Patents Examined by Brian O'Hara
  • Patent number: 8708275
    Abstract: In order to generate an efficient aerodynamic braking force, whatever the speed of a vehicle such as an airplane flying in the air, the method includes a step for the production of energy by the vehicle, a step of storage of the energy produced and a step of utilization of such energy to drive a propeller which generates a force opposing the forward motion of the vehicle. Energy is produced by using the displacement of the vehicle with respect to air using a propeller driving a generator, or using the displacement with respect to the ground, using wheels driving a generator, or using generators driven by motors of the vehicle. The energy can be stored in the pneumatic, electric or kinetic form and the generation and driving means are selected according to the technology used for the storage means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Airbus Operations S.A.S.
    Inventor: Mathieu Belleville
  • Patent number: 8646727
    Abstract: A device for keeping objects, especially luggage, in an aircraft hold, the device including a flexible partition and at least one winding mechanism. The flexible partition is mounted on the winding mechanism such that it can be both wound onto the winding mechanism or unwound from the winding mechanism. The flexible partition includes an attaching mechanism that operates with a complementary mechanism to maintain the flexible partition in an unwound position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS
    Inventor: Bernard Guering
  • Patent number: 7967247
    Abstract: The method of the invention includes forming a difference between left and right braking commands, by converting the difference into an additional control command for rudder and for a steerable nose gear, and applying the additional control command to the rudder and steerable nose gear according to both of the following conditions: the difference is greater than a first threshold and the combined control command transmitted to the rudder and steerable nose gear by a rudder bar is less than a second threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Airbus France
    Inventors: RĂ©mi Bellouard, Jean Muller
  • Patent number: 7959107
    Abstract: A hinge device of a nacelle cowling of an aircraft engine on a supporting structure is disclosed. The hinge device includes two fittings and a link rod connected thereto and mounted on the fitting by an end connection. The link rod is further mounted on the fitting by an intermediate connection including a pivot pin slidably housed in a hole, and the end connection includes a guide pin slidably housed in a guide ramp. The connections are designed so as to create, upon rotation of the link rod about the pin, a relative movement of the axis in the ramp, simultaneously causing a relative movement of the pin in the hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Airbus France
    Inventor: Jacques Beaufort
  • Patent number: 7959104
    Abstract: The invention relates to a flying device which can efficiently move in the air by aerodynamic forces and by direct force transmission on the ground, without the need for independent drive and thrust generation systems for the two modes of movement. The rotors (1) of the flying device are provided on the outside thereof with an annular rotating covering (4), connected directly to the rotor blade tips, which, when the flying device is on the ground and the rotor rotational axes (2) are correspondingly pitched about an axis (3), come into contact with the ground. The covering (4) hence permits a movement of the flying device on the ground by rolling, which is based on a direct force transfer to the ground. A further rotor pitching axis (5) permits the flying device to be controlled in the air and on the ground by means of the same actuator system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Inventor: Julian Kuntz