Patents by Inventor Brandon L. Stille
Brandon L. Stille 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).
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Patent number: 10273018Abstract: An exhaust system for reducing infrared emissions of a rotary wing aircraft includes a manifold; an opening in the manifold, the opening configured to face upwards and away from the rotary wing aircraft; and a chimney including a wall positioned about the opening, the chimney configured to eject an emission of intermixed secondary air and engine exhaust upwards and away from the rotary wing aircraft.Type: GrantFiled: October 9, 2013Date of Patent: April 30, 2019Assignee: SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT CORPORATIONInventors: Joseph Pantalone, III, John S. Chapkovich, III, Ashley DeVito, Brandon L. Stille
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Publication number: 20170267338Abstract: An aircraft is provided including an airframe, an extending tail, and a counter rotating coaxial main rotor assembly including an upper rotor assembly and a lower rotor assembly. A translational thrust system including a propeller is positioned at the extending tail. The translational thrust system provides translational thrust to the airframe. A drive system is configured to operate both the main rotor system and the translational thrust system. The drive system includes a clutch configured to selectively couple or decouple the propeller from the drive system.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 18, 2015Publication date: September 21, 2017Inventors: Todd A. Garcia, William J. Eadie, Brandon L. Stille
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Patent number: 8876057Abstract: A vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) rotary-wing air-craft is sized and configured to match a payload container such as a standardized Joint Modular Intermodal Container (JMIC). The aircraft may be an Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV) that is capable of autonomously engaging and disengaging the container so that the aircraft can pick up and drop off the JMIC with minimum human intervention.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 2007Date of Patent: November 4, 2014Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft CorporationInventors: Mark R. Alber, Brandon L. Stille, Alfred Russell Smiley
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Patent number: 8801380Abstract: A rotor control system including a collective control rod positioned internal to a rotor shaft, the rotor shaft for imparting torque to rotor blades; and a cyclic control rod positioned internal to and concentric with the collective control rod.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2011Date of Patent: August 12, 2014Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft CorporationInventor: Brandon L. Stille
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Publication number: 20140096501Abstract: An exhaust system for reducing infrared emissions of a rotary wing aircraft includes a manifold; an opening in the manifold, the opening configured to face upwards and away from the rotary wing aircraft; and a chimney including a wall positioned about the opening, the chimney configured to eject an emission of intermixed secondary air and engine exhaust upwards and away from the rotary wing aircraft.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 9, 2013Publication date: April 10, 2014Applicant: Sikorsky Aircraft CorporationInventors: Joseph Pantalone, III, John S. Chapkovich, III, Ashley DeVito, Brandon L. Stille
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Patent number: 8636248Abstract: A tailwheel assembly for an aircraft includes a ventral fin including a fixed airframe portion of the ventral fin and a moveable tailwheel portion of the ventral fin. A tailwheel strut extends through the ventral fin and includes a fixed first strut portion and an extendable second strut portion having the moveable tailwheel portion of the ventral fin secured thereto. A tailwheel is secured to the extendable second strut portion. A method of operating a tailwheel assembly for an aircraft includes extending an extendable portion of a tailwheel strut from an airframe of the aircraft. The tailwheel strut has a tailwheel secured thereto and is located at least partially in a ventral fin of the aircraft. A tailwheel portion of the ventral fin is moved away from a fixed airframe portion of the ventral fin via extension of the extendable portion of the tailwheel strut.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2012Date of Patent: January 28, 2014Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft CorporationInventors: Brandon L. Stille, Steven D. Weiner
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Patent number: 8613686Abstract: A drive system includes a planetary gear system. An input is affixed to a sun gear of the planetary gear system to rotate therewith and an output is affixed to the output ring gear to rotate therewith. A first brake system is selectively operable to rotationally lock an output ring gear of the planetary gear system, and a second brake system is selectively operable to rotationally lock the planet carrier of the planetary gear system. Rotary-wing aircraft implementations of the drive system are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2013Date of Patent: December 24, 2013Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft CorporationInventor: Brandon L. Stille
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Publication number: 20130274061Abstract: A drive system includes a planetary gear system. An input is affixed to a sun gear of the planetary gear system to rotate therewith and an output is affixed to the output ring gear to rotate therewith. A first brake system is selectively operable to rotationally lock an output ring gear of the planetary gear system, and a second brake system is selectively operable to rotationally lock the planet carrier of the planetary gear system. Rotary-wing aircraft implementations of the drive system are also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 13, 2013Publication date: October 17, 2013Inventor: Brandon L. Stille
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Publication number: 20130228646Abstract: A tailwheel assembly for an aircraft includes a ventral fin including a fixed airframe portion of the ventral fin and a moveable tailwheel portion of the ventral fin. A tailwheel strut extends through the ventral fin and includes a fixed first strut portion and an extendable second strut portion having the moveable tailwheel portion of the ventral fin secured thereto. A tailwheel is secured to the extendable second strut portion. A method of operating a tailwheel assembly for an aircraft includes extending an extendable portion of a tailwheel strut from an airframe of the aircraft. The tailwheel strut has a tailwheel secured thereto and is located at least partially in a ventral fin of the aircraft. A tailwheel portion of the ventral fin is moved away from a fixed airframe portion of the ventral fin via extension of the extendable portion of the tailwheel strut.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 2, 2012Publication date: September 5, 2013Applicant: SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT CORPORATIONInventors: Brandon L. Stille, Steven D. Weiner
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Patent number: 8475323Abstract: A drive system includes a planetary gear system. An input is affixed to a sun gear of the planetary gear system to rotate therewith and an output is affixed to the output ring gear to rotate therewith. A first brake system is selectively operable to rotationally lock an output ring gear of the planetary gear system, and a second brake system is selectively operable to rotationally lock the planet carrier of the planetary gear system. Rotary-wing aircraft implementations of the drive system are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: April 13, 2010Date of Patent: July 2, 2013Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft CorporationInventor: Brandon L. Stille
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Patent number: 8038394Abstract: A rotor system includes a multiple of rotor blade yokes mounted to a rotor hub. A lead/lag damper is mounted to each of the rotor blade yokes and to a damper hub. An actuator system is operable to shift a damper hub axis of rotation relative the rotor axis of rotation to minimize 1P damper motions. A method of minimizing 1P damper motions within a rotor system includes shifting the damper hub axis of rotation relative the rotor axis of rotation to oscillate an inner connector of each lead/lag damper in phase with a 1P blade motion to minimize the 1P motion of the damper.Type: GrantFiled: January 16, 2008Date of Patent: October 18, 2011Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft CorporationInventors: Brandon L. Stille, William A. Welsh, Timothy Fred Lauder
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Publication number: 20110211953Abstract: A rotor control system including a collective control rod positioned internal to a rotor shaft, the rotor shaft for imparting torque to rotor blades; and a cyclic control rod positioned internal to and concentric with the collective control rod.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 28, 2011Publication date: September 1, 2011Applicant: SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT CORPORATIONInventor: Brandon L. Stille
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Patent number: 7931428Abstract: An aircraft payload retention system includes a cable, a brake assembly, a hollow crushable member and a hollow structural member. The hollow structural member is fixed adjacent an aircraft internal cargo bay. In response to a high-G condition, the payload may break free from a tie-down system and move forward. The brake assembly engages the hollow crushable member within the hollow structural member and begins to crush the hollow crushable member as the cable is pulled therethrough to dissipate energy of the payload into the structure of the aircraft to arrest forward movement of the payload toward the cockpit.Type: GrantFiled: January 19, 2007Date of Patent: April 26, 2011Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft CorporationInventor: Brandon L. Stille
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Publication number: 20100279815Abstract: A drive system includes a planetary gear system. An input is affixed to a sun gear of the planetary gear system to rotate therewith and an output is affixed to the output ring gear to rotate therewith. A first brake system is selectively operable to rotationally lock an output ring gear of the planetary gear system, and a second brake system is selectively operable to rotationally lock the planet carrier of the planetary gear system. Rotary-wing aircraft implementations of the drive system are also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 13, 2010Publication date: November 4, 2010Inventor: Brandon L. Stille
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Publication number: 20100012769Abstract: A vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) rotary-wing air-craft is sized and configured to match a payload container such as a standardized Joint Modular Intermodal Container (JMIC). The aircraft may be an Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV) that is capable of autonomously engaging and disengaging the container so that the aircraft can pick up and drop off the JMIC with minimum human intervention.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 19, 2007Publication date: January 21, 2010Inventors: Mark R. Alber, Brandon L. Stille, Alfred Russell Smiley
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Publication number: 20090180882Abstract: A rotor system includes a multiple of rotor blade yokes mounted to a rotor hub. A lead/lag damper is mounted to each of the rotor blade yokes and to a damper hub. An actuator system is operable to shift a damper hub axis of rotation relative the rotor axis of rotation to minimize 1P damper motions. A method of minimizing 1P damper motions within a rotor system includes shifting the damper hub axis of rotation relative the rotor axis of rotation to oscillate an inner connector of each lead/lag damper in phase with a 1P blade motion to minimize the 1P motion of the damper.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 16, 2008Publication date: July 16, 2009Inventors: Brandon L. Stille, William A. Welsh, Timothy Fred Lauder
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Publication number: 20080317562Abstract: An aircraft payload retention system includes a cable, a brake assembly, a hollow crushable member and a hollow structural member. The hollow structural member is fixed adjacent an aircraft internal cargo bay. In response to a high-G condition, the payload may break free from a tie-down system and move forward. The brake assembly engages the hollow crushable member within the hollow structural member and begins to crush the hollow crushable member as the cable is pulled therethrough to dissipate energy of the payload into the structure of the aircraft to arrest forward movement of the payload toward the cockpit.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 19, 2007Publication date: December 25, 2008Inventor: Brandon L. Stille
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Patent number: D665720Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 2012Date of Patent: August 21, 2012Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft CorporationInventors: Brandon L. Stille, Ashley DeVito, Benjamin Reed Hein, Timothy Fred Lauder, Patrick Boyle, Mark R. Alber, William J. Eadie