Patents Examined by Justin Benedik
  • Patent number: 9526229
    Abstract: An animal training system includes a portable remote transceiver for a user for transmitting a remote animal control signal to a remote animal transceiver on an animal for effecting a control stimulus to the animal. A separate animal control transceiver positioned at the animal may be in signal communication with the remote animal transceiver placed at the animal to effect a control stimulus to the animal in response to a control signal from the remote animal transceiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: PERIMETER TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Scott F. Touchton, James T. Deery, Blaine Bacher
  • Patent number: 9522735
    Abstract: An aircraft area comprises a first rib forming a component of an aircraft primary structure and extending in an arc shape along an outer contour of the aircraft area. A second rib is arranged at a distance from the first rib and parallel to the first rib, also forms a component of the aircraft primary structure and extends in an arc shape along the outer contour of the aircraft area. A luggage compartment is arranged between the first and the second rib such that a portion of a first side face of the luggage compartment that faces the first rib is arranged opposite a side face of the first rib that faces the luggage compartment, and/or that a portion of a second side face of the luggage compartment that faces the second rib is arranged opposite a side face of the second rib that faces the luggage compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventors: Sabrina Moje, Matthias Breuer, Paul Vine, Uwe Schneider
  • Patent number: 9522724
    Abstract: Roller covers for use with cylindrical rollers include an elongate flexible hollow body defining an interior space with an opening to the interior space for receiving the cylindrical roller via the opening, a first restrictive feature extending from the body and configured to restrict rotation of the body in a first rotational direction when the cylindrical roller is received in the interior space, and a second restrictive feature extending from the body and configured to restrict rotation of the body in a second and opposite rotational direction when the cylindrical roller is received in the interior space. Some embodiments further include a third restrictive feature positioned relative to the body and configured to restrict linear translation of the body relative to the cylindrical roller when the cylindrical roller is received in the interior space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Robert Dean Dixon, Maksim Adzhigirey, Isaac B. Schaff, Craig B. Morgan
  • Patent number: 9511836
    Abstract: A massive de-powering system for a kite wing used in kite boarding comprises a deflation control line that connects to a valve on the kite wing's leading edge bladder. In the preferred embodiment, disengaging the tether line from the harness causes the deflation control line to tension and to open the valve, thereby deflating the bladder. Tension along the deflation control line may also act to draw in spaced portions of the wing thereby collapsing it and further reducing the power generated by the wing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: OCEAN RODEO SPORTS INC.
    Inventors: Peter G. Berrang, Ross D. Harrington, Richard K. Myerscough
  • Patent number: 9505484
    Abstract: The modular aircraft system includes a single fuselage having a permanently installed empennage and plural sets of wing modules and engine modules, with each wing and engine module optimized for different flight conditions and missions. The fuselage and each of the modules are configured for rapid removal and installation of the modules to minimize downtime for the aircraft. Short wings having relatively low aspect ratio are provided for relatively high speed flight when great endurance and/or weight carrying capacity are not of great concern. Long wings having high aspect ratio are provided for longer range and endurance flights where speed is not absolutely vital. A medium span wing module is also provided. Turboprop, single turbojet, and dual turbojet engine modules are provided for installation depending upon mission requirements for any given flight. The aircraft is primarily adapted for use as an autonomously operated or remotely operated unmanned aerial vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Inventor: Nasser M. Al-Sabah
  • Patent number: 9499261
    Abstract: A system for damping vibration and/or shimmy of a landing gear system is disclosed. The system is a friction-based damping system that utilizes a friction pad and friction wedge to dampen vibration and/or shimmy. The friction pad may be coupled to an apex pin that is used to couple a first torque link and a second torque link together. The friction wedge may be a made of a wearable and/or consumable material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: GOODRICH CORPORATION
    Inventor: Karthik Narayan
  • Patent number: 9499259
    Abstract: A landing gear has a rigid structure and a gear compartment. A leg has a wheeled first end on a rolling shaft, and a second end secured on the rigid structure. The leg rotates between a rolling position, letting the aircraft rolls, and a landing gear storage position. A brace has a first end secured on the rigid structure. A guide bar has a first end pivotably secured on the leg, and a second end secured on the second end of the brace by a pivot shaft. A jack is secured between the brace by a pivot connection with a shaft parallel to the rolling shaft, and the guide bar, by a pivot connection with a shaft parallel to the rolling shaft. A locking system locks either a second end of the brace or the second end of the guide bar against the leg in the rolling position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS SAS
    Inventor: Bernard Guering
  • Patent number: 9499281
    Abstract: A landing arresting system for vertical take-off and landing aerial vehicles. A landing and take-off platform and at least one vertical take-off and landing locking member have a projecting portion arranged at a lower portion of the vehicle. The landing and take-off platform includes a plurality of individually displaceable rolls, arranged substantially in a horizontal direction, and moveable back and forth, such that the projecting portion of the locking member can be entered, retained and released between two adjacent rolls. A landing and take-off platform for vertical take-off and landing aerial vehicles and a vertical take-off and landing locking member for aerial vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: UMS Skeldar Sweden AB
    Inventors: Per-Erik Cardell, Kjell Stenbom
  • Patent number: 9499271
    Abstract: A section divider system is configured to separate sections within an internal cabin of a vehicle. The section divider system may include a first rail secured to a fixed panel within the internal cabin. A closeout panel may be secured to the fixed panel. The closeout panel extends between the fixed panel and a passenger service unit (PSU) within the internal cabin. A clearance space is formed between a portion of the closeout panel and the PSU. The closeout panel is configured to prevent access to an interior of the PSU. A bracket is secured to the first rail. One or more connecting beams extend from the bracket through the clearance space. A section divider assembly is connected to the connecting beam(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Brent Clarence Walton, William F. Herold, Hung Quang Nguyen, Kevin Duane Bass, Christopher L. Schwitters
  • Patent number: 9493238
    Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is disclosed that includes a retractable payload delivery system. The payload delivery system can lower a payload to the ground using an assembly that secures the payload during descent and releases the payload upon reaching the ground. The assembly can also include a bystander communication module for generating cues for bystander perception. While the assembly securing the payload is being lowered from the UAV, the bystander communication module can generate an avoidance cue indicating that bystanders should avoid interference with the assembly. The assembly also includes sensors that generate data used, at least in part, to determine when the descending assembly is at or near the ground, at which point the assembly releases the payload. The bystander communication module can then cease the avoidance cue and the UAV can retract the assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventors: Leila Takayama, Matthew Ball, Joanna Cohen, Roger William Graves, Mathias Samuel Fleck, Andrew Lambert, James Ryan Burgess, Paul Richard Komarek, Trevor Shannon
  • Patent number: 9487296
    Abstract: A passenger service unit (PSU) for a transport vessel has a unitary chassis with a plurality of apertures extending therethrough. Each one of the apertures is independently sized to receive at least one of a plurality of different modules. Each one of the modules includes one or more PSU fixtures having components different from other ones of the plurality of modules. A representative vessel is a passenger aircraft. Representative modules include vent and passenger reading light module, speaker module, passenger oxygen supply module and display module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: Peco Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventors: David Freund, Brendan Keavney, Caleb Flori
  • Patent number: 9481452
    Abstract: A device including a first hydraulic piston, a second hydraulic piston disposed within the first hydraulic piston, and a third hydraulic piston disposed within both the first hydraulic piston and the second hydraulic piston. The first, second, and third hydraulic pistons are contained within a common outer wall. A manifold is connected to the first, second, and third hydraulic pistons. The manifold is disposed relative to the first, second, and third hydraulic pistons such that a fluid moving in the manifold can control positions of the first, second, and third hydraulic pistons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Gary M. Lindahl, Mitchell Loren Ray Mellor
  • Patent number: 9470491
    Abstract: A frangible tail boom for a gun-launched projectile includes a tail boom housing having a forward end configured to engage a projectile body and a through bore. The tail boom housing has forward and rear portions. The forward portion has a frusto-conical shape and an outer diameter that decreases from the forward end toward the rear portion. The forward portion includes a circumferential groove extending from the outer surface radially inward toward the small diameter segment of the through bore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: The United States of America as Represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Stephen Ginetto, Andrew Moramarco, Leanne Mohla
  • Patent number: 9469190
    Abstract: An aircraft fuel tank system is disclosed in which a vent tank is provided with an additional ullage vent for use, in combination with an eternal flame barrier means, when refuelling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS LIMITED
    Inventors: Christopher Lynas, Peter William James, Keith MacGregor
  • Patent number: 9469403
    Abstract: An aircraft monument includes an elongate cavity having an open end and a lift apparatus mounted to the monument and adapted for lifting goods along the longitudinal axis of the cavity. The monument is adapted to be mounted on a floor structure of an aircraft separating two compartments of the aircraft from each other such that the open end of the cavity faces the floor structure. The lift apparatus includes a guide means including two straight guide members spaced apart, and extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cavity, a conveying means including two conveying members each mounted to a different guide member, a moving means for linearly moving the two conveying members, a control means for controlling the moving means to synchronize the linear movement of the conveying members, and a gripping means secured to the conveying means and adapted for selectively gripping and releasing goods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventors: Roland Lange, Stefan Ebeling, Jens Gärtner, Andreas Köhler, Raj Kotian, Ralf Schliwa
  • Patent number: 9463883
    Abstract: A spacecraft capture tug is disclosed. The tug can capture objects in space, including spacecraft and satellites, using an engagement system and provide propulsion for the object to a point of servicing, repair, or other desired operations. Further, the tug may dock with other specialty tugs to form a custom transport system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: Bigelow Aerospace, LLC
    Inventor: Robert T. Bigelow
  • Patent number: 9446838
    Abstract: Aircraft, control-by-wire systems, and controllers are provided. The aircraft includes a flight control surface and a control-by-wire system. The control-by-wire system includes an input device and a controller. The input device is configured to control the flight control surface. The controller is communicatively coupled with the input device and configured to automatically offset a neutral force position of the input device based on a deviation of the aircraft from a reference condition while the aircraft is operated in a manual flight mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation
    Inventors: Scott Buethe, Robert Hartley, Francois Hugon, Thomas Landers
  • Patent number: 9446839
    Abstract: Methods and systems for controlling a magnitude of a sonic boom caused by off-design-condition operation of a supersonic aircraft at supersonic speeds are disclosed herein. The method includes, but is not limited to, monitoring, with a processor, a weight of the supersonic aircraft and a distribution of fuel onboard the supersonic aircraft. The method further includes, but is not limited to, determining, with the processor, that there is a deviation of the weight of the supersonic aircraft from a design-condition weight. The method still further includes, but is not limited to, controlling, with the processor, a redistribution of the fuel onboard the supersonic aircraft to adjust an amount of fuel stored within a wing to minimize a twist in the wing caused by the deviation. Such redistribution will reduce the magnitude of the sonic boom caused by the deviation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation
    Inventor: Donald Freund
  • Patent number: 9446844
    Abstract: Disclosed is a flying object system performing ground traveling, which travels on the ground and flies in the air. The flying object system travels with three or more wheels connected to a main body, generates flying force through wings symmetrically installed at both sides of the main body, and is provided with plural propellers, operated by a control lever and installed on the wings and at least a part of the main body, each of the wings being divided into a plurality of compartments to be folded or be changed in shape by pressure of gas or air. Therefore, the flying object system travels on a road on the ground and takes off and flies in the air in traffic congestion, and flies in the air and lands and travels on a road on the ground if necessary, thus rapidly moving to a destination without the effects of traffic congestion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Inventor: Soo Cheol Jung
  • Patent number: 9446853
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system for monitoring the wing anti-icing valve, comprising: time record device configured to record the time for opening or closing the anti-icing valve; data acquisition device configured to obtain the time for opening or closing the anti-icing valve recorded by the time record device; and message generation device configured to generate the anti-icing valve performance message according to the time for opening or closing the anti-icing valve obtained by the data acquisition device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Air China Limited
    Inventors: Fengliang Zheng, Zhuping Gu, Jiaju Wu, Lei Huang, Yi Zhu, Minjie Tang, Yi Shu