Patents by Inventor Berlin B. Benfield

Berlin B. Benfield has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Articulated tiltrotor
    Patent number: 11760475
    Abstract: There is disclosed in one example a tiltrotor system for a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft, including: a rotor pylon, wherein the rotor pylon is rotatable, via a rotation maneuver, between a substantially horizontal orientation and a substantially vertical orientation; a linear actuator disposed to actuate the rotation maneuver; and a mechanical guide disposed to maintain a center of gravity along a substantially linear axis throughout the rotation maneuver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: TEXTRON INNOVATIONS INC.
    Inventors: Steven R. Ivans, Berlin B. Benfield, Brent C. Ross
  • UNMANNED CARGO LIFT ROTORCRAFT
    Publication number: 20230211879
    Abstract: A vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft, including: a vehicle controller circuit programmed to operate the VTOL aircraft without an onboard human operator; a rotor system; an airframe; and an external cargo coupling to receive an external payload of at least approximately 300 pounds beneath the airframe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2022
    Publication date: July 6, 2023
    Inventors: Steven R. Ivans, Brent C. Ross, Mathew Chapdelaine, Berlin B. Benfield
  • UNMANNED ROTORCRAFT WITH DUAL CARGO DOORS
    Publication number: 20230192287
    Abstract: There is disclosed in one example an unmanned vertical lift aircraft, comprising: an airframe; a drive system configured for vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL); a power plant to power the drive system; and an internal cargo bay comprising a fore aperture and an aft aperture, the fore and aft apertures having dimensions substantially conforming to a cross section of the internal cargo bay, and the internal cargo bay comprising a substantially linear and open volume between the fore and aft apertures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2021
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Inventors: Steven R. Ivans, Berlin B. Benfield
  • ARTICULATED TILTROTOR
    Publication number: 20230192286
    Abstract: There is disclosed in one example a tiltrotor system for a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft, including: a rotor pylon, wherein the rotor pylon is rotatable, via a rotation maneuver, between a substantially horizontal orientation and a substantially vertical orientation; a linear actuator disposed to actuate the rotation maneuver; and a mechanical guide disposed to maintain a center of gravity along a substantially linear axis throughout the rotation maneuver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2021
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Inventors: Steven R. Ivans, Berlin B. Benfield, Brent C. Ross