Resiliently Mounted Patents (Class 244/38)
  • Patent number: 11827348
    Abstract: A vertical takeoff and landing aircraft takeoff/land as a multirotor and cruises as an airplane. The aircraft comprises two major parts: a winged carrier frame comprises wings, engines, propellers and landing gears; a tilting fuselage comprises cockpit, cabin and tail. The winged carrier frame is basically an X/H frame multirotor in which its thruster carrying arms are wing shaped. The aircraft can vertical takeoff as a multirotor aircraft after gaining safe altitude and forward airspeed the aircraft changes its flying axis that the wings and the thrust direction parallel to the horizon. The lift generated by the wings and thrust generated by the thrusters that aircraft has basic airplane flying characteristics. The fuselage tilted to keep the crew, passengers and payload relatively parallel to the horizon. The speed is reduced then the winged carrier frame and the tilting fuselage returned to multirotor mode for the landing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Inventor: Gurkan Acikel
  • Patent number: 11427313
    Abstract: This invention relates to a universally attachable hinged wing that pivots and provides lift for multirotor drones while moving in a forward direction of flight, thus reducing power consumption and increasing payload capacity or flight duration time and distance, and provides a visual line of sight (VLOS) aid while hovering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Inventor: Helmuth G. Bachmann
  • Patent number: 11273905
    Abstract: An electric actuator device is provided with: an electric actuator body that has a first fulcrum connected to a rudder surface side of an aircraft and a second fulcrum connected to the aircraft body side, and is driven by an electric motor such that the first fulcrum and the second fulcrum can be brought closer together and drawn further apart; a support member for advancing/retracting between a support position at which the support member supports the first fulcrum or the second fulcrum thereunder, and a retracted position at which the support member is retracted from under the first fulcrum or the second fulcrum; and a retention member for retaining the first fulcrum or the second fulcrum when the support member is located in the retracted position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Masato Miyoshi, Daiki Hatakeyama
  • Patent number: 11046446
    Abstract: An aircraft including a nacelle disposed at a fixed location relative a wing member; a proprotor housing coupled to the nacelle, the proprotor housing configured to selectively rotate between a horizontal orientation and a non-horizontal orientation; a door pivotably coupled to the proprotor housing; and a linkage to connect the door and the nacelle, the linkage configured to move with the door from a closed position when the proprotor housing is in a horizontal orientation to an open position when the proprotor housing is in a non-horizontal orientation. In some embodiments, there can be a hinge member for hingedly coupling the door to the proprotor and/or nacelle. In other embodiments, the door includes a flexure portion. In some embodiments, the nacelle includes a plurality of doors. In other embodiments, proprotor includes a forward portion and a stationary aft portion; wherein the forward portion is configured to selectively pivot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Brent C. Ross, Michael E. Rinehart, Jeffrey M. Williams, Clegg Smith, Nick Pravanh
  • Patent number: 10994853
    Abstract: A door system for a nacelle of a tiltrotor aircraft, the nacelle including a movable proprotor housing rotatable relative to a fixed portion of the nacelle from a forward flight mode to a vertical flight mode and a proprotor gearbox door connected to the movable proprotor housing and pivotably coupled to the fixed portion. The door system including a linkage to pivotably couple the door and the fixed portion of the nacelle; a track assembly mounted to the movable proprotor housing; and a door roller mechanism connected to the proprotor gearbox door. The door roller mechanism traverses the track assembly during rotation of the movable proprotor housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: George R. Decker, Steve Robedeau, Jeffrey M. Williams
  • Patent number: 10556667
    Abstract: An aircraft wing load alleviation device is to be provided to an aircraft having a body, a main wing, and an elongated supporting member with an end fixed to the body and another end fixed to the main wing to support the main wing. The aircraft wing load alleviation device alleviates a load acting on the main wing, and includes a load detector, an actuator, and a controller. The load detector detects the load acting on the main wing. The actuator is provided to the supporting member and applies a load in a longitudinal direction of the supporting member. The controller controls, when the load acting on the main wing is detected, operation of the actuator to make the actuator apply the load to the supporting member in a direction opposite to a direction of a load applied on the supporting member as a result of the detected load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daisuke Hirabayashi, Kousaburou Akiba
  • Patent number: 10329010
    Abstract: An aircraft wing, including a main part and a wing tip mounted mobile in attack relative to the main part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS
    Inventors: Olivier Cazals, Thierry Druot
  • Patent number: 8985504
    Abstract: A system comprising an aerial vehicle or an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) configured to control pitch, roll, and/or yaw via airfoils having resiliently mounted trailing edges opposed by fuselage-house deflecting actuator horns. Embodiments include one or more rudder elements which may be rotatably attached and actuated by an effector member disposed within the fuselage housing and extendible in part to engage the one or more rudder elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Inventors: Tony Shuo Tao, Nathan Olson, Carlos Thomas Miralles, Robert Nickerson Plumb
  • Patent number: 8857756
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a helicopter rotor system has a bearing disposed between the drive train and the rotor blade. The bearing comprises an elastomeric material, a housing member coupled to the elastomeric material, and an anti-rotation member coupled to the housing member opposite the elastomeric material. A bearing mount is coupled to the grip and comprises a first opening configured to receive the anti-rotation member of the bearing. The first opening is defined at least in part by a first surface that receives the anti-rotation member and prevents the anti-rotation member from completing a rotation within the first opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: George Chrestensen, Lawrence M. Corso, Daniel Sottiaux
  • Patent number: 8857765
    Abstract: The present disclosure is generally directed to an aircraft body including a fuselage skin on an outboard member of the aircraft body and a wing box extending through a member of the aircraft body. The wing box being enclosed and capable of being pressurized is fixedly attached at an outer surface to at least one pair of an attachment member and an attachment link member that is fixedly attached to the aircraft body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Grant Brian Thomas, Chun-Liang Lin, Francis E. Andrews, Wendell C. K. Choy
  • Patent number: 8698059
    Abstract: An air vehicle includes a fuselage, and one or more lifting surfaces attached to the fuselage. The lifting surfaces deploy form a stowed, compact condition, to a deployed condition in which the lifting surfaces are deployed to provide lift to the air vehicle. The lifting surfaces each include a top member and a bottom member, which are joined at leading and trailing edges, such as by welds along the seams, or by flexible material placed along the seams. In deploying the thickness of the lifting surfaces increase, with middle portions of the members (portions of the members between the leading and trailing edges) moving away from one another. This may be accompanied by a lessening of the chord of the lifting surface, with the leading edge and the trailing edge moving closer together as the lifting surface deploys.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Jonathan P. Nikkel, Anthony K. Tyree
  • Patent number: 8544789
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments relate to an aircraft equipped with at least one device for attaching a lift member to the fuselage which includes elastic articulations whose rigidity in translation and in rotation can be adjusted axially, vertically, and transversely. An airfoil may be connected to the body of the fuselage by these elastic articulations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS
    Inventor: Guillaume Gallant
  • Patent number: 8356773
    Abstract: A structural wing-fuselage component for connecting two aerofoils to a fuselage section of an aircraft includes: a first wing shell component for the first wing and a second wing shell component for the second wing, with each component being made in a single piece and comprising a shell component on the wing side and a shell component on the fuselage side, where each shell component on the fuselage side comprises coupling parts and recesses in each case situated between the coupling parts, where in the installed state the coupling parts and the recesses of the shell component on the fuselage side for the first wing and of the shell component on the fuselage side for the second wing interlock, and where at least two coupling parts at their ends pointing away from the shell component on the wing side each comprises an extension part, a partially cylindrical fuselage shell component whose supporting rims include recesses which are engaged by the extension parts of the first wing shell components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventor: Claus-Peter Gross
  • Publication number: 20120267473
    Abstract: A system comprising an aerial vehicle or an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) (100,400,1000,1500) configured to control pitch, roll, and/or yaw via airfoils (141,142,1345,1346) having resiliently mounted trailing edges opposed by fuselage-house house deflecting actuator horns (621,622). Embodiments include one or more rudder elements (1045, 1046,1145, 1146,1245, 1345, 1346,1445, 1446,1545, 1546) which may be rotatably attached and actuated by an effector member (1049,1149,1249,1349) disposed within the fuselage housing (1001) and extendible in part to engage the one or more rudder elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2010
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Inventors: Tony Shuo Tao, Nathan Olson, Carlos Thomas Miralles, Robert Nickerson Plumb
  • Patent number: 7887009
    Abstract: Methods and systems for attaching aircraft wings to fuselages are disclosed herein. An aircraft configured in accordance with an embodiment of the invention includes a fuselage and a wing. The wing includes a right wing portion extending outwardly from a right side portion of the fuselage and a left wing portion extending outwardly from a left side portion of the fuselage. In this embodiment, the right wing portion is fixedly attached to the left wing portion by a wing center section extending through at least a portion of the fuselage. The aircraft further includes a first pivotable link structurally attaching the wing center section to the right side portion of the fuselage, and a second pivotable link structurally attaching the wing center section to the left side portion of the fuselage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Robert D. Keeler, Jr., Timothy J. McMahon
  • Publication number: 20100200691
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments relate to an aircraft equipped with at least one device for attaching a lift member to the fuselage which includes elastic articulations whose rigidity in translation and in rotation can be adjusted axially, vertically, and transversely. An airfoil may be connected to the body of the fuselage by these elastic articulations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2008
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Applicant: AIRBUS FRANCE
    Inventor: Guillaume Gallant
  • Patent number: 7770839
    Abstract: The flight machinery includes a structure in which a main body and a lightweight wing having an unvalued weight compared with the main body are connected by use of a power joint on a line joining the center of a lift force and the center of gravity of the wing in the manner that the main body is positioned under the wing. Accordingly, it is possible to exhibit a function of the flight machinery by adjusting the power joint connecting the upper part and the lower part or the wing to the main body even if the wing and the main body have different characteristics. Additionally, it is possible to stabilize a posture by positioning the total center of gravity at the main body at the lower part. At the same time, it is possible to stabilize the posture just by controlling the position of the servomotor of the power joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
    Inventor: Kakuya Iwata
  • Patent number: 7516918
    Abstract: An exemplary morphable ceramic composite structure includes a flexible ceramic composite skin and a truss structure attached to the skin. The truss structure can morph shape of the skin from a first shape to a second shape that is different than the first shape. The flexible ceramic composite skin may include a single-layer of three-dimensional woven fabric fibers and a ceramic matrix composite. The truss structure may include at least one actuatable element or an actuator may move a portion of the truss structure from a first position to a second position. A cooling component may be disposed in thermal communication with the skin. The cooling component may include thermal insulation or a cooling system that circulates cooling fluid in thermal communication with the skin. The morphable ceramic composite structure may be incorporated into any of an air inlet, combustor, exhaust nozzle, or control surfaces of a hypersonic aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Brian N. Cox, Janet B. Davis, Sergio Luis dos Santos e Lucato, David B. Marshall, Brock S. McCabe, Olivier H. Sudre
  • 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
  • Patent number: 6843452
    Abstract: A mobile platform lift increasing system includes at least one wing-shaped structure having a leading edge, a trailing edge and a chord length perpendicularly measurable between the leading and trailing edges. A rotatable control surface is located near a trailing edge undersurface. The control surface length is approximately one to five percent of the chord length. A deployment device is positioned between the wing shaped structure and the control surface. The deployment device operably rotates the control surface through a plurality of positions ranging between an initial position and a fully deployed position. Wing lift is increased at speeds up to approximately transonic speed by continuously rotating the control surface to accommodate variables including mobile platform weight change from fuel usage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: John Charles Vassberg, Robert D. Gregg, III
  • Patent number: 5915650
    Abstract: A wing structure for hang gliders, ultralites, gliders, heavy aircraft, ornithopters and sailsoaring flying boats which has a first wing set that pivots on two axis, and a second wing set that remains substantially immobile relative to the fuselage or keel. The wing pivots on the lateral axis of the fuselage or keel by moving along a slider assembly that allows it to move from a swept position to a more perpendicular position relative to the keel to control the amount of lift. The wing also pivots on the longitudinal axis of the fuselage or keel to control banking. On hang glider versions of the device, optional ducted fan, propeller, or jet propulsion units provide power to maintain flight. An optional bungee launch assembly assists takeoff from relatively flat surfaces. An optional "telepresence" wing controller allows the pilot to control wing motion with minimal physical exertion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1999
    Inventor: Enrique G. Petrovich
  • Patent number: 5863013
    Abstract: An improved VTOL/STOL free wing aircraft providing damping and absorption of shock landing loads upon landing. A pair of resilient struts is provided, projecting forwardly from the trailing edge of either side of the fuselage when the fuselage is tilted. Preferably, the aircraft includes a pair of articulated tail booms, the strut being a portion of the tail boom extending forward from the pivot axis of the tail boom. Landing wheels are disposed on the strut in tandem spaced relationship. The resiliency of the strut causes the strut to act as a leaf spring and thus dampen shock landing loads. Operatively secured to the bottom surface of the fixed wing portions and the forward portion of the landing gear struts is a pair of dashpots for absorbing the shock landing loads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1999
    Assignee: Freewing Aerial Robotics Corporation
    Inventor: Hugh Schmittle
  • Patent number: 5433400
    Abstract: An aircraft comprises a hollow elongated body having a plurality of short wings projecting outwardly form the body in a vertically stacked array. The wings transverse substantially the entire length of the body. Engines with diameters substantially equal to the maximum width of the wings are mounted behind the wings, with at least one engine mounted on either side of the aircraft. Honeycomb structures mounted behind each engine cause the air thrust rearward by the engines to be directed as a smooth laminar flow of air. Air deflectors mounted behind the honeycomb structures deflect the air thrust rearward by the engines. A steering mechanism can orient the deflectors: (i) in a downward direction to provide an upward lifting force on the aircraft, or (ii) in an upward direction to provide a downward force on the aircraft, or (iii) in a port or starboard direction to steer the aircraft. Landing gear is attached to the bottom of the aircraft. Resilient structures are used to absorb shock in case of a crash.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 18, 1995
    Inventors: Tara C. Singhal, Mukunda Singhal
  • Patent number: 5395073
    Abstract: A VTOL/STOL free wing aircraft includes a free wing having wings on opposite sides of a fuselage connected to one another respectively adjacent fixed wing inboard or center root sections fixedly attached to the fuselage for free rotation about a spanwise access. Horizontal and vertical tail surfaces are located at the rear end of a boom assembly rotatably connected to the fuselage. A gearing or screw rod arrangement controlled by the pilot or remote control operator selectively relatively pivots the fuselage in relation to the tail boom assembly to enable the fuselage to assume a tilted or nose up configuration to enable VTOL/STOL flight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 7, 1995
    Assignee: Freewing Aerial Robotics Corporation
    Inventors: Elbert L. Rutan, Hugh J. Schmittle
  • Patent number: 5137228
    Abstract: A controllable lifting rotary wing for an aircraft wherein each rotor blade is of torsionally flexible construction and control may be accomplished by twisting the rotor blades. The root end of each blade is mounted to a central hub by means which allow both beamwise flapping and blade twist. The blade root mounting angle may be either variable or fixed. The blade twists uniformly from this root angle to a variable tip angle. Twist of the rotor blades is accomplished through the mechanism of shear flows. Blade twist angle may be automatically established by a balance of dynamic forces on the blade which cause twist angle to increase as root mounting angle is increased. Alternatively, blade twist angle may be manually controlled also. A unique feature of the torsionally flexible blade is that it is hollow throughout its entire span so it is well suited for ducting gases through the interior of the blade to tip-mounted jet propulsion units if desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1992
    Inventor: Jack F. Vaughen
  • Patent number: 4534526
    Abstract: The fuselage (cabin) (15) of a propeller (45) driven aircraft (10) is isolated from vibration associated with the wake (46) of the propeller by vibration isolators (50, 55 and 110) in the wing and tail surfaces of the aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1982
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1985
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Frederick B. Metzger, Bernard Magliozzi
  • Patent number: 4483498
    Abstract: A flight control surface coupling system which provides a two-element drive coupling between two control surface segments. The first element is a torsion bar that has adequate spring rate to suppress surface flutter yet soft enough to deflect and function as a low load compliance element between sets of drive actuators. The second element is a drive coupling that permits the two surface segments to move freely within its stops. The stops are spaced to allow easy determination of out-of-rig conditions and small enough to provide an effective drive to move one segment through the second segment with a single actuator. Structural fatigue loads are greatly reduced without sacrificing surface positionability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1982
    Date of Patent: November 20, 1984
    Assignee: McDonnell Douglas Corporation
    Inventor: Wilfred E. Boehringer
  • Patent number: 4357777
    Abstract: The specification describes an aerodynamic structure having lift for use on an aerodyne. The structure comprises first and second essentially identical planar sections hingedly connected at their roots to one another at dihedral angles. The sections are moveable in unison to vary the angle between each section and its transverse axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 1978
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1982
    Inventor: Donald A. Kulik
  • Patent number: 4272912
    Abstract: An airplane model essentially comprising an assembly of struts, connecting the wings together and to the fuselage, and an elastic connecting strap for connecting the lower wings to the fuselage, which struts and connecting strap are flexible and resilient enough to allow the wings to pivot inside their plane, under the effect of a shock, and then to return them to their initial position. The invention relates in particular to the toy industry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1979
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1981
    Inventor: Philippe Lapierre