Patents by Inventor Bret K. Stanford

Bret K. Stanford has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7487937
    Abstract: An airfoil for a micro air vehicle that includes components enabling the airfoil to adjust the angle of attack (AOA) of the airfoil in response to wind gusts, thereby enabling the airfoil to provide smooth flight. The airfoil may include a first compliant region positioned between an inboard section and a first outboard section and may include a second compliant region between a second outboard section and the inboard section. The compliant regions enable the first and second outboard sections to bend about a leading edge section and move relative to an inboard section. This action creates smoother flight due to numerous aerodynamic advantages such as a change in the angle of attack and improved wind gust rejection due to adaptive washout as a result of the airfoil flexing, twisting and decambering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: University of Florida Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter G. Ifju, Bret K. Stanford, Roberto Albertani