Patents by Inventor Jonathan Knoll

Jonathan Knoll 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: 12012200
    Abstract: A rotor assembly has a rotor hub having a unitary structure. The rotor assembly further includes a unitary crosshead having a first upper tab and a first lower tab located vertically below the first upper tab. The first upper tab and the first lower tab define a slot therebetween to accept a first pin of the first rotor blade. A second upper tab and a second lower tab located vertically below the second upper tab define a slot therebetween to accept a second pin of the second rotor blade. A first recess is provided between the first lower tab and the second lower tab so that the crosshead comprises no material directly between at least a portion of the first lower tab and the second lower tab along at least one straight path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: George Matthew Thompson, Jonathan Knoll, Paul Sherrill
  • Patent number: 11845534
    Abstract: A ducted-rotor aircraft includes a fuselage and first and second ducts that are coupled to the fuselage. Each duct includes a duct ring, a rotor having a plurality of blades, a hub that positions the rotor such that the blades define a blade plane of rotation within the duct ring, and a plurality of stators that are coupled to the hub at respective locations aft of the blade plane of rotation. Each of the plurality of stators defines a leading edge that is slanted toward the blade plane of rotation. The leading edges of the stators are slanted to follow a contour defined by the blades. The leading edges may also be slanted to maintain a distance of at least one blade inboard chord length between the leading edges of the stators and respective trailing edges of the blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: Karl Schroeder, Jonathan Knoll, George Matthew Thompson
  • Patent number: 11459088
    Abstract: A rotor assembly configured to increase the stiffness of a rotor mast. The rotor assembly includes the rotor mast, a rotor hub, a mast nut, a mast bearing, and a cuff disposed between the mast nut and the mast bearing. The cuff is captured and compressed between the mast nut and the inner race of the mast bearing along an uninterrupted load path that extends between the mast nut and the mast bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: George Matthew Thompson, Charles Hubert Speller, Jonathan Knoll
  • Patent number: 11420762
    Abstract: A rotor assembly including a rotor mast, a rotor hub coupled to the rotor mast, a plurality of rotor blades coupled to the rotor hub, a control tube extending through the rotor mast, a crosshead coupled to the control tube, and a mechanism configured to drive the rotor mast in rotation. Wherein the mechanism is longitudinally positioned between a top portion and a bottom portion of the control tube and translation of the control tube relative to the rotor mast causes rotation of the rotor blades about their pitch-change axes. While the crosshead is installed, the crosshead is prevented from angular rotation about the mast axis. A pin of a rotor blade assembly is captured between opposing tabs of the crosshead and movable relative to the opposing tabs in response to translation of the crosshead along the mast axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: George Matthew Thompson, Paul Sherrill, Jonathan Knoll
  • Publication number: 20210387717
    Abstract: A rotor assembly has a rotor hub having a unitary structure. The rotor assembly further includes a unitary crosshead having a first upper tab and a first lower tab located vertically below the first upper tab. The first upper tab and the first lower tab define a slot therebetween to accept a first pin of the first rotor blade. A second upper tab and a second lower tab located vertically below the second upper tab define a slot therebetween to accept a second pin of the second rotor blade. A first recess is provided between the first lower tab and the second lower tab so that the crosshead comprises no material directly between at least a portion of the first lower tab and the second lower tab along at least one straight path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2021
    Publication date: December 16, 2021
    Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: George Matthew Thompson, Jonathan Knoll, Paul Sherrill
  • Patent number: 11104414
    Abstract: A rotor assembly has a rotor hub having a unitary structure. The rotor assembly further includes a unitary crosshead having a first upper tab and a first lower tab located vertically below the first upper tab. The first upper tab and the first lower tab define a slot therebetween to accept a first pin of the first rotor blade. A second upper tab and a second lower tab located vertically below the second upper tab define a slot therebetween to accept a second pin of the second rotor blade. A first recess is provided between the first lower tab and the second lower tab so that the crosshead comprises no material directly between at least a portion of the first lower tab and the second lower tab along at least one straight path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: George Matthew Thompson, Jonathan Knoll, Paul Sherrill
  • Publication number: 20210197956
    Abstract: A ducted-rotor aircraft includes a fuselage and first and second ducts that are coupled to the fuselage. Each duct includes a duct ring, a rotor having a plurality of blades, a hub that positions the rotor such that the blades define a blade plane of rotation within the duct ring, and a plurality of stators that are coupled to the hub at respective locations aft of the blade plane of rotation. Each of the plurality of stators defines a leading edge that is slanted toward the blade plane of rotation. The leading edges of the stators are slanted to follow a contour defined by the blades. The leading edges may also be slanted to maintain a distance of at least one blade inboard chord length between the leading edges of the stators and respective trailing edges of the blades.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2019
    Publication date: July 1, 2021
    Applicant: Bell Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Karl Schroeder, Jonathan Knoll, George Matthew Thompson
  • Publication number: 20210139157
    Abstract: A rotor assembly including a rotor mast, a rotor hub coupled to the rotor mast, a plurality of rotor blades coupled to the rotor hub, a control tube extending through the rotor mast, a crosshead coupled to the control tube, and a mechanism configured to drive the rotor mast in rotation. Wherein the mechanism is longitudinally positioned between a top portion and a bottom portion of the control tube and translation of the control tube relative to the rotor mast causes rotation of the rotor blades about their pitch-change axes. While the crosshead is installed, the crosshead is prevented from angular rotation about the mast axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2019
    Publication date: May 13, 2021
    Applicant: Bell Textron Inc.
    Inventors: George Matthew Thompson, Paul Sherrill, Jonathan Knoll
  • Publication number: 20210094674
    Abstract: A rotor assembly configured to increase the stiffness of a rotor mast. The rotor assembly includes the rotor mast, a rotor hub, a mast nut, a mast bearing, and a cuff disposed between the mast nut and the mast bearing. The cuff is captured and compressed between the mast nut and the inner race of the mast bearing along an uninterrupted load path that extends between the mast nut and the mast bearing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2019
    Publication date: April 1, 2021
    Applicant: Bell Textron Inc.
    Inventors: George Matthew Thompson, Charles Hubert Speller, Jonathan Knoll
  • Publication number: 20210094673
    Abstract: A rotor assembly has a rotor hub having a unitary structure. The rotor assembly further includes a unitary crosshead having a first upper tab and a first lower tab located vertically below the first upper tab. The first upper tab and the first lower tab define a slot therebetween to accept a first pin of the first rotor blade. A second upper tab and a second lower tab located vertically below the second upper tab define a slot therebetween to accept a second pin of the second rotor blade. A first recess is provided between the first lower tab and the second lower tab so that the crosshead comprises no material directly between at least a portion of the first lower tab and the second lower tab along at least one straight path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2019
    Publication date: April 1, 2021
    Applicant: Bell Textron Inc.
    Inventors: George Matthew Thompson, Jonathan Knoll, Paul Sherrill
  • Patent number: 10851841
    Abstract: One embodiment is a bearing carrier assembly including a circular shield having top and bottom surfaces; and a number of bearing separators integrated with the bottom surface of the shield, wherein each pair of bearing separators defines a receptacle for receiving and retaining a bearing therewithin and wherein the shield blocks the received bearings from debris and retains lubricant around the received bearings. Each of the bearing separators may include a spacer element for separating adjacent ones of the bearings. The bearing carrier assembly may be made up of a number of carrier sections that interconnect to form the bearing carrier assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON INC.
    Inventors: George Matthew Thompson, Jonathan Knoll, Nicholas Carlson
  • Patent number: 8373998
    Abstract: A shield that protects high-value input resistors in a power meter against unwanted effects due to electromagnetic interference from a nearby power supply and/or due to crosstalk from adjacent phases. The shield includes multiple printed circuit board shields that are arranged between each of the input resistors on a main printed circuit board in the power meter. Each PCB shield has a conductive layer that provides the shielding against unwanted energy. The resistors are arranged in a diagonal or parallel manner between each pair of PCB shields to prevent the resistor from movement, which prevents pin fatigue and fixes the value of the parasitic capacitance that is produced in the resistor-PCB-shield combination. In another configuration, the PCB shield is made of a flexible material, and snakes between and over the top or around the side ends of each resistor in a serpentine fashion, protecting the resistors from unwanted energies from both the top and the sides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Schneider Electric USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Marc A. Ricci, Jonathan Knoll
  • Publication number: 20120075827
    Abstract: A shield that protects high-value input resistors in a power meter against unwanted effects due to electromagnetic interference from a nearby power supply and/or due to crosstalk from adjacent phases. The shield includes multiple printed circuit board shields that are arranged between each of the input resistors on a main printed circuit board in the power meter. Each PCB shield has a conductive layer that provides the shielding against unwanted energy. The resistors are arranged in a diagonal or parallel manner between each pair of PCB shields to prevent the resistor from movement, which prevents pin fatigue and fixes the value of the parasitic capacitance that is produced in the resistor-PCB-shield combination. In another configuration, the PCB shield is made of a flexible material, and snakes between and over the top or around the side ends of each resistor in a serpentine fashion, protecting the resistors from unwanted energies from both the top and the sides.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2010
    Publication date: March 29, 2012
    Applicant: Schneider Electric USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Marc A. Ricci, Jonathan Knoll