Patents by Inventor Pasquale Spina
Pasquale Spina 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: 10689096Abstract: A cyclic stick for transmitting control commands to blades of a rotorcraft via at least one transmission member, including a grip configured for engagement with a pilot's hand, a control arm and at least one locking mechanism. The control arm has a bottom end configured for connection to the transmission member(s) and for rotational connection to a base support structure, and a top end pivotally connected to the grip. The control arm includes first and second arm portions pivotally connected to each other, the first arm portion defining the bottom end, the second arm portion defining the top end. The locking mechanism(s) selectively prevent a relative pivoting motion between the first and second arm portions and a relative pivoting motion between the second arm portion and the grip. A method of adjusting a position of a grip of a cyclic stick in a rotorcraft cabin is also discussed.Type: GrantFiled: February 26, 2018Date of Patent: June 23, 2020Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.Inventors: Yann Lavallee, Pasquale Spina
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Publication number: 20190263504Abstract: A cyclic stick for transmitting control commands to blades of a rotorcraft via at least one transmission member, including a grip configured for engagement with a pilot's hand, a control arm and at least one locking mechanism. The control arm has a bottom end configured for connection to the transmission member(s) and for rotational connection to a base support structure, and a top end pivotally connected to the grip. The control arm includes first and second arm portions pivotally connected to each other, the first arm portion defining the bottom end, the second arm portion defining the top end. The locking mechanism(s) selectively prevent a relative pivoting motion between the first and second arm portions and a relative pivoting motion between the second arm portion and the grip. A method of adjusting a position of a grip of a cyclic stick in a rotorcraft cabin is also discussed.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 26, 2018Publication date: August 29, 2019Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.Inventors: Yann Lavallee, Pasquale Spina
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Patent number: 9789951Abstract: A pedal system includes a support base; a first lever that is pivotally mounted to the support base; a second lever that is pivotally mounted to the support base; a first pedal coupled to the first lever and configured to be engaged by a foot of a user to rotate the first lever: a second pedal coupled to the second lever and configured to be engaged by a foot of the user to rotate the second lever, and an adjustment assembly configured to adjust a default rotational orientation, about an axis of rotation, of the first and the second lever, the first and the second lever positioned at the default orientation when no external force is applied to the first and the second lever.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2015Date of Patent: October 17, 2017Assignee: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON INC.Inventors: Pasquale Spina, Brad Linton
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Patent number: 9683616Abstract: In some embodiments, a rotorcraft flight control actuator includes a driving member configured to receive mechanical energy from a power source, a driven member, a magnetorheological (MR) fluid disposed between the driving member and the driven member and configured to transmit a variable amount of mechanical energy from the driving member to the driven member, an output member configured to be coupled between the driven member and a flight control device of a rotor system, and a magnetic circuit configured to deliver a magnetic field towards the MR fluid, the magnetic circuit configured to vary the strength of the magnetic field in response to inputs.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2014Date of Patent: June 20, 2017Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.Inventors: Pasquale Spina, Carlos A Fenny, Jean-Sebastian Plante
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Patent number: 9541142Abstract: In some embodiments, a redundant control system includes first and second control systems, having first and second clutches, and a shared clutch system. The shared clutch system may include a shared shaft configured to receive mechanical energy from a shared power source, a first shared clutch corresponding to the first clutch and configured to receive mechanical energy from the shared shaft, and a second shared clutch corresponding to the second clutch and configured to receive mechanical energy from the shared shaft. A first linkage provides mechanical communication between an output of the first clutch, an output of the first shared clutch, and a first output device in mechanical communication with the rotor system. A second linkage provides mechanical communication between an output of the second clutch, an output of the second shared clutch, and a second output device in mechanical communication with the rotor system.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2014Date of Patent: January 10, 2017Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.Inventors: Pasquale Spina, Carlos A Fenny, Jean-Sebastian Plante, Patrick Chouinard, Jean-Philippe Lucking Bigué, Yves St-Amant
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Patent number: 9534644Abstract: In some embodiments, an actuation system includes a plurality of threaded member portions, a plurality of roller nuts, a driving member configured to receive mechanical energy from a power source, a plurality of driven members, and a magnetorheological (MR) fluid disposed between the plurality of driven members and at least one braking surface. An output member may be coupled between the rotor system and either the plurality of threaded member portions or the plurality of roller nuts and configured to translate linearly in response to the threaded member portions advancing or receding within the roller nuts.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2014Date of Patent: January 3, 2017Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.Inventors: Pasquale Spina, Carlos A Fenny, Jean-Sebastian Plante, Marc Denninger
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Patent number: 9400021Abstract: In some embodiments, an actuation system includes a plurality of threaded member portions, a plurality of roller nuts, a driving member configured to receive mechanical energy from a power source, a plurality of driven members, and a magnetorheological (MR) fluid disposed between the plurality of driven members and at least one braking surface. An output member may be coupled between the rotor system and either the plurality of threaded member portions or the plurality of roller nuts and configured to translate linearly in response to the threaded member portions advancing or receding within the roller nuts.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2014Date of Patent: July 26, 2016Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.Inventors: Pasquale Spina, Carlos A Fenny, Jean-Sebastian Plante, Marc Denninger
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Publication number: 20150267762Abstract: In some embodiments, a redundant control system includes first and second control systems, having first and second clutches, and a shared clutch system. The shared clutch system may include a shared shaft configured to receive mechanical energy from a shared power source, a first shared clutch corresponding to the first clutch and configured to receive mechanical energy from the shared shaft, and a second shared clutch corresponding to the second clutch and configured to receive mechanical energy from the shared shaft. A first linkage provides mechanical communication between an output of the first clutch, an output of the first shared clutch, and a first output device in mechanical communication with the rotor system. A second linkage provides mechanical communication between an output of the second clutch, an output of the second shared clutch, and a second output device in mechanical communication with the rotor system.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 10, 2014Publication date: September 24, 2015Applicants: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON INC., Université Laval, Université de SherbrookeInventors: Pasquale Spina, Carlos A Fenny, Jean-Sebastian Plante, Patrick Chouinard, Jean-Philippe Lucking Bigué, Yves St-Amant
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Publication number: 20150246722Abstract: A pedal system includes a support base; a first lever that is pivotally mounted to the support base; a second lever that is pivotally mounted to the support base; a first pedal coupled to the first lever and configured to be engaged by a foot of a user to rotate the first lever; a second pedal coupled to the second lever and configured to be engaged by a foot of the user to rotate the second lever, and an adjustment assembly configured to adjust a default rotational orientation, about an axis of rotation, of the first and the second lever, the first and the second lever positioned at the default orientation when no external force is applied to the first and the second lever.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 28, 2015Publication date: September 3, 2015Inventors: Pasquale SPINA, Brad LINTON
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Publication number: 20150217865Abstract: In some embodiments, an actuation system includes a plurality of threaded member portions, a plurality of roller nuts, a driving member configured to receive mechanical energy from a power source, a plurality of driven members, and a magnetorheological (MR) fluid disposed between the plurality of driven members and at least one braking surface. An output member may be coupled between the rotor system and either the plurality of threaded member portions or the plurality of roller nuts and configured to translate linearly in response to the threaded member portions advancing or receding within the roller nuts.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 10, 2014Publication date: August 6, 2015Applicants: Université de Sherbrooke, BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON INC.Inventors: Pasquale Spina, Carlos A. Fenny, Jean-Sebastian Plante, Marc Denninger
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Publication number: 20150217866Abstract: In some embodiments, a rotorcraft flight control actuator includes a driving member configured to receive mechanical energy from a power source, a driven member, a magnetorheological (MR) fluid disposed between the driving member and the driven member and configured to transmit a variable amount of mechanical energy from the driving member to the driven member, an output member configured to be coupled between the driven member and a flight control device of a rotor system, and a magnetic circuit configured to deliver a magnetic field towards the MR fluid, the magnetic circuit configured to vary the strength of the magnetic field in response to inputs.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 10, 2014Publication date: August 6, 2015Applicants: Universite de Sherbrooke, Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.Inventors: Pasquale Spina, Carlos A. Fenny, Jean-Sebastian Plante
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Patent number: 9069372Abstract: A pedal system including a support base, a first lever including a root portion and a terminal portion formed such that the terminal portion interfaces with the root portion at a bend in the first lever of a first predetermined angle, the root portion of the first lever being pivotally mounted to the support base such that the first lever is rotatable in a first plane of rotation about an axis of rotation at or near the support base, a second lever including a root portion and a terminal portion formed such that the terminal portion interfaces with the root portion at a bend in the second lever of a second predetermined angle, the root portion of the second lever being pivotally mounted to the support base such that the second lever is rotatable in a second plane of rotation about the axis of rotation.Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 2007Date of Patent: June 30, 2015Assignee: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON INC.Inventors: Pasquale Spina, Brad Linton
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Publication number: 20100126298Abstract: A pedal system including a support base, a first lever including a root portion and a terminal portion formed such that the terminal portion interfaces with the root portion at a bend in the first lever of a first predetermined angle, the root portion of the first lever being pivotally mounted to the support base such that the first lever is rotatable in a first plane of rotation about an axis of rotation at or near the support base, a second lever including a root portion and a terminal portion formed such that the terminal portion interfaces with the root portion at a bend in the second lever of a second predetermined angle, the root portion of the second lever being pivotally mounted to the support base such that the second lever is rotatable in a second plane of rotation about the axis of rotation.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 14, 2007Publication date: May 27, 2010Applicant: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON INC.Inventors: Pasquale Spina, Brad Linton