Patents by Inventor John W. Piasecki
John W. Piasecki 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).
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Patent number: 10940953Abstract: The Invention is a self-rescue system for an aircraft. The aircraft may be a flight module, a mission module, or a combined flight module and mission module of a modular and morphable air vehicle, or may be any other aircraft. The self-rescue system is modular and interchangeable and provides selectable capability to protect the flight module, the mission module, and any crew or cargo of the mission module in the event that the flight module or mission module suffers mishap or system failure during flight.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2017Date of Patent: March 9, 2021Inventors: John W. Piasecki, Frederick W. Piasecki
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Patent number: 10913529Abstract: A plurality of landing gear are rotatable between a flight position and a landing position under the control of a control system on a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft. The plurality of landing gear may be separately and selectably rotatable to accommodate uneven or sloping terrain. The landing gear may include flight control surfaces and the degree of deployment of the landing gear controls the flight control surfaces. The flight control surfaces may include separately controllable elements. The aircraft may be a flight module of a modular and morphable air vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2017Date of Patent: February 9, 2021Assignee: Piasecki Aircraft CorporationInventor: John W. Piasecki
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Patent number: 10831192Abstract: An automated control system for an aircraft having redundant control effectors is configured to select among multiple combinations of redundant control effector settings to achieve a selected flight condition. The control system is configured to optimize the selected control effector settings for the selected flight condition and is configured to accommodate damage or system failure.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2017Date of Patent: November 10, 2020Assignee: Piasecki Aircraft CorporationInventor: John W. Piasecki
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Patent number: 10641290Abstract: A ducted fan for an aircraft or other vehicle includes aerodynamic features to selectably move the thrust vector of the ducted fan from the axis of rotation of the ducted fan, providing additional and redundant control authority to a control system. The control system may apply the aerodynamic features asymmetrically about the circumference of the duct and may apply the aerodynamic features differentially among a plurality of ducted fans. The aerodynamic features may include a morphing leading edge portion, an air dam, vanes and trailing edge control surfaces.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2017Date of Patent: May 5, 2020Assignee: Piasecki Aircraft CorporationInventors: John W. Piasecki, Frederick W. Piasecki
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Patent number: 10494092Abstract: A personal air vehicle may feature an air module that may be attached to a ground module. The air module may be equipped with exit vanes or vectored engine exhaust to provide redundant control effectors to the cyclic or collective pitch of at least one rotary wing under the control of a control system.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2018Date of Patent: December 3, 2019Assignee: Plasecki Aircraft CorporationInventors: John W. Piasecki, Frederick W. Piasecki, Brian Geiger, Douglas Johnson, David Pitcairn
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Publication number: 20180281944Abstract: A personal air vehicle may feature an air module that may be attached to a ground module. The air module may be equipped with exit vanes or vectored engine exhaust to provide redundant control effectors to the cyclic or collective pitch of at least one rotary wing under the control of a control system.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 14, 2018Publication date: October 4, 2018Applicant: Piasecki Aircraft CorporationInventors: John W. Piasecki, Frederick W. Piasecki, Brian Geiger, Douglas Johnson, David Pitcairn
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Patent number: 9944389Abstract: An air module may be attached to a ground module. The air module may be equipped with a center of gravity effector to change the relative locations and hence the center of gravity of the air and ground modules when the modules are attached. The center of gravity effector may be active or passive or a combination of active and passive. The center of gravity effector may be combined with a center of lift effector to change the relative locations of the center of gravity and center of lift.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2017Date of Patent: April 17, 2018Assignee: Piasecki Aircraft CorporationInventors: John W. Piasecki, Frederick W. Piasecki, Brian Geiger, Douglas Johnson, David Pitcairn
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Publication number: 20170210469Abstract: An air module may be attached to a ground module. The air module may be equipped with a center of gravity effector to change the relative locations and hence the center of gravity of the air and ground modules when the modules are attached. The center of gravity effector may be active or passive or a combination of active and passive. The center of gravity effector may be combined with a center of lift effector to change the relative locations of the center of gravity and center of lift.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 31, 2017Publication date: July 27, 2017Applicant: Piasecki Aircraft CorporationInventors: John W. Piasecki, Frederick W. Piasecki, Brian Geiger, Douglas Johnson, David Pitcairn
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Publication number: 20170096221Abstract: An unmanned air module includes one or more rotors, engines, a transmission and avionics. Any of several different ground modules may be attached to the air module. The air module may fly with and without the ground module attached. The ground module may be manned. The air module may have two rotors, which may be ducted fans. The air module may include a parachute, an airbag and landing gear.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 8, 2016Publication date: April 6, 2017Applicant: Piasecki Aircraft CorporationInventors: John W. Piasecki, Frederick W. Piasecki, Brian Geiger, Douglas Johnson, David Pitcairn
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Patent number: 9610817Abstract: An unmanned air module includes one or more rotors, engines, a transmission and avionics. Any of several different ground modules may be attached to the air module. The air module may fly with and without the ground module attached. The ground module may be manned. The air module may have two rotors, which may be ducted fans. The air module may include a parachute, an airbag and landing gear.Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 2016Date of Patent: April 4, 2017Inventors: John W. Piasecki, Frederick W. Piasecki, Brian Geiger, Douglas Johnson, David Pitcairn
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Patent number: 9393847Abstract: An unmanned air module includes one or more rotors, engines, a transmission and avionics. Any of several different ground modules may be attached to the air module. The air module may fly with and without the ground module attached. The ground module may be a vehicle ground module and may be manned. The vehicle ground module may transport the attached air module across the ground. The air module may have two rotors, which may be ducted fans.Type: GrantFiled: April 13, 2015Date of Patent: July 19, 2016Inventors: John W. Piasecki, Frederick W. Piasecki, Brian Geiger, Douglas Johnson, David Pitcairn
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Publication number: 20150217613Abstract: An unmanned air module includes one or more rotors, engines, a transmission and avionics. Any of several different ground modules may be attached to the air module. The air module may fly with and without the ground module attached. The ground module may be a vehicle ground module and may be manned. The vehicle ground module may transport the attached air module across the ground. The air module may have two rotors, which may be ducted fans.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 13, 2015Publication date: August 6, 2015Inventors: John W. Piasecki, Frederick W. Piasecki, Brian Geiger, Douglas Johnson, David Pitcairn
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Patent number: 9045226Abstract: An unmanned air module includes one or more rotors, engines, a transmission and avionics. Any of several different ground modules may be attached to the air module. The air module may fly with and without the ground module attached. The ground module may be a vehicle ground module and may be manned. The vehicle ground module may transport the attached air module across the ground. The air module may have two rotors, which may be ducted fans, and three different configurations: a tandem rotor configuration, a side-by-side configuration, and a tilted-rotor configuration.Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 2011Date of Patent: June 2, 2015Assignee: Piasecki Aircraft CorporationInventors: John W. Piasecki, Frederick W. Piasecki, Brian Geiger, Douglas Johnson, David Pitcairn
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Publication number: 20110315806Abstract: An unmanned air module includes one or more rotors, engines, a transmission and avionics. Any of several different ground modules may be attached to the air module. The air module may fly with and without the ground module attached. The ground module may be a vehicle ground module and may be manned. The vehicle ground module may transport the attached air module across the ground. The air module may have two rotors, which may be ducted fans, and three different configurations: a tandem rotor configuration, a side-by-side configuration, and a tilted-rotor configuration.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 16, 2011Publication date: December 29, 2011Inventors: John W. Piasecki, Frederick W. Piasecki, Brian Geiger, Douglas Johnson, David Pitcairn