Patents Assigned to Textron
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Patent number: 12107291Abstract: The invention relates to a battery shell, in particular a battery shell of a traction battery, the battery shell being formed from plastics material, the battery shell having a fastening system for fastening a component to the battery shell, the fastening system having a guide rail, an inner profile and a fastening element, the guide rail being integrally or interlockingly connected to the battery shell, the inner profile being guided by the guide rail, the fastening element being designed to establish a connection between the component and the inner profile.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2020Date of Patent: October 1, 2024Assignee: Kautex Textron GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Stefan Lenz, Hartmut Wolf, Andreas Weimer, Georg Enkirch
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Patent number: 12103660Abstract: A table is incorporated into an aircraft staircase design. The table can be deployed when the stairs are stowed inside the aircraft cabin area. The table is upwardly biased such that when it is released from a locking mechanism the table flips up to horizontal.Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 2023Date of Patent: October 1, 2024Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.Inventors: Michael John Seibel, Jamie L. Taber, Sidney Aloysius Mohr
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Patent number: 12103692Abstract: An engine support truss assembly for aircraft includes a mounting plate having a front side and a back side opposite the front side, a truss structure mechanically coupled to the front side of the mounting plate, and a backup structure mechanically coupled to the back side of the mounting plate. The truss structure includes a plurality of structural members each including precipitation-hardened stainless steel. The backup structure is configured to provide mechanical support to the truss structure.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2022Date of Patent: October 1, 2024Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.Inventors: Zachary Richard Matson, Clark Ray Miller, Shawn Durwin Doggett, Jennifer Lynn Graham-Rateliff, Craig James Brownell
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Publication number: 20240317382Abstract: An aircraft is described and includes a fuselage; wings attached to the fuselage; and a torque box within the fuselage, the torque box including a side panel, the side panel comprising a composite laminate material including a plurality of stiffening beads integrated therewith.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 22, 2023Publication date: September 26, 2024Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.Inventors: Charles David Hogue, James Everett Kooiman, Joseph Richard Carpenter, JR., David G. Carlson, Jonathan Alexander Freeman
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Patent number: 12100872Abstract: A fuel-cell system for powering an electrical load, the system having first and second fuel cells, each having a positive node and a negative node. The positive node of the second fuel cell is electrically coupled to the negative node of the first fuel cell, and the positive node of the first fuel cell and the negative node of the second fuel cell are electrically coupled to the electrical load. Each fuel cell is electrically coupled to the electrical load without a power converter.Type: GrantFiled: May 9, 2023Date of Patent: September 24, 2024Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.Inventor: Joseph Dean Rainville
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Patent number: 12094343Abstract: A Bluetooth plus radio frequency identification (RFID) beacon for use vehicle fleet management and geofencing system, wherein the beacon comprises a housing, and a circuit board disposed within the housing. The circuit board comprises a Bluetooth communication circuitry portion containing a unique media access control (MAC) address, and an RFID circuitry portion integrated with the Bluetooth communication circuitry portion such that the RFID circuitry portion is associated with the Bluetooth circuitry MAC address whereby the Bluetooth beacon can be identified, via the MAC address, by an RFID reader communicating with the RFID circuitry portion using the MAC address of the Bluetooth communication circuitry portion.Type: GrantFiled: August 3, 2021Date of Patent: September 17, 2024Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.Inventors: Christopher A. Boehm, Marian-Andrei Bungeanu, Radu Selea, Robert Gabriel Stanciu, Ionut-Gabriel Bungeanu
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Patent number: 12092107Abstract: A pump assembly, comprising a pump and housing having an inlet passage and an outlet passage. The pump includes inlet and outlet ports and opposing first and second drive inputs configured to be rotated together in a pumping direction to operate the pump. The pump can be installed in the housing in a first orientation, in which the first drive input is configured for being rotated by a drive source in a first external direction to operate the pump, and a second orientation, in which the second drive input is configured for being rotated by the drive source in a second external direction opposite of the first external direction to operate the pump. In both the first orientation and the second orientation, the inlet port is in fluid communication with the inlet passage and the outlet port is in fluid communication with the outlet passage.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2021Date of Patent: September 17, 2024Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.Inventors: Ezra Mike Tiprigan, Charles Hubert Speller
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Patent number: 12090708Abstract: Systems and methods are described for applying a self-heating structural adhesive to components of aircraft or other structures. A conductive scrim can be placed in between layers of adhesive for use in joining two components together. Leads can be provided to apply an electrical current to the scrim, which can raise the temperature of the system and cure the adhesives, creating a strong bond with a conductive layer there between.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2021Date of Patent: September 17, 2024Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.Inventors: Philip C. Sears, Samuel L. Bryk, Bradyn C. Crider
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Patent number: 12091098Abstract: A ground support tractor for providing ground support services at an airport has a cab forward configuration and a cab aft configuration. The ground support tractor includes a common chassis having a forward mounting location and an aft mounting location. A seat assembly, a battery system and a plurality of body panels are coupled to the common chassis. In the cab forward configuration of the ground support tractor, the seat assembly is coupled to the forward mounting location, the battery system is coupled to the aft mounting location and the body panels are positioned in a cab forward orientation. In the cab aft configuration of the ground support tractor, the seat assembly is coupled to the aft mounting location, the battery system is coupled to the forward mounting location and the body panels are positioned in a cab aft orientation.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2023Date of Patent: September 17, 2024Assignee: Textron Ground Support Equipment Inc.Inventors: Kevin Michael Ayotte, Micael David Ekstrom, Evan Luke Kellams, Soulaxay Phommavongsa
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Publication number: 20240302345Abstract: A chip agitation system for use on a rotorcraft with an engine and transmission system. The chip agitation system is configured to produce a mass flux of fluid to agitate chip debris towards a chip detection device. The chip agitation system includes a reservoir and valve that can be selectively opened and closed.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 6, 2023Publication date: September 12, 2024Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.Inventors: Colton Gilliland, Nathaniel Bernklau
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Publication number: 20240301918Abstract: An elastomeric bearing has a first end interface, a second end interface, an activation element disposed between the first end interface and the second end interface, and a clutch component disposed between the activation element and the second end interface. A method of operating an elastomeric bearing includes providing a first end interface, providing a second end interface, providing an activation component between the first end interface and the second end interface, providing a clutch component between the activation component and the second end interface, and rotating the first end interface relative to the second interface to cause rotation of the clutch component relative to the second end interface.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 6, 2023Publication date: September 12, 2024Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.Inventors: Kyle Cravener, Andrew Harloff, Andrew Maresh
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Publication number: 20240300641Abstract: A rotorcraft has a rotor blade having a spar comprising an internal space. A weight system is disposed within the spar and the weight system includes a weight tray having an open top, a weight guide rod connected to the weight tray. The weight guide rod extends in a spanwise direction through an interior of the weight tray and a weight is disposed on the weight guide rod and vertically captured by at least one side wall of the weight tray. The weight guide rod is insertable into the weight tray from a location above the weight tray to restrict longitudinal movement of the weight guide rod relative to the weight tray.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 6, 2023Publication date: September 12, 2024Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.Inventors: David Shultz, Bryan Baskin, Jason Owens, Robert Self, Paul Sherrill, Nicholas Allen Torske
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Patent number: 12084196Abstract: In an example, a computing apparatus includes a hardware platform, having a processor and a memory, and instructions encoded within the memory to instruct the processor to receive a peak power demand for a landing maneuver of a VTOL aircraft powered at least partly by a battery, receive flight profile data for a flight profile of the VTOL aircraft, and configuration data for the VTOL aircraft, estimate power consumption of the flight profile in context of the configuration, and estimate a peak power capacity available for the landing maneuver, and provide an error notice if the peak power capacity does not meet the peak power demand.Type: GrantFiled: August 17, 2021Date of Patent: September 10, 2024Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.Inventors: Yue Fan, Michael R. Hull
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Patent number: 12084200Abstract: A ground state determination system for an aircraft includes sensors configured to detect parameters of the aircraft and a flight control system implementing a ground state module. The ground state module includes a ground state monitoring module configured to monitor the parameters and a ground state determination module configured to compare each of the parameters monitored by the ground state monitoring module to a respective parameter threshold to determine whether the aircraft is on a surface.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 2021Date of Patent: September 10, 2024Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.Inventors: Russell C. Peters, Aaron M. Hitchcock, Nathaniel Gordon Lundie
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Patent number: 12084173Abstract: One embodiment is a rotor assembly for an aircraft, the rotor assembly comprising a plurality of rotor blades, wherein at least one of the rotor blades comprises a rotor alignment drag assembly comprising a drag structure on a surface of the at least one of the rotor blades, wherein the drag structure is moveable between a first position in which the drag structure is stowed within the at least one of the rotor blades, and a second position in which the drag structure is extended from the surface of the at least one of the rotor blades; and an actuation mechanism for moving the drag structure from the first position to the second position when a speed of the rotor assembly falls below a first threshold speed.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 2022Date of Patent: September 10, 2024Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.Inventor: Steven R. Schafer
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Patent number: 12084175Abstract: An aircraft includes a fuselage and a wing assembly that is rotatable between a substantially perpendicular orientation relative to the fuselage in flight modes and a substantially parallel orientation relative to the fuselage in a wing stowage mode. The wing assembly includes a wing that is pivotable between forward flight and VTOL orientations by a pivot angle. A distributed thrust array is coupled to the wing that includes outboard and inboard propulsion assemblies, each propulsion assembly having an axis of rotation that has a fixed angle relative to a chord axis of the wing. In a VTOL flight mode, the axis of rotation of each propulsion assembly is substantially vertical and the wing is in the VTOL orientation. In a forward flight mode, the wing is in the forward flight orientation and the axis of rotation of each propulsion assembly is tilted forward from the vertical by the pivot angle.Type: GrantFiled: April 13, 2022Date of Patent: September 10, 2024Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.Inventors: Steven Ray Ivans, Kirk Landon Groninga
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Publication number: 20240294246Abstract: A spindle bearing assembly for a rotor blade, the assembly having a shaft extending from a hub and a housing for coupling the blade to the shaft. A ring is coaxial with the shaft and has a wall with a tapered external surface that narrows toward the outboard direction. The ring can be axially translated adjacent a tapered internal surface of the housing that also narrows toward the outboard direction. A spindle bearing coaxial with the shaft has a central aperture through which the shaft extends, the spindle bearing extending between the wall and the shaft. Threaded fasteners couple the ring to the housing, and rotation of the fasteners in a selected direction causes axial translation of the ring in the outboard direction, the engagement of the tapered surfaces causing the wall to move radially inward for creating an interference fit between the spindle bearing and the wall.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 1, 2023Publication date: September 5, 2024Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.Inventors: Ken Shundo, Ryan Smith, Bryan Baskin, Hassan Mughal
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Patent number: 12077213Abstract: A lightweight vehicle includes a first wheel assembly including a first wheel rotatable about an axis, a second wheel assembly including a second wheel rotatable about the axis, a platform including a chassis and a rear suspension assembly coupling the first wheel assembly and the second wheel assembly to the chassis, a first seat coupled to the chassis, and a second seat coupled to the chassis rearward of the first seat. At least a portion of the chassis has a planar shape. The second seat includes a bottom and a back. The back is positioned rearward of at least a portion of the bottom such that the second seat defines a forward-facing seating. At least a portion of the bottom of the second seat is positioned longitudinally rearward of a plane extending vertically upward from the axis about which the first wheel and the second wheel are rotatable.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2023Date of Patent: September 3, 2024Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.Inventors: Donny Lee Hammond, Jr., Sam Dean Smith, Trevor Douglas Roebuck, Landon Niles Ball
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Patent number: D1043189Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 2021Date of Patent: September 24, 2024Assignee: Textron Aviation Inc.Inventors: Jason Michael Decker, Matthew William Reese, Barry John Ward, Matthew Allen Paul, Wallis Augusta Mead
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Patent number: D1044652Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2023Date of Patent: October 1, 2024Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.Inventors: Frank Joseph Rowe, Jonathan Lynn Headrick, Joshua Lawrence Bell, Matthew R. Harrell
