Patents Examined by Philip J Bonzell
  • Patent number: 11427399
    Abstract: An aircraft water tank is provided. With an aircraft water tank being suspended by a fuselage via bushes, a load applied to each of the bushes is transferred from the bush and an attachment hole to a metal plate. The load transferred to metal plate is transferred to a total of four prepreg projection portions at a section of a thick wall portion of the metal plate and transferred to a total of eight prepreg projection portions at a section of a thin wall portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuji Taguchi, Hiroshi Hagiwara
  • Patent number: 11427319
    Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle includes a central body and a plurality of arms extendable from the central body. Each of the plurality of arms is configured to support one or more propulsion units. Each of the plurality of arms is configured to transform between (1) a flight configuration in which the arm is extending away from the central body and (2) a compact configuration in which the arm is folded against the central body. At least one of the plurality of arms is configured to rotate about a first rotational axis and at least a portion of the at least one of the plurality of arms is configured to rotate about a second rotational axis not parallel to the first rotational axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: SZ DJI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yumian Deng, Rongming Xiong, Tao Zhao, Yin Tang
  • Patent number: 11427322
    Abstract: A galley cart stowage system includes lower and upper cart compartments defining lower and upper galley cart cavities receiving the galley carts. The lower galley cart cavity is defined by walls and the upper galley cart cavity is defined by walls. A vertical conveyance device extends between the lower and upper cart compartments to move galley carts therebetween. A galley workspace has a countertop and a workspace volume located above the lower cart compartment and located below the upper cart compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Mithra M. K. V. Sankrithi
  • Patent number: 11420744
    Abstract: An automated drone-based surface treatment material delivery system includes a drone having a body, at least one propeller rotatably supported by the body, at least one propeller motor supported by the body and configured to selectively apply motive power to the at least one propeller, and a controller supported by the body and configured to control a flight path of the drone at least by manipulating a speed of the at least one propeller. The drone also has a rotary atomizer supported by the body for movement therewith. The rotary atomizer includes a rotating dispersion structure configured to disperse a surface treatment material from a material supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: EFC SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Gunnar Van Der Steur, Joseph Cichocki
  • Patent number: 11414173
    Abstract: To facilitate the assembly of the wing unit of an aircraft, this wing unit includes two wings each having a lateral wing box extended toward the interior by a center wing box half having an interior end, the two wings being attached to one another using attachment bolts linking the two interior ends of the two center wing box halves, and passing through an intermediate wall connecting two fuselage frame walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Airbus Operations (S.A.S.)
    Inventor: Laurent Gauthie
  • Patent number: 11414184
    Abstract: An exemplary electric distributed propulsion system includes two or more rotors that are individually controlled by the rotational speed of associated motors, an input control connected to the associated motors to provide rotational speed control to the two or more rotors to produce a desired net thrust, and a logic connected to the input control and the associated motors, the logic for controlling speed and direction of the two or more rotors to achieve the desired net thrust and to avoid a motor speed condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron Alexander Acee, Andrew Paul Haldeman, Eric Albert Sinusas, Yann Lavallee, Albert G. Brand
  • Patent number: 11407529
    Abstract: One example includes an aircraft retrofit system to provide a retrofitted aircraft from an original aircraft. The system includes a plurality of multi-axis vectoring nozzles configured to replace a respective plurality of original nozzles of a respective plurality of original engines of the original aircraft and empennage of the original aircraft, such that the retrofitted aircraft includes no empennage. The system also includes retrofit electronics for controlling the plurality of multi-axis vectoring nozzles to provide yaw control of the retrofitted aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventor: John P. Barnes
  • Patent number: 11407524
    Abstract: An aircraft undercarriage comprising a top portion (2) secured to the aircraft and a steerable bottom portion (3) carrying wheels and suitable for being steered by a steering control system (4) fitted to the undercarriage or else by an external towing device, the undercarriage being fitted with visual warning means (9) for indicating an angular overstroke. The visual warning means comprising at least one visual indicator (14) mounted to move between a retracted position that is invisible and an extended position that is visible. An aircraft provided with an undercarriage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: SAFRAN LANDING SYSTEMS
    Inventors: Philippe Fernandes, Marc Farcy, Christophe Clement
  • Patent number: 11401020
    Abstract: Disclosed are an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) having a buoyancy apparatus and an attitude control method thereof, in which the buoyancy apparatus is coupled to the UAV to reduce the energy consumption of rotors such that the time of staying in the air is extended, enabling a long flight, and in which the buoyancy apparatus absorbs the impact energy and reduces the falling speed to thereby ensure sufficient safety for the UAV.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Korea Institute of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Jae Wan Shim, Heon Phil Ha
  • Patent number: 11396370
    Abstract: A coaxial rotor system for a rotorcraft includes a mast, a top rotor assembly and a bottom rotor assembly. The top rotor assembly is coupled to the distal end of the mast. The bottom rotor assembly includes a motor configured to provide rotational energy to the mast, thereby rotating the top rotor assembly. The bottom rotor assembly experiences a torque reaction force responsive to the motor rotating the mast such that the top and bottom rotor assemblies counter rotate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventor: Guy Bernard
  • Patent number: 11390376
    Abstract: A trimmable horizontal stabiliser actuator (THSA) control system includes least one main THSA motor for driving the THSA in response to inputs from a flight control computer (FCC), a pilot trim control system for manual control of the THSA by a pilot overriding the FCC. The pilot trim control system comprises a trim control for receiving an input from the pilot, the trim control including a trim control sensor for detecting the input from the pilot and providing a pilot trim control signal; a THSA trim control motor for driving the THSA in response to the pilot trim control signal; and an electronic override system for giving inputs from the pilot priority over inputs from the FCC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: GOODRICH ACTUATION SYSTEMS SAS
    Inventor: Raphael Medina
  • Patent number: 11390374
    Abstract: Methods and systems for a clean fuel, manned or unmanned aircraft, having an electric, low-emission or zero-emission lift and propulsion system, an integrated ‘highway in the sky’ avionics system for navigation and guidance, a tablet-based motion command, or mission planning system to provide the operator with drive-by-wire style direction control, and automatic on-board-capability to provide traffic awareness, weather display and collision avoidance. Automatic computer monitoring by a programmed multiple-redundant autopilot control units control each motor-controller and motor to produce pitch, bank, yaw and elevation, while simultaneously restricting the flight regime that the pilot can command, to protect the pilot from inadvertent potentially harmful acts that might lead to loss of control or loss of vehicle stability. By using the results of the state measurements to inform motor control commands, the methods and systems contribute to the operational simplicity, reliability and safety of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Alakai Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Brian D. Morrison
  • Patent number: 11390387
    Abstract: A method of detecting that ice has been shed from an external surface of a component is provided, the method comprising applying power to a heating means to provide heat to said external surface. The method further comprises sensing the temperature of the component and calculating the rate of change of temperature increase of the external surface over time. Further, the method comprises detecting a change in said rate of change of temperature increase over time, wherein said detected change in rate of change of temperature increase indicates that said ice has been shed from said external surface of said component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: RATIER-FIGEAC SAS
    Inventors: Louis Chauvet, Pierre-Alex Picard, Romain Bouloc, Thibaut Marger
  • Patent number: 11383819
    Abstract: A vehicle body may have an internal skeleton forming a wing shape, and a skin formed over the internal skeleton. The skin may include a matrix material, and a plurality of continuous fibers encased within the matrix material. The plurality of continuous fibers may curve from a base end near a fore/aft center of the wing shape outward toward leading and trailing edges of the wing shape at a tip end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Continuous Composites Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan C. Stockett, Kenneth L. Tyler
  • Patent number: 11383817
    Abstract: Modular fuselage assemblies for aircraft, aircraft including modular fuselage assemblies, and methods of assembling modular fuselage assemblies. A modular fuselage assembly includes a plurality of fuselage lobes that may extend along a longitudinal axis of the modular fuselage assembly. Each fuselage lobe includes a plurality of frame members and a lobe skin that is operatively attached to the plurality of frame members and defines an external surface of the fuselage lobe. The modular fuselage assembly also includes a plurality of longerons extending along a longitudinal axis of the modular fuselage assembly. At least two fuselage lobes are operatively attached to each longeron and the plurality of fuselage lobes and the plurality of longerons at least partially bound a cargo hold defined within the modular fuselage assembly. The methods include methods of assembling the modular fuselage assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Robert Erik Grip, Joseph Paul Giesing
  • Patent number: 11377205
    Abstract: A landing gear is disclosed having a main strut being connected to a first attachment point located on the aircraft. The landing gear includes an inboard sidestay and outboard sidestays. The inboard sidestay has a first end connected to the main strut for movement along the main strut and is connected at a second end to a second attachment point located on the aircraft. The outboard sidestay has a first end connected to the main strut for movement along the main strut and is connected at a second end to a third attachment point located on the aircraft. When the landing gear is in a deployed configuration, the connection between the first end of each of the inboard and outboard sidestays and the main strut allows for movement of each first end along at least a portion of the length of the main strut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS LIMITED
    Inventors: John Woolcock, Nicholas Hancock
  • Patent number: 11371814
    Abstract: A range extension unit extends the range of a guided mortar bomb. The range extension unit includes a housing interface defining an internal cup that receives a rear portion of a guided mortar bomb, wherein the housing interface covers a rear portion of the mortar bomb. The housing interface, when coupled to the mortar bomb, collectively forms an aerodynamically shaped body with the mortar bomb. At least two deployable wings are attached to the housing interface, wherein the wings transition between a retracted state and a deployed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Leigh Aerosystems Corporation
    Inventors: Gordon L. Harris, Stephen L. Harris
  • Patent number: 11370532
    Abstract: A rotary wing aircraft and a rotor assembly of a rotary wind aircraft is disclosed. The rotary wing aircraft includes at least one engine, and the rotor assembly is coupled to the at least one engine. The rotor assembly includes a first rotor hub, a second rotor hub, and a shaft fairing between the first rotor hub to the second rotor hub, the shaft fairing defined by a chord that varies between the first rotor hub and the second rotor hub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Patrick Ormande Bowles, Margaret G. Battisti, Brian Ernest Wake, Peter F. Lorber, Byung-Young Min
  • Patent number: 11370562
    Abstract: Examples include an apparatus for providing a point of attachment to a structural component, the apparatus including: a first grommet comprising: a head; and a shaft that extends from a first side of the head, where the shaft comprises a first attachment component opposite the head; a gasket bonded to a second side of the head that is opposite the first side, where the gasket, the head, and the shaft are aligned and a hole is formed through the gasket, the head, and the shaft; and a second grommet comprising a second attachment component that is configured to engage the first attachment component of the first grommet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Cory M. Hitchcock
  • Patent number: 11365006
    Abstract: Described are extended display devices for a passenger compartment including a first display device and a second display device, the first display device positioned in an outer frame to face a passenger seat and the a second display connected with and positioned laterally relative to the first display, wherein the first and second displays are configured to simultaneously display information from two different sources. One or both display devices can be attached modularly within a void through the outer frame and within an insert that matches the inner boundary of the outer frame and matches the exterior boundary of the display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: Safran Seats USA LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Chavarria, Jose Madrigal, Teresa del Carmen Antillon, Cristina Bermudez, Nguyen Foek Le