Patents by Inventor Michael D. Trantham

Michael D. Trantham 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).

  • System and method of protecting an engine and other aircraft components from damage that may otherwise occur from a fuel control unit failure
    Patent number: 8825342
    Abstract: The system for mitigating an overspeeding condition of a turbine engine can include a sensor for measuring an actual speed of a gas generator turbine of the turbine engine and a processor for deriving a delta, the delta being a comparison between the actual speed of the gas generator turbine and a predicted gas generator turbine speed. The system is configured for detecting the overspeeding condition when delta is higher than a predetermined threshold. A method of detecting an overspeeding condition during operation of a turbine engine can include measuring an actual speed of a gas generator turbine, then evaluating a delta between the actual speed of the gas generator turbine and a predicted speed of the gas generator turbine, then comparing the delta to a threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph M. Schaeffer, Areian A. Kouros, Christopher Cawelti, Curtis L. Moore, Michael D. Trantham
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD OF PROTECTING AN ENGINE AND OTHER AIRCRAFT COMPONENTS FROM DAMAGE THAT MAY OTHERWISE OCCUR FROM A FUEL CONTROL UNIT FAILURE
    Publication number: 20140129111
    Abstract: The system for mitigating an overspeeding condition of a turbine engine can include a sensor for measuring an actual speed of a gas generator turbine of the turbine engine and a processor for deriving a delta, the delta being a comparison between the actual speed of the gas generator turbine and a predicted gas generator turbine speed. The system is configured for detecting the overspeeding condition when delta is higher than a predetermined threshold. A method of detecting an overspeeding condition during operation of a turbine engine can include measuring an actual speed of a gas generator turbine, then evaluating a delta between the actual speed of the gas generator turbine and a predicted speed of the gas generator turbine, then comparing the delta to a threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2012
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Applicant: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON INC.
    Inventors: Joseph M. Schaeffer, Areian A. Kouros, Christopher Cawelti, Curtis L. Moore, Michael D. Trantham