Patents by Inventor Michael Joseph Allwein
Michael Joseph Allwein 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: 11932379Abstract: A folding trailing arm landing gear assembly having a main fitting configured to couple to a hinge positioned at a proximal end; a swing arm rotatably coupled at a proximal end to a distal end of the main fitting; a shock coupled at a distal end to a distal end of the swing arm; a bellcrank coupled at a distal end to a proximal end of the shock, and coupled at a proximal end to the main fitting; and a wheel coupled to the swing arm.Type: GrantFiled: November 18, 2022Date of Patent: March 19, 2024Assignee: General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.Inventors: Michael Joseph Allwein, Caleb Andrew Bartels, Brian Michel Shamblin, James Edward McMillen
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Publication number: 20240017857Abstract: Embodiments of a recovery and deployment pylon for recovering and launching/relaunching a target aircraft that can include a housing configured to be coupled with an aircraft, a motorized winch, a towline coupled with the winch and configured to be paid out and reeled in using the winch, a fitting coupled with the towline, and a first latching mechanism configured to selectively engage with a first lug of the target aircraft when the target aircraft is in a first position relative to the recovery and deployment pylon. The target aircraft can be in the first position when the target aircraft is within a predetermined proximity of the device.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 11, 2023Publication date: January 18, 2024Inventors: Michael Joseph Allwein, Roy Hultenius, James William Groves, Arthur Siemens, Sebastian Kaser, Elijah Abelovski, Celestino Morales
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Publication number: 20230415891Abstract: Embodiments of a system for recovery of a target aircraft by a host aircraft, the system including a towline having a proximal section configured to be coupled with the host aircraft and a distal section configured to be paid out from the host aircraft, a fitting coupled with the distal section of the towline, wherein the fitting comprises a housing, a global navigation satellite system receiver (e.g., without limitation, a GPS receiver), and a global navigation satellite system antenna. In some embodiments, when paid out from the host aircraft, the towline is configured to be in a substantially vertical orientation.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 15, 2022Publication date: December 28, 2023Inventors: Michael Joseph Allwein, David Childers, Keith Richards, Jesse Stence, Tony Goetz
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Patent number: 11820531Abstract: Features for in-flight recovery of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). A towline may be deployed by a host aircraft in-flight to recover an in-flight target UAV. The towline or portion thereof may be oriented nearly vertical. The towline may have a fitting thereon. A capture mechanism on the target UAV may have one or more deployable flaps that engage with the near vertical towline and fitting. The flaps may stow to secure the target aircraft to the towline and fitting. The host aircraft may then retract the towline to pull in the target UAV to the host aircraft using a hoist system having a winch. A latching system located in a pylon of the host aircraft, which may be under a wing, may have a towline connector that engages with and secures the target UAV. The host aircraft may have multiple hoist systems for deployment and/or recovery of multiple target UAV's.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 2021Date of Patent: November 21, 2023Assignee: General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.Inventors: Michael Joseph Allwein, James William Groves, Kevin David Koller, Ryan Bylard, Roy Hultenius
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Patent number: 11724807Abstract: In-flight recovery of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). A towline may be deployed by a host aircraft in-flight in order to recover a target UAV that is also in-flight. A reel on the host aircraft may pay out the towline having a fitting thereon. A catch on the target UAV may engage with the fitting on the towline, and the reel may then retract the towline to thereby pull in the target UAV to the host aircraft. The target UAV may then securely attach with the host aircraft.Type: GrantFiled: May 12, 2020Date of Patent: August 15, 2023Assignee: General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.Inventors: Kevin David Koller, Michael Joseph Allwein, Roy Hultenius, Armen Assatourian, Russell Temple
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Publication number: 20230150691Abstract: Features for in-flight recovery of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). A towline may be deployed by a host aircraft in-flight to recover an in-flight target UAV. The towline or portion thereof may be oriented nearly vertical. The towline may have a fitting thereon. A capture mechanism on the target UAV may have one or more deployable flaps that engage with the near vertical towline and fitting. The flaps may stow to secure the target aircraft to the towline and fitting. The host aircraft may then retract the towline to pull in the target UAV to the host aircraft using a hoist system having a winch. A latching system located in a pylon of the host aircraft, which may be under a wing, may have a towline connector that engages with and secures the target UAV. The host aircraft may have multiple hoist systems for deployment and/or recovery of multiple target UAV's.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 17, 2021Publication date: May 18, 2023Inventors: Michael Joseph Allwein, James William Groves, Kevin David Koller, Ryan Bylard, Roy Hultenius
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Publication number: 20230150668Abstract: Features for in-flight recovery of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). A towline may be deployed by a host aircraft in-flight to recover an in-flight target UAV. The towline or portion thereof may be oriented nearly vertical. The towline may have a fitting thereon. A capture mechanism on the target UAV may have one or more deployable flaps that engage with the near vertical towline and fitting. The flaps may stow to secure the target aircraft to the towline and fitting. The host aircraft may then retract the towline to pull in the target UAV to the host aircraft using a hoist system having a winch. A latching system located in a pylon of the host aircraft, which may be under a wing, may have a towline connector that engages with and secures the target UAV. The host aircraft may have multiple hoist systems for deployment and/or recovery of multiple target UAV's.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 17, 2021Publication date: May 18, 2023Inventors: Michael Joseph Allwein, Kevin David Koller, Ryan Bylard, Roy Hultenius
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Patent number: 11639223Abstract: Features for in-flight recovery of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). A towline may be deployed by a host aircraft in-flight to recover an in-flight target UAV. The towline or portion thereof may be oriented nearly vertical. The towline may have a fitting thereon. A capture mechanism on the target UAV may have one or more deployable flaps that engage with the near vertical towline and fitting. The flaps may stow to secure the target aircraft to the towline and fitting. The host aircraft may then retract the towline to pull in the target UAV to the host aircraft using a hoist system having a winch. A latching system located in a pylon of the host aircraft, which may be under a wing, may have a towline connector that engages with and secures the target UAV. The host aircraft may have multiple hoist systems for deployment and/or recovery of multiple target UAV's.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 2021Date of Patent: May 2, 2023Assignee: General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.Inventors: Michael Joseph Allwein, Kevin David Koller, Ryan Bylard, Roy Hultenius
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Publication number: 20230088515Abstract: A folding trailing arm landing gear assembly having a main fitting configured to couple to a hinge positioned at a proximal end; a swing arm rotatably coupled at a proximal end to a distal end of the main fitting; a shock coupled at a distal end to a distal end of the swing arm; a bellcrank coupled at a distal end to a proximal end of the shock, and coupled at a proximal end to the main fitting; and a wheel coupled to the swing arm.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 18, 2022Publication date: March 23, 2023Inventors: Michael Joseph Allwein, Caleb Andrew Bartels, Brian Michel Shamblin, James Edward McMillen
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Patent number: 11530031Abstract: A folding trailing arm landing gear assembly having a main fitting configured to couple to a hinge positioned at a proximal end; a swing arm rotatably coupled at a proximal end to a distal end of the main fitting; a shock coupled at a distal end to a distal end of the swing arm; a bellcrank coupled at a distal end to a proximal end of the shock, and coupled at a proximal end to the main fitting; and a wheel coupled to the swing arm.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2021Date of Patent: December 20, 2022Assignee: General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.Inventors: Michael Joseph Allwein, Caleb Andrew Bartels, Brian Michel Shamblin, James Edward McMillen
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Publication number: 20210354825Abstract: Features for in-flight recovery of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). A towline may be deployed by a host aircraft in-flight in order to recover a target UAV that is also in-flight. A reel on the host aircraft may pay out the towline having a fitting thereon. A catch on the target UAV may engage with the fitting on the towline, and the reel may then retract the towline to thereby pull in the target UAV to the host aircraft. The target UAV may then securely attach with the host aircraft.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 12, 2020Publication date: November 18, 2021Inventors: Kevin David Koller, Michael Joseph Allwein
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Publication number: 20210188423Abstract: A folding trailing arm landing gear assembly having a main fitting configured to couple to a hinge positioned at a proximal end; a swing arm rotatably coupled at a proximal end to a distal end of the main fitting; a shock coupled at a distal end to a distal end of the swing arm; a bellcrank coupled at a distal end to a proximal end of the shock, and coupled at a proximal end to the main fitting; and a wheel coupled to the swing arm.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 9, 2021Publication date: June 24, 2021Inventors: Michael Joseph Allwein, Caleb Andrew Bartels, Brian Michel Shamblin, James Edward McMillen
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Patent number: 10967959Abstract: A folding trailing arm landing gear assembly having a main fitting configured to couple to a hinge positioned at a proximal end; a swing arm rotatably coupled at a proximal end to a distal end of the main fitting; a shock coupled at a distal end to a distal end of the swing arm; a bellcrank coupled at a distal end to a proximal end of the shock, and coupled at a proximal end to the main fitting; and a wheel coupled to the swing arm.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2017Date of Patent: April 6, 2021Assignee: General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.Inventors: Michael Joseph Allwein, Caleb Andrew Bartels, Brian Michel Shamblin, James Edward McMillen
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Publication number: 20190077499Abstract: A folding trailing arm landing gear assembly having a main fitting configured to couple to a hinge positioned at a proximal end; a swing arm rotatably coupled at a proximal end to a distal end of the main fitting; a shock coupled at a distal end to a distal end of the swing arm; a bellcrank coupled at a distal end to a proximal end of the shock, and coupled at a proximal end to the main fitting; and a wheel coupled to the swing arm.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 13, 2017Publication date: March 14, 2019Inventors: Michael Joseph Allwein, Caleb Andrew Bartels, Brian Michel Shamblin, James Edward McMillen