Patents Examined by Terri L Filosi
  • Patent number: 11939072
    Abstract: A method of optimizing the noise generated by a rotorcraft on the ground, said rotorcraft including a hybrid power plant, at least one rotor, and an electrical energy source. Said method makes it possible to monitor whether each engine of said power plant is on or off, and to monitor the state of each electric machine of said hybrid power plant. Said method also makes it possible to monitor whether said rotorcraft is on the ground. Then, each engine that is on is controlled to reach an idling speed, or indeed to be caused to stop by being switched off, and said electric machine Is regulated on a setpoint speed of rotation of a rotor so as to drive each rotor while also limiting the noise generated by said hybrid power plant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: AIRBUS HELICOPTERS
    Inventor: Nayibe Gomez
  • Patent number: 11926417
    Abstract: A flight vehicle capable of improving the accuracy of the arrival position of baggage. The flight vehicle according to the present disclosure includes a mounting unit that holds a mounted object, holds the mounting unit via a string member, and has a moving means including a rotor blade provided between the upper end and the lower end of the mounting unit, when the mounting unit is viewed from the side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: AERONEXT INC.
    Inventor: Yoichi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11897598
    Abstract: An aircraft includes a plurality of takeoff and landing rotors each generating a first airflow below the takeoff and landing rotor, and a cruise rotor generating a second airflow behind the cruise rotor, the plurality of takeoff and landing rotors including a rear rotor disposed behind the cruise rotor. The aircraft further includes an airflow deflection mechanism capable of changing a direction of the second airflow, and a controller for controlling the airflow deflection mechanism to suppress interference between the first airflow generated by the rear rotor and the second airflow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masahiko Asanuma
  • Patent number: 11866152
    Abstract: A system of an electric aircraft with pitch control using an elevator is presented. In some embodiments, the electric aircraft may include an elevator configured to deflect. In some embodiments, the electric aircraft may further include a lift lever configured to generate a lift command upon activation by a pilot. In some embodiments, the electric aircraft may further include a flight controller communicatively connected with the lift lever and the elevator, wherein the flight controller is configured to receive the lift command from the lift lever and adjust the elevator as a function of the lift command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: BETA AIR, LLC
    Inventors: Nicholas Moy, Collin Freiheit, Riley Griffin
  • Patent number: 11858639
    Abstract: An aircraft includes at least one passenger room (3). The room has a passenger chair (5) and a bed (7). These are separate units and can be used at the same time without one unit interfering with or restricting the full range of operations of the other unit and vice versa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: SINGAPORE AIRLINES LIMITED
    Inventor: Yung Han Ng
  • Patent number: 11858616
    Abstract: An actuator system for controlling movement of a plurality of panels. The system includes two lifting mechanisms connected to each panel at two separate locations on the panel, and, for each panel: an actuator in engagement with a first of the lifting mechanisms to drive the lifting mechanism to move the panel, and a torque tube having a first end in engagement with the actuator so as to be rotated by the actuator as the actuator drives the lifting mechanism, the torque tube having a second end in engagement with the other of the two lifting mechanisms to drive the lifting mechanism due to rotation of the torque tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: GOODRICH ACTUATION SYSTEMS LIMITED
    Inventor: Jeremy Kracke
  • Patent number: 11858659
    Abstract: An integrated pushback guidance system and method is provided for guiding pushback travel of electric taxi system-driven aircraft. The pushback guidance system may be integrated with existing ramp monitoring systems to monitor reverse pushback travel of pilot-controlled electric taxi system-driven aircraft along an optimum pushback path from a stand to a pushback end location. Visual signals relating to pushback travel safety as the pilot drives the aircraft along the pushback path are generated in real time by the system and transmitted to a range of display devices viewable by the aircraft pilot and airport personnel responsible for guiding aircraft pushback. The pilot may be guided by visual signals on only display devices or with guidance from airport personnel also viewing the visual signals on display devices to drive the aircraft safely in reverse with the electric taxi system along the pushback path to the pushback end location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: BOREALIS TECHNICAL LIMITED
    Inventor: Jan Vana
  • Patent number: 11858633
    Abstract: Example implementations may relate to door-enabled loading and release of payloads in an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), which could be a type of UAV in a group of UAVs that is assigned to carry out certain transport tasks. In particular, the UAV may include a fuselage having a first side and a second side, as well as a chamber formed within the fuselage and arranged to house a payload. A first door may be arranged on the first side of the fuselage, such that an opening of the first door enables loading of the payload into the chamber. And a second door may be arranged on the second side of the fuselage, such that an opening of the second door enables release of the payload from the chamber. Moreover, the UAV may include a control system configured to control flight of the UAV, and possibly opening and/or closing of door(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: WING AVIATION LLC
    Inventors: Andre Prager, Adam Woodworth
  • Patent number: 11846341
    Abstract: A drive unit includes an actuator from which an output rod protrudes at one end of a cylinder and being coupled to a flap of an aircraft, an attachment disposed on the other side of the cylinder, a reaction link coupled to the flap at one end and to the attachment at the other end, and a connection-disconnection section allowing the cylinder and the attachment to be coupled to and separated from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: NABTESCO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koji Ito, Toshiaki Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11801932
    Abstract: Systems and methods for mechanically rotating an aircraft about its center-of-gravity (CG) are disclosed. The system can enable the rear, or main, landing gear to squat, while the nose landing gear raises to generate a positive pitch angle for the aircraft for takeoff or landing. The system can also enable the nose gear and main gear to return to a relatively level fuselage attitude for ground operations. The system can include one or more hydraulically linked hydraulic cylinders to control the overall height of the nose gear and the main gear. Because the hydraulic cylinders are linked, a change on the length of the nose cylinder generates a proportional, and opposite, change in the length of the main cylinder, and vice-versa. A method and control system for monitoring and controlling the relative positions of the nose gear and main gear is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: JETZERO, INC.
    Inventors: Ewald Schuster, Jennifer Whitlock, Joshua B Long, Cristina Donastorg, Brendan Kennelly, Mark A. Page
  • Patent number: 11745897
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to recover unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with kites are disclosed. A disclosed example apparatus to recover a UAV during flight includes a tether line, a tensioner operatively coupled to the tether line, and a kite operatively coupled to the tether line to support the tether line for recovery of the UAV.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Insitu, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin T. Brown, Alice Fockele, Kelly A. Comstock, John Wong, Jacob Allen, Daniel L. Shaw, Jesse D. Kiewit
  • Patent number: 11738855
    Abstract: An electronic control system for a turbopropeller engine having a gas turbine and a propeller assembly coupled to the gas turbine is provided. The control system implements a propeller control unit to control propeller operation using an actuation assembly designed to adjust a pitch angle of propeller blades. The control unit engages a mechanical lock determining a minimum flight value for the pitch angle during a flight operating mode, and disengages the mechanical lock and controls the pitch angle below the minimum flight value, up to a minimum ground value lower than the minimum flight value, during a ground operating mode. The propeller control unit, during a transition from the ground operating mode to the flight operating mode, engages the mechanical lock. The control unit anticipates the increase of the pitch angle before the mechanical lock engagement when transitioning from the ground operating mode to the flight operating mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: GE Avio S.r.l.
    Inventors: Pierpaolo Forte, Stefano Ettorre, Giuseppe Donini
  • Patent number: 11724825
    Abstract: A satellite system may have a constellation of communications satellites in orbits such as highly inclined eccentric geosynchronous orbits and low earth orbits. To place satellites in inclined eccentric geosynchronous orbits, a series of launch vehicles may be launched. Each launch vehicle may be used to place a set of satellites, such as a set of three satellites, into a common orbital plane with distinct longitude of ascending node values. To place satellites in low earth orbits, a series of launch vehicles may be launched, each of which releases satellites in sequence from a stack of satellites into a common orbital plane. After desired separations have been produced between the released satellites, circularization procedures may be performed using the propulsion systems of the satellites to place the satellites into final orbit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Inventors: Robert Hawkins, Peterson Browning
  • Patent number: 11718402
    Abstract: Various embodiments of a system and associated method for a thrust-vector controlled unmanned aerial and ground vehicle are disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Arizona Board of Regents on Behalf of Arizona State University
    Inventors: Wenlong Zhang, Yizhuang Garrard, Shatadal Mishra, Karishma Patnaik, Zachary Chase, Michael Ploughe
  • Patent number: 11713140
    Abstract: A de-orbiting system for a space vehicle may include one or more lithium ion (Li-ion) batteries configured to release hot gases to be used for thrusting during de-orbiting of the apparatus. The system may also include one or more heaters surrounding each of the one or more Li-ion batteries, which are configured to send each of the one or more Li-ion batteries into a thermal runaway. The thermal runaway causes the one or more Li-ion batteries to release stored electrochemical energy within each of the one or more Li-ion batteries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Inventors: Eric Joseph Nemanick, John H. Schilling, John D. Desain, Andrea G. Hsu, Brian B. Brady, Andrew C. Cortopassi
  • Patent number: 11713119
    Abstract: A rotorcraft includes a body and a plurality of rotary-wing parts. The body has a front-end portion, a rear-end portion, two side portions, and a reference plane passing through the front-end portion, the rear-end portion, and the two side portions. The plurality of rotary-wing parts are disposed to the body. Each of the rotary-wing parts includes at least one blade and a shaft coupled to the at least one blade. The at least one blade is rotated around an axis of the shaft. An angle between the axis of the shaft and a normal line of the reference plane is between 5 and 30 degrees. The rotorcraft can provide additional lift force, to help reduce the weight of the rotorcraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: Coretronic Intelligent Robotics Corporation
    Inventors: I-Ta Yang, Ying-Chieh Chen, Chi-Tong Hsieh, Hsu-Chih Cheng
  • Patent number: 11679858
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for facilitating the attachment of an internal module in an internal space of an aircraft part is disclosed. The attachment device includes at least one attachment member comprising an attachment shank, a chamber for introducing the attachment member, the chamber including a first orifice through which the attachment shank passes in the installed configuration of the internal module, and a second orifice which serves for the introduction of the attachment member into the chamber from the outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS (S.A.S.)
    Inventors: Philippe Bernadet, BenoƮt Courouble
  • Patent number: 11649070
    Abstract: Various embodiments of space launch vehicle systems and associated methods of manufacture and use are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the systems include a reusable, horizontal takeoff/horizontal landing (HTHL), ground-assisted single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) spaceplane that is capable of providing frequent deliveries of people and/or cargo to Low Earth Orbit (LEO). In some embodiments, the spaceplane can takeoff with the aid of a rocket-powered sled that, in addition to providing additional thrust for takeoff, can also provide propellant for the spaceplane engines during the takeoff run so that the spaceplane launches with full propellant tanks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Radian Aerospace, Inc.
    Inventors: Livingston L. Holder, Gary C. Hudson, Bevin C. McKinney, Marshall L. Crenshaw, Daniel Paul Raymer
  • Patent number: 11643204
    Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for gas transport is disclosed. The UAV includes a fuselage enclosing a volume, and a gas reservoir enclosed within the fuselage, filling at least a majority of the volume. The gas reservoir is configured to receive and store a gas at a pressure no greater than 100 bar. The UAV also includes a propulsion system having at least one engine, each of the at least one engine coupled to a prop that is driven by the at least one engine using energy derived from the gas stored in the gas reservoir. The UAV also includes a control system communicatively coupled to the propulsion system and configured to operate the unmanned aerial vehicle to autonomously transport the gas. The UAV may have a footprint while on the ground, and the footprint of the UAV may be no larger than three standard parking spaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of Arizona State University
    Inventor: Ivan Ermanoski
  • Patent number: 11623759
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for maintaining bulk fuel temperatures in an aircraft. In one aspect, a recirculation system causes fuel to be delivered from a relatively low point near the feed hopper of each tank on the aircraft to one or more outboard locations of the wings. Once there, the fuel, due to gravity, flows back over the lower skin of the wing in channels back towards the fuselage, thus cooling the fuel. In other aspects, control systems are disclosed that coordinate the recirculation based on fuel levels in the tanks and fuel temperatures. The control systems also utilize a fuel scavenge system to maintain acceptable temperatures in the tanks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Textron Aviation Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Edward Dwier, Robert G. Wellemeyer