Patents by Inventor Joseph Mathew Schaeffer

Joseph Mathew Schaeffer 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).

  • Governor for a rotor with a variable maximum collective pitch
    Patent number: 7873445
    Abstract: A governor configured to regulate the rotational velocity of one or more rotors of an aircraft by adjusting a collective blade pitch of the one or more rotors. In one embodiment, the governor comprises a control monitor, a maximum pitch module, a rotor module, and a pitch adjustment module. The control monitor is configured to monitor one or more flight control inputs that are controllable by an operator of the aircraft. The maximum pitch module is configured to dynamically determine a maximum collective blade pitch based on the one or more flight control inputs monitored by the control monitor. The rotor module is configured to monitor information related to the rotational velocity of the one or more rotors. The pitch adjustment module is configured to (i) receive information related to the rotational velocity of the one or more rotors from the rotor module and (ii) adjust the collective blade pitch of the one or more rotors to regulate the rotational velocity of the one or more rotors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph Mathew Schaeffer
  • GOVERNOR FOR A ROTOR WITH A VARIABLE MAXIMUM COLLECTIVE PITCH
    Publication number: 20080243313
    Abstract: A governor configured to regulate the rotational velocity of one or more rotors of an aircraft by adjusting a collective blade pitch of the one or more rotors. In one embodiment, the governor comprises a control monitor, a maximum pitch module, a rotor module, and a pitch adjustment module. The control monitor is configured to monitor one or more flight control inputs that are controllable by an operator of the aircraft. The maximum pitch module is configured to dynamically determine a maximum collective blade pitch based on the one or more flight control inputs monitored by the control monitor. The rotor module is configured to monitor information related to the rotational velocity of the one or more rotors. The pitch adjustment module is configured to (i) receive information related to the rotational velocity of the one or more rotors from the rotor module and (ii) adjust the collective blade pitch of the one or more rotors to regulate the rotational velocity of the one or more rotors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2007
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph Mathew Schaeffer