Patents by Inventor Bryan S. Cotton
Bryan S. Cotton 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).
-
Patent number: 11021241Abstract: An aircraft is provided and includes an airframe, an extending tail, a counter rotating, coaxial main rotor assembly including an upper rotor assembly and a lower rotor assembly, a translational thrust system positioned at the extending tail, the translational thrust system providing translational thrust to the airframe, at least one sensor and at least one inertial measurement unit (IMU) to sense current flight conditions of the aircraft, an interface to execute controls of a main rotor assembly in accordance with control commands and at least one flight control computer (FCC) to issue the control commands. The at least one FCC includes a central processing unit (CPU) and a memory having logic and executable instructions stored thereon, which, when executed, cause the CPU to issue the control commands based on the current flight conditions and a result of an execution of the logic for the current flight conditions.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2015Date of Patent: June 1, 2021Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft CorporationInventors: Kevin L. Bredenbeck, Bryan S. Cotton, Kenneth C. Arifian, Erez Eller, Matthew T. Luszcz
-
Patent number: 10676185Abstract: A pitch control system configured to vary a pitch angle of at least one of a plurality of propeller blades of a propeller system is provided including a switch movable between a neutral position and a plurality of non-neutral positions. Movement of the switch to a first non-neutral position generates a command to move the propeller blades in a first direction. Movement of the switch to a second non-neutral position generates a command to move the propeller blades in a second direction. Movement of the switch to a third non-neutral position generates a command to move the propeller blades to a zero thrust position.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2015Date of Patent: June 9, 2020Assignee: SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT CORPORATIONInventors: Kevin L. Bredenbeck, Jr., Bryan S. Cotton, Mark K. Wilson
-
Patent number: 10647422Abstract: A pitch control system configured to vary a pitch angle of at least one of a plurality of propeller blades of a propeller system is provided including a switch movable between a neutral position and a plurality of non-neutral positions. Movement of the switch to a first non-neutral position generates a command to move the propeller blades in a first direction. Movement of the switch to a second non-neutral position generates a command to move the propeller blades in a second direction. Movement of the switch to a third non-neutral position generates a command to move the propeller blades to a zero thrust position.Type: GrantFiled: May 13, 2019Date of Patent: May 12, 2020Assignee: SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT CORPORATIONInventors: Kevin L. Bredenbeck, Bryan S. Cotton, Mark K. Wilson
-
Patent number: 10619698Abstract: An aircraft is provided including an airframe, an extending tail, and a counter rotating, coaxial main rotor assembly including an upper rotor assembly composed of a plurality of blades and a lower rotor assembly composed of a plurality of blades. A translational thrust system positioned at the extending tail, the translational thrust system providing translational thrust to the airframe. A flight control system to control the upper rotor assembly and the lower rotor assembly, wherein the flight control system is configured to control lift offset of the upper rotor assembly and the lower rotor assembly.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2015Date of Patent: April 14, 2020Assignee: SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT CORPORATIONInventors: Erez Eller, Matthew T. Luszcz, Kenneth C. Arifian, Kevin L. Bredenbeck, Bryan S. Cotton
-
Publication number: 20200023956Abstract: A pitch control system configured to vary a pitch angle of at least one of a plurality of propeller blades of a propeller system is provided including a switch movable between a neutral position and a plurality of non-neutral positions. Movement of the switch to a first non-neutral position generates a command to move the propeller blades in a first direction. Movement of the switch to a second non-neutral position generates a command to move the propeller blades in a second direction. Movement of the switch to a third non-neutral position generates a command to move the propeller blades to a zero thrust position.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 13, 2019Publication date: January 23, 2020Inventors: Kevin L. Bredenbeck, Bryan S. Cotton, Mark K. Wilson
-
Publication number: 20170305534Abstract: An aircraft includes an airframe having an extending tail, a counter rotating, coaxial main rotor assembly disposed at the airframe including an upper rotor assembly and a lower rotor assembly, and a translational thrust system positioned at the extending tail and providing translational thrust to the airframe. A fly by wire control system for the aircraft includes a flight control system configured to receive a plurality of inputs and a flight control computer to translate the inputs into commands and issue the commands to one or more controlled elements of the aircraft. A fly by wire control system for a dual coaxial rotor rotorcraft with auxiliary propulsor includes a flight control system configured to receive a plurality of inputs and a flight control computer to translate the inputs into commands and issue the commands to one or more controlled elements of the rotorcraft.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 28, 2015Publication date: October 26, 2017Inventors: Kevin L. Bredenbeck, Steven D. Weiner, David M. Walsh, Bryan S. Cotton, Kenneth C. Arifian
-
Publication number: 20170297694Abstract: A flight control system for a rotorcraft includes a controller configured to receive input indicative of ambient conditions, determine a threshold rotor blade tip speed based on the input, and to output rotor control commands to prevent rotor blade tips from exceeding the threshold speed. An aircraft includes an airframe, a main rotor assembly operatively connected to the airframe, and a flight control system as described above. The flight control system is operatively connected to control the main rotor assembly. It is contemplated that the main rotor assembly can be a counter rotating coaxial main rotor assembly including an upper rotor assembly with a plurality of blades and a lower rotor assembly having a plurality of blades, wherein the flight control system is operatively connected to control both upper and lower rotor assemblies to prevent any blade tips of the upper and lower rotor assemblies from exceeding the threshold speed.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 30, 2015Publication date: October 19, 2017Inventors: Matthew T. Luszcz, Steven D. Weiner, Bryan S. Cotton
-
Publication number: 20170233066Abstract: A pitch control system configured to vary a pitch angle of at least one of a plurality of propeller blades of a propeller system is provided including a switch movable between a neutral position and a plurality of non-neutral positions. Movement of the switch to a first non-neutral position generates a command to move the propeller blades in a first direction. Movement of the switch to a second non-neutral position generates a command to move the propeller blades in a second direction. Movement of the switch to a third non-neutral position generates a command to move the propeller blades to a zero thrust position.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 27, 2015Publication date: August 17, 2017Inventors: Kevin L. Bredenbeck, JR., Bryan S. Cotton, Mark K. Wilson
-
Publication number: 20170233068Abstract: An aircraft is provided including an airframe, an extending tail, and a counter rotating, coaxial main rotor assembly including an upper rotor assembly composed of a plurality of blades and a lower rotor assembly composed of a plurality of blades. A translational thrust system positioned at the extending tail, the translational thrust system providing translational thrust to the airframe. A flight control system to control the upper rotor assembly and the lower rotor assembly, wherein the flight control system is configured to control lift offset of the upper rotor assembly and the lower rotor assembly.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 30, 2015Publication date: August 17, 2017Inventors: Erez Eller, Matthew T. Luszcz, Kenneth C. Arifian, Kevin L. Bredenbeck, Bryan S. Cotton
-
Publication number: 20170217582Abstract: An aircraft is provided and includes an airframe, an extending tail, a counter rotating, coaxial main rotor assembly including an upper rotor assembly and a lower rotor assembly, a translational thrust system positioned at the extending tail, the translational thrust system providing translational thrust to the airframe, at least one sensor and at least one inertial measurement unit (IMU) to sense current flight conditions of the aircraft, an interface to execute controls of a main rotor assembly in accordance with control commands and at least one flight control computer (FCC) to issue the control commands. The at least one FCC includes a central processing unit (CPU) and a memory having logic and executable instructions stored thereon, which, when executed, cause the CPU to issue the control commands based on the current flight conditions and a result of an execution of the logic for the current flight conditions.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 29, 2015Publication date: August 3, 2017Inventors: Kevin L. BREDENBECK, Bryan S. COTTON, Kenneth C. ARIFIAN, Erez ELLER, Matthew T. LUSZCZ
-
Patent number: 9452824Abstract: Embodiments are directed to obtaining a first analog signal corresponding to a position error between a commanded gang output of a plurality of electro-mechanical actuators configured to be run in parallel with one another and a measured gang output of the plurality of electro-mechanical actuators, obtaining a second analog signal corresponding to an output torque, and processing, by a circuit, the first analog signal and the second analog signal to generate and output a discrete that indicates a status of the torque in terms of direction and magnitude.Type: GrantFiled: August 26, 2015Date of Patent: September 27, 2016Assignee: SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT CORPORATIONInventors: Bryan S. Cotton, Matthew Harrigan, Christopher L. Winslow
-
Patent number: 9234743Abstract: An aircraft is provided and includes an airframe, first and second main rotors rotatably supported on the airframe to rotate about a rotational axis in opposite directions, first and second emitters disposed on an emitter blade of the second main rotor, each of the first and second emitters being configured to emit an emission toward a detector blade of the first main rotor, a detector disposed on the detector blade of the first main rotor, the detector being configured to detect the emissions of the first and second emitters and a flight computer which determines a clearance between the first and second main rotors in accordance with detections of the emissions by the detector.Type: GrantFiled: January 16, 2014Date of Patent: January 12, 2016Assignee: SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT CORPORATIONInventor: Bryan S. Cotton
-
Publication number: 20150360771Abstract: Embodiments are directed to obtaining a first analog signal corresponding to a position error between a commanded gang output of a plurality of electro-mechanical actuators configured to be run in parallel with one another and a measured gang output of the plurality of electro-mechanical actuators, obtaining a second analog signal corresponding to an output torque, and processing, by a circuit, the first analog signal and the second analog signal to generate and output a discrete that indicates a status of the torque in terms of direction and magnitude.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 26, 2015Publication date: December 17, 2015Inventors: Bryan S. Cotton, Matthew Harrigan, Christopher L. Winslow
-
Patent number: 9193455Abstract: Embodiments are directed to obtaining a first analog signal corresponding to a position error between a commanded gang output of a plurality of electro-mechanical actuators configured to be run in parallel with one another and a measured gang output of the plurality of electro-mechanical actuators, obtaining a second analog signal corresponding to an output torque, and processing, by a circuit, the first analog signal and the second analog signal to generate and output a discrete that indicates a status of the torque in terms of direction and magnitude.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 2014Date of Patent: November 24, 2015Assignee: SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT CORPORATIONInventors: Bryan S. Cotton, Matthew Harrigan, Christopher L. Winslow
-
Publication number: 20150232177Abstract: Embodiments are directed to obtaining a first analog signal corresponding to a position error between a commanded gang output of a plurality of electro-mechanical actuators configured to be run in parallel with one another and a measured gang output of the plurality of electro-mechanical actuators, obtaining a second analog signal corresponding to an output torque, and processing, by a circuit, the first analog signal and the second analog signal to generate and output a discrete that indicates a status of the torque in terms of direction and magnitude.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 19, 2014Publication date: August 20, 2015Applicant: SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT CORPORATIONInventors: Bryan S. Cotton, Matthew Harrigan, Christopher L. Winslow
-
Publication number: 20150198436Abstract: An aircraft is provided and includes an airframe, first and second main rotors rotatably supported on the airframe to rotate about a rotational axis in opposite directions, first and second emitters disposed on an emitter blade of the second main rotor, each of the first and second emitters being configured to emit an emission toward a detector blade of the first main rotor, a detector disposed on the detector blade of the first main rotor, the detector being configured to detect the emissions of the first and second emitters and a flight computer which determines a clearance between the first and second main rotors in accordance with detections of the emissions by the detector.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 16, 2014Publication date: July 16, 2015Applicant: Sikorsky Aircraft CorporationInventor: Bryan S. Cotton
-
Patent number: 7758310Abstract: A translational thrust system for a high speed rotary-wing aircraft includes a propeller system driven by a propeller gearbox, a hydraulic system, and a mechanical-hydraulic control system. The mechanical-hydraulic control system utilizes a hydraulic fluid which travels to and from a propeller dome via an oil transfer/position feedback tube which translates with a propeller pitch change piston. Translation of the oil transfer/position feedback tube and the propeller pitch change piston pitches the blades between high (coarse) and low (fine) pitch positions.Type: GrantFiled: January 15, 2007Date of Patent: July 20, 2010Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft CorporationInventors: Bryan S. Cotton, Kenneth C. Arifian, Leslie Schweizer, Jeffrey L. Cevette
-
Publication number: 20080169379Abstract: A translational thrust system for a high speed rotary-wing aircraft includes a propeller system driven by a propeller gearbox, a hydraulic system, and a mechanical-hydraulic control system. The mechanical-hydraulic control system utilizes a hydraulic fluid which travels to and from a propeller dome via an oil transfer/position feedback tube which translates with a propeller pitch change piston. Translation of the oil transfer/position feedback tube and the propeller pitch change piston pitches the blades between high (coarse) and low (fine) pitch positions.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 15, 2007Publication date: July 17, 2008Inventors: Bryan S. Cotton, Kenneth C. Arifian, Leslie Schweizer, Jeffrey L. Cevette
-
Patent number: 6092007Abstract: An aircraft autopilot system provides a wind correction angle which is added to the desired course to provide commanded heading, the wind correction angle being generated as a proportional and integral function of ground track error. When the aircraft is off its desired course, it can be returned to the desired course by means of a course intercept angle, added to the desired course, to provide a corrected commanded course, the course intercept angle being a proportional function of the perpendicular error (the lateral distance of the aircraft from the original course) suitably limited to some angle within 90.degree. of the desired course. The course correction angle may be generated as a proportion of the perpendicular course error determined by the degree of importance of accuracy, and may be switched over to a course directly toward a waypoint in dependence upon the importance of efficiency.Type: GrantFiled: April 29, 1998Date of Patent: July 18, 2000Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft CorporationInventors: Bryan S. Cotton, Christopher A. Thornberg, David M. Walsh, Sherman Corning, III
-
Patent number: 6076024Abstract: In a rotary wing aircraft, longitudinal groundspeed error and lateral groundspeed error are converted to earth coordinates, and the result scaled and integrated, and retransformed into aircraft coordinates for application to a pitch attitude control system and a roll attitude control system. The invention thus instantly transfers wind trim between the longitudinal and lateral channels, whenever a heading change is undertaken.Type: GrantFiled: April 29, 1998Date of Patent: June 13, 2000Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft CorporationInventors: Christopher A. Thornberg, Bryan S. Cotton