Patents by Inventor Chip West Erwin

Chip West Erwin 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: 11905010
    Abstract: An aircraft has a pilot compartment and a power source, apparatus adapted to control attitude and direction, apparatus adapted to vary power of the power source, sensors sensing at least altitude, airspeed, power level, and aircraft attitude, a CPU coupled to a data repository, to the sensors and to actuators adapted to change the flight attitude and direction and to vary power, and safe flight envelope data and conditions stored in the data repository defining flight conditions at boundaries of safe and unsafe operation. The CPU monitors the sensors while the aircraft is in operation, determines if flight status is outside the safe flight envelope, and if so, drives appropriate actuators to manipulate the apparats adapted to control flight attitude and direction and/or the apparatus adapted to vary power of the power source in a programmed manner until the flight status is within the safe flight envelope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Inventors: Chip West Erwin, Marinus Bernard Bosma
  • Publication number: 20230227154
    Abstract: An aircraft has a pilot compartment and a power source, apparatus adapted to control attitude and direction, apparatus adapted to vary power of the power source, sensors sensing at least altitude, airspeed, power level, and aircraft attitude, a CPU coupled to a data repository, to the sensors and to actuators adapted to change the flight attitude and direction and to vary power, and safe flight envelope data and conditions stored in the data repository defining flight conditions at boundaries of safe and unsafe operation. The CPU monitors the sensors while the aircraft is in operation, determines if flight status is outside the safe flight envelope, and if so, drives appropriate actuators to manipulate the apparats adapted to control flight attitude and direction and/or the apparatus adapted to vary power of the power source in a programmed manner until the flight status is within the safe flight envelope.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2022
    Publication date: July 20, 2023
    Inventors: Chip West Erwin, Marinus Bernard Bosma
  • Patent number: 11479340
    Abstract: A Short Takeoff and Landing (STOL) aircraft has a fuselage with an axis and an engine providing thrust, a first aileron at an end of a first wing, a second aileron at an end of a second wing, a first slot having a length through the first wing proximate the first aileron, orthogonal to the axis; a second slot having a length through the second wing proximate the second aileron, orthogonal to the axis; a first electric motor in the first wing driving a first two-blade propeller in the first slot, a second electric motor in the second wing driving a second two-blade propeller in the second slot, and a control mechanism enabling a user to drive the first and second electric motors in a same rotary direction, to reverse the rotary direction, and to drive the first and second motors at a same rpm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Inventors: Chip West Erwin, Marinus Bernard Bosma
  • Publication number: 20220097825
    Abstract: A Short Takeoff and Landing (STOL) aircraft has a fuselage with an axis and an engine providing thrust, a first aileron at an end of a first wing, a second aileron at an end of a second wing, a first slot having a length through the first wing proximate the first aileron, orthogonal to the axis; a second slot having a length through the second wing proximate the second aileron, orthogonal to the axis; a first electric motor in the first wing driving a first two-blade propeller in the first slot, a second electric motor in the second wing driving a second two-blade propeller in the second slot, and a control mechanism enabling a user to drive the first and second electric motors in a same rotary direction, to reverse the rotary direction, and to drive the first and second motors at a same rpm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2021
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Inventors: Chip West Erwin, Marinus Bernard Bosma
  • Patent number: 11144070
    Abstract: A flap assembly for a fixed wing aircraft, comprising first and second flap portions, a compartments in the flap portions enclosing rechargeable batteries, motor controllers and electric motors, vertically-oriented slots in the first flap portion with propellers operable through a sidewall of the slot, such that the propeller in operation extends both over and under the top and bottom walls of the flap portion. With the flap assembly retracted in the wing the propeller is entirely enclosed in the length of the slot, and wherein the flap assembly is extended from the edge of the wing, enhancing area and curvature of the wing, increasing lift on the wing, exposing the slot, and with the slot exposed the motor is started spinning the propeller, providing increased airflow over the flap assembly, further increasing lift on the wing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Inventors: Chip West Erwin, Marinus Bernard Bosma
  • Publication number: 20210291996
    Abstract: An aircraft has a frame, at least one electrically-powered propulsion unit providing motive power for levitation and translation of the aircraft, at least one pod comprising a battery, mounted by a physical interface to the frame, the physical interface operable to detach and jettison the at last one pod, and comprising electrical connectors coupling the battery in the mounted pod to the at least one electrically-powered propulsion unit, and control circuitry operable to manage power from the battery to the electrically-powered propulsion unit, and to jettison the pod.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2019
    Publication date: September 23, 2021
    Inventors: Marinus Bernard Bosma, Chip West Erwin