Patents Assigned to Textron
  • Patent number: 9783044
    Abstract: The invention relates to a fuel container (1) of thermoplastic plastics material having an upper base (2) and a lower base (3) which are supported against each other by means of at least one column-like support element (4), wherein the support element (4) is connected in a positive-locking manner and/or materially engaging manner to a wall (6) of the upper base on the one hand and to a wall (6) of the lower base on the other hand in such a manner that it can absorb tensile forces and/or pressure forces, wherein the support element (4) is constructed in several pieces and the support element is divided longitudinally and comprises at least two segments (8) which complement each other in cross-section and which form a common support face at the end side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Kautex Textron GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Klaus Gebert, Frank Quant
  • Publication number: 20170284535
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a rotorcraft includes a body, a rotor blade, a drive system that can be operated to rotate the rotor blade, and an emergency valve control unit. The drive system contains a first gearbox assembly, a second gearbox assembly, a first lubrication system that can deliver lubricant to the first gearbox assembly, and a second lubrication system that can deliver lubricant to the second gearbox assembly. The drive system also contains an emergency valve that can be opened to deliver lubricant from the first lubrication system to the second gearbox assembly. The emergency valve control unit can instruct the emergency valve to open.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2016
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventor: Ryan T. Ehinger
  • Patent number: 9777788
    Abstract: The vibration suppression system includes a vibration isolator located in each corner in a four corner pylon mount structural assembly. The combination of four vibration isolators, two being forward of the transmission, and two being aft of the transmission, collectively are effective at isolating main rotor vertical shear, pitch moment, as well as roll moment induced vibrations. Each opposing pair of vibration isolators can efficiently react against the moment oscillations because the moment can be decomposed into two antagonistic vertical oscillations at each vibration isolator. A pylon structure extends between a pair of vibration isolators thereby allowing the vibration isolators to be spaced a away from a vibrating body to provide increased control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Taeoh Lee, David E. Heverly, II, Matthew W. Hendricks, Maurice Griffin, Michael R. Smith
  • Patent number: 9775286
    Abstract: A disk for vertically cutting grass surfaces, the disk includes a center plate mountable to a shaft and a plurality of teeth extending from a circumferential edge of the center plate. Each tooth comprises a base extending from the circumferential edge of the center plate and at least one blade extending from the base at an offset angle. Each blade includes a neck extending from the base at the offset angle, and a tip extending radially outward from the neck relative to a center plane of the center plate such that the tip is offset from the center plane. The tip also extends from the neck at a yaw angle relative to the center plane such that when the disk is rotated about a rotational axis of the shaft a leading edge of the tip rotates in a different rotational plane than a trailing edge of the tip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: Ramya Mahalingam, Robert James Pilon, Jr., James Christopher Fox
  • Patent number: 9776502
    Abstract: The invention relates to a filler neck for an operating-liquid tank (3) for a motor vehicle. The filler neck (1) comprises a mouth-hole neck (11), into which a nozzle can be inserted in order to fill the operating-liquid tank (3). A ventilation path is provided in the filler neck (1), which ventilation path allows a ventilation flow parallel and oppositely to the filling volumetric flow through the mouth-hole neck (11) during filling. The filler neck (1) according to the invention is characterized in that the ventilation path comprises at least one ventilation channel (18) provided in a wall arrangement (14) of the mouth-hole neck (11), which at least one ventilation channel is at least partially surrounded by an outer wall (14a) and an inner wall (14b) of the wall arrangement (14) along the longitudinal extent of the at least one ventilation channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: KAUTEX TEXTRON GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Ibrahim Koukan, Jaroslav Maglovski
  • Patent number: 9776357
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing hollow bodies from thermoplastic material by using an at least three-part blow-molding tool with at least two blow-mold halves (1a, 1b), which define a mold impression, have part-cavities (5a, 5b) and can be displaced toward one another and away from one another in the sense of an opening and closing movement, and also with at least one central tool (2), which is displaceable transversely in relation to the opening and closing movement of the blow-mold halves (1a, 1b), the method comprising the extruding or providing and arranging of at least two molten performs (7) of thermoplastic material in web form between the blow-mold halves (1a, 1b) in an opened receiving position, the bringing to bear of the preforms (7) in the part-cavities (5a, 5b) of the blow-mold halves (1a, 1b) and molding of them into shells (10) using sealing elements which are provided on the central tool and are extended from the central tool for the purpose of sealing off the part-cavities bef
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Kautex Textron GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Matthias Borchert, Carsten Elsasser, Klaus Esser, Cristoph Mehren
  • Patent number: 9771150
    Abstract: A tunable vibration isolator with active tuning elements having a housing, fluid chamber, and at least one tuning port. A piston is resiliently disposed within the housing. A vibration isolation fluid is disposed within the fluid chambers and the tuning ports. The tunable vibration isolator may employ either a solid tuning mass approach or a liquid tuning mass approach. The active vibration elements are preferably solid-state actuators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Michael R. Smith, Frank B. Stamps, Taeoh Lee, David E. Heverly, Jr., Robert J. Pascal
  • Patent number: 9771974
    Abstract: The bearing assembly includes one or more elastomeric members loaded in a precompression by a shim that includes a shape memory alloy. The shape memory alloy is configured to generate the precompression in the elastomeric members upon a temperature change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON INC.
    Inventors: Daniel P. Sottiaux, Frank B. Stamps
  • Patent number: 9771145
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a flight control system includes a pilot control assembly and a flight control computer. The pilot control assembly can receive commands from a pilot. The flight control computer can receive, from the pilot control assembly, a pilot command to change a first flight characteristic, wherein changing the first flight characteristic would result in an expected change to a second flight characteristic. The flight control computer can instruct, in response to the received pilot command, the flight control system to change a first operating condition of the flight control system based on an inherently-coupled relationship between the first flight characteristic and the second flight characteristic. The flight control computer can instruct, in response to the expected change to the second flight characteristic, the flight control system to change a second operating condition of the flight control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Sung K. Kim, Christopher M. Bothwell, Robert Lee Fortenbaugh
  • Patent number: 9772712
    Abstract: Systems, methods and computer-storage media are provided for a touch-screen interface panel (TSIP) of an aircraft. The TSIP may communicate with one or more aircraft systems. In other words, the TSIP is configured to display information of one or more aircraft systems. For example, the TSIP may receive a request for weather information. In response, the TSIP receives weather information from a weather system and displays it via the TSIP screen. In another example, the TSIP may display warnings or alerts that are detected by an aircraft warning system, maintenance system, or the like. Furthermore, information that may have typically been looked up physically or called in to a tower may now be provided via the TSIP by the interfacing of the TSIP with the systems maintaining the information. For example, a charts database may communicate with the TSIP and the information thereof displayed via the TSIP.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: Textron Innovations, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeremy Joseph Kneuper, Christopher Adair Pinkerton
  • Patent number: 9764830
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method of adjusting an aircraft pedal assembly includes providing a pedal linkage coupled between a pedal and an attachment assembly situated proximate to an aircraft instrument panel. A brake cylinder is provided coupled between the pedal and the attachment assembly. The pedal linkage is rotated in response to an adjustment input. The pedal linkage is maintained approximately parallel to the brake cylinder during rotation of the pedal linkage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Travis L. Yates, Bradley D. Linton
  • Patent number: 9765825
    Abstract: A damper for a rotor hub for a rotorcraft can include a housing, a piston resiliently coupled to the housing with a first elastomeric member and a second elastomeric member, a plurality of conical members, a fluid, and an orifice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Frank B. Stamps, Daniel P. Sottiaux
  • Patent number: 9764508
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing hollow bodies from thermoplastic material and to an apparatus for carrying out the method. The method comprises the molding of at least two sheet-like preforms in web form of thermoplastic material into two complementary shells in a multi-part tool, which in a closed position forms a mold impression, and the joining together of the shells to form an essentially closed hollow body, the preforms being brought between the parts of the tool in an opened receiving position of the parts of the tool and the preforms being placed into the part-cavities by applying differential pressure and being at least partially molded in them into shells. The shells are joined together to form an essentially closed hollow body by closing the tool to form a closed mold impression. The method is distinguished by the fact that the preforms are molded in the part-cavities while the parts of the tool are located in the opened receiving position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Kautex Textron GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Matthias Franke-Maintz
  • Patent number: 9764831
    Abstract: A rotary system including a grip having an opening forming a first bridge for receiving a centrifugal force bearing that faces inwardly towards the rotor mast. A rotor blade couples to the grip and a pitch horn positioned outside the opening pitches the rotor blade during flight. A bearing assembly attaches the first bridge to the yoke and controls blade forces exerted against the hub assembly during flight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Chad Lewis Jarrett, Frank Bradley Stamps, Glenn Shimek
  • Patent number: 9765641
    Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure, a system includes a first housing, a second housing, a seal, and a spring system. The first housing includes a first volume of fluid. The first housing is capable of connecting to a first element and to a second element, and is also capable of reducing an amount of movement transferred from the first element to the second element. The second housing is connected to the first housing. The second housing includes a second volume of fluid and a volume of gas. The first volume of fluid is in fluid communication with the second volume of fluid. The seal is capable of separating the second volume of fluid from the volume of gas. The spring system is capable of applying pressure to the first volume of fluid and the second volume of fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Michael R. Smith, Frank B. Stamps, Maurice D. Griffin
  • Patent number: 9764832
    Abstract: A rotor blade system includes a hub assembly pivotally attached to a rotor blade, a mast attached to the hub assembly, and a swashplate engaged with the mast, the swashplate includes a non-rotating ring and a rotating ring. The method to raise the swashplate includes using an anti-drive link system pivotally engaged with a transmission top case and pivotally engaged with the non-rotating ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Jason L. Hoyle, Frank B. Stamps
  • Publication number: 20170259904
    Abstract: An airframe assembly for an aircraft. The airframe assembly includes a first airframe member having a first skin, a second skin, a large cell core joined between the first and second skins and a solid insert having a side surface. The solid insert is joined between the first and second skins such that at least a portion of the side surface is adjacent to the large cell core. The first skin has a first surface disposed opposite the solid insert. The airframe assembly also includes a second airframe member having a second surface. An adhesive joint is disposed between the first and second surfaces structurally bonding the first airframe member to the second airframe member such that the second airframe member is positioned opposite the solid insert.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2017
    Publication date: September 14, 2017
    Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: James Everett Kooiman, George Ryan Decker, Keith Alan Stanney, Robert Mark Chris
  • Publication number: 20170259905
    Abstract: An airframe assembly for an aircraft includes a first airframe member having first and second skins with a large cell core and a solid insert joined therebetween. The solid insert has a side surface at least a portion of which is adjacent to the large cell core. The first airframe member has a first set of openings extending through the first skin, the solid insert and the second skin. The airframe assembly also includes a second airframe member having a second set of openings operable to be aligned with the first set of openings of the first airframe member. Each of a plurality of fasteners extends through one of the openings of the first set of openings and one of the openings of the second set of openings securably coupling the first airframe member to the second airframe member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2017
    Publication date: September 14, 2017
    Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: James Everett Kooiman, George Ryan Decker, Keith Alan Stanney, Robert Mark Chris
  • Patent number: D798794
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON INC.
    Inventors: Carlos Alexander Fenny, Rohn Lee Olson, Andrew James Zahasky
  • Patent number: D798795
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON INC.
    Inventors: Carlos Alexander Fenny, Rohn Lee Olson, Andrew James Zahasky