Patents by Inventor Michael Edwin Rinehart

Michael Edwin Rinehart 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: 11661178
    Abstract: A tail rotor assembly coupled to a tailboom of a helicopter includes a tail rotor gearbox having top, bottom and aft sides and a shroud surrounding the tail rotor gearbox. The shroud includes a shroud airframe having top and bottom portions. The tail rotor assembly includes a tail rotor gearbox support assembly configured to support the tail rotor gearbox within the shroud. The tail rotor gearbox support assembly includes a support column coupling the aft side of the tail rotor gearbox between the top and bottom portions of the shroud airframe, an upper support crossbar coupling the top side of the tail rotor gearbox between the support column and the tailboom airframe and a lower support crossbar coupling the bottom side of the tail rotor gearbox between the support column and the tailboom airframe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: James Everett Kooiman, Jeffrey Matthew Williams, Clegg Benjamin Brian Smith, Michael Edwin Rinehart
  • Patent number: 11319056
    Abstract: A propulsion and lift system of a tiltrotor aircraft includes a wing having an outboard end, a wing tip assembly having an inboard end, a fixed nacelle coupled to the wing tip assembly and a wing-nacelle splice assembly having inboard and outboard sides. The inboard side of the wing-nacelle splice assembly is coupled to the outboard end of the wing, and the outboard side of the wing-nacelle splice assembly is coupled to the inboard end of the wing tip assembly, thereby coupling the fixed nacelle to the wing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Matthew Williams, George Ryan Decker, Michael Edwin Rinehart, Andrew G. Baines, James Elbert King
  • Publication number: 20210339852
    Abstract: A tail rotor assembly coupled to a tailboom of a helicopter includes a tail rotor gearbox having top, bottom and aft sides and a shroud surrounding the tail rotor gearbox. The shroud includes a shroud airframe having top and bottom portions. The tail rotor assembly includes a tail rotor gearbox support assembly configured to support the tail rotor gearbox within the shroud. The tail rotor gearbox support assembly includes a support column coupling the aft side of the tail rotor gearbox between the top and bottom portions of the shroud airframe, an upper support crossbar coupling the top side of the tail rotor gearbox between the support column and the tailboom airframe and a lower support crossbar coupling the bottom side of the tail rotor gearbox between the support column and the tailboom airframe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2021
    Publication date: November 4, 2021
    Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: James Everett Kooiman, Jeffrey Matthew Williams, Clegg Benjamin Brian Smith, Michael Edwin Rinehart
  • Patent number: 11155330
    Abstract: A propulsion and lift system for an aircraft includes a wing having an outboard end and a pylon assembly coupled to the outboard end of the wing. The propulsion and lift system also includes a wing extension rotatably coupled to the outboard end of the pylon assembly. The wing extension is rotatable between a flight position in a flight mode and a stow position in a storage mode. The wing extension folds inboard in the stow position, thereby reducing a wingspan of the aircraft in the storage mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: James Elbert King, Michael Edwin Rinehart, William S. Atkins
  • Patent number: 11034440
    Abstract: A tail rotor assembly coupled to a tailboom of a helicopter includes a tail rotor gearbox having top, bottom and aft sides and a shroud surrounding the tail rotor gearbox. The shroud includes a shroud airframe having top and bottom portions. The tail rotor assembly includes a tail rotor gearbox support assembly configured to support the tail rotor gearbox within the shroud. The tail rotor gearbox support assembly includes a support column coupling the aft side of the tail rotor gearbox between the top and bottom portions of the shroud airframe, an upper support crossbar coupling the top side of the tail rotor gearbox between the support column and the tailboom airframe and a lower support crossbar coupling the bottom side of the tail rotor gearbox between the support column and the tailboom airframe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: James Everett Kooiman, Jeffrey Matthew Williams, Clegg Benjamin Brian Smith, Michael Edwin Rinehart
  • Publication number: 20200277049
    Abstract: A tail rotor assembly coupled to a tailboom of a helicopter includes a tail rotor gearbox having top, bottom and aft sides and a shroud surrounding the tail rotor gearbox. The shroud includes a shroud airframe having top and bottom portions. The tail rotor assembly includes a tail rotor gearbox support assembly configured to support the tail rotor gearbox within the shroud. The tail rotor gearbox support assembly includes a support column coupling the aft side of the tail rotor gearbox between the top and bottom portions of the shroud airframe, an upper support crossbar coupling the top side of the tail rotor gearbox between the support column and the tailboom airframe and a lower support crossbar coupling the bottom side of the tail rotor gearbox between the support column and the tailboom airframe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Publication date: September 3, 2020
    Applicant: Bell Textron Inc.
    Inventors: James Everett Kooiman, Jeffrey Matthew Williams, Clegg Benjamin Brian Smith, Michael Edwin Rinehart
  • Publication number: 20200198762
    Abstract: A propulsion and lift system of a tiltrotor aircraft includes a wing having an outboard end, a wing tip assembly having an inboard end, a fixed nacelle coupled to the wing tip assembly and a wing-nacelle splice assembly having inboard and outboard sides. The inboard side of the wing-nacelle splice assembly is coupled to the outboard end of the wing, and the outboard side of the wing-nacelle splice assembly is coupled to the inboard end of the wing tip assembly, thereby coupling the fixed nacelle to the wing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2020
    Publication date: June 25, 2020
    Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Matthew Williams, George Ryan Decker, Michael Edwin Rinehart, Andrew G. Baines, James Elbert King
  • Patent number: 10604232
    Abstract: A propulsion and lift system of a tiltrotor aircraft includes a wing having an outboard end, a wing tip assembly having an inboard end, a fixed nacelle coupled to the wing tip assembly and a wing-nacelle splice assembly having inboard and outboard sides. The inboard side of the wing-nacelle splice assembly is coupled to the outboard end of the wing, and the outboard side of the wing-nacelle splice assembly is coupled to the inboard end of the wing tip assembly, thereby coupling the fixed nacelle to the wing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Matthew Williams, George Ryan Decker, Michael Edwin Rinehart, Andrew G. Baines, James Elbert King
  • Publication number: 20190329863
    Abstract: A propulsion and lift system for an aircraft includes a wing having an outboard end and a pylon assembly coupled to the outboard end of the wing. The propulsion and lift system also includes a wing extension rotatably coupled to the outboard end of the pylon assembly. The wing extension is rotatable between a flight position in a flight mode and a stow position in a storage mode. The wing extension folds inboard in the stow position, thereby reducing a wingspan of the aircraft in the storage mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2018
    Publication date: October 31, 2019
    Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: James Elbert King, Michael Edwin Rinehart, William S. Atkins
  • Patent number: 10377502
    Abstract: An engine mount assembly for coupling an engine to an airframe. The engine mount assembly includes a torsion bar coupled to the engine and a lateral movement control assembly coupled between the torsion bar and the airframe. The lateral movement control assembly includes a spring having a lateral stiffness. The torsion bar rotates in response to lateral movement of the engine such that the lateral movement of the engine is controllable based on the lateral stiffness of the spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce Bennett Bacon, John Elton Brunken, Jr., Michael Edwin Rinehart, Nick Pravanh
  • Publication number: 20190112028
    Abstract: A propulsion and lift system of a tiltrotor aircraft includes a wing having an outboard end, a wing tip assembly having an inboard end, a fixed nacelle coupled to the wing tip assembly and a wing-nacelle splice assembly having inboard and outboard sides. The inboard side of the wing-nacelle splice assembly is coupled to the outboard end of the wing, and the outboard side of the wing-nacelle splice assembly is coupled to the inboard end of the wing tip assembly, thereby coupling the fixed nacelle to the wing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2017
    Publication date: April 18, 2019
    Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Matthew Williams, George Ryan Decker, Michael Edwin Rinehart, Andrew G. Baines, James Elbert King
  • Patent number: 10220951
    Abstract: A rotorcraft, such as a tiltrotor aircraft having helicopter and airplane modes, includes an airframe, an engine and an engine mount assembly for coupling the engine to the airframe. The engine includes an engine lug forming an aperture. The engine mount assembly includes a mount having an aperture substantially aligned with the engine lug aperture. A sleeved bolt assembly extends through the apertures to secure the engine lug to the mount. The sleeved bolt assembly includes a bolt undersized relative to the apertures forming a circumferential gap within the apertures, a sleeve disposed around at least a portion of the bolt substantially filling the circumferential gap and a nut adapted to thread onto a threaded portion of the bolt. The use of the undersized bolt within the sleeve permits increased clearance between the sleeved bolt assembly and the engine while maintaining strength requirements in high load environments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce Bennett Bacon, Michael Edwin Rinehart, Thomas Boudreau
  • Publication number: 20170217597
    Abstract: An engine mount assembly for coupling an engine to an airframe. The engine mount assembly includes a torsion bar coupled to the engine and a lateral movement control assembly coupled between the torsion bar and the airframe. The lateral movement control assembly includes a spring having a lateral stiffness. The torsion bar rotates in response to lateral movement of the engine such that the lateral movement of the engine is controllable based on the lateral stiffness of the spring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce Bennett Bacon, John Elton Brunken, JR., Michael Edwin Rinehart, Nick Pravanh
  • Publication number: 20170217594
    Abstract: A rotorcraft, such as a tiltrotor aircraft having helicopter and airplane modes, includes an airframe, an engine and an engine mount assembly for coupling the engine to the airframe. The engine includes an engine lug forming an aperture. The engine mount assembly includes a mount having an aperture substantially aligned with the engine lug aperture. A sleeved bolt assembly extends through the apertures to secure the engine lug to the mount. The sleeved bolt assembly includes a bolt undersized relative to the apertures forming a circumferential gap within the apertures, a sleeve disposed around at least a portion of the bolt substantially filling the circumferential gap and a nut adapted to thread onto a threaded portion of the bolt. The use of the undersized bolt within the sleeve permits increased clearance between the sleeved bolt assembly and the engine while maintaining strength requirements in high load environments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce Bennett Bacon, Michael Edwin Rinehart, Thomas Boudreau
  • Patent number: D894814
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Bell Textron Inc.
    Inventors: James Everett Kooiman, Michael Edwin Rinehart, Lynn Francis Eschete, Jason Paul Winter, Derek Ray Eddins, Steven Allen Robedeau, Jr., Clegg Benjamin Brian Smith, Mark Loring Isaac, Andrew Thomas Carter, Aaron Alexander Acee, Glenn Alan Shimek, Jared Mark Paulson, Andrew Paul Haldeman, Brent Chadwick Ross, Steven Ray Ivans
  • Patent number: D896730
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Bell Textron Inc.
    Inventors: James Everett Kooiman, Michael Edwin Rinehart, Lynn Francis Eschete, Jason Paul Winter, Derek Ray Eddins, Steven Allen Robedeau, Jr., Clegg Benjamin Brian Smith, Andrew Thomas Carter, Aaron Alexander Acee, Andrew Paul Haldeman