Patents by Inventor John V. Howard
John V. Howard 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: 10112707Abstract: An unmanned rotorcraft has a lift module having a propulsion system and coaxial rotors driven in rotation by the propulsion system. The rotorcraft includes a payload support system adapted to couple an external payload directly to the lift module. The rotorcraft is devoid of provisions for human passengers.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 2017Date of Patent: October 30, 2018Inventor: John V. Howard
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Patent number: 10034810Abstract: An apparatus for applying traction force to a spine of a user has a chassis with an upper surface. A user lies on the upper surface with the spine extending generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the chassis. Two members extend from the chassis on opposing sides of the longitudinal axis, each member being positioned to engage an armpit. A lever is pivotally attached to the chassis for rotation about a lateral axis, and a pad coupled to the lever contacts a proximal portion of each upper leg when the leg is bent forward at a hip joint. A force applied to the lever is transmitted through the pad to each upper leg and opposed by the members, thereby applying traction force for decompressing the spine. The force may be applied by the arms of the user or by a motor.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2016Date of Patent: July 31, 2018Inventor: John V. Howard
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Patent number: 9751619Abstract: An unmanned rotorcraft has a lift module having a propulsion system and coaxial rotors driven in rotation by the propulsion system. The rotorcraft includes a payload support system adapted to couple an external payload directly to the lift module. The rotorcraft is devoid of provisions for human passengers.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2016Date of Patent: September 5, 2017Inventor: John V. Howard
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Patent number: 9517838Abstract: A helicopter has a lift module having a propulsion system and at least one rotor driven in rotation by the propulsion system. A payload support system is adapted to couple an external payload directly to the lift module. The helicopter is devoid of provisions for human passengers.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2015Date of Patent: December 13, 2016Inventor: John V. Howard
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Patent number: 9498367Abstract: An apparatus for applying traction force to a spine of a user has a chassis with an upper surface. A user lies on the upper surface with the spine extending generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the chassis. Two members extend from the chassis on opposing sides of the longitudinal axis, each member being positioned to engage an armpit. A lever is pivotally attached to the chassis for rotation about a lateral axis, and a pad coupled to the lever contacts a proximal portion of each upper leg when the leg is bent forward at a hip joint. A force applied to the lever is transmitted through the pad to each upper leg and opposed by the members, thereby applying traction force for decompressing the spine. The force may be applied by the arms of the user or by a motor.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2015Date of Patent: November 22, 2016Inventor: John V Howard
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Patent number: 7950605Abstract: A torsionally de-coupled engine mount system for use in tilt rotor aircraft applications is disclosed, in which an engine is mounted at its forward end to a prop rotor gear box by means of a forward mount that is a simple adapter fitting, and at its aft end to a pylon assembly by an aft mount that is a simple bi-pod fitting. The forward mount counteracts forces and moments in six degrees of freedom, but the aft mount only counteracts lateral and vertical loads. The contribution from the engine to the overall dynamic response of the aircraft is tuned by selectively tailoring the size, shape, weight, and material of the forward mount. The engine mount system torsionally de-couples the engines from the prop rotors, thereby preventing rotor torque from being induced into the engines.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2009Date of Patent: May 31, 2011Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.Inventors: John V. Howard, Stephen E. Mildenstein
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Publication number: 20100012775Abstract: A torsionally de-coupled engine mount system for use in tilt rotor aircraft applications is disclosed, in which an engine is mounted at its forward end to a prop rotor gear box by means of a forward mount that is a simple adapter fitting, and at its aft end to a pylon assembly by an aft mount that is a simple bi-pod fitting. The forward mount counteracts forces and moments in six degrees of freedom, but the aft mount only counteracts lateral and vertical loads. The contribution from the engine to the overall dynamic response of the aircraft is tuned by selectively tailoring the size, shape, weight, and material of the forward mount. The engine mount system torsionally de-couples the engines from the prop rotors, thereby preventing rotor torque from being induced into the engines.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 28, 2009Publication date: January 21, 2010Inventors: John V. Howard, Stephen E. Mildenstein
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Patent number: 7594623Abstract: A torsionally de-coupled engine mount system (13) for use in tilt rotor aircraft (11) applications is disclosed, in which an engine is mounted at its forward end to a prop rotor gear box by means of a forward mount (303) that is a simple adapter fitting, and at its aft end to a pylon assembly by an aft mount (305) that is a simple bi-pod fitting. The forward mount (303) counteracts forces and moments in six degrees of freedom, but the aft mount (305) only counteracts lateral and vertical loads. The contribution from the engine to the overall dynamic response of the aircraft is tuned by selectively tailoring the size, shape, weight, and material of the forward mount (303). The engine mount system torsionally de-couples the engines from the prop rotors, thereby preventing rotor torque from being induced into the engines.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2002Date of Patent: September 29, 2009Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.Inventors: John V. Howard, Stephen E. Mildenstein
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Patent number: 6427942Abstract: A skid landing gear for a helicopter, in which the directional stiffnesses of the cross members of the skid landing gear have been de-coupled from one another, such that optimization of the longitudinal stiffniess of the cross members may be performed independently of the optimization of the vertical stiffniess and fatigue life of the cross members. In order to de-couple the stiffnesses in the skid type landing gear, two approaches are employed. In the first approach, the skid landing gear has non-symmetric-section cross members and/or distribution of different materials within the cross-section for de-coupling the vertical stiffness of the cross members from the longitudinal stiffness, such that placement of the ground resonance frequency may be optimized, while retaining the vertical stiffness properties essential for optimizing vertical energy attenuation and fatigue life.Type: GrantFiled: June 8, 2001Date of Patent: August 6, 2002Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.Inventors: John V. Howard, Ramesh Thiagarajan, Michael R. Smith, Ashish K. Sareen
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Publication number: 20020008175Abstract: A skid landing gear for a helicopter, in which the directional stiffnesses of the cross members of the skid landing gear have been de-coupled from one another, such that optimization of the longitudinal stiffness of the cross members may be performed independently of the optimization of the vertical stiffness and fatigue life of the cross members. In order to de-couple the stiffnesses in the skid type landing gear, two approaches are employed. In the first approach, the skid landing gear has non-symmetric-section cross members and/or distribution of different materials within the cross-section for de-coupling the vertical stiffness of the cross members from the longitudinal stiffness, such that placement of the ground resonance frequency may be optimized, while retaining the vertical stiffness properties essential for optimizing vertical energy attenuation and fatigue life.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 8, 2001Publication date: January 24, 2002Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.Inventors: John V. Howard, Ramesh Thiagarajan, Michael R. Smith, Ashish K. Sareen
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Patent number: 6244538Abstract: A skid landing gear for a helicopter, in which the directional stiffnesses of the cross members of the skid landing gear have been de-coupled from one another, such that optimization of the longitudinal stiffness of the cross members may be performed independently of the optimization of the vertical stiffness and fatigue life of the cross members. In order to de-couple the stiffnesses in the skid type landing gear, two approaches are employed. In the first approach, the skid landing gear has non-symmetric-section cross members and/or distribution of different materials within the cross-section for de-coupling the vertical stiffness of the cross members from the longitudinal stiffness, such that placement of the ground resonance frequency may be optimized, while retaining the vertical stiffness properties essential for optimizing vertical energy attenuation and fatigue life.Type: GrantFiled: May 19, 1999Date of Patent: June 12, 2001Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.Inventors: John V. Howard, Ramesh Thiagarajan, Michael R. Smith, Ashish K. Sareen
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Patent number: 4738814Abstract: A process and apparatus for molding a plurality of articles of hardenable material such as plastic which requires each article to be maintained under heat and pressure for a cure interval. A molding press is utilized wherein there is placed a first open mold assembly having spaced die halves between supporting mold platens. At least one of the die halves has a resilient pressure pad between the die and the mold platen supporting the die half. The press is closed to maintain the mold platens in a first force applying position having a slight gap between the die halves and locking the platens in the first position. The mold assembly is removed while in its first locked position from the press and gas from the curing material is evacuated through the gap between the die halves while heating the material.Type: GrantFiled: October 10, 1986Date of Patent: April 19, 1988Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Patrick J. Bowles, Lloyd W. Garrett, John V. Howard, Robert F. Heil, Sr.
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Patent number: 4643663Abstract: An apparatus for molding a plurality of articles of hardenable material such as plastic which requires each article to be maintained under heat and pressure for a cure interval. A molding press is utilized wherein there is placed a first open mold assembly having spaced die halves between supporting mold platens. At least one of the die halves has a resilient pressure pad between the die and the mold platen supporting the die half. The press is closed to maintain the mold platens in a first force applying position having a slight gap between the die halves and locking the platens in the first position. The mold assembly is removed while in its first locked position from the press and gas from the curing material is evacuated through the gap between the die halves while heating the material.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 1985Date of Patent: February 17, 1987Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Patrick J. Bowles, Lloyd W. Garrett, John V. Howard, Robert F. Heil, Sr.
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Patent number: 4338584Abstract: A mounting apparatus for use with a television deflection yoke adapted for transverse adjustment on a kinescope comprises an insulator adapted to be fixedly mounted on the neck of the kinescope at the rear of the insulator. The insulator receives horizontal and vertical deflection coils, and a magnetically permeable core, to form a deflection yoke. A plurality of yoke position orientation and fixing means are mounted to the front of the insulator. The position orientation and fixing means each comprise a guide means incorporating a first engagement means. A member, incorporating second engagement means, is slidably disposed within the guide means. The first and second engagement means cooperate to allow the deflection yoke to be securely held in its adjusted position when the sliding member of each orientation and fixing means is in abutment with the kinescope.Type: GrantFiled: November 24, 1980Date of Patent: July 6, 1982Assignee: RCA CorporationInventor: John V. Howard
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Patent number: 4336868Abstract: High velocity impact landing forces are attenuated in apparatus (10) utilizing an energy absorbing tube (12) of composite fibrous material, that is, a fiber reinforced plastic. The energy absorbing tube (12) is disposed in force transmitting relation between an anvil (14) disposed at one end and structure (16) for applying a force to the opposite end of the tube (12) to provide force attenuating apparatus. The tube (12) is progressively crushed onto the anvil (14) by the force applying structure (16) to dissipate energy. The force attenuating apparatus (10) is used in an energy absorbing seat (20) to provide occupant protection against high impact forces. Other uses of the force attenuating apparatus (10) is in a landing gear mechanism (76) and a vehicle bumper system (89).Type: GrantFiled: November 7, 1979Date of Patent: June 29, 1982Assignee: Textron, Inc.Inventors: Henry E. Wilson, James D. Cronkhite, John V. Howard