Patents Examined by Tien Q. Dinh
  • Patent number: 11691725
    Abstract: One embodiment is an aircraft including first and second fuselages; a wing assembly connecting the first and second fuselages, wherein the first and second fuselages are parallel to one another; first and second forward propulsion systems tiltably attached to forward ends of the first and second fuselages; and first and second aft propulsion systems fixedly attached proximate aft ends of the first and second fuselages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: TEXTRON INNOVATIONS INC.
    Inventors: Steven R. Ivans, Robert Roe
  • Patent number: 11685511
    Abstract: A flap support for supporting a flap of a wing for an aircraft is disclosed and includes a load bearing fairing shell and a reinforcement structure at least partially received in the interior space of the fairing structure and mounted to the first and second side wall portions of the fairing shell. The fairing shell includes a front attachment device configured for attachment to a main wing, and the reinforcement structure includes an aft attachment device configured for attachment to the main wing. The flap support further includes a hinge device configured for forming an articulated connection to the flap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignees: AIRBUS DEFENCE AND SPACE GmbH, AIRBUS OPERATIONS GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Machunze, Markus Gibbert, Benjamin Ehring, Marc Hencke
  • Patent number: 11679885
    Abstract: A disclosed device allows a person to fly. A disclosed wearable flight system includes a plurality of propulsion assemblies including a left-hand propulsion assembly configured to be worn on a user's left hand and/or forearm and a right-hand propulsion assembly configured to be worn on a user's right hand and/or forearm. A further embodiment includes a body propulsion device that is configured to provide a net force along an axis defining a net body propulsion vector and a support device configured to support a user's waist or torso. The support device is configured to hold a user's body relative to the body propulsion device such that a line extending between center the of the user's head and the center of the user's waist extends, relative to the orientation of the net body propulsion vector during use, by a body propulsion elevation angle that is greater than zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: GRAVITY INDUSTRIES LTD.
    Inventor: Richard Browning
  • Patent number: 11678648
    Abstract: A coral ring mount device and method for the propagative culture of sessile benthic marine organisms (for example, stony corals) employing either a ring, washer or threaded nut or similar as a propagule mount upon which the coral is set in order to attach, grow and overgrow within a coral nursery system. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, once the coral is grown onto the ring mount and to its requisite size and condition, the ring mount becomes the washer through which passes a screw to secure the ring and coral to the seafloor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Inventor: Andrew MacKay Ross
  • Patent number: 11667387
    Abstract: A system for suction of the boundary layer of a wing and protection against icing of this wing includes a wall including micro-perforations and delimiting a leading edge extended by a pressure-side wall and by a suction-side wall. The system also includes a perforated tube running along the leading edge, an exhaust duction for sucking air from this tube in order to suck the boundary layer successively via the micro-perforations of the wall and via the perforations of the tube, and a supply duct for blowing hot air into this perforated tube during a phase of protection against icing, this hot air being discharged successively via the perforations of the tube and via the micro-perforations of the wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: SONACA S.A.
    Inventors: Said Elmouden, Nicolas Dellisse
  • Patent number: 11655056
    Abstract: An attitude control apparatus (20) includes an ideal thrust direction calculator (22), an ideal attitude calculator (24), a target attitude calculator (26), and a torque calculator (28). The ideal thrust direction calculator (22) calculates an ideal thrust direction of a thruster. The target attitude calculator (26) calculates a target attitude that is the attitude of a satellite in which a deviation from an ideal attitude is minimized within a movement limitation of an attitude control actuator (14) while a panel surface faces the sun. The torque calculator (28) calculates a torque for turning the satellite from an actual attitude to the target attitude and transmits a torque instruction to the attitude control actuator (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenji Kitamura, Takeya Shima, Katsuhiko Yamada
  • Patent number: 11647731
    Abstract: A catch drawer litter box for the recovery of litter and prevention of unwanted dispersal outside of a litter box. The catch drawer litter box generally includes a base and a cover. The base generally comprises a recovery region, a litter region, and a base divider separating these two regions. The litter region generally comprises a litter container configured for the receipt of litter comprising litter particles. Recovery region generally comprises a grate with openings large enough to allow passage of litter particles and a recovery drawer configured for removable deposition within the recovery region via an opening in the base. The recovery drawer is configured to receive at least a portion of the particles of litter that may pass through the openings in the grate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: The Grate Litter Box, LLC
    Inventors: Danny W. Akers, II, Kellie C. Akers
  • Patent number: 11643201
    Abstract: A vertical take-off and/or landing aircraft comprising: a fuselage having a longitudinal axis; a pair of semi-wings protruding from the fuselage in a transversal direction with respect to the longitudinal axis; a pair of a predetermined breaking areas of the semi-wings defining respective preferred rupture sections at which the respective semi-wings are designed to break, during operation, in a controlled way moving along a preferred collapse trajectory in the event of impact; and at least one fluidic line configured to convey at least one service fluid from and/or towards at least one said semi-wing and crossing at least one of said preferred rupture sections; the aircraft comprises a self-sealing coupling movable between a first configuration in which it enables the flow of said service fluid from and/or towards the semi-wing, and a second configuration in which it prevents the above-mentioned flow and the spilling of the service fluid from the fluidic line; the self-sealing coupling is movable from the fir
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: LEONARDO S.P.A.
    Inventors: Roberto Vanni, Andrea Antoni
  • Patent number: 11634216
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a ducted fan assembly includes a housing that further includes a rotor. The ducted fan assembly also includes a plurality of stators that extend outward from the housing. The ducted fan assembly also includes a control vane pivotally attached to at least one of the plurality of stators. The ducted fan assembly also includes a rim that extends around at least a portion of a perimeter of the ducted fan assembly and is supported by the plurality of stators and the control vane, where the rim defines an opening surrounding at least a portion of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: William Anthony Amante, Timothy Brian Carr
  • Patent number: 11632931
    Abstract: A milker unit short milk tube having a downstream milk claw connection end having a position and release device joined to and extending away from the downstream milk claw connection end; a controlled flexible portion disposed in an upstream direction from the position and release device; a reinforced portion disposed in upstream direction from the controlled flexible portion; and an interior milking claw inlet sealing surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: GEA Farm Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Nathan Hedlund
  • Patent number: 11622532
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods and systems for a retainer apparatus that includes a scoop having an exterior surface and an interior surface with a central opening and a predetermined length. A retention device has a base with a length greater than the length of the central opening of the scoop and a flange portion extends upwardly from the base portion and contains at least one opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Bolt-On QLK, Inc.
    Inventor: Jamie Bennett Bolton
  • Patent number: 11623743
    Abstract: In an aspect, a system comprising a computing device. The computing device is configured to determine a drag minimization axis of a rotor connected to an aircraft. The rotor includes a first end and a second end. The rotor is configured to rotate about an axis. The computing device is further configured to determine a halting point of the rotor, wherein the halting point includes a drag minimization axis of the rotor. The computing device is configured to send a halting command to at least a magnetic element to halt the rotor, wherein the halting process is configured to stop a movement of the rotor and position the rotor in the halting point. The position of the rotor in the halting point includes the first end pointing in one direction of the drag minimization axis and the second end pointing in an opposite direction of the first end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: BETA AIR, LLC
    Inventor: Herman Wiegman
  • Patent number: 11618560
    Abstract: Example double-blown wing vertical takeoff and landing aircraft are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a wing having a leading edge and a trailing edge, a mounting rib having a first end and a second end, the mounting rib coupled to the wing, the first end forward of the leading edge, the second end aft of the trailing edge, the mounting rib including: a first rotor having a first propeller, the first rotor coupled to the first end of the mounting rib below the leading edge, the first propeller having a first axis of rotation, and a second rotor having a second propeller, the second rotor coupled to the second end of the mounting rib above the trailing edge, the second propeller having a second axis of rotation substantially perpendicular to the first axis of rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation
    Inventors: Ran D. St. Clair, Robert W. Parks, Robert Ormiston
  • Patent number: 11613350
    Abstract: A VTOL aircraft includes a plurality of lift propellers configured to rotated by lift motors to provide vertical thrust during takeoff, landing and hovering operations. The lift propellers are configured to generate a cooling airflow to cool the lift motors during use. During a cruise operation when the VTOL aircraft is in forward motion, the lift propellers may be stowed in a stationary position. Therefore, the cooling airflow may be reduced or eliminated when it is not needed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Archer Aviation, Inc.
    Inventors: Karthik Kumar Bodla, Bharat Tulsyan, Christopher M. Heath, Kerry Manning, Alan D. Tepe
  • Patent number: 11608177
    Abstract: Disclosed is an aircraft seat assembly provided as one continuous row generally including at least one passenger seat and a cabin attendant seat positioned at one end of the row, wherein the at least one passenger seat and the cabin attendant seat face in opposite directions. A transverse beam of the passenger seat frame portion of the assembly extends laterally outward to support a coupling assembly attached to the cabin attendant seat. In some cabin layouts, the aircraft seat assembly is positioned adjacent to a lateral passageway extending from a longitudinal aisle to an aircraft door such that the at least one passenger seat faces away from the lateral passageway and the cabin attendant seat faces toward the lateral passageway to position a seated cabin crew member with the passengers and proximate the aircraft door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: B/E Aerospace, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Interlandi
  • Patent number: 11603183
    Abstract: A compliant tail structure for a rotorcraft having rotating components and a fuselage. The tail structure includes a tail assembly having first and second oppositely disposed tail members. A tail joint connects the tail assembly to an aft portion of the fuselage. The tail joint includes at least four tail mounts configured to establish a nodding axis for the tail assembly. At least two of the tail mounts are resilient tail mounts that are configured to establish a nodding degree of freedom for the tail assembly relative to the fuselage about the nodding axis, thereby detuning dynamic fuselage responses from excitation frequencies generated by the rotating components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: George Ryan Decker, Andrew G. Baines, Frank Douglas Sauer
  • Patent number: 11597510
    Abstract: A ducted fan assembly includes a duct having an inlet, an inner surface, an expanding diffuser and an outlet. A fan disposed within the duct between the inlet and the expanding diffuser is configured to rotate about a fan axis to generate airflow. An active flow control system includes a plurality of injection zones circumferentially distributed about the inner surface. The expanding diffuser has a diffuser angle configured to create flow separation when the airflow is uninfluenced by the active flow control system such that the airflow has a thrust vector with a first direction that is substantially parallel to the fan axis. Injection of pressurized air from one of the injection zones asymmetrically reduces the flow separation between the airflow and the expanding diffuser downstream of that injection zone such that the thrust vector of the airflow has a second direction that is not parallel to the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Bryan Robertson, Kirk Landon Groninga, Matthew Edward Louis
  • Patent number: 11597507
    Abstract: The application discloses a coaxial helicopter, the cyclic pitch-changing mechanism simultaneously adjusts the pitches of the upper and the lower rotor systems, to make uniformity cyclic pitch-changing adjustment of the upper and lower rotors, and make independent collective pitch adjustment of the upper rotor system; the differential pitch-changing mechanism and the cyclic pitch-changing mechanism jointly act on the lower rotor system, to perform differential collective pitch adjustment of the upper and lower rotor systems. The synchronous rotating mechanism drives the swashplate members to synchronously rotate along with the drive shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Suzhou Taoxun Aviation Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Xun Ge, Yuan Shen, Shuzhen Guo, Liangwei Li, Weidong Liu
  • Patent number: 11597493
    Abstract: Aircraft door (1) including an opening (4), a frame (3), a hinge structure (5) and a circular translation guide device designed to maintain the orientation of the opening (4) during the opening or closing thereof. The hinge structure (5) is connected to the opening (4) by a lifting arm (8) allowing a lifting movement of the opening (4) relative to the hinge structure (5). The circular translation guide device includes a single link (11) connected to the frame (3) by one of the ends thereof and by the other of the ends thereof to a lever (13) which is attached to the hinge structure (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: LATECOERE
    Inventor: Martin Gildas
  • Patent number: 11598133
    Abstract: A door roller includes a carriage member comprising a plurality of bores, and a plurality of roller assemblies connected to the carriage member, each roller assembly of the plurality of roller assemblies including a pivot bearing rotatably disposed within a bore of the plurality of bores and a pair of rollers coupled to the pivot bearing. Each wheel assembly is configured to pivot relative to the carriage member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce Bennett Bacon, Bart Marcus Shafer