Patents by Inventor Michael J. Southerland
Michael J. Southerland 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: 11208204Abstract: In some embodiments, a rotorcraft may include a yoke, a blade, a spindle associated with the yoke, and an elastomeric bearing assembly. The center length of the spindle may define a center axis that passes through a center of the elastomeric bearing assembly. The elastomeric bearing assembly may contain a housing coupled to the blade and disposed around the center axis that is configured to rotate in relation to the center axis. The elastomeric bearing assembly may contain an elastomeric shear bearing that has an interior portion coupled to the spindle and an exterior portion coupled to the housing. The elastomeric bearing assembly may contain an elastomeric centrifugal force bearing pressed against the housing. The shear bearing may be configured to counteract a torsional force, and the centrifugal force bearing may be configured to counteract a compression force.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2017Date of Patent: December 28, 2021Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.Inventors: Christopher E. Foskey, Michael J. Southerland
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Publication number: 20180072409Abstract: In some embodiments, a rotorcraft may include a yoke, a blade, a spindle associated with the yoke, and an elastomeric bearing assembly. The center length of the spindle may define a center axis that passes through a center of the elastomeric bearing assembly. The elastomeric bearing assembly may contain a housing coupled to the blade and disposed around the center axis that is configured to rotate in relation to the center axis. The elastomeric bearing assembly may contain an elastomeric shear bearing that has an interior portion coupled to the spindle and an exterior portion coupled to the housing. The elastomeric bearing assembly may contain an elastomeric centrifugal force bearing pressed against the housing. The shear bearing may be configured to counteract a torsional force, and the centrifugal force bearing may be configured to counteract a compression force.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 16, 2017Publication date: March 15, 2018Inventors: Christopher E. Foskey, Michael J. Southerland
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Patent number: 9873507Abstract: In some embodiments, a rotorcraft may include a yoke, a blade, a spindle associated with the yoke, and an elastomeric bearing assembly. The center length of the spindle may define a center axis that passes through a center of the elastomeric bearing assembly. The elastomeric bearing assembly may contain a housing coupled to the blade and disposed around the center axis that is configured to rotate in relation to the center axis. The elastomeric bearing assembly may contain an elastomeric shear bearing that has an interior portion coupled to the spindle and an exterior portion coupled to the housing. The elastomeric bearing assembly may contain an elastomeric centrifugal force bearing pressed against the housing. The shear bearing may be configured to counteract a torsional force, and the centrifugal force bearing may be configured to counteract a compression force.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2015Date of Patent: January 23, 2018Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.Inventors: Christopher E. Foskey, Michael J. Southerland
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Patent number: 9701403Abstract: According to one embodiment, a rotorcraft yoke comprises a plurality of arms. The plurality of arms, in combination, comprise a plurality of fibrous plies extending continuously throughout all of the plurality of arms.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 2014Date of Patent: July 11, 2017Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.Inventors: Amarjit Kizhakkepat, Levi Armstrong, Tyler Baldwin, Paul Oldroyd, Michael J. Southerland
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Publication number: 20150239555Abstract: In some embodiments, a rotorcraft may include a yoke, a blade, a spindle associated with the yoke, and an elastomeric bearing assembly. The center length of the spindle may define a center axis that passes through a center of the elastomeric bearing assembly. The elastomeric bearing assembly may contain a housing coupled to the blade and disposed around the center axis that is configured to rotate in relation to the center axis. The elastomeric bearing assembly may contain an elastomeric shear bearing that has an interior portion coupled to the spindle and an exterior portion coupled to the housing. The elastomeric bearing assembly may contain an elastomeric centrifugal force bearing pressed against the housing. The shear bearing may be configured to counteract a torsional force, and the centrifugal force bearing may be configured to counteract a compression force.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 24, 2015Publication date: August 27, 2015Inventors: Christopher E. Foskey, Michael J. Southerland
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Publication number: 20150232175Abstract: According to one embodiment, a rotorcraft yoke comprises a plurality of arms. The plurality of arms, in combination, comprise a plurality of fibrous plies extending continuously throughout all of the plurality of arms.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 18, 2014Publication date: August 20, 2015Applicant: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON INC.Inventors: Amarjit Kizhakkepat, Levi Armstrong, Tyler Baldwin, Paul Oldroyd, Michael J. Southerland
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Patent number: 7845909Abstract: An assembly for providing flexure to a blade of a rotary blade system includes an upper support plate having an upper curved surface, a lower support plate having a lower curved surface, and a yoke positioned therebetween. At least one of the upper and lower yoke surfaces has a layer of cushioning material positioned thereon and secured thereto. An alternate embodiment includes an assembly for providing flexure to a blade of a rotary blade system, including, an upper support plate having an upper curved surface, a lower support plate having a lower curved surface, and a yoke positioned therebetween and directly contacting the support plates wherein one of the curved surfaces is a non-circular arc that does not form part of the circumference of a circle. Another alternate embodiment includes a similar assembly having a twist-shank type of yoke for providing rotation of attached blades about their respective pitch axes.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2006Date of Patent: December 7, 2010Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.Inventors: Frank B. Stamps, Patrick R. Tisdale, Paul Sherrill, Richard Rauber, Thomas C. Campbell, James Lee Braswell, Jr., Ron Measom, Tricia Hiros, David Popelka, Michael J. Southerland, Keith Stanney, Mark Wasikowski, Tim Ledbetter
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Publication number: 20080101934Abstract: An assembly for providing flexure to a blade of a rotary blade system includes an upper support plate having an upper curved surface, a lower support plate having a lower curved surface, and a yoke positioned therebetween. At least one of the upper and lower yoke surfaces has a layer of cushioning material positioned thereon and secured thereto. An alternate embodiment includes an assembly for providing flexure to a blade of a rotary blade system, including, an upper support plate having an upper curved surface, a lower support plate having a lower curved surface, and a yoke positioned therebetween and directly contacting the support plates wherein one of the curved surfaces is a non-circular arc that does not form part of the circumference of a circle. Another alternate embodiment includes a similar assembly having a twist-shank type of yoke for providing rotation of attached blades about their respective pitch axes.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 24, 2006Publication date: May 1, 2008Inventors: Frank B. Stamps, Patrick R. Tisdale, Paul Sherrill, Richard Rauber, Thomas C. Campbell, James Lee Braswell Jr., Ron Measom, Tricia Hiros, David Popelka, Michael J. Southerland, Keith Stanney, Mark Wasikowski, Tim Ledbetter