Patents by Inventor Ian Monda

Ian Monda 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: 12091185
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of aerial refuelling, usually by transfer of fuel from a tanker aircraft to a receiver aircraft. In particular the invention relates to a probe and drogue assembly arrangement in which the drogue assembly is steerable to facilitate engagement with the probe of the receiver aircraft. The invention provides a steerable drogue assembly for towing behind an aircraft, the drogue assembly comprising a reception coupling for receiving a probe of a receiver aircraft, one or more aerodynamic control features and one or more actuators provided in the drogue assembly and adapted to selectively activate said one or more control features, so that an activated control feature interacts with airflow passing the drogue so as to exert a control force on the drogue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: Mission Systems Wimborne Limited
    Inventors: Craig Dibb, Ian Monda, Richard Foxwell, Matthew Walker, Collette Haig, Georgios Papaioannou, Samuel Whitworth, Henry Clarke
  • Publication number: 20210300585
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of aerial refuelling, usually by transfer of fuel from a tanker aircraft to a receiver aircraft. In particular the invention relates to a probe and drogue assembly arrangement in which the drogue assembly is steerable to facilitate engagement with the probe of the receiver aircraft. The invention provides a steerable drogue assembly for towing behind an aircraft, the drogue assembly comprising a reception coupling for receiving a probe of a receiver aircraft, one or more aerodynamic control features and one or more actuators provided in the drogue assembly and adapted to selectively activate said one or more control features, so that an activated control feature interacts with airflow passing the drogue so as to exert a control force on the drogue.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Publication date: September 30, 2021
    Inventors: Craig Dibb, Ian Monda, Richard Foxwell, Matthew Walker, Collette Haig, Georgios Papaioannou, Samuel Whitworth, Henry Clarke