Patents Examined by Justin Michael Heston
  • Patent number: 11377190
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing an aircraft rear section including a tail cone and a vertical tail plane, the method includes: providing pre-cured frames (1) each of which includes a section of the tail cone (2) and a section of the vertical tail plane (3); providing pre-cured stringers (4); placing the pre-cured stringers (4) each in respective positions within the pre-cured frames (1); placing a skin (5) around an external surface of the pre-cured frames (1); and curing the pre-cured frames (1), the pre-cured stringers (4), and the skin (5), forming the final aircraft rear section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS S.L.
    Inventors: Esteban Martino-Gonzalez, Alberto Arana Hidalgo, Melania Sanchez Perez, Carlos Garcia Nieto, Jesus Javier Vazquez Castro, Edouard Menard, Fernando Iniesta Lozano, Maria Almudena Canas Rios
  • Patent number: 11370523
    Abstract: An aircraft has a vertical stabilizer with a multi-spar box and a base rib assembly secured to the multi-spar box. The base rib assembly has front longitudinal lugs, rear longitudinal lugs, and opposing middle longitudinal lugs. Front clevises corresponding to the front longitudinal lugs are secured to frame members of the fuselage of the aircraft and each has a first, second, and third mounting arms. Rear clevises corresponding to the rear longitudinal lugs are secured to frame members and each has a first, second, and third mounting arms. Middle clevises corresponding to the middle longitudinal lugs are secured to frame members and each has only first and second mounting arms. Retaining members inserted through mounting holes in each longitudinal lug and mounting holes in each corresponding clevis secures the vertical stabilizer to the fuselage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Joseph H. Campana, William H. Pearson, Charles R. Coates, Kevin P. Ryder, Peter J. Newnham
  • Patent number: 11365000
    Abstract: A rotor craft changes a torsional angle of a blade by driving an actuator. The rotor craft includes a plurality of torsion applying mechanisms that each twist a proximal end portion of a corresponding blade relative to a distal end portion of the corresponding blade about a center axis A of the blade. Each blade includes a spar having a proximal end portion connected to a hub and a skin in which the spar is inserted, such that a distal end portion of the skin and a distal end portion of the spar are connected to each other, and such that other portions of the skin than the distal end portion are rotatable relative to the spar about a center axis of the spar. The hub includes a hub body mounted to a main rotor shaft, and a hub arm that connects the spar to the hub body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi Hayashida, Tadashi Wakatsuki
  • Patent number: 11338901
    Abstract: An aircraft is disclosed having a boundary layer ingestion propulsor. The aircraft comprises an elongated fuselage extending between a nose section and a tail section. The fuselage has an upswept underside in the tail section. The boundary layer ingestion propulsor is positioned in the tail section. The propulsor comprises a fan radially encased by a nacelle circumscribing the fuselage. The nacelle defines a leading edge line extending from a top dead center to a bottom dead center of the nacelle intersecting an axis of rotation of the fan at an angle no greater than seventy degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventor: James Loebig
  • Patent number: 11332249
    Abstract: An aircraft passenger compartment suite may include a privacy divider configured to separate a first side of the aircraft passenger compartment suite including a first aircraft seat and a second side of the aircraft passenger compartment suite including a second aircraft seat. The aircraft passenger compartment suite may include a collapsible display device positioned proximate to the privacy divider of the aircraft passenger compartment suite. The aircraft passenger compartment suite may include a first display device and a first plate configured to be an extension of a horizontal surface in the first side when the first display device is in a first display device stowed position. The aircraft passenger compartment suite may include a second display device and a second plate configured to be an extension of a horizontal surface in the second side when the second display device is in a second display device stowed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: B/E Aerospace, Inc.
    Inventors: Glenn A. Johnson, Robert D. Wilkey, Mark B. Dowty, Lyle T. Davis, Dennis M. Heuer
  • Patent number: 11320841
    Abstract: An aircraft includes an airframe with first and second wings having a fuselage extending therebetween. A propulsion assembly is coupled to the fuselage and includes a counter-rotating coaxial rotor system that is tiltable relative to the fuselage to generate a thrust vector. First and second yaw vanes extend aftwardly from the fuselage. A flight control system is configured to direct the thrust vector of the coaxial rotor system and control movements of the yaw vanes. In a VTOL orientation of the aircraft, differential operation of the yaw vanes and/or differential operations of first and second rotor assemblies of the coaxial rotor system provide yaw authority for the aircraft. In a biplane orientation of the aircraft, collective operation of the yaw vanes provides yaw authority for the aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: John Richard McCullough, Andrew Thomas Carter, Sung Kyun Kim, Matthew John Hill
  • Patent number: 11299273
    Abstract: An aircraft passenger compartment suite may include a privacy shell element proximate to an aircraft seat installed within the aircraft passenger compartment suite. The privacy shell element may include a first section configured to conform to a primary section of the aircraft seat, and a second section configured to conform to an auxiliary section of the aircraft seat. The privacy shell element may include a first profile configured to conform with the aircraft seat when the aircraft seat is in a first position, and a second profile configured to conform with the aircraft seat when the aircraft seat is in a second position. The second profile of the privacy shell element may be configured to occupy a greater amount of passenger aircraft living space surrounding the aircraft passenger compartment suite than an amount of passenger aircraft living space occupied by the first profile of the privacy shell element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: B/E Aerospace, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark B. Dowty, Glenn A. Johnson, Adil Mumdood Ali
  • Patent number: 11292590
    Abstract: A rotor includes a rotor axis, two elongate blades, a hub on the rotor axis, and a rotational drive system on the rotor axis. The hub supports the blades for pivotation relative thereto, including folding one blade over the hub between radial opposition with the other blade about the rotor axis and alongside the other blade. The rotational drive system supports the blades on the hub for rotation about the rotor axis, and supports the blades on the hub for teetering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Tom M. Neuman
  • Patent number: 11292356
    Abstract: Reactive spoilers for aircraft and associated methods. In one embodiment, a wing of an aircraft includes a leading edge, a trailing edge, and an upper surface and a lower surface between the leading edge and the trailing edge. The wing further includes a reactive spoiler disposed on the upper surface between the leading edge and the trailing edge. The reactive spoiler comprises one or more turbines configured to raise in relation to the upper surface into an airflow passing over the upper surface, and to reduce lift of a wing section behind the turbines. The turbines are configured to convert kinetic energy from the airflow into electrical energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Jeff S Siegmeth
  • Patent number: 11220339
    Abstract: A method for installing a preassembled internal fitting component of an aircraft, at least one luggage compartment being attached in an articulated manner to a fixing means and beside a ceiling lining and, optionally, a service unit being attached in an articulated manner to the luggage compartment and, likewise optionally, a covering element being attached in an articulated manner to the service unit. Following transport of the preassembled internal fitting component into a final mounting position, the individual elements of the internal fitting component can be mounted in the aircraft one after another by folding out and mounting. Also, a corresponding internal fitting component and to a system for mounting internal fitting components with a mobile mounting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventors: Alexander Horn, Surya Utomo