Patents by Inventor Eric Brian ROBINSON

Eric Brian ROBINSON 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: 12187415
    Abstract: An amphibious aircraft has a tricycle landing gear that is fixed. Each member of the landing gear is protected in the forward direction by a hydrodynamic protector, or vane, or shoe, such as may tend to create lift when brought into engagement with water, as during landing. The landing gear protector vanes may be mounted to move with extension and retraction of the landing gear. The landing gear wheels protrude to extend partially downwardly proud of the sole of the shoe. The shoes may include sacrificial wear members for ground engagement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: E.B. ROBINSON LTD.
    Inventor: Eric Brian Robinson
  • Patent number: 12129019
    Abstract: An aircraft and flow guide system including a flow guide structure are provided. The aircraft has an airflow generator, and a duct extending from the airflow generator to an outlet through which an airflow generated by the airflow generator is expelled. The flow guide structure is positioned towards the outlet, and has a set of flow guide surfaces defining a plurality of channels. At least some of the flow guide surfaces divert at least some of the airflow from a first direction in which the airflow travels immediately upstream of the flow guide structure towards a second direction that is orthogonal to the first direction. The flow guide structure is reorientable to cause the at least some of the flow guide surfaces to divert at least some of the airflow towards a third direction that is orthogonal to the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Assignee: ROBINSON AIRCRAFT ULC
    Inventors: Eric Brian Robinson, Eric Brandon Robinson, G. Kirk Creelman
  • Publication number: 20240262493
    Abstract: An aircraft and flow guide system including a flow guide structure are provided. The aircraft has an airflow generator, and a duct extending from the airflow generator to an outlet through which an airflow generated by the airflow generator is expelled. The flow guide structure is positioned towards the outlet, and has a set of flow guide surfaces defining a plurality of channels. At least some of the flow guide surfaces divert at least some of the airflow from a first direction in which the airflow travels immediately upstream of the flow guide structure towards a second direction that is orthogonal to the first direction. The flow guide structure is reorientable to cause the at least some of the flow guide surfaces to divert at least some of the airflow towards a third direction that is orthogonal to the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2023
    Publication date: August 8, 2024
    Inventors: Eric Brian ROBINSON, Eric Brandon ROBINSON, G. Kirk CREELMAN
  • Patent number: 11548621
    Abstract: An aircraft airfoil having an internal thrust unit and an aircraft having the same are provided. The airfoil includes a skin structure having a lower surface extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge of the airfoil over which air flows during forward flight. A thrust system is connected to the skin structure and includes a thrust unit generating an airflow that is at least partially expelled through an outlet in the lower surface of the skin structure. At least one outlet cover is connected to the skin structure and movable between a forward flight position, in which the at least one outlet cover is configured to deflect the airflow in an at least partially rearward direction, and a vertical flight position, in which the at least one outlet cover is substantially clear of the airflow which is directed in an at least partially downward direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Horizon Aircraft Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Brian Robinson, Eric Brandon Robinson
  • Patent number: 11001377
    Abstract: An aircraft airfoil disclosed herein has a forward skin structure at least partially defining a leading edge of the airfoil and an aft skin structure at least partially defining a trailing edge of the airfoil. At least one of the forward skin structure and the aft skin structure is movable relative to the other of the forward skin structure and the aft skin structure between a closed position, in which at least one thrust fan positioned between the leading edge and the trailing edge is at least partially covered, and an open position, in which the at least one thrust fan is less covered than in the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: HORIZON AIRCRAFT INC.
    Inventors: Eric Brian Robinson, Eric Brandon Robinson
  • Patent number: 10730612
    Abstract: An amphibious aircraft has a tricycle landing gear that is movable between a retracted, or up, position and an extended, or down, position. Each member of the landing gear is protected in the forward direction by a hydrodynamic protector, or vane, or shoe, such as may tend to create lift when brought into engagement with water, as during landing. The landing gear protector vanes may be mounted to move with extension and retraction of the landing gear. The landing gear wheels may protrude to extend partially downwardly proud of the sole of the shoe. The landing gear actuator and transmission may operate all gear in concert. The shoes may include sacrificial wear members for ground engagement in the event of an inadvertent gear-up landing on terrain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: E.B. Robinson Ltd.
    Inventor: Eric Brian Robinson
  • Patent number: 10214283
    Abstract: An amphibious aircraft has a tricycle landing gear that is movable between a retracted, or up, position and an extended, or down, position. Each member of the landing gear is protected in the forward direction by a hydrodynamic protector, or vane, or shoe, such as may tend to create lift when brought into engagement with water, as during landing. The landing gear protector vanes may be mounted to move with extension and retraction of the landing gear. The landing gear wheels may protrude to extend partially downwardly proud of the sole of the shoe. The landing gear actuator and transmission may operate all gear in concert. The shoes may include sacrificial wear members for ground engagement in the event of an inadvertent gear-up landing on terrain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: E.B. ROBINSON LTD.
    Inventor: Eric Brian Robinson
  • Publication number: 20190055010
    Abstract: An amphibious aircraft has a tricycle landing gear that is movable between a retracted, or up, position and an extended, or down, position. Each member of the landing gear is protected in the forward direction by a hydrodynamic protector, or vane, or shoe, such as may tend to create lift when brought into engagement with water, as during landing. The landing gear protector vanes may be mounted to move with extension and retraction of the landing gear. The landing gear wheels may protrude to extend partially downwardly proud of the sole of the shoe. The landing gear actuator and transmission may operate all gear in concert. The shoes may include sacrificial wear members for ground engagement in the event of an inadvertent gear-up landing on terrain.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2018
    Publication date: February 21, 2019
    Inventor: Eric Brian ROBINSON
  • Publication number: 20180050791
    Abstract: An amphibious aircraft has a tricycle landing gear that is fixed. Each member of the landing gear is protected in the forward direction by a hydrodynamic protector, or vane, or shoe, such as may tend to create lift when brought into engagement with water, as during landing. The landing gear protector vanes may be mounted to move with extension and retraction of the landing gear. The landing gear wheels protrude to extend partially downwardly proud of the sole of the shoe. The shoes may include sacrificial wear members for ground engagement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2015
    Publication date: February 22, 2018
    Inventor: Eric Brian Robinson
  • Publication number: 20160221670
    Abstract: An amphibious aircraft has a tricycle landing gear that is movable between a retracted, or up, position and an extended, or down, position. Each member of the landing gear is protected in the forward direction by a hydrodynamic protector, or vane, or shoe, such as may tend to create lift when brought into engagement with water, as during landing. The landing gear protector vanes may be mounted to move with extension and retraction of the landing gear. The landing gear wheels may protrude to extend partially downwardly proud of the sole of the shoe. The landing gear actuator and transmission may operate all gear in concert. The shoes may include sacrificial wear members for ground engagement in the event of an inadvertent gear-up landing on terrain.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2014
    Publication date: August 4, 2016
    Inventor: Eric Brian ROBINSON
  • Patent number: D997836
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Horizon Aircraft Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Brian Robinson, Eric Brandon Robinson