Patents by Inventor Frank Theurich

Frank Theurich 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).

  • Publication number: 20230227144
    Abstract: An aircraft includes a fuselage, a wing attached thereto, a wing tip device attached to a wing end of the wing (2), a wing-like element having a wing root, a wing leading edge and a wing trailing edge, and a torque control device having a rotatable interface means. The torque control device is adapted for rotatably supporting the wing root of the wing-like element on the interface means about a rotational axis extending from the interface means into the wing-like element and to limit the degree of rotation depending on a torque introduced into the interface means by the wing-like element. The wing-like element is adapted to induce a rotation around the rotational axis in an air flow. The wing root is coupled with the wing tip device, the wing or the fuselage through the torque control device such that the leading edge extends into an airflow surrounding the aircraft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2023
    Publication date: July 20, 2023
    Applicants: Airbus Operations GmbH, Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V.
    Inventors: Frank Theurich, Jan Himisch
  • Patent number: 10526073
    Abstract: A wingtip device for a wing is provided. The wingtip device has an inner end and an outer end, and in which the local dihedral of the wingtip device increases or reduces from the inner end to the outer end, with a pressure-side flow surface and a suction-side flow surface. At least two ancillary wing sections are arranged on the wingtip device, projecting in each case from the flow surface of the wingtip device. The ancillary wing sections in each case form an interface with the surface of the wingtip device; which interfaces are located spaced apart from one another. A wing with such a wingtip device is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Theurich, Jan Himisch
  • Publication number: 20190329862
    Abstract: An aircraft includes a fuselage, a wing attached thereto, a wing tip device attached to a wing end of the wing (2), a wing-like element having a wing root, a wing leading edge and a wing trailing edge, and a torque control device having a rotatable interface means. The torque control device is adapted for rotatably supporting the wing root of the wing-like element on the interface means about a rotational axis extending from the interface means into the wing-like element and to limit the degree of rotation depending on a torque introduced into the interface means by the wing-like element. The wing-like element is adapted to induce a rotation around the rotational axis in an air flow. The wing root is coupled with the wing tip device, the wing or the fuselage through the torque control device such that the leading edge extends into an airflow surrounding the aircraft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2017
    Publication date: October 31, 2019
    Applicants: Airbus Operations GmbH, Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V.
    Inventors: Frank Theurich, Jan Himisch
  • Patent number: 9555874
    Abstract: A fixed wing of an aircraft, having a main wing extending over a half-span with a wing box including spars extending along the spanwise direction of the main wing, ribs arranged one in back of the other viewed in the spanwise direction, and an outer skin. The wing box includes a wing box base section (K10) and a wing box adapter section, that forms the outer end area of the wing box, as viewed from the wing root, and is designed to secure a wing tip device. In its nominal state of construction, the dihedral angle of the wing box adapter section referring to the respective local spanwise direction continuously increases by at most 60 degrees from the outer rib of the wing box base section (K10) up to the outermost rib of the wing box adapter section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignees: Airbus Operations GmbH, Airbus Operations Ltd.
    Inventors: Gerd Heller, Alexander Buescher, Frank Theurich, Tom Gibson, Michael Karwin, Stephen Powell
  • Patent number: 9550563
    Abstract: A wing for of aircraft has a wing tip shape that has a profile that extends in the direction of the span of the wing, and across the direction of the span of the wing extends from the wing leading edge to the wing trailing edge. The profile is delimited by a first skin and a second skin, with a winglet, arranged on the wing end. The winglet is substantially planar, and has a transition region arranged between the wing and the winglet, that extends from a connection on the wing to a connection on the winglet. The curvature of the local dihedral can increase in the transition region from a low level or a level of zero at or near the wing intersection in the outboard direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Theurich, Jan Himisch
  • Publication number: 20150321746
    Abstract: A fixed wing of an aircraft, having a main wing extending over a half-span with a wing box including spars extending along the spanwise direction of the main wing, ribs arranged one in back of the other viewed in the spanwise direction, and an outer skin. The wing box includes a wing box base section (K10) and a wing box adapter section, that forms the outer end area of the wing box, as viewed from the wing root, and is designed to secure a wing tip device. In its nominal state of construction, the dihedral angle of the wing box adapter section referring to the respective local spanwise direction continuously increases by at most 60 degrees from the outer rib of the wing box base section (K10) up to the outermost rib of the wing box adapter section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2015
    Publication date: November 12, 2015
    Inventors: Gerd Heller, Alexander Buescher, Frank Theurich, Tom Gibson, Michael Karwin, Stephen Powell
  • Patent number: 9056671
    Abstract: A fixed wing of an aircraft, having a main wing extending over a half-span with a wing box including spars extending along the spanwise direction of the main wing, ribs arranged one in back of the other viewed in the spanwise direction, and an outer skin. The wing box includes a wing box base section (K10) and a wing box adapter section, that forms the outer end area of the wing box, as viewed from the wing root, and is designed to secure a wing tip device. In its nominal state of construction, the dihedral angle of the wing box adapter section referring to the respective local spanwise direction continuously increases by at most 60 degrees from the outer rib of the wing box base section (K10) up to the outermost rib of the wing box adapter section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignees: Airbus Operations GmbH, Airbus Operations Ltd.
    Inventors: Gerd Heller, Alexander Buescher, Frank Theurich, Tom Gibson, Michael Karwin, Stephen Powell
  • Publication number: 20150041597
    Abstract: A wingtip device for a wing is provided. The wingtip device has an inner end and an outer end, and in which the local dihedral of the wingtip device increases or reduces from the inner end to the outer end, with a pressure-side flow surface and a suction-side flow surface. At least two ancillary wing sections are arranged on the wingtip device, projecting in each case from the flow surface of the wingtip device. The ancillary wing sections in each case form an interface with the surface of the wingtip device; which interfaces are located spaced apart from one another. A wing with such a wingtip device is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2012
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Applicant: AIRBUS OPERATIONS GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Theurich, Jan Himisch
  • Publication number: 20140312174
    Abstract: A wing for of aircraft has a wing tip shape that has a profile that extends in the direction of the span of the wing, and across the direction of the span of the wing extends from the wing leading edge to the wing trailing edge. The profile is delimited by a first skin and a second skin, with a winglet, arranged on the wing end. The winglet is substantially planar, and has a transition region arranged between the wing and the winglet, that extends from a connection on the wing to a connection on the winglet. The curvature of the local dihedral can increase in the transition region from a low level or a level of zero at or near the wing intersection in the outboard direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2014
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Applicants: AIRBUS OPERATIONS GMBH, Deutsches Zentrum für Luft-und Raumfahrt e.V. (DLR)
    Inventors: Frank Theurich, Jan Himisch
  • Patent number: 8727285
    Abstract: A wing for of aircraft has a wing tip shape that has a profile that extends in the direction of the span of the wing, and across the direction of the span of the wing extends from the wing leading edge to the wing trailing edge. The profile is delimited by a first skin and a second skin, with a winglet, arranged on the wing end. The winglet is substantially planar, and has a transition region arranged between the wing and the winglet, that extends from a connection on the wing to a connection on the winglet. The curvature of the local dihedral can increase in the transition region from a low level or a level of zero at or near the wing intersection in the outboard direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignees: Airbus Operations GmbH, Deutsches Zentrum für Luft—und Raumfahrt e.V. (DLR)
    Inventors: Frank Theurich, Jan Himisch
  • Publication number: 20130277504
    Abstract: A fixed wing of an aircraft, having a main wing extending over a half-span with a wing box including spars extending along the spanwise direction of the main wing, ribs arranged one in back of the other viewed in the spanwise direction, and an outer skin. The wing box includes a wing box base section (K10) and a wing box adapter section, that forms the outer end area of the wing box, as viewed from the wing root, and is designed to secure a wing tip device. In its nominal state of construction, the dihedral angle of the wing box adapter section referring to the respective local spanwise direction continuously increases by at most 60 degrees from the outer rib of the wing box base section (K10) up to the outermost rib of the wing box adapter section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2012
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Inventors: Gerd Heller, Alexander Buescher, Frank Theurich, Tom Gibson, Michael Karwin, Stephen Powell
  • Patent number: 8490925
    Abstract: A wing tip device for a wing includes a root and a tip, and the following determinant characteristics: the local dihedral of the wing tip device continuously increases or decreases from the root to the tip; the local sweep of the trailing edge continuously increases along its progression from the root to the tip of the wing tip device; where the local sweep of the leading edge continuously increases in the progression of the leading edge from the root to a first intermediate point; continuously decreases from the first intermediate point to a second intermediate point; and continuously increases from the second intermediate point at least to a region before of the tip of the wing tip device; as well as a wing comprising a wing tip device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventors: Alexander Buescher, Michael Karwin, Frank Theurich
  • Publication number: 20110192937
    Abstract: A wing tip device for a wing includes a root and a tip, and the following determinant characteristics: the local dihedral of the wing tip device continuously increases or decreases from the root to the tip; the local sweep of the trailing edge continuously increases along its progression from the root to the tip of the wing tip device; where the local sweep of the leading edge continuously increases in the progression of the leading edge from the root to a first intermediate point; continuously decreases from the first intermediate point to a second intermediate point; and continuously increases from the second intermediate point at least to a region before of the tip of the wing tip device; as well as a wing comprising a wing tip device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2010
    Publication date: August 11, 2011
    Applicant: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventors: Alexander Buescher, Michael Karwin, Frank Theurich
  • Publication number: 20100019094
    Abstract: A wing for of aircraft has a wing tip shape that has a profile that extends in the direction of the span of the wing, and across the direction of the span of the wing extends from the wing leading edge to the wing trailing edge. The profile is delimited by a first skin and a second skin, with a winglet, arranged on the wing end. The winglet is substantially planar, and has a transition region arranged between the wing and the winglet, that extends from a connection on the wing to a connection on the winglet. The curvature of the local dihedral can increase in the transition region from a low level or a level of zero at or near the wing intersection in the outboard direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2007
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Applicants: AIRBUS DEUTSCHLAND GMBH, DEUTSCHES ZENTRUM FÜR LUFT-UND RAUMFAHRT E.V. (DLR)
    Inventors: Frank Theurich, Jan Himisch