Patents Assigned to Airbus Defence and Space
  • Aircraft wing with an adaptive shock control bump
    Patent number: 10427779
    Abstract: An aircraft wing has an upper surface element and a first actuator powered mechanism for varying the shape of the surface element which includes: an upstream segment SEG1, a downstream segment SEG2, an interconnecting segment SEG3 interconnecting a downstream edge of SEG1 with an upstream edge of SEG2, wherein the interconnecting segment SEG3 extends along the whole or at least a major part of the downstream edge of SEG1 and the whole or at least a major part of the upstream edge of SEG2, and a link element LNK interconnecting an upstream edge of SEG1 with an upper surface of the aircraft wing, and the first mechanism interconnecting a contact C1 on a lower side of the upper surface element with a contact C2 on an inner structure of the airfoil. The first mechanism controls the shape of the upper surface element by controlling the distance between C1 and C2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignees: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH, Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventors: Heinz Hansen, Johannes Kirn, Wolfgang Machunze, Christian Metzner, Markus J. Weber
  • Fiber placement and production method
    Patent number: 10427332
    Abstract: A fiber application tool for a fiber placement and production method has a fiber contact surface area, which has a fiber contact surface for applying and/or pressing the fibers onto a work surface. The tool further includes an activation device for activating an adhesive, matrix, resin, or binder material provided at the fibers by means of an activation radiation so that the fibers are tacked onto the work surface. The fiber contact surface area for the activation radiation may be transparent and that the activation device may be designed so to guide and/or deliver the activation radiation through the transparent fiber contact surface area to the fibers to be pressed by the fiber contact surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH
    Inventor: Franz Engel
  • VEHICLE WHEEL ASSEMBLY
    Publication number: 20190290514
    Abstract: A disclosed vehicle wheel assembly includes a plurality of wheels, a plurality of rotary drive modules each having a respective rotation axis, and a plurality of rotatable arms, wherein each arm is arranged to extend radially from a rotation axis of a respective rotary drive module to couple the respective rotary drive module to a respective wheel. Each rotary drive module is operable to drive rotation of a respective rotatable arm about the rotation axis of the drive module, to thereby rotate a respective wheel about the rotation axis. A control module can sense stepped terrain, and control each rotary drive module to enable a vehicle to travel over the stepped terrain.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2017
    Publication date: September 26, 2019
    Applicant: Airbus Defence and Space Limited
    Inventors: Martin GARLAND, Daisy LACHAT, Jo REMION, David LINES
  • A Method For The Surface Finishing Of Metals And Alloys
    Publication number: 20190292681
    Abstract: An electrolyte (EL) for the electrolytic polishing of a metallic substrate includes at least one fluoride compound (F) and/or one chloride compound (Cl), and at least one complexing agent (CA), wherein the electrolyte (EL) does not contain an acid compound that is not a complexing agent. Furthermore, a process for the electrolytic polishing of a metallic substrate wherein the electrolyte (EL) is applied is described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2017
    Publication date: September 26, 2019
    Applicant: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH
    Inventors: Sarah Bagehorn, Tobias Mertens, Banry Thibaud
  • Microelectronic module for altering the electromagnetic signature of a surface, module array and method for altering the electromagnetic signature of a surface
    Patent number: 10426021
    Abstract: A microelectronic module for altering the electromagnetic signature of a surface. The microelectronic module includes at least one voltage converter for converting a first voltage provided into a higher, lower or identical second voltage. Furthermore, the microelectronic module includes at least one actuator. The actuator includes at least one generator for generating an electrical plasma from the second voltage provided by the voltage converter. At least the voltage converter and the actuator are arranged on a thin-layered planar substrate. The electrical plasma generated by the actuator interacts with an electromagnetic radiation impinging on the surface, as a result of which the electromagnetic signature is altered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH
    Inventors: Ralf Caspari, Robert Weichwald, Emanuel Ermann, Christian Karch
  • Structural component with a riblet surface
    Patent number: 10422363
    Abstract: A structural component for a vehicle has a surface with a riblet structure. The riblet structure includes a plurality of grooves, including a first groove having a first longitudinal section forming a first angle with a main longitudinal direction of the structural component. The first angle is larger than 0° and the main longitudinal direction corresponds to a flow direction of a fluid along the surface of the structural component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH
    Inventors: Ante Kurtovic, Blanka Lenczowski, Juergen Steinwandel
  • Sandwich component and method for producing a sandwich component
    Patent number: 10414116
    Abstract: A sandwich component has a first cover layer, a second cover layer, and a core disposed therebetween. In the sandwich component, the cover layers are each formed from an outer layer made of a fiber-reinforced thermoplast material having greater resistance to a certain solvent and, fused therewith, an inner layer made of a thermoplast material having lower resistance to the solvent. The core has outer layers, each of which is formed from a thermoplast material having lower resistance to the solvent, and an inner structure, which is formed entirely or partially from a thermoplast material having greater resistance to the solvent. The inner layers of the cover layers were each fused with one of the outer layers of the core with the use of the solvent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH
    Inventors: Jonas Gruenewald, Patricia Parlevliet, Thomas Meer
  • Selection unit to select or control different states or functions of an aircraft system
    Patent number: 10416793
    Abstract: Provided is a selection unit for selecting different states or functions of an aircraft system, including: a manually operable selection element, the selection element including a first display indicating the actual selection state of the selection element, with each selection state of the selection element representing a different state or function of the aircraft system, wherein the selection element is additionally designed and configured for a dynamic electronic selection of the actual selection state based on an external signal input, and a second display co-located with the selection element, the second display visualizing the actual state of the aircraft system depending on the actual selection state of the selection element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH
    Inventors: Daniel Dreyer, Matthias Oberhauser
  • Laying unit and method for producing a fibre composite component
    Patent number: 10399288
    Abstract: A laying unit for producing a fiber composite component is provided. The laying unit includes a housing and a plurality of fiber coils which are designed so as to be able to be unwound during a movement of the laying unit, wherein the fiber coils are provided in a movably mounted manner inside the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH
    Inventors: Franz Engel, Christian Weimer, Tilman Orth
  • Sandwich component and method for producing a sandwich component
    Patent number: 10399299
    Abstract: A sandwich component and method of producing the sandwich component are provided wherein the sandwich component has a first cover layer, a second cover layer, and a core disposed therebetween. In the sandwich component, the cover layers are each formed from an outer layer made of a fiber-reinforced high-melting-point thermoplast material and, fused therewith, an inner layer made of a low-melting-point thermoplast material. The core has outer layers, each of which is formed from a low-melting-point thermoplast material, and an inner structure, which is formed entirely or partially from a high-melting-point thermoplast material. The inner layers of the cover layers were each fused with one of the outer layers of the core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH
    Inventors: Jonas Gruenewald, Patricia Parlevliet
  • New Materials For Solar Cell Connectors
    Publication number: 20190267504
    Abstract: A method for producing a metal foil composed of an aluminium-magnesium alloy which includes scandium and zirconium, and also the metal foil produced accordingly are described. With such a foil it is possible, for example, to produce connectors for solar cells, which may be employed in particular in aerospace, for example in satellites.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2019
    Publication date: August 29, 2019
    Applicant: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Geiger, Stephan Reichelt, Blanka Lenczowski, Claus Zimmermann, Christel Noemayr, Wiebke Steins
  • Device and method for determining the attitude of a satellite, and satellite carrying such a device
    Patent number: 10393546
    Abstract: A device for determining the attitude or variation in attitude of a satellite fitted with an attitude control system comprising at least one inertial actuator. The inertial actuator comprises a rotary element mounted to rotate about an axis of rotation. The rotation of the rotary element is controlled to generate a torque to control controlling the attitude of the satellite. The angular sensor of the device measures the angular rotation of the rotary element about its axis of rotation. The computation unit determines the attitude or variation in attitude of the satellite induced by the rotation of the rotary element as a function of the measurements of angular rotation of the rotary element by the angular sensor. A satellite carrying such a device and a method for determining the attitude or variation in attitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Airbus Defence And Space SAS
    Inventors: Kristen Lagadec, Anais Ardan
  • Aircraft navigation system and method for aircraft navigation
    Patent number: 10393541
    Abstract: An aircraft navigation system and a method for aircraft navigation is presented. The aircraft navigation system has a navigation-map data source, navigation-map data provided by the navigation-map data source including information about a multitude of objects O on earth surface which are of high potential visibility and high potential identifiability from elevated positions, each information for an object O?O including a position and a type of the respective object O; a first system for measuring an actual aircraft position P(t); a waypoint data source providing waypoints WPi defining an aircraft intended flight track; a second system for selecting per waypoint WPi one object Oi(WPi) with Oi(WPi)?O depending on given selection criteria; and a display for displaying an information I(Oi(WPi) referring the selected object Oi(WPi).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH
    Inventors: Olaf Heinzinger, Matthias Oberhauser, Sèbastien Mamessier, Rafael Fernandes De Oliveira, Daniel Dreyer
  • Aircraft Having A Warning Device
    Publication number: 20190241280
    Abstract: An aircraft having a warning device for generating a whistling sound has a fuselage and a warning device. The warning device has a sound-generating element which is designed to generate a whistling sound if the aircraft is in an uncontrolled dive in the direction of the surface of the earth and there is a flow of fluid against the sound-generating element. The warning device is at least partially arranged on the fuselage of the aircraft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2019
    Publication date: August 8, 2019
    Applicant: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH
    Inventors: Marc Dominik Mayer, Bastian Schäfer
  • Drive System For An Aircraft And Method For Supplying Drive Power For An Aircraft
    Publication number: 20190241274
    Abstract: A drive system for an aircraft has a first energy store for supplying electrical energy, a second energy store for supplying electrical energy, and an electric drive for supplying drive power for the aircraft. An energy distribution unit of the drive system is designed to transmit the supplied electrical energy of the first energy store and the supplied electrical energy of the second energy store to the electric drive. The energy distribution unit is also designed to charge the second energy store using a first portion of the energy supplied by the first energy store and at the same time to transmit a second portion of the energy supplied by the first energy store to the electric drive, in order to supply the drive power for the aircraft. An aircraft having a drive system and a method for supplying drive power for an aircraft are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2019
    Publication date: August 8, 2019
    Applicant: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH
    Inventor: Peter Hunkel
  • Unmanned aircraft and operation method for the same
    Patent number: 10371066
    Abstract: An unmanned aircraft includes a propulsion system having a diesel or kerosene internal combustion engine and a charger device for engine charging. The propulsion system can be a hybrid propulsion system or a parallel hybrid propulsion system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH
    Inventors: Juergen Steinwandel, Florian Stagliano, Jan Van Toor
  • Selection of objects in a three-dimensional virtual scene
    Patent number: 10372288
    Abstract: A representation device for representing and interacting with a three-dimensional virtual scenario includes an input unit and at least one representation region for representing the three-dimensional scenario. A marking element may be moved on a virtual surface area with two translational degrees of freedom such that each virtual object in the three-dimensional virtual scenario may be selected with the marking element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH
    Inventors: Leonhard Vogelmeier, David Wittmann
  • Coupling device, wing assembly for an aircraft comprising such coupling device and aircraft comprising such wing assembly
    Patent number: 10364018
    Abstract: A coupling device for supporting a first wing section against a second wing section of an aircraft, and configured for passive flight load alleviation includes a housing including a chamber including a first portion and a second portion and filled with a fluid, a piston device movably arranged in the chamber and separating the first portion from the second portion in a fluid tight manner, a first fluid pathway connecting the first portion to the second portion, a first pressure relief valve arranged in the first fluid pathway and blocking the first fluid pathway, if the pressure in the second portion is smaller than a first relief pressure and opening the first fluid pathway, if the pressure in the second portion is greater than the first relief pressure. In addition, the coupling device can be used to actuate the second wing section against the first wing section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignees: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH, AIRBUS OPERATIONS LIMITED
    Inventors: Andreas Wildschek, Stefan Storm, Stephen Rolston, Martin Herring
  • Hydrogen peroxide catalyst
    Patent number: 10364151
    Abstract: A catalyst for decomposing high-concentration hydrogen peroxide comprises an active layer on a carrier comprising gamma-phase alumina. The carrier can also comprise aluminum, with the gamma-phase alumina forming a passivating layer on the surface of the aluminum. The active layer can comprise platinum. Apparatus for decomposing hydrogen peroxide can include the catalyst in a decomposition chamber arranged to receive hydrogen peroxide. The apparatus can be used as a thruster, comprising a nozzle arranged to generate thrust by directing exhaust gases in a specific direction. For example, the thruster can be a monopropellant, bipropellant, or hybrid thruster. In other embodiments, the apparatus can be used as a gas generator or a fuel cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space Limited
    Inventors: Jonathan Thomas William Wynn, Anthony Joseph Musker
  • Load Modulation in Signal Transmission
    Publication number: 20190215023
    Abstract: A transmitter for transmitting a signal is provided, in which the transmitter includes a power amplifier and a driver amplifier, an output of the driver amplifier being connected to an input of the power amplifier via a first load modulation device operable to match impedance of the driver amplifier output with impedance of the power amplifier input. A second load modulation device can be connected to the output of the power amplifier and operable to match the impedance of the power amplifier output with input impedance of a further device. Envelope tracking can be applied to the power amplifier and the driving amplifier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2017
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Applicant: Airbus Defence and Space Limited
    Inventor: Ahmed ABOUELENIN