strasser, 662593 Independence Way, Corona, CA 92882

6363902, Apr 2, 2002

Sep 29, 2000

09/676244

Thomas Edward Strasser - Corona CA
Steven Donald Atmur - Riverside CA

Northrop Grumman Corporation - Los Angeles CA

F02N 300

1231883, 264624, 264625, 264626, 264628

A fracture-resistant, thermally stable intake or exhaust valve for an internal combustion (IC) engine. The valve has a stem portion and a head portion, both of which are formed of fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composite (FRCMC) material. This FRCMC material generally includes a polymer-derived ceramic resin in its ceramic state, fibers, and filler materials. Employing FRCMC material to form the valve is advantageous as FRCMC material is highly temperature resistant and temperature stable, thereby allowing for increased engine operating temperatures. FRCMC material is also ductile, thus making the valve fracture resistant. The FRCMC material is also flaw-insensitive in that any flaw within the structure of the valve will not result in cracking and failure. In addition, FRCMC valves are considerably lighter than the existing metal valves. This provides an opportunity to reduce the weight of the overall valve train, thereby increasing engine performance.

6472059, Oct 29, 2002

Jun 27, 2001

09/892348

Thomas Edward Strasser - Corona CA
William James Marsh - Diamond Bar CA
Robert Alan Schwindler - Huntington Beach CA

Northrop Grumman Corporation - Los Angeles CA

B32B 1712

4282934, 428359, 428361, 428365, 428366, 428375, 428401, 4282974

A method of fabricating a ceramic structure as well as a pre-ceramic preimpregnated composite material incorporating a continuous woven fiber and a discontinuous fiber pre-ceramic matrix for subsequent curing and component construction. The method includes preparation of a mixture of discontinuous fibers, fillers, and a pre-ceramic precursor resin where the precursor resin is present in a quantity sufficient to substantially saturate subsequently adjacent woven fiber lengths, and thereafter introducing the mixture to a situs between an upper length of woven fiber and a lower length of woven fiber in alignment with each other while effectuating linear movement of these woven fiber lengths and moving the lengths toward each other for compression and retention in a sandwich configuration to thereby fabricate a pre-ceramic preimpregnated composite material. The material is cut to size in accord with the configuration of a part to be manufactured, formed into a green-state structure, and cured. Finished-product characteristics show a substantially uniform distribution of discontinuous fibers and fillers within the ceramic resin matrix to thereby provide a substantially internally stress-free end product component.

6533976, Mar 18, 2003

Mar 7, 2000

09/521003

Thomas Edward Strasser - Corona CA
Mark William Bland - Camarillo CA
Steven Donald Atmur - Morrisonville NY

Northrop Grumman Corporation - Los Angeles CA

C04B 3580

264 87, 264670, 264101

A method of fabricating a discontinuous-fiber, ceramic matrix green-state composite component. The method includes preparation of a mixture of discontinuous fibers, in a quantity equal to about 100% of a desired end-product fiber quantity thereof, and a polymer-derived ceramic precursor resin in an excess quantity greater than about 150% of a desired end-product resin quantity thereof. The mixture so prepared then is introduced into a cavity of a molding tool and a vacuum is applied to the cavity through a vacuum aperture leading from the cavity. The mixture is drawn toward the vacuum aperture and consequently compacts a quantity of fibers within the cavity at the aperture site such that the fibers function as a filter to efficiently retain within the cavity fibers within the original mixture while removing under vacuum the excess resin that provided an effective vehicle for carrying and dispersing the discontinuous fibers. Finally, the molding tool is heated to a temperature and for a time sufficient to cure the resin/fiber mixture within the cavity and thereby fabricate the green-state composite component in a structurally sound manner.

2002019, Dec 19, 2002

Jun 17, 2002

10/173494

Charles Burdsall - Huntington Beach CA, US
Thomas Strasser - Corona CA, US

B29C070/28

264/029100, 264/257000, 264/258000, 264/161000, 264/162000, 264/082000

An improved structural reinforcement system for ceramic composite parts fabricated with polymeric ceramic precursor resins includes a mechanically interlocked mat of carbon or graphite filaments with a semi-random orientation. The carbon or graphite mat has a density of at least about 15% filaments by volume. Using graphite mat yields finished ceramic components that exhibit substantial ductility without the use of interfacial coatings, as well as good structural strength and even distribution of thermal energy.

6210786, Apr 3, 2001

Oct 14, 1998

9/172361

Steven Donald Atmur - Riverside CA
Thomas Edward Strasser - Corona CA

Northrop Grumman Corporation - Los Angeles CA

B32B 1800
B32B 1712

4282934

A fiber-reinforced ceramic matrix composite (FRCMC) structure exhibiting tailored characteristics such as ductility, hardness, and coefficient of friction. Generally, this tailoring involves incorporating fibers into the composite in sufficient quantities to produce a certain degree of ductility, and if desired, incorporating filler material into the composite in sufficient quantities to produce a desired degree of other characteristics such as hardness and coefficient of friction. In both cases, the degree to which these respective characteristics are exhibited varies with the percent by volume of fibers and filler materials incorporated into the structure. Additionally, the degree to which these respective characteristics are exhibited varies with the form of fibers used (i. e. , continuous or non-continuous) and with type of filler material employed. Thus, the tailoring of the characteristics exhibited by a FRCMC structure specifically involves selecting the quantity and form of the fibers that will produce the desired ductility, and selecting the amount and types of filler material that will produce the desired hardness and/or coefficient of friction in the FRCMC material.

6167859, Jan 2, 2001

Dec 19, 1997

8/994592

Thomas Edward Strasser - Corona CA
Steven Donald Atmur - Riverside CA

Northrop Grumman Corporation - Los Angeles CA

F01L 302

1231883

A fracture-resistant, thermally stable intake or exhaust valve for an internal combustion (IC) engine. The valve has a stem portion and a head portion, both of which are formed of fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composite (FRCMC) material. This FRCMC material generally includes a polymer-derived ceramic resin in its ceramic state, fibers, and filler materials. Employing FRCMC material to form the valve is advantageous as FRCMC material is highly temperature resistant and temperature stable, thereby allowing for increased engine operating temperatures. FRCMC material is also ductile, thus making the valve fracture resistant. The FRCMC material is also flaw-insensitive in that any flaw within the structure of the valve will not result in cracking and failure. In addition, FRCMC valves are considerably lighter than the existing metal valves. This provides an opportunity to reduce the weight of the overall valve train, thereby increasing engine performance.

5692373, Dec 2, 1997

Aug 16, 1995

8/515548

Steven Donald Atmur - Riverside CA
Thomas Edward Strasser - Corona CA

Northrop Grumman Corporation - Los Angeles CA

F01N 710
F01N 328

60274

A pollutant reducing exhaust manifold for an internal combustion engine incorporating a catalytic converter therein. The manifold has a plurality of header pipes connected to and receiving exhaust gases from respective ones of a plurality of exhaust ports of an internal combustion engine. The header pipes are connected to a single chamber with an outlet therefrom connected to an exhaust pipe as well as a catalytic converter structure having a catalyst disposed on a supporting substrate disposed in the chamber between the inlet(s) and the outlet so that all exhaust gases from the engine must pass through the catalytic converter structure. The catalytic converter operates at higher temperatures for increased efficiency and comes to operating temperature virtually immediately.

6077600, Jun 20, 2000

Jul 7, 1998

9/111394

Steven Donald Atmur - Riverside CA
Thomas Edward Strasser - Corona CA

Grumman Corporation - Los Angeles CA

B32B 1800

4282934

A pollutant-reducing catalytic converter for an internal combustion engine. The catalytic converter is of ceramic and operates at higher temperatures for increased efficiency. A ceramic foam is used as the substrate for the catalyst. The foam is an open-celled foam and the substrate is deposited on the walls of the cells. Thus, there is a maximum area of catalyst with a minimum amount of catalyst required. The catalytic converter can be placed in the engine compartment adjacent the engine for maximum efficiency without causing temperature problems within the engine compartment.