Resident's Work Patented by Northrop Grumman

Hermosa Beach resident Trajaen J. Troia, 30, is one of two developers of an "airflow modulation for dual mode combined cycle propulsion systems" that has just been patented by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

United States Patent no. 8,429,893, issued on April 30, was assigned to Northrop Grumman Corp. (Falls Church, VA), which filed for the patent on Aug. 11, 2009 (12/539,451).

Patent (8,429,893) was also developed by George D. Rupp of Lakewood, CA, according to online records.

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office reads: "The present invention relates to a mechanical system and method that modulates airflow in an aircraft inlet diffuser that is used in conjunction with an aircraft engine that integrates both a center turbine engine and a high Mach engine such as a constant volume combustor (CVC) arrangement or ramjet arrangement with intakes formed co-centrically about the turbine..."

The full-text of the patent is online.