Patents by Inventor Karl Robert Klingebiel
Karl Robert Klingebiel 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: 10919623Abstract: Heavier-than-air, aircraft having flapping wings, e.g., ornithopters, where angular orientation control is effected by variable differential sweep angles of deflection of the flappable wings in the course of sweep angles of travel and/or the control of variable wing membrane tension.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2019Date of Patent: February 16, 2021Assignee: AEROVIRONMENT, INC.Inventors: Matthew Todd Keennon, Karl Robert Klingebiel, Alexander Andryukov, Bart Dean Hibbs, John Peter Zwaan
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Patent number: 10870495Abstract: A rotorcraft including a fuselage, one or more motor-driven rotors for vertical flight, and a control system. The motors drive the one or more rotors in either of two directions of rotation to provide for flight in either an upright or an inverted orientation. An orientation sensor is used to control the primary direction of thrust, and operational instructions and gathered information are automatically adapted based on the orientation of the fuselage with respect to gravity. The rotors are configured with blades that invert to conform to the direction of rotation.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2019Date of Patent: December 22, 2020Assignee: AeroVironment, Inc.Inventors: Matthew Todd Keennon, Karl Robert Klingebiel
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Patent number: 10850837Abstract: A flapping wing driving apparatus includes at least one crank gear capstan rotatably coupled to a crank gear, the at least one crank gear capstan disposed radially offset from a center of rotation of the crank gear; a first wing capstan coupled to a first wing, the first wing capstan having a first variable-radius drive pulley portion; and a first drive linking member configured to drive the first wing capstan, the first drive linking member windably coupled between the first variable-radius drive pulley portion and one of the at least one crank gear capstan; wherein the first wing capstan is configured to non-constantly, angularly rotate responsive to a constant angular rotation of the crank gear.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2018Date of Patent: December 1, 2020Assignee: AEROVIRONMENT, INC.Inventors: Matthew Todd Keennon, Alexander Andryukov, Karl Robert Klingebiel, Henry Thome Won
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Publication number: 20200047906Abstract: A rotorcraft including a fuselage, one or more motor-driven rotors for vertical flight, and a control system. The motors drive the one or more rotors in either of two directions of rotation to provide for flight in either an upright or an inverted orientation. An orientation sensor is used to control the primary direction of thrust, and operational instructions and gathered information are automatically adapted based on the orientation of the fuselage with respect to gravity. The rotors are configured with blades that invert to conform to the direction of rotation.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 24, 2019Publication date: February 13, 2020Applicant: AeroVironment, Inc.Inventors: Matthew Todd Keennon, Karl Robert Klingebiel
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Publication number: 20190202553Abstract: Heavier-than-air, aircraft having flapping wings, e.g., ornithopters, where angular orientation control is effected by variable differential sweep angles of deflection of the flappable wings in the course of sweep angles of travel and/or the control of variable wing membrane tension.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 6, 2019Publication date: July 4, 2019Inventors: Matthew Todd Keennon, Karl Robert Klingebiel, Alexander Andryukov, Bart Dean Hibbs, John Peter Zwaan
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Patent number: 10329025Abstract: A rotorcraft including a fuselage, one or more motor-driven rotors for vertical flight, and a control system. The motors drive the one or more rotors in either of two directions of rotation to provide for flight in either an upright or an inverted orientation. An orientation sensor is used to control the primary direction of thrust, and operational instructions and gathered information are automatically adapted based on the orientation of the fuselage with respect to gravity. The rotors are configured with blades that invert to conform to the direction of rotation.Type: GrantFiled: May 12, 2017Date of Patent: June 25, 2019Assignee: AeroVironment, Inc.Inventors: Matthew Todd Keennon, Karl Robert Klingebiel
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Patent number: 10266258Abstract: Heavier-than-air, aircraft having flapping wings, e.g., ornithopters, where angular orientation control is effected by variable differential sweep angles of deflection of the flappable wings in the course of sweep angles of travel and/or the control of variable wing membrane tension.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2018Date of Patent: April 23, 2019Assignee: AEROVIRONMENT, INC.Inventors: Matthew Todd Keennon, Karl Robert Klingebiel, Alexander Andryukov, Bart Dean Hibbs, John Peter Zwaan
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Publication number: 20190055014Abstract: A flapping wing driving apparatus includes at least one crank gear capstan rotatably coupled to a crank gear, the at least one crank gear capstan disposed radially offset from a center of rotation of the crank gear; a first wing capstan coupled to a first wing, the first wing capstan having a first variable-radius drive pulley portion; and a first drive linking member configured to drive the first wing capstan, the first drive linking member windably coupled between the first variable-radius drive pulley portion and one of the at least one crank gear capstan; wherein the first wing capstan is configured to non-constantly, angularly rotate responsive to a constant angular rotation of the crank gear.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 27, 2018Publication date: February 21, 2019Inventors: Matthew Todd Keennon, Alexander Andryukov, Karl Robert Klingebiel, Henry Thome Won
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Patent number: 10065737Abstract: A flapping wing driving apparatus includes at least one crank gear capstan rotatably coupled to a crank gear, the at least one crank gear capstan disposed radially offset from a center of rotation of the crank gear; a first wing capstan coupled to a first wing, the first wing capstan having a first variable-radius drive pulley portion; and a first drive linking member configured to drive the first wing capstan, the first drive linking member windably coupled between the first variable-radius drive pulley portion and one of the at least one crank gear capstan; wherein the first wing capstan is configured to non-constantly, angularly rotate responsive to a constant angular rotation of the crank gear.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2017Date of Patent: September 4, 2018Assignee: AEROVIRONMENT, INC.Inventors: Matthew Todd Keennon, Alexander Andryukov, Karl Robert Klingebiel, Henry Thome Won
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Publication number: 20180208306Abstract: Heavier-than-air, aircraft having flapping wings, e.g., ornithopters, where angular orientation control is effected by variable differential sweep angles of deflection of the flappable wings in the course of sweep angles of travel and/or the control of variable wing membrane tension.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 16, 2018Publication date: July 26, 2018Inventors: Matthew Todd Keennon, Karl Robert Klingebiel, Alexander Andryukov, Bart Dean Hibbs, John Peter Zwaan
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Patent number: 9957044Abstract: Heavier-than-air, aircraft having flapping wings, e.g., ornithopters, where angular orientation control is effected by variable differential sweep angles of deflection of the flappable wings in the course of sweep angles of travel and/or the control of variable wing membrane tension.Type: GrantFiled: April 7, 2014Date of Patent: May 1, 2018Assignee: AEROVIRONMENT, INC.Inventors: Matthew Todd Keennon, Karl Robert Klingebiel, Alexander Andryukov, Bart Dean Hibbs, John Peter Zwaan
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Patent number: 9950790Abstract: Heavier-than-air, aircraft having flapping wings, e.g., ornithopters, where angular orientation control is effected by variable differential sweep angles of deflection of the flappable wings in the course of sweep angles of travel and/or the control of variable wing membrane tension.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 2014Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: AEROVIRONMENT, INC.Inventors: Matthew Todd Keennon, Karl Robert Klingebiel, Alexander Andryukov, Bart Dean Hibbs, John Peter Zwaan
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Publication number: 20180079504Abstract: Heavier-than-air, aircraft having flapping wings, e.g., ornithopters, where angular orientation control is effected by variable differential sweep angles of deflection of the flappable wings in the course of sweep angles of travel and/or the control of variable wing membrane tension.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 5, 2014Publication date: March 22, 2018Applicant: AeroVironment, Inc.Inventors: Matthew Todd Keennon, Karl Robert Klingebiel, Alexander Andryukov, Bart Dean Hibbs, John Peter Zwaan
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Publication number: 20170291703Abstract: A flapping wing driving apparatus includes at least one crank gear capstan rotatably coupled to a crank gear, the at least one crank gear capstan disposed radially offset from a center of rotation of the crank gear; a first wing capstan coupled to a first wing, the first wing capstan having a first variable-radius drive pulley portion; and a first drive linking member configured to drive the first wing capstan, the first drive linking member windably coupled between the first variable-radius drive pulley portion and one of the at least one crank gear capstan; wherein the first wing capstan is configured to non-constantly, angularly rotate responsive to a constant angular rotation of the crank gear.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 28, 2017Publication date: October 12, 2017Inventors: Matthew Todd Keennon, Alexander Andryukov, Karl Robert Klingebiel, Henry Thome Won
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Publication number: 20170240289Abstract: A rotorcraft including a fuselage, one or more motor-driven rotors for vertical flight, and a control system. The motors drive the one or more rotors in either of two directions of rotation to provide for flight in either an upright or an inverted orientation. An orientation sensor is used to control the primary direction of thrust, and operational instructions and gathered information are automatically adapted based on the orientation of the fuselage with respect to gravity. The rotors are configured with blades that invert to conform to the direction of rotation.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 12, 2017Publication date: August 24, 2017Applicant: AeroVironment, Inc.Inventors: Matthew Todd Keennon, Karl Robert Klingebiel
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Publication number: 20170183092Abstract: Heavier-than-air, aircraft having flapping wings, e.g., ornithopters, where angular orientation control is effected by variable differential sweep angles of deflection of the flappable wings in the course of sweep angles of travel and/or the control of variable wing membrane tension.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 13, 2017Publication date: June 29, 2017Inventors: Matthew Todd Keennon, Karl Robert Klingebiel, Alexander Andryukov, Bart Dean Hibbs, John Peter Zwaan
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Patent number: 9669925Abstract: A flapping wing driving apparatus includes at least one crank gear capstan rotatably coupled to a crank gear, the at least one crank gear capstan disposed radially offset from a center of rotation of the crank gear; a first wing capstan coupled to a first wing, the first wing capstan having a first variable-radius drive pulley portion; and a first drive linking member configured to drive the first wing capstan, the first drive linking member windably coupled between the first variable-radius drive pulley portion and one of the at least one crank gear capstan; wherein the first wing capstan is configured to non-constantly, angularly rotate responsive to a constant angular rotation of the crank gear.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2013Date of Patent: June 6, 2017Assignee: AEROVIRONMENT, INC.Inventors: Matthew Todd Keennon, Alexander Andryukov, Karl Robert Klingebiel, Henry Thome Won
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Patent number: 9650135Abstract: A rotorcraft including a fuselage, one or more motor-driven rotors for vertical flight, and a control system. The motors drive the one or more rotors in either of two directions of rotation to provide for flight in either an upright or an inverted orientation. An orientation sensor is used to control the primary direction of thrust, and operational instructions and gathered information are automatically adapted based on the orientation of the fuselage with respect to gravity. The rotors are configured with blades that invert to conform to the direction of rotation.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2015Date of Patent: May 16, 2017Assignee: Aero Vironment, Inc.Inventors: Matthew Todd Keennon, Karl Robert Klingebiel
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Patent number: 9511859Abstract: A rotorcraft including a fuselage, one or more motor-driven rotors for vertical flight, and a control system. The motors drive the one or more rotors in either of two directions of rotation to provide for flight in either an upright or an inverted orientation. An orientation sensor is used to control the primary direction of thrust, and operational instructions and gathered information are automatically adapted based on the orientation of the fuselage with respect to gravity. The rotors are configured with blades that invert to conform to the direction of rotation.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2015Date of Patent: December 6, 2016Assignee: AeroVironment, Inc.Inventors: Matthew Todd Keennon, Karl Robert Klingebiel
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Publication number: 20160152335Abstract: A rotorcraft including a fuselage, one or more motor-driven rotors for vertical flight, and a control system. The motors drive the one or more rotors in either of two directions of rotation to provide for flight in either an upright or an inverted orientation. An orientation sensor is used to control the primary direction of thrust, and operational instructions and gathered information are automatically adapted based on the orientation of the fuselage with respect to gravity. The rotors are configured with blades that invert to conform to the direction of rotation.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 30, 2015Publication date: June 2, 2016Applicant: AeroVironment, Inc.Inventors: Matthew Todd Keennon, Karl Robert Klingebiel