Patents by Inventor Neil John Lyons
Neil John Lyons 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: 11981422Abstract: An aircraft wing is disclosed having a root end, a tip end, a span extending between the root end and the tip end, a leading edge, a trailing edge and a chord extending between the leading edge and the trailing edge, and including a main fixed wing portion having an inboard portion adjacent the root end, and an outboard portion adjacent the tip end. A wing tip device attached to the tip end of the wing; and a movable flight control surface connected at the outboard portion of the main fixed wing portion and having a leading edge, a trailing edge and a chord extending between the leading edge and the trailing edge. A ratio of the local chord length of the movable flight control surface to the local chord length of the wing varies in the spanwise direction.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 2021Date of Patent: May 14, 2024Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS LIMITEDInventors: Neil John Lyons, Ben Commis
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Patent number: 11738854Abstract: An aircraft with wing tip devices, for example, folding wing tips, is disclosed. The folding wing tip may have a flight configuration for use during flight, and a ground configuration for use in ground-based operations. The ground configuration creates a shorter wing span than when the aircraft is in the flight configuration. A hinge arrangement protrudes beyond an outer surface of the fixed wing and wing tip device. In order to reduce the aerodynamic effect of the protruding hinge a fairing may be provided. In the flight configuration the fairing comprises a rear portion with a concave surface, such that the fairing acts as a lift-generating surface when the aircraft is in flight.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 2019Date of Patent: August 29, 2023Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS LIMITEDInventors: Richard Lowry, Neil John Lyons
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Patent number: 11447239Abstract: An aircraft wing (2) including a main wing (3) and a wing tip device (4) at the tip of the main wing (3), wherein the wing tip device (4) has a variation of leading edge droop with respect to unrolled span-wise position such that flow separation on the wing tip device (4) first occurs in an outboard region (O) of the wing tip device (4). The leading edge droop of the wing tip device (4) may be a maximum in an outboard region (O) of the wing tip device.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2019Date of Patent: September 20, 2022Assignee: Airbus Operations LimitedInventors: Ben Commis, Neil John Lyons
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Publication number: 20220089277Abstract: A method of retrofitting a wing of a fixed wing aircraft is disclosed including the steps of providing an existing aircraft wing with a main fixed wing portion, and the main fixed wing portion having a tip end and an existing movable flight control surface connected adjacent the tip end. The existing movable flight control surface is then removed from the main fixed wing portion, and a wing tip device and movable flight control surface are selected as a pair to replace the existing movable flight control surface, with the selected movable flight control surface having an aerodynamic surface of different shape to the shape of the flight control surface removed from the wing. The selected wing tip device and movable flight control surface are then fitted to the main fixed wing portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 18, 2021Publication date: March 24, 2022Inventors: Neil John LYONS, Ben COMMIS
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Patent number: 11247769Abstract: An aerodynamic structure for use on an upper surface of an aircraft wing is disclosed. The wing includes a slat operable between a stowed configuration in which the slat is stowed in a slat recess of the wing, and a deployed configuration in which the slat extends out of the slat recess. When the slat is in the deployed configuration, an end face of the slat recess is exposed, the end face intersecting with the upper surface of the wing at a recess edge. The aerodynamic structure, adjacent to the recess edge, has a volume shaped to encourage air flowing over the recess edge onto the upper surface during flight, to remain attached.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2019Date of Patent: February 15, 2022Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS LIMITEDInventors: Ching-Yu Hui, Neil John Lyons
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Publication number: 20220017206Abstract: An aircraft with wing tip devices, for example, folding wing tips, is disclosed. The folding wing tip may have a flight configuration for use during flight, and a ground configuration for use in ground-based operations. The ground configuration creates a shorter wing span than when the aircraft is in the flight configuration. A hinge arrangement protrudes beyond an outer surface of the fixed wing and wing tip device. In order to reduce the aerodynamic effect of the protruding hinge a fairing may be provided. In the flight configuration the fairing comprises a rear portion with a concave surface, such that the fairing acts as a lift-generating surface when the aircraft is in flight.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 2, 2019Publication date: January 20, 2022Inventors: Richard LOWRY, Neil John LYONS
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Patent number: 11174008Abstract: A method of retrofitting a wing of a fixed wing aircraft is disclosed including the steps of providing an existing aircraft wing with a main fixed wing portion, and the main fixed wing portion having a tip end and an existing movable flight control surface connected adjacent the tip end. The existing movable flight control surface is then removed from the main fixed wing portion, and a wing tip device and movable flight control surface are selected as a pair to replace the existing movable flight control surface, with the selected movable flight control surface having an aerodynamic surface of different shape to the shape of the flight control surface removed from the wing. The selected wing tip device and movable flight control surface are then fitted to the main fixed wing portion.Type: GrantFiled: November 28, 2018Date of Patent: November 16, 2021Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS LIMITEDInventors: Neil John Lyons, Ben Commis
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Publication number: 20200140065Abstract: An aerodynamic structure for use on an upper surface of an aircraft wing is disclosed. The wing includes a slat operable between a stowed configuration in which the slat is stowed in a slat recess of the wing, and a deployed configuration in which the slat extends out of the slat recess. When the slat is in the deployed configuration, an end face of the slat recess is exposed, the end face intersecting with the upper surface of the wing at a recess edge. The aerodynamic structure, adjacent to the recess edge, has a volume shaped to encourage air flowing over the recess edge onto the upper surface during flight, to remain attached.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 4, 2019Publication date: May 7, 2020Inventors: Ching-Yu HUI, Neil John LYONS
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Publication number: 20190329874Abstract: An aircraft wing (2) including a main wing (3) and a wing tip device (4) at the tip of the main wing (3), wherein the wing tip device (4) has a variation of leading edge droop with respect to unrolled span-wise position such that flow separation on the wing tip device (4) first occurs in an outboard region (O) of the wing tip device (4). The leading edge droop of the wing tip device (4) may be a maximum in an outboard region (O) of the wing tip device.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 23, 2019Publication date: October 31, 2019Inventors: Ben COMMIS, Neil John LYONS
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Publication number: 20190161174Abstract: A method of retrofitting a wing of a fixed wing aircraft is disclosed including the steps of providing an existing aircraft wing with a main fixed wing portion, and the main fixed wing portion having a tip end and an existing movable flight control surface connected adjacent the tip end. The existing movable flight control surface is then removed from the main fixed wing portion, and a wing tip device and movable flight control surface are selected as a pair to replace the existing movable flight control surface, with the selected movable flight control surface having an aerodynamic surface of different shape to the shape of the flight control surface removed from the wing. The selected wing tip device and movable flight control surface are then fitted to the main fixed wing portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 28, 2018Publication date: May 30, 2019Inventors: Neil John Lyons, Ben Commis
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Patent number: 9027883Abstract: A shock control fairing for mounting a junction between adjoining aircraft surfaces. The fairing has a cross-sectional profile which varies along the length of the fairing. The cross-sectional profile of the fairing has a maximum area at a location which, when mounted to an aircraft, is substantially proximal to a location on the surface of the aircraft at which a shock would be expected to develop without the fairing.Type: GrantFiled: November 5, 2008Date of Patent: May 12, 2015Assignee: Airbus Operations LimitedInventor: Neil John Lyons
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Publication number: 20110204185Abstract: A shock control fairing for mounting a junction between adjoining aircraft surfaces. The fairing has a cross-sectional profile which varies along the length of the fairing. The cross-sectional profile of the fairing has a maximum area at a location which, when mounted to an aircraft, is substantially proximal to a location on the surface of the aircraft at which a shock would be expected to develop without the fairing.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 5, 2008Publication date: August 25, 2011Applicant: AIRBUS OPERATIONS LIMITEDInventor: Neil John Lyons