Patents Assigned to Textron
  • Publication number: 20220222346
    Abstract: A decentralized trust assessment system, comprising a neural network, a trust module, and a local subsystem, wherein the trust module controls whether a plurality of inputs to the local subsystem are trustworthy. The decentralized trust assessment system provides rotorcraft and tiltrotor aircraft with airborne systems able to detect bad and spoofed data from a wide variety of data streams.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2022
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Kevin McNair
  • Patent number: 11383823
    Abstract: An aircraft has an airframe with a distributed thrust array attached thereto that includes a plurality of propulsion assemblies each of which is independently controlled by a flight control system. Each propulsion assembly includes a housing with a single axis gimbal coupled thereto and operable to tilt about a single axis. A propulsion system is coupled to and operable to tilt with the gimbal. The propulsion system includes an electric motor having an output drive and a rotor assembly having a plurality of rotor blades that rotate in a rotational plane to generate thrust having a thrust vector with a direction. Actuation of each gimbal is operable to tilt the respective propulsion system including the electric motor and the rotor assembly relative to the airframe to change the rotational plane of the respective rotor assembly relative to the airframe, thereby controlling the direction of the respective thrust vector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: Paul K. Oldroyd, John Richard McCullough
  • Patent number: 11383829
    Abstract: The system is configured for automation of rotorcraft entry into autorotation. The system can provide a means to assist the flight crew of a rotorcraft in maintaining rotor speed following loss of engine power. The system can automatically adjust control positions, actuator positions or both to prevent excessive loss of rotor speed upon initial loss of engine power before the flight crew is able to react. The system uses model matching to provide axis decoupling and yaw anticipation; it includes pitch control initially to assist in preventing rotor deceleration; and it makes use of collective, pitch, roll and yaw trim functions to provide tactile cueing to the pilot to assist when the pilot is in the loop. The system can reduce workload by assisting the crew with controlling rotor speed and forward speed during stabilized autorotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Earl Worsham, II, John Joseph Schillings, Charles Eric Covington
  • Patent number: 11383851
    Abstract: The present invention includes a thrust control apparatus, method and kit for a tiltrotor craft comprising a thrust control handle; a first and a second bar connected to the thrust control handle and connected to a floor support; a first end of a transverse bar connected to the first bar; a linker connected to a second end of the transverse bar; and a crankbell connected to the floor support below the first and a second bars, wherein a first end of the crankbell is connected to the linker, wherein the thrust control handle has a substantially linear motion that controls engine thrust, and the crankbell transfers the substantially linear motion of the handle into a substantially perpendicular motion that engages an engine thrust control at a second end of the crankbell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: TEXTRON INNOVATIONS INC.
    Inventors: Brent Randal Achttien, Chyau J. Tzeng
  • Publication number: 20220212783
    Abstract: A multimode clutch assembly is positioned in a powertrain of a rotorcraft. The clutch assembly includes a freewheeling unit having a driving mode in which torque applied to the input race is transferred to the output race and an overrunning mode in which torque applied to the output race is not transferred to the input race. A bypass assembly has an engaged position that couples the input and output races of the freewheeling unit. An actuator assembly shifts the bypass assembly between engaged and disengaged positions. An engagement status sensor is configured to determine the engagement status of the bypass assembly. In the disengaged position, the overrunning mode of the freewheeling unit is enabled such that the clutch assembly is configured for unidirectional torque transfer. In the engaged position, the overrunning mode of the freewheeling unit is disabled such that the clutch assembly is configured for bidirectional torque transfer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2021
    Publication date: July 7, 2022
    Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas Andrew Goodwin, David Andrew Prater, Eric Stephen Olson, David Bryan Roberts, Chia-Wei Su, Michael David Trantham, Charles Eric Covington
  • Publication number: 20220212550
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to a fuel cell protection system comprising an aircraft fuselage having an inner surface and an outer surface, an attachment point mounted on the outer surface, an aircraft fuel cell spaced apart from the inner surface, and a plate positioned between the inner surface and the aircraft fuel system, the plate spaced apart from the inner surface to create a void space. The attachment point may be a cargo hook. The void space is configured to receive all or a portion of the cargo hook after a crash. The plate creating the void space may be a rigid material or may be a ballistic fabric material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2021
    Publication date: July 7, 2022
    Applicant: Bell Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy Brian Carr, Douglas Howard Hamelwright, Joshua Andrew Emrich
  • Publication number: 20220212785
    Abstract: An aircraft having a high efficiency forward flight mode. The aircraft includes an airframe having at least one wing. A distributed propulsion system is attached to the airframe and includes a first plurality of propulsion assemblies and a second plurality of propulsion assemblies. A flight control system is operably associated with the distributed propulsion system and is operable to independently control each of the propulsion assemblies. The aircraft is configured for thrust-borne lift in a vertical takeoff and landing flight mode and wing-borne lift in the forward flight mode. In the vertical takeoff and landing flight mode, each of the propulsion assemblies is configured to generate vertical thrust. In the forward flight mode, the propulsion assemblies of the first plurality of propulsion assemblies are configured to generate forward thrust and the propulsion assemblies of the second plurality of propulsion assemblies are configured to shut down.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2022
    Publication date: July 7, 2022
    Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: John Richard McCullough, Paul K. Oldroyd
  • Patent number: 11377200
    Abstract: A control device for an aircraft has a control stick configured to be operated by hand of a user. The control stick is pivotable about a longitudinal axis, a lateral axis, and a yawing axis extending through the control stick. Motion of the stick about the longitudinal axis is configured to cause roll motion of the aircraft, motion of the stick about the lateral axis is configured to cause pitch motion of the aircraft, and motion of the stick about the yawing axis is configured to cause yaw motion of the aircraft. Rotation of a thumbwheel carried by the control stick changes a magnitude of a thrust vector of the aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: James Gibson, Carey Cannon
  • Patent number: 11378048
    Abstract: A prime mover for a lightweight vehicle comprising an internal combustion engine, a starter motor integrally integrated with the internal combustion engine, and a housing for the prime mover. The prime mover additionally comprises a Hall Effect sensor and an prime mover control module structured and operable to communicate with the Hall Effect sensor, determine when operation of the internal combustion engine should cease, and upon the determination that operation of the internal combustion engine should cease, utilize the communication from the Hall Effect sensor to stop the internal combustion engine such that a piston of the internal combustion engine is positioned at between 15° and 25° after bottom-dead-center.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Zekarias W. Yohannes, Matthew Wilcox, David Smith, Brian Moebs, Matthew D. Wilson, Russell William King
  • Publication number: 20220204159
    Abstract: A rotorcraft that utilizes both a main compound rotor and a plurality of tiltrotors is disclosed. The main rotor and the thrusters can provide vertical lift for vertical take-off and landing of the rotorcraft. The thrusters of the rotorcraft can articulate to a horizontal position to facilitate horizontal flight. The main rotor of the rotorcraft can continue to provide vertical lift for the rotorcraft in horizontal flight, as well as operate in an autorotation mode. In the event of a failure of the main power source of the rotorcraft, the main rotor in autorotation mode can safety land the rotorcraft. In the autorotation mode, the main rotor can create electrical energy that is stored in a battery and can be used to power the plurality of thrusters. The rotorcraft can also be configured in an anti-torque mode, where the thrusters cancel out the torque of the main rotor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2021
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Robertson, Kirk Groninga, Matthew Louis
  • Publication number: 20220204154
    Abstract: A wing for an aircraft includes a first end, a second end, and a skin extending longitudinally from the first end to the second end. The wing also includes at least one channel positioned within the skin and extending longitudinally between the first and second ends. The at least one channel defines a longitudinal translation path for translating at least one electrical power source longitudinally between the first and second ends.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2020
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Applicant: Bell Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Robert W. Roe, Mark L. Isaac
  • Patent number: 11370535
    Abstract: An aircraft is described and includes a fuselage, a wing coupled to the fuselage, and a rotor system including a proprotor system and an engine. An interconnect driveshaft gear is configured to communicate mechanical energy between a gearbox and an interconnect driveshaft. An accessory gear is coplanar with and in mechanical communication with the driveshaft gear. A proprotor gear is coplanar with and in mechanical communication with the interconnect driveshaft gear and the accessory gear and communicates mechanical energy to the proprotor system. An engine gear coplanar and in mechanical communication with the interconnect driveshaft ear, the accessory gear, and the proprotor gear transmits mechanical energy to the proprotor system via the proprotor gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: Brent C. Ross, Steven R. Ivans
  • Patent number: 11370544
    Abstract: A system is described and includes a first track assembly for connecting a top surface of a pallet supporting payload to an upper interior surface of a payload bay of an aircraft; a second track assembly for connecting a side surface of the pallet to a side interior surface of the payload bay; and a pallet actuator system for selectively moving the pallet along the first and second track assemblies between a first position in which the pallet is fully extended from the payload bay and a second position in which the pallet is fully retracted into the payload bay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc
    Inventors: Carlos A. Fenny, Brandon Anthony Magalhaes, Gary John Coleman, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11370537
    Abstract: A drivetrain for an aircraft includes an engine, a driveshaft receiving rotational energy from the engine and a gearbox including a planetary gear system receiving rotational energy from the driveshaft. The planetary gear system includes a sun gear, planet gears, a ring gear and an integral carrier forming flexured carrier posts. Each flexured carrier post supports a respective one of the planet gears and has a fixed proximal end and a cantilevered distal end. The planetary gear system includes flexured roller races, each having a fixed end and a cantilevered end. The fixed end of each flexured roller race is coupled to the cantilevered distal end of a respective flexured carrier post. The planet gears engage with the flexured roller races to rotate about the flexured carrier posts. The cantilevered ends of the flexured roller races experience cantilevered motion to absorb loads from the planet gears.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: Colton James Gilliland, Russell Lee Mueller, Tyson T. Henry
  • Patent number: 11370296
    Abstract: A reinforcing element for a liquid container for a motor vehicle, having at least one connecting section for connecting the reinforcing element to the liquid container, the connecting section having at least a first and a second web which are made from a first material and are enclosed at least in sections by a second material, the second material penetrating through openings of the webs, and the first web being at a smaller spacing from a longitudinal axis of the reinforcing element than the second web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: KAUTEX TEXTRON GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Klaus Gebert, Frank Quant, Daniel Marx, Harald Lorenz, Andre Van Megern
  • Patent number: 11370536
    Abstract: A tip gap control system for a ducted aircraft includes a flight control computer including a blade length control module configured to generate a blade tip actuator command and a proprotor system in data communication with the flight control computer. The proprotor system includes a duct and proprotor blades surrounded by the duct. Each of the proprotor blades includes an active blade tip movable into various positions including a retracted position and an extended position. The tip gap control system also includes one or more actuators coupled to the active blade tips. The one or more actuators move the active blade tips between the various positions based on the blade tip actuator command, thereby controlling a tip gap between the proprotor blades and the duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan Andrew Knoll, George Matthew Thompson, Nicholas Ralph Carlson
  • Publication number: 20220200703
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to systems and methods for providing light communication (LC) for an aircraft. An LC transmitter is mounted on an aircraft fuselage and is configured to broadcast light signals within a defined region outside the aircraft. An LC receiver mounted on the aircraft fuselage is configured to receive light signals broadcast by a remote LC device. A controller is configured to manage LC signals in the aircraft, and an interface is provided between the controller and an aircraft data network. The light signals may be in a visible light spectrum, an invisible light spectrum, or both. The remote LC device may be, for example, a ground station, an aircraft, a ground vehicle, a ship, a building, or a portable transmitter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Publication date: June 23, 2022
    Applicant: Bell Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Duane Donley, Michael Raymond Hull
  • Publication number: 20220194619
    Abstract: Systems and methods include providing an aircraft with a fuselage and a convertible engine disposed within the fuselage. The convertible engine is operable as a turbofan engine in a thrust mode and a turboshaft engine in a shaft power mode. The convertible engine includes a housing, an engine core having a low pressure turbine shaft, and a bypass fan system. The bypass fan system includes a bypass fan having a fan clutch. The fan clutch selectively couples at least a portion of the bypass fan to the low pressure turbine shaft when the convertible engine is operated in the thrust mode and decouples at least a portion of the bypass fan from the low pressure turbine shaft when the convertible engine is operated in the shaft power mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2022
    Publication date: June 23, 2022
    Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: Alan Hisashi Steinert, Thomas Dewey Parsons, Troy Cyril Schank
  • Publication number: 20220195946
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to systems and methods for controlling an aircraft engine inlet comprises determining a required engine RPM for an engine in-flight restart based upon current aircraft parameters, detecting a command to initiate the engine in-flight restart, and managing a position of an engine inlet barrier to control a volume of air entering an engine intake, wherein the ram air causes an engine turbine to achieve the required engine RPM. The required engine RPM may be an N1 gas generator RPM. The engine inlet barrier may be a hinged door positioned within the engine inlet or a series of inlet variable guide vanes that are configured to rotate between a closed position and an opened position. The position of the engine inlet barrier may be controlled by a flight control computer or an engine control computer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Publication date: June 23, 2022
    Applicant: Bell Textron Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas Dewey Parsons
  • Publication number: 20220197308
    Abstract: An aircraft includes an airframe with a thrust array attached thereto. The thrust array includes a plurality of propulsion assemblies that are independently controlled by a flight control system. A landing gear assembly is coupled to the airframe and includes a plurality of landing feet. An altitude sensor array includes a plurality of altitude sensors each of which is disposed within one of the landing feet such that when the aircraft is in the VTOL orientation, the altitude sensor array is configured to obtain multifocal altitude data relative to a landing surface. The flight control system is configured to generate a three-dimensional terrain map of the surface based upon the multifocal altitude data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2020
    Publication date: June 23, 2022
    Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: John Robert Wittmaak, JR., Russell C. Peters, Aaron Hitchcock, William Ben Johns, Levi Charles Hefner, Andrew Vincent Louis