Patents by Inventor Drew A. Sutton
Drew A. Sutton 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: 11261735Abstract: A rotor blade has a spanwise axis, a root comprising an anchor having an anchor surface configured to form at least one of a normal angle relative to the spanwise axis and an acute angle relative to the spanwise axis, and a selectively removable tip comprising a connector having a connector surface configured to complement the anchor surface.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2013Date of Patent: March 1, 2022Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.Inventors: Drew Sutton, Tim Ledbetter
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Patent number: 10822954Abstract: A rotorcraft rotor blade assembly includes a stub spar extending less than a full span of the rotor blade assembly. An upper skin portion extends substantially the full span of the rotor blade assembly. A lower skin portion extends substantially the full span of the rotor blade assembly. The stub spar is positioned between the upper skin portion and the lower skin portion.Type: GrantFiled: October 25, 2018Date of Patent: November 3, 2020Assignee: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON INC.Inventors: Paul K. Oldroyd, Drew Sutton, Andrew Maresh, Christopher Foskey
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Patent number: 10807705Abstract: In one embodiment, a rotor blade may comprise a blade body, a spar structure, and a blade nose. The blade body may comprise a skin, wherein the skin is configured to form an airfoil shape, and wherein the airfoil shape comprises an inboard end, an outboard end, a leading edge, and a trailing edge. The spar structure may comprise a first spar cap and a second spar cap, wherein the first spar cap is coupled to an upper portion of the skin, and wherein the second spar cap is coupled to a lower portion of the skin. The blade nose may comprise a cavity, wherein the cavity is configured to house a plurality of modular weights at a plurality of radial blade locations, wherein the plurality of radial blade locations comprises a range of locations between the inboard end and the outboard end.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2017Date of Patent: October 20, 2020Assignee: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON INC.Inventors: Drew A. Sutton, Mark E. Wasikowski, Andrew Ryan Maresh, Nolan B. Phillips
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Patent number: 10654567Abstract: A rotor blade assembly includes a rotor blade comprising an inboard end and an outboard end. A composite yoke fitting made from a composite material is attached to the rotor blade. The composite yoke fitting includes an outboard portion inserted into the inboard end of the rotor blade, an inboard portion, and a flexure region about which the rotor blade is configured to flex. The inboard portion and the flexure region are outside the rotor blade.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 2015Date of Patent: May 19, 2020Assignee: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON INC.Inventors: Andrew Haldeman, Frank Bradley Stamps, Drew Sutton
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Patent number: 10633084Abstract: In one embodiment, a method may comprise coupling a plurality of reinforcement fibers to a plurality of spherical components; inserting the plurality of spherical components into an enclosure; and heating the enclosure to cause the plurality of spherical components to expand, wherein the plurality of spherical components expands to form a geodesic structure, wherein the geodesic structure comprises a plurality of polyhedron components configured in a geodesic arrangement.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2017Date of Patent: April 28, 2020Assignee: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON INC.Inventors: Dalton T. Hampton, Timothy Kent Ledbetter, Drew A. Sutton, Bryan W. Marshall, Paul Sherrill, Frank B. Stamps, James Donn Hethcock, Andrew Paul Haldeman, Paul K. Oldroyd
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Patent number: 10494090Abstract: In one embodiment, a rotor hub comprises a hub plate, a yoke for attaching a plurality of rotor blades, a plurality of yoke support bearings, and a plurality of cushioned damper bearings for attaching a plurality of dampers.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2017Date of Patent: December 3, 2019Assignee: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON INC.Inventors: Jason C. Owens, Frank B. Stamps, Andrew Paul Haldeman, Robert P. Wardlaw, John R. McCullough, Gary Miller, Andrew Ryan Maresh, Drew A. Sutton
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Publication number: 20190077502Abstract: In one embodiment, a rotor hub comprises a hub plate, a yoke for attaching a plurality of rotor blades, a plurality of yoke support bearings, and a plurality of cushioned damper bearings for attaching a plurality of dampers.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 8, 2017Publication date: March 14, 2019Inventors: Jason C. Owens, Frank B. Stamps, Andrew Paul Haldeman, Robert P. Wardlaw, John R. McCullough, Gary Miller, Andrew Ryan Maresh, Drew A. Sutton
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Patent number: 10227132Abstract: A rotorcraft rotor blade assembly includes an upper skin portion extending substantially a full span of the rotor blade assembly and a lower skin portion extending substantially the full span of the rotor blade assembly. Each of the upper skin portion and the lower skin portion is configured to carry at least substantially 30% of rotor blade assembly loads.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2015Date of Patent: March 12, 2019Assignee: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON INC.Inventors: Drew Sutton, Paul K. Oldroyd, James Braswell, Jr., Scott Wolthuis, Paul Sherrill
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Publication number: 20190061930Abstract: In one embodiment, a method may comprise coupling a plurality of reinforcement fibers to a plurality of spherical components; inserting the plurality of spherical components into an enclosure; and heating the enclosure to cause the plurality of spherical components to expand, wherein the plurality of spherical components expands to form a geodesic structure, wherein the geodesic structure comprises a plurality of polyhedron components configured in a geodesic arrangement.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 25, 2017Publication date: February 28, 2019Inventors: Dalton T. Hampton, Timothy Kent Ledbetter, Drew A. Sutton, Bryan W. Marshall, Paul Sherrill, Frank B. Stamps, James Donn Hethcock, Andrew Paul Haldeman, Paul K. Oldroyd
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Publication number: 20190063230Abstract: A rotorcraft rotor blade assembly includes a stub spar extending less than a full span of the rotor blade assembly. An upper skin portion extends substantially the full span of the rotor blade assembly. A lower skin portion extends substantially the full span of the rotor blade assembly. The stub spar is positioned between the upper skin portion and the lower skin portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 25, 2018Publication date: February 28, 2019Inventors: Paul K. Oldroyd, Drew Sutton, Andrew Maresh, Christopher Foskey
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Patent number: 10145244Abstract: A rotorcraft rotor blade assembly includes a stub spar extending less than a full span of the rotor blade assembly. An upper skin portion extends substantially the full span of the rotor blade assembly. A lower skin portion extends substantially the full span of the rotor blade assembly. The stub spar is positioned between the upper skin portion and the lower skin portion.Type: GrantFiled: July 6, 2015Date of Patent: December 4, 2018Assignee: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON INC.Inventors: Paul K. Oldroyd, Drew Sutton, Andrew Maresh, Christopher Foskey
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Publication number: 20180273163Abstract: In one embodiment, a rotor blade may comprise a blade body, a spar structure, and a blade nose. The blade body may comprise a skin, wherein the skin is configured to form an airfoil shape, and wherein the airfoil shape comprises an inboard end, an outboard end, a leading edge, and a trailing edge. The spar structure may comprise a first spar cap and a second spar cap, wherein the first spar cap is coupled to an upper portion of the skin, and wherein the second spar cap is coupled to a lower portion of the skin. The blade nose may comprise a cavity, wherein the cavity is configured to house a plurality of modular weights at a plurality of radial blade locations, wherein the plurality of radial blade locations comprises a range of locations between the inboard end and the outboard end.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 24, 2017Publication date: September 27, 2018Inventors: Drew A. Sutton, Mark E. Wasikowski, Andrew Ryan Maresh, Nolan B. Phillips
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Patent number: 9896199Abstract: A rotor hub can include a yoke, a mast, and one or more radially oriented actuators. The first radial actuator and the second radial actuator each have a piston configured to impart a translation of the yoke relative to the mast. The radial actuators are configured to attenuate in-plane whirling vibrations. The rotor hub can also have actuators coupled between the mast and the yoke for attenuating flapping and vertical vibrations.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2013Date of Patent: February 20, 2018Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.Inventors: Christopher Foskey, Drew Sutton, Frank B. Stamps
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Patent number: 9878783Abstract: According to one embodiment, a constant velocity (CV) joint includes a first yoke, a second yoke, and three bearings. The first yoke is configured to be rotatably coupled to an input device about a first axis and configured to receive the input device through a first opening. The second yoke is rotatably coupled to the first yoke about a second axis and rotatably coupled to an output device about a third axis. The first bearing is disposed about the first axis adjacent to the first yoke, the second bearing is disposed about the second axis adjacent to the first yoke or the second yoke, and the third bearing disposed about the third axis adjacent to the second yoke. The first and third bearings torsionally constrain movement the first yoke and the second yoke so as to achieve a substantially CV characteristic between the input device and the output device.Type: GrantFiled: April 22, 2014Date of Patent: January 30, 2018Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.Inventors: Drew Sutton, Frank B. Stamps, Christopher Foskey
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Patent number: 9845826Abstract: According to one embodiment, a bearing features an elastomeric portion having an opening therethrough, a member disposed within the opening of the elastomeric portion, and a separation feature disposed between the member and the elastomeric portion. The member comprises a conical body portion arranged such that an interior diameter of the conical body portion is smaller than an exterior diameter of the conical body portion. The separation feature prevents contact between the member and the elastomeric portion.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2015Date of Patent: December 19, 2017Assignee: Bell Helicoter Textron Inc.Inventors: Drew Sutton, Frank B. Stamps
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Patent number: 9840325Abstract: According to one embodiment, a bearing is situated between a pitch link and a swashplate or a hub. The bearing comprises an outer housing having a first opening therethrough, an intermediate housing adjacent the housing inside the first opening and having a second opening therethrough, and an inner housing adjacent the intermediate housing inside the second opening and having a third opening therethrough. The inner housing comprising a first inner surface and a second inner surface defining the third opening. A first member is adjacent the first inner surface inside the third opening having a fourth opening therethrough. A second member is adjacent the second inner surface inside the third opening having a fifth opening therethrough coaxial with the fourth opening.Type: GrantFiled: November 5, 2014Date of Patent: December 12, 2017Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.Inventors: Drew Sutton, Frank B. Stamps
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Patent number: 9657582Abstract: A rotor hub comprises a gimbal assembly and an elastomeric centrifugal force bearing. The gimbal assembly is configured to transfer rotational movement of a mast to the rotor hub and to enable the rotor hub to flap relative to the mast. The elastomeric centrifugal force bearing is configured to withstand centrifugal force of a rotor blade when the mast is rotated and is configured to accommodate pitch changes of the rotor blade. A method comprises designing a gimbal assembly that enables a tail rotor hub to flap relative to a tail rotor mast. A centrifugal force bearing is selected that enables tail rotor blades to withstand centrifugal force and that allows for tail rotor blade pitch change articulation. Then, instructions are provided to use the gimbal assembly and the centrifugal force bearing in an in-plane tail rotor assembly.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2013Date of Patent: May 23, 2017Assignee: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON INC.Inventors: Andrew Haldeman, Frank Bradley Stamps, Drew Sutton, James Donn Hethcock
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Publication number: 20170036759Abstract: A rotorcraft rotor blade assembly includes an upper skin portion extending substantially a full span of the rotor blade assembly and a lower skin portion extending substantially the full span of the rotor blade assembly. Each of the upper skin portion and the lower skin portion is configured to carry at least substantially 30% of rotor blade assembly loads.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 4, 2015Publication date: February 9, 2017Inventors: Drew Sutton, Paul K. Oldroyd, James Braswell, JR., Scott Wolthuis, Paul Sherrill
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Publication number: 20170009588Abstract: A rotorcraft rotor blade assembly includes a stub spar extending less than a full span of the rotor blade assembly. An upper skin portion extends substantially the full span of the rotor blade assembly. A lower skin portion extends substantially the full span of the rotor blade assembly. The stub spar is positioned between the upper skin portion and the lower skin portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 6, 2015Publication date: January 12, 2017Inventors: Paul K. Oldroyd, Drew Sutton, Andrew Maresh, Christopher Foskey
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Patent number: 9505490Abstract: A hub system comprises at least one yoke, at least one shear bearing, and at least one mast adapter. The at least one mast adapter is configured to support the at least one yoke and the at least one shear bearing, and the at least one yoke has a flapping hinge that is non-coincident with a flapping hinge of the at least one shear bearing. Another hub system comprises a stacked yoke and a mast adapter. The mast adapter is configured to transfer rotation from a rotor mast to the hub system to rotate the hub system about a central axis of rotation. The mast adapter is further configured to support the stacked yoke such that each yoke in the stacked yoke is configured to accommodate at least some amount of rotation about an axis that is perpendicular to or about perpendicular to the central axis of rotation.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2013Date of Patent: November 29, 2016Assignee: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON INC.Inventors: Andrew Maresh, Frank Bradley Stamps, Patrick Ryan Tisdale, Robert Wardlaw, Andrew Haldeman, Drew Sutton