Patents Assigned to Textron
  • Publication number: 20150174717
    Abstract: A method of carving a contour surface on a composite core can include positioning a first edge of the composite core against a first tooled member; locating a first magnet within an outer cell member along the first edge of the composite core so that the first edge of the composite core is magnetically drawn to the first tooled member; locating a second magnet along a second edge of the composite core such that the second edge of the composite core is magnetically drawn to a second tooled member; and carving a first contour of the composite core.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Publication date: June 25, 2015
    Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: James D. Hethcock, Jonathan A. Freeman
  • Publication number: 20150175259
    Abstract: A rotor hub can include a yoke, a mast, and one or more radially oriented actuators. The first radial actuator and the second radial actuator each have a piston configured to impart a translation of the yoke relative to the mast. The radial actuators are configured to attenuate in-plane whirling vibrations. The rotor hub can also have actuators coupled between the mast and the yoke for attenuating flapping and vertical vibrations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Publication date: June 25, 2015
    Applicant: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON INC.
    Inventors: Christopher Foskey, Drew Sutton, Frank B. Stamps
  • Publication number: 20150174819
    Abstract: A method of splicing together a first composite core and a second composite core can include: positioning a first flange of the first composite core adjacent to a second flange of the second composite core, applying an adhesive, and locating a first magnet and a second magnet to provide a pressure on the adhesive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Publication date: June 25, 2015
    Applicant: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON INC.
    Inventors: James D. Hethcock, Jonathan A. Freeman
  • Publication number: 20150176658
    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: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Publication date: June 25, 2015
    Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Frank B. Stamps, Daniel P. Sottiaux
  • Publication number: 20150174876
    Abstract: A method of assembling a core stiffened structure that includes bonding a composite core to a substructure by utilizing magnetic force to create pressure between a flat surface of the composite core the substructure, and bonding a face sheet onto a surface network of the composite core.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Publication date: June 25, 2015
    Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: James D. Hethcock, Jonathan A. Freeman, Paul K. Oldroyd, Robert G. Pierce, Daniel Burns
  • Publication number: 20150175254
    Abstract: A control system having a series of control loops for determining the upper and lower cyclic limit increments due to the contribution of collective pitch in rotorcraft based at least on nacelle angle and airspeed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Publication date: June 25, 2015
    Applicant: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON INC.
    Inventor: Robert L. Fortenbaugh
  • Patent number: 9061760
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a rotary blade actuator includes a housing, a vane disposed within the housing, a shaft disposed at least partially within the housing and coupled to the vane. The vane comprises a first vane surface disposed within a first chamber between a first fluid opening and a second fluid opening and a second vane surface disposed within a second chamber between a third fluid opening and a fourth fluid opening. The first and third fluid openings are configured to provide a first fluid to the first chamber and the second chamber at a first pressure, the second fluid opening is configured to provide a second fluid to the first chamber at a second pressure, and the fourth fluid opening is configured to provide a third fluid to the second chamber at a third pressure different from the second pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventor: Carlos A. Fenny
  • Patent number: 9061581
    Abstract: The invention relates to a liquid container (1) for a motor vehicle, in particular a fuel container (1), having at least one filler tube (4) and having operational and filling ventilation, comprising at least one operational ventilation line (7) which is connected to an equalizing volume of the liquid container (1) and at least one filling ventilation opening (9) which opens into the equalizing volume. The fuel container (1) according to the invention is distinguished by the fact that the operational ventilation opening (7) is connected to the filler tube (4) outside the container volume, in a manner which forms a siphon (8), and that the connection of the operational ventilation line (7) to the filler tube (4) is arranged in such a way that liquid is collected in the siphon (8) during each filling operation and closes the operational ventilation line (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: Kautex Textron GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Ibrahim Koukan
  • Patent number: 9059573
    Abstract: A tool includes lower and upper members which are connected together so that the tool can be moved to an open position or to a closed position. The tool has a number of cutting blades and surfaces which allow a user to cut or strip a HDMI cable. The tool also has a pair of platforms which hold an associated laced wire guide and mated terminal block therein. The tool can be used to terminate the cut and stripped HDMI cable with the mated wire guides and terminal block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: TEXTRON INNOVATIONS INC.
    Inventors: Kyle Dean Hedrick, Michael Stephens
  • Patent number: 9056675
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a control assembly includes a post, a grip, and a hand rest. The post has a top, a bottom, and a body joining the top to the bottom. The grip is positioned at least partially above the post and is movable along at least one arc. The hand rest is coupled to the top and comprises an upper surface having a profile corresponding to the at least one arc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Travis L. Yates, Bradley D. Linton
  • Patent number: 9056684
    Abstract: An aircraft includes a heat absorbent material carried by an airfoil susceptible to ice buildup and a transmitter spaced apart from the heat absorbent material. A method includes the process of transmitting the heat energy from the transmitter to the heat absorbent material that in turn warms the airfoil to break apart ice buildup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: James M. McCollough, Roger Aubert
  • Patent number: 9056546
    Abstract: The invention relates to a fuel tank for a motor vehicle, which is made up of two shells which are complementary to one another, wherein the shells are supported against one another by at least one strut penetrating the tank (1), connecting opposing wall regions of the tank. The strut is configured as a two-part hollow strut (4), wherein the parts of the hollow strut are latched together via a plug connection and the latching connection is secured by at least one closure body (12) at least partially filling up the cross section of the hollow strut (4) at least level with the latching connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: Kautex Textron GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Klaus Gebert, Jochen Hild, Markus Hutzen, Christoph Mehren
  • Publication number: 20150158583
    Abstract: A rotor assembly for a rotary-wing aircraft, the rotor having a central hub assembly with a flexure-type, twist-shank yoke with multiple arms, each arm being adapted for a rotor blade to be mounted thereto. The arms provide for pitch changes of blades attached to the yoke through twisting of portions of the arms about a corresponding pitch axis. An inboard pitch bearing associated with each arm is attached to the hub assembly and allows for rotation of the attached blade about the pitch axis, the inboard pitch bearing also allowing for out-of-plane motion of the arm relative to the hub assembly about a flapping axis. An outboard pitch bearing associated with each arm is attached to the associated arm a selected distance from the inboard pitch bearing and allows for rotation of the attached blade about the pitch axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2015
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Applicant: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON INC.
    Inventors: Frank B. Stamps, Patrick R. Tisdale, Tom Donovan, Richard E. Rauber
  • Publication number: 20150158390
    Abstract: A power generation device for a utility vehicle having a battery source capable of storing electrical energy and selectively outputting electrical energy and selectively receiving electrical energy, a logic/driver module operably coupled to the battery source and capable of outputting power to a drive system of the utility vehicle, an internal combustion engine capable of outputting a mechanical driving force in response to a control input from the logic/driver module, and a brushless DC motor operably coupled to the internal combustion engine via a coupler and electrically coupled to the logic/driver module. The brushless DC motor is capable of operating as a generator in response to the mechanical driving force of the internal combustion engine, thereby outputting electrical energy to the logic/driver module, and further is capable of operating as an electric motor in response to input of electrical energy from the logic/driver module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2013
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Applicant: TEXTRON INC.
    Inventor: Joseph Lowell HARPER
  • Patent number: 9051055
    Abstract: The system for adaptively governing a speed of a rotor assembly in an aircraft can include a processor configured for comparing receivable data to limit data in an algorithm and subsequently making one or more commands that affect the speed of the rotor assembly, the algorithm being configured for analyzing power available during operation of the aircraft. The method can include calculating a first power available by comparing an actual transmission torque to a transmission torque limit; calculating a second power available by comparing an actual engine exhaust temperature to an engine exhaust temperature limit; and comparing the first power available to the second power available.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph M. Schaeffer
  • Patent number: 9051062
    Abstract: A method for making a fuselage section comprises the steps of assembling a support system. The support system comprises fiber reinforced composite material and includes at least three frames and six stringers. The support system is partially cured via a fast cure process such that the support system attains about eighty percent of its fully cured strength. A skin comprising uncured fiber reinforced composite material is globally positioned such that an inner surface of the skin corresponds to an outer surface of the support system. The skin and the support system are fully cured together. The support system is assembled on a bonding tool having a bonding surface corresponding to an inner surface of the skin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: Textron Innovations, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Boone, Benjamin De Putter
  • Patent number: 9051986
    Abstract: A damper includes a housing that forms a fluidly sealed cavity for receiving a fluid therein. The fluid is configured to change fluid properties as electrical energy is induced. An electrical subsystem provides electrical energy to the fluid, which is monitored with a control subsystem. The method includes inducing the fluid with electrical energy to change the dampening effects of the damper in real time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Modrzejewski, Bryan Judd, Dan Sottiaux, Frank B. Stamps, Emily Schofield
  • Patent number: 9051046
    Abstract: A vertical support system includes a first articulated leg assembly configured to carry a first load, the first articulated leg assembly being selectively movable between a first retracted configuration and a first loaded configuration and a second articulated leg assembly configured to carry a second load substantially kinematically identical to the first articulated leg assembly, the second articulated leg assembly being selectively movable between a second retracted configuration and a second loaded configuration. The arrangement of axis of rotations and offset angles of the first and/or second lees of each articulated leg assembly may produce a lateral width ratio. A first vertical footprint of the first articulated leg assembly overlaps a second vertical footprint of the second articulated leg assembly when the leg assemblies are retracted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventor: Steven Ivans
  • Patent number: D731394
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Ivans, Berlin Benfield, Cory Hitte
  • Patent number: D731395
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Ivans, Berlin Benfield, Cory Hitte