Patents Assigned to Textron
  • Variable lower limit collective governor to improve recovery
    Patent number: 9352831
    Abstract: A flight control system uses a governor configured to regulate the speed of a rotor in the aircraft through collective pitch control of a rotor blade, and a limiter configured to selectively remove the threshold limit of the governor when the collective pitch control exceeds a threshold limit, so as to permit a pilot full command of the collective above the threshold limit. The threshold limit is selectively removed and phased back in to provide temporary pilot control to “cushion” landing of an aircraft when an engine has failed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph M. Schaeffer
  • Takeoff/landing touchdown protection management system
    Patent number: 9354635
    Abstract: An air/ground contact logic management system for use with fly-by-wire control systems in an aircraft. The system includes a first sensor configured to provide an output signal to determine when the aircraft is in a transition region. A logic management system is in communication with the first sensor and is configured to receive and process the output signal and classify a mode of the aircraft. A controller receives signal data from the logic management system and communicates with a control axis actuator to regulate a level of control authority provided to a pilot. The control authority is individually regulated within each integrator as a result of the individual landing gear states.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventor: Shyhpyng Jack Shue
  • Aircraft rotor with discrete flap hinge
    Patent number: 9352830
    Abstract: An aircraft rotor assembly has upper and lower hub plates adapted to be mounted to a central rotor mast for rotation therewith. A plurality of radial arms is connected to at least two flap bearings mounted between the hub plates and forming a discrete flap hinge, each flap hinge defining a flap axis and allowing rotation of the associated arm relative to the hub plates and about the corresponding flap axis. Each of a plurality of blade grips is rotatably connected to one of the arms for rotation about a pitch axis and adapted for mounting of a blade to each blade grip, such that each blade is capable of rotation with the grip about the pitch axis and capable of rotation together with the corresponding arm relative to the hub plates and about the corresponding flap axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: Frank B. Stamps, David A. Popelka, Tom Donovan, Patrick R. Tisdale, Richard E. Rauber
  • Rotor blade erosion protection system
    Patent number: 9353633
    Abstract: The present application includes a rotor blade having an erosion protective coating, the coating being a cermet material configured to protect against erosion during the operation of the rotor blade. Further, the present application includes a method of selectively applying the erosion protective coating, a method of selectively repairing/reapplying the erosion protective coating, and a process of developing an erosion surface model map of an optimized erosion protective coating pattern and thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffrey P. Nissen
  • System and method for developing fault diagnostics and failure prognosis of spline wear in a drive system
    Patent number: 9354036
    Abstract: A diagnosis system and method to detect wear between a first set of teeth of a first gear and a second set of teeth of a second intermeshing gear, the diagnosis system having a first target associated with the first set of teeth, a second target associated with the second set of teeth, a first sensor adapted to detect the location of the first target, a second sensor adapted to detect the location of the second target, and a processing system in data communication with the first sensor and the second sensor, the processing system being adapted to process a spatial relationship between the first target relative to the second target after a time lapse of rotation between the first set of teeth and the second set of teeth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: Walter Riley, Keith Hale, Charles Eric Covington
  • Elastomeric damper with heater
    Patent number: 9353820
    Abstract: A damper system includes a damper and a heater operably associated with the damper. The method includes heating the damper with heat energy from the heater and then monitoring and regulating the heat energy to the damper with a sensor and control subsystem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Emily Schofield, Dan Sottiaux, Frank B. Stamps
  • Method for producing hollow bodies from thermoplastic material and device for carrying out the method
    Patent number: 9352506
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing hollow bodies from thermoplastic material, comprising the molding of at least two sheet-like, web-shaped preforms of plasticated thermoplastic material in a multi-part tool forming a cavity to form two complementary shells, and also the joining together of the shells to form a substantially closed hollow body, wherein the preforms are brought between open parts of the tool which each have part-cavities, the parts of the tool are then closed against a tool separator arranged between the preforms, and the preforms are inserted into the part-cavities with the use of differential pressure and molded. In a subsequent separate method step, the tools are reopened and internal components of the hollow body to be produced are fastened to the shells. Finally, the shells are joined together by reclosing the tools to form a closed hollow body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: Kautex Textron GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Matthias Borchert, Carsten Elsasser, Christoph Mehren
  • Measurement of coupling misalignment of a driveshaft
    Patent number: 9346561
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a system for measuring coupling misalignment of a rotorcraft drive shaft includes a reference device and a sensor. The sensor is configured to receive a signal from the reference device indicative of a distance between the reference device and the sensor. The reference device and the sensor are configured to be disposed on opposite sides of a flexible coupling coupled to the drive shaft and disposed between the engine and the pylon. The flexible coupling is configured to rotate with the drive shaft and comprises a flexure portion configured to flex in response to a difference in alignment between the engine and the pylon. A misalignment measurement system may be configured to generate a misalignment value in response to the signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew VanBuskirk, Michael Seifert
  • Utility vehicle with parallel operated internal combustion engine and electric motor drivetrains
    Patent number: 9346459
    Abstract: A utility vehicle includes a first axle, a second axle, an electric motor, an internal combustion engine, and a torque transfer device. The first axle is coupled to first and second wheels. The second axle is coupled to third and fourth wheels. The electric motor drives the first axle in a first direction and a second direction at different times. The internal combustion engine drives a transmission output shaft in one direction. The torque transfer device selectively drives the second axle in the first direction in response to rotation of the transmission output shaft in the one direction. The torque transfer device also selectively drives the second axle in the second direction in response to rotation of the transmission output shaft in the one direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Trenton Munsell, Christopher K. Furman, Patrick Warden, Bradley Skaggs, John Chatfield
  • Apparatus for joining members and assembly thereof
    Patent number: 9347473
    Abstract: An apparatus for joining a first member and a second member includes fasteners for joining the first member and the second member, a shear transfer layer for transferring shear loads between the first member and the second member separate from the fasteners for joining the first member and the second member. An assembly includes a first member, a second member, and fasteners for joining the first member and the second member. The assembly further includes a shear transfer layer for transferring shear loads between the first member and the second member separate from the fasteners for joining the first member and the second.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: James D. Hethcock, Rodney H. Jones, Carl A. May
  • Rotorcraft bearing with rotation slip joint
    Patent number: 9347487
    Abstract: On example of a rotorcraft bearing system includes a bearing housing attached to an elastomeric bearing on a longitudinal axis, an end surface of the elastomeric bearing attached to an end surface of the bearing housing. The rotorcraft bearing system also includes a sliding contact bearing having an end surface. The rotorcraft bearing system also includes an intermediate sliding contact bearing material layer. Under load on the longitudinal axis, the end surface of the sliding contact bearing is configured to contact an opposing end surface of the bearing housing through the intermediate sliding contact bearing material layer to form a rotational slip joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Adam Anderson, Frank Bradley Stamps
  • Aircraft troubleshooting network
    Patent number: 9346562
    Abstract: A global network is described for accessing aircraft remotely via a wide area network. Aircraft flight and operational data stored on the aircraft may be directly accessed via remote workstation or downloaded by centralized automatic processes for later analysis and diagnosis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: TEXTRON INNOVATIONS, INC.
    Inventor: Adam Blake Wolfe
  • Flight control system
    Patent number: 9340278
    Abstract: A system and method for a controlling an aircraft with flight control surfaces that are controlled both manually and by a computing device is disclosed. The present invention improves overall flight control operation by reducing the mechanical flight control surface components while providing sufficient back-up control capability in the event of either a mechanical or power-related failure. Through the present invention, natural feedback is provided to the operator from the mechanical flight control surface which operates independent of computer-aided flight control surfaces. Further, through the present invention, force input signals received from the pilot are filtered to improve the operation of the computer-aided flight control surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Textron Innovations, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven G. Hagerott, James L. Hammer, Phillippe A. Ciholas, Mark W. Palmer
  • Bearing raceway heat distribution using heat pipes
    Patent number: 9341217
    Abstract: A system and method to cool a bearing. The system includes a heat pipe extending through a thickness of an inner ring of the bearing from a first surface to an opposing second surface and a cooling lubricant in fluid communication with the first surface. The method includes exposing the first surface of the roller bearing to lubricant and transferring heat energy through the heat pipes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth Myron Jackson, Monte Alan McGlaun
  • Fluid transfer chamber for aircraft fluid transmission lines
    Patent number: 9340279
    Abstract: One example of an aircraft fuel transfer chamber includes a chamber housing including a first sub-chamber defining a first inlet to be connected to an outer tube of a first aircraft fuel line assembly. The first sub-chamber receives fuel leaked into the outer tube of the first aircraft fuel line assembly from an inner tube of the first aircraft fuel line assembly. The chamber housing also includes a second sub-chamber connected to the first sub-chamber, the second sub-chamber defining a second inlet to be connected to an outer tube of a second aircraft fuel line assembly. The second sub-chamber receives fuel leaked into the outer tube of the second aircraft fuel line assembly from an inner tube of the second aircraft fuel line assembly. The chamber housing defines an outlet connected to the first inlet and the second inlet to transfer leaked fuel toward a drain of the aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph Leachman
  • Window assembly installation
    Patent number: 9340275
    Abstract: A system and method for installing a window panel onto an aircraft including providing a retaining device having an outside edge that is sealed against an inboard surface of the aircraft. A biasing member mounted to an inside edge of the retaining device includes spring clips that press against the window panel. The spring clips push the window panel outward against the outside edge of the retaining device to maintain a seal around the edge of the window panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: TEXTRON INNOVATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Daniel Jonathan Lyon, Joe Garland Skerbetz
  • Method of Developing Flight Infrastructure in Conjunction with a Sale of an Aircraft
    Publication number: 20160131765
    Abstract: A method for providing WAAS infrastructure in conjunction with the sale of a WAAS enabled aircraft includes developing a sales package for a customer. The price of the sales package preferably includes a WAAS enabled aircraft and a WAAS infrastructure. The method further includes assembling a WAAS enabled aircraft and developing the WAAS infrastructure using a computer. The method also includes providing the customer with the WAAS enabled aircraft and the WAAS infrastructure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2015
    Publication date: May 12, 2016
    Applicant: TEXTRON INNOVATIONS INC.
    Inventors: William W. Fulton, Nicholas D. Lappos
  • WINDOW MOUNTED RAFT SYSTEM
    Publication number: 20160130007
    Abstract: An inflatable life raft system for an aircraft includes a window coupled to a fuselage portion of the aircraft. A mechanism is used to selectively detach the window from the fuselage. An inflatable life raft is deployable to the exterior of the aircraft upon detachment of the window from the aircraft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2016
    Publication date: May 12, 2016
    Applicant: TEXTRON INNOVATIONS INC.
    Inventors: Brian D. Lafon, Robert G. Capwell
  • Method of repairing, splicing, joining, machining, and stabilizing honeycomb core using pourable structural foam and a structure incorporating the same
    Patent number: 9333684
    Abstract: A method of the present disclosure includes of repairing a core stiffened structure with structural foam. Another method includes splicing core members together using structural foam. Another method includes joining a core member to a structure using structural foam. Another method includes using structural foam to stabilize a core member during a machining process. Another method includes stabilizing a core member with structural foam to prevent the core member from crushing in autoclave pressure. The present disclosure further includes a core stiffened structure have a core member with structural foam therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Ramesh Thiagarajan, Robert Mark Chris, John R. McCullough, Suvankar Mishra
  • Elastomeric bearing having tapered layers
    Patent number: 9334048
    Abstract: A rotor hub for an aircraft that includes a yoke, a rotor mast; and a hub spring assembly. The hub spring assembly includes an upper outer member; an upper inner member; and an upper spring member having a plurality of elastomeric layers and shim layers sandwiched between the upper outer member and the upper inner member, the shim layers being tapered such that a thickness of each shim layer is smaller at a side portion as compared to the thickness of the shim at a center portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventor: Michael C. Burnett