Patents Examined by Tye William Abell
  • Patent number: 12378918
    Abstract: A system for determining and/or controlling motor thrust and engine thrust in a parallel hybrid aircraft. One or more sensors may be configured to monitor one or more flight parameters to generate sensor information. User input including one or more pilot estimates may be received. The sensor information may be obtained. A performance thrust ratio may be calculated based on the user input, the sensor information, an aerodynamic model, a propeller model, and a battery model. The performance thrust ratio may be used to control the motor thrust and engine thrust to improve utilization of electric energy throughout a flight. A first thrust setting for the motor and/or a second thrust setting for the engine may be determined based on the performance thrust ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2024
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2025
    Assignee: Ampaire, Inc.
    Inventors: Alex J. Chapman, Peter J. Savagian
  • Patent number: 12371175
    Abstract: A parachute that can be deployed more quickly than before, a safety device provided with the parachute, and a flight vehicle provided with the safety device. An umbrella body of the parachute has a substantially hemispherical shape including a first impact buffer, a second impact buffer, and a shape holder, and includes a vent formed at a top portion and an umbrella edge portion constituting an opening. The first impact buffer and the second impact buffer are formed in a state where each of a plurality of base fabrics is disposed such that a center line L connecting a vertex P and a geometric center position of each of the base fabrics intersects an extending direction of a warp thread and a weft thread of the base fabric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2025
    Assignee: NIPPON KAYAKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroshi Nakamura, Kensuke Nishio
  • Patent number: 12371142
    Abstract: According to one aspect, a system for launching an aerostat may include an inflatable structure defining a volume having a neck, a reactor defining a chamber, a coupling releasably secured in fluid communication between the chamber and the neck, and a drain valve within the volume, the drain valve in a first position away from the neck to receive a lifting gas from the chamber into the volume via the coupling, the drain valve movable from the first position to a second position when the coupling is released from fluid communication between the chamber and the neck, and the drain valve in the second position in sealed engagement with the inflatable structure along the neck to control accumulation of condensate from the lifting gas within the volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2024
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2025
    Assignee: LTAG SYSTEMS LLC
    Inventors: Jonathan T. Slocum, Alexander H. Slocum
  • Patent number: 12365492
    Abstract: A suspended aerial vehicle system includes an aerial vehicle with a thruster assembly and a supporting line attached to the aerial vehicle that is capable of supporting at least some of the weight of the aerial vehicle. The supporting line may have an adjustable length which when varied, and in coordination with variations in a thrust characteristic of the aerial vehicle, may change the position of the aerial vehicle. Other aspects are also described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2025
    Assignee: KYTE DYNAMICS, INC.
    Inventor: Irfan-ur-rab Usman
  • Patent number: 12365451
    Abstract: An aircraft landing gear shock absorber strut including an outer cylinder having a bore defining an opening; an inner cylinder having a first end region movably coupled within the bore and a second end region which projects out of the opening. The inner cylinder being arranged to move along a longitudinal axis of the bore between a first condition and a second condition and is biased by a spring force to assume the second condition. A mechanical outstop is arranged to engage an abutment surface of the inner cylinder to limit extension of the shock absorber strut; and a rotatable member drives the out stop axially to move the inner cylinder from the second condition towards the first condition. The rotatable member is arranged such that the spring force cannot rotate the rotatable member to allow the shock absorber strut to extend.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2025
    Assignee: SAAFRAN LANDING SYSTEMS UK LTD.
    Inventor: Ian Robert Bennett
  • Patent number: 12358610
    Abstract: A mechanism for moving an aircraft wing slat between a retracted position and a deployed position includes a rib, an arm, a first bar and a second bar. The arm is disposed generally parallel with the rib and is configured for attachment with the wing slat. The rib, the arm and the first and second bars cooperate to form a four-bar linkage which is rotatable about connection points in a negative pitch rotational direction to dispose the arm in the deployed position, and in a positive pitch rotational direction to disposing the arm in the retracted position. The mechanism includes additional structures for maintaining the arm in the deployed position, including a magnetic extend stop and a standoff, an arm lobe and a cross-bolt, and a bar lobe and a linear member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2024
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2025
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Samuel Block, Ramón Burin
  • Patent number: 12351291
    Abstract: Balloon systems, such as for remote sensing activities in the upper atmosphere, having a dual fault tolerant termination system, which provide high-reliability termination. The balloon systems described herein include a primary termination device and a secondary termination device, each of the termination devices configured to provide allow lift gas expulsion while maintaining the integrity of the balloon envelope, to allow for possible reuse of the envelope. The primary termination device has long-range communication capability, to receive instructions from a ground-based command, and also has short-range communication capability, to communicate with the secondary termination device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2024
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2025
    Assignee: URBAN SKY THEORY INC.
    Inventors: Maxmillion J. W. McLaughlin, Jared Leidich, Nathan Henault
  • Patent number: 12338015
    Abstract: A storage device (10) that stores an unmanned aerial vehicle (30) includes a main body portion (20) having a magnet or a magnetic body (111, 112) for applying a magnetic force to the unmanned aerial vehicle (30) provided with a magnet (121, 122) on an upper surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2025
    Assignee: NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Atsushi Aratake, Yosuke Sakurada, Daisuke Uchibori, Yujin Hamano, Kazuaki Watanabe
  • Patent number: 12337946
    Abstract: An additive manufactured airframe structure includes a first additive manufactured fuselage segment including a first outer wall that extends in a normal direction from a first end to a second end, and also includes a plurality of reinforcement elements extending from the second end of, and away from, the first outer wall in the normal direction. The airframe structure also includes a second additive manufactured fuselage segment formed separately from the first additive manufactured fuselage segment and including a second outer wall that extends in the normal direction from a first end to a second end, and a plurality of receiving channels extending along the second outer wall. The plurality of reinforcement elements are received in the plurality of receiving channels and link together the first and second additive manufactured fuselage segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2025
    Assignee: RapidFlight Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: John F. Gundlach, Jacob S. Allen
  • Patent number: 12330797
    Abstract: An emergency evacuation system includes a first floatation device, an inflator operably coupled to the first floatation device, and a second floatation device coupled to the first floatation device. The inflator is configured to inflate the first floatation device to deploy the emergency evacuation system outside of a compartment, such as proximate to a door of a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2024
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2025
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Angela Noelani Cruz, Mark Edward King, Steven Philip McDonald
  • Patent number: 12330817
    Abstract: Tether-based reaction control systems for spacecraft undergoing atmospheric entry or reducing orbital energy, including systems that use atmospheric drag on one or more tethers to alter the angle of attack of the spacecraft during its atmospheric transit to reduce the thermal and mechanical loads on the spacecraft during the reentry process. Systems may include tethers that together generate a force that functionally acts on the spacecraft at a point that is offset from the spacecraft's center of mass. Such systems may be either actively or passively controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2025
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2025
    Assignee: Excalibur Almaz USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Arthur M. Dula, Neha Satak, Prasad Laxminarayana
  • Patent number: 12325510
    Abstract: A retract actuator assembly for a landing gear assembly of an aircraft includes a retract actuator and a kneel stop assembly. The retract actuator includes an actuator housing and a piston. The actuator housing includes a cylinder bore along a longitudinal axis. The piston disposed within the cylinder bore and configured to move within the cylinder bore. The cylinder bore defines a piston stroke with an extended piston position and a retracted piston position. The kneel stop assembly secured to the actuator housing. The kneel stop assembly is configured to selectively establish a kneel stop position within the cylinder bore to reduce the piston stroke by inhibiting movement of the piston to the retracted piston position. The landing gear assembly includes the retract actuator, the kneel stop assembly, a trailing arm and a shock absorber. A method for kneeling a landing gear assembly of an aircraft is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2025
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Matthew S. Elenbaas
  • Patent number: 12310342
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a system for providing conditioned air to a room for rearing insect larvae. The system comprises crates for storing the insect larvae, wherein the crates are stackable to form a vertical column and wherein the crates comprise lateral cutouts disposed on opposite sides. An air inlet duct for providing conditioned air to the crates is disposed in a vertical direction and comprises at least one nozzle for each crate in a column. The position of the at least one nozzle corresponds to the position of the lateral cutout of the respective crate. The system further comprises an air outlet duct, wherein the air outlet duct is disposed in a vertical direction and wherein the air outlet duct is disposed on a side of the stacked crates opposite to the air inlet duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2025
    Assignee: Bühler Insect Technology Solutions AG
    Inventors: Eric Holland Schmitt, Jaco Jansen, Kees Wilhelmus Petrus Aarts, Maurits Petrus Maria Jansen, Vincent De Gelder
  • Patent number: 12313148
    Abstract: A rotary actuator mounting system configured to attach a rotary actuator to and between two relatively moveable parts, the rotary actuator being attached to a first of the two relatively moveable parts and to a second of the relatively moveable parts such that operation of the actuator causes one of the first and second relatively movable parts to rotate relative to the other of the first and second relatively movable parts about an axis of the rotary actuator. The system includes a compliant attachment component connecting the actuator to the first relatively moveable part, the compliant attachment component having a first end attached to the first movable part and a second end attached to the actuator, and wherein at least one of the first and the second end is in the form of a ball bearing arranged to be received in a complementary socket on the actuator and/or the first movable part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2025
    Assignee: GOODRICH ACTUATION SYSTEMS LIMITED
    Inventor: Jonathan Darby
  • Patent number: 12296966
    Abstract: An aircraft includes: a gas turbine for driving a generator; a first electric motor for driving a first rotor; and a second electric motor for driving a second rotor. The gas turbine is arranged in a manner so that the gas turbine overlaps a rear wing in the front-rear direction of a fuselage, and a first high-voltage harness for transmitting electric power to the first electric motor and a second high-voltage harness for transmitting electric power to the second electric motor are arranged inside the rear wing so as to be separated from each other in the front-rear direction of the fuselage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2025
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masaru Tomimatsu
  • Patent number: 12296939
    Abstract: A hybrid airship-aerostat includes a hull, a motor, a fin, a controller, and a bridle system. The motor is coupled to the hull and is configured to rotate between a thrust configuration and a lift configuration. The motor is configured to generate a lift force, a thrust force, or a combination thereof. The fin is coupled to a tail of the hull and is configured to provide directional control of the hull. The controller is configured to operate the motor and the fin to pilot the hull. The bridle system is configured to removably couple to a first end of a tether.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2025
    Assignee: Galaxy Unmanned Systems LLC
    Inventors: Antonio Roberto White, Jason Theodore White
  • Patent number: 12296974
    Abstract: An aircraft is disclosed including a fuel tank for storing liquid hydrogen, an aircraft power plant and/or an aircraft refuelling port, and a hydrogen fuel line extending from a first end to a second end, the first end at the fuel tank and the second end at one of the aircraft power plant and the aircraft refuelling port. The hydrogen fuel line is rigidly continuous and substantially unconstrained along an axial direction of the hydrogen fuel line between the first end and the second end. The first and/or second end is moveable in the axial direction of the hydrogen fuel line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2025
    Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS LIMITED
    Inventor: Nebojsa Sakota
  • Patent number: 12295812
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes a self-sprayer device for self-administering an animal product to an animal and providing environmental enrichment to the animal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2024
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2025
    Assignee: Texas Tech University System
    Inventor: John J. McGlone
  • Patent number: 12290062
    Abstract: A portable mosquito killing lamp includes a housing and a lamp cover connected to the housing; a mosquito killing assembly and a light emitting assembly are arranged on the housing; the light emitting assembly includes an illuminant and a dazzling cover, and the illuminant and the dazzling cover are connected to the housing and are disposed between the housing and the lamp cover; the dazzling cover covers the illuminant and is disposed inside the lamp cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignee: NINGBO DAYANG TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jun Zheng, Yuanai Ning
  • Patent number: 12291320
    Abstract: An aircraft floor including a structure, a deck attached to the structure, and first and second sealing barriers superposed at least in line with a protection zone, the deck being configured to form the first sealing barrier at least in line with the protection zone. The second sealing barrier includes a sealing tarpaulin interposed between the deck and the structure and having several reinforcing strips fixed against a face of the sealing tarpaulin oriented toward the structure, at least some of the reinforcing strips being interposed between the sealing tarpaulin and longitudinal reinforcements of the structure of the floor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS
    Inventor: Sébastien Pellizzon