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).

  • Adaptable rotor blade design for performance flexibility
    Patent number: 10807705
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON INC.
    Inventors: Drew A. Sutton, Mark E. Wasikowski, Andrew Ryan Maresh, Nolan B. Phillips
  • Geodesic composite structures
    Patent number: 10633084
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: 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
  • Rotor hub with structural reinforcements
    Patent number: 10494090
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: 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
  • ROTOR HUB WITH STRUCTURAL REINFORCEMENTS
    Publication number: 20190077502
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2017
    Publication date: March 14, 2019
    Inventors: Jason C. Owens, Frank B. Stamps, Andrew Paul Haldeman, Robert P. Wardlaw, John R. McCullough, Gary Miller, Andrew Ryan Maresh, Drew A. Sutton
  • GEODESIC COMPOSITE STRUCTURES
    Publication number: 20190061930
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2017
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    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
  • ADAPTABLE ROTOR BLADE DESIGN FOR PERFORMANCE FLEXIBILITY
    Publication number: 20180273163
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Publication date: September 27, 2018
    Inventors: Drew A. Sutton, Mark E. Wasikowski, Andrew Ryan Maresh, Nolan B. Phillips
  • Constant velocity joint with control mechanism
    Patent number: 9399513
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a constant velocity (CV) joint includes a first yoke, a second yoke, and a control mechanism. 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 control mechanism is adapted to constrain the first yoke and the second yoke so as to achieve a substantially CV characteristic between the input device and the output device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Drew A. Sutton, Christopher Foskey, Dudley Smith, Frank B. Stamps