Patents by Inventor Oliver FAMILY

Oliver FAMILY 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).

  • Publication number: 20240101248
    Abstract: An aircraft wing with a moveable leading edge device mounted towards the leading edge of the wing is disclosed. The leading edge device is moveable between a first configuration and a second configuration. In the first configuration, the leading edge device is substantially flush with the low pressure surface. In the second configuration, the surface of the leading edge device is retracted into the wing profile. The second configuration creates a void in the lower surface of the wing which modifies the airflow over the surfaces. The oncoming airflow can enter the void. In the second configuration, the leading edge device reduces the lift on the wing, acting to reduce the lift induced strain on the wing during high speed flight or to help manoeuvre the wing. The leading edge device may also be configured to move into a third configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2023
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Inventor: Oliver FAMILY
  • Publication number: 20240101244
    Abstract: An aircraft wing with an array of moveably flight control surfaces is disclosed. Each flight control surface includes a trailing edge with a moveable tab attached to the flight control surface trailing edge. A flight control system coupled to a flight control surface drive system which moves the flight control surfaces; a tab drive system which moves the moveable tabs and one or more aircraft angle of attack sensors. The flight control system stores a set of angular deflections to deflect the tabs upwardly when the angle of attack reaches a threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2023
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Inventor: Oliver FAMILY
  • Publication number: 20240101247
    Abstract: An aircraft wing with a moveable leading edge device mounted towards the leading edge of the wing. The leading edge device is moveable between a first configuration, a second configuration and a third configuration. In the first configuration, the leading edge device is retracted fully within the wing profile. In the second configuration, a portion of a surface of the leading edge device is extended away from the wing profile and into the oncoming airflow on the lower surface of the wing as the wing moves through the airflow to increase lift produced by the wing. In the third configuration, a portion of the surface of the leading edge device is extended away from the wing profile into the oncoming airflow over the upper surface of the wing to impair lift produced by the wing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2023
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Inventor: Oliver FAMILY
  • Publication number: 20240067326
    Abstract: An aircraft wing is disclosed having a main fixed wing portion and a wing tip device at a tip thereof. The wing tip device is configurable between a flight configuration and a ground configuration, in which ground configuration the wing tip device is moved away from the flight configuration such that the span of the aircraft wing is reduced. A hinge arrangement connects the main fixed wing portion and the wing tip device and enables the wing tip device to rotate between the ground configuration and the flight configuration. The hinge arrangement protrudes beyond an outer surface of the main fixed wing portion and wing tip device. A fairing covers at least part of the hinge arrangement on at least a suction side of the wing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: Oliver FAMILY, Robert MILLS, Christopher GRAY, Thomas WILSON
  • Publication number: 20240017818
    Abstract: An aircraft wing is disclosed having a trailing edge system including a pivotable spoiler and a moveable flap. The flap has a pivotable trailing edge device, which is for example able to rotate independently of the flap by up to +/?20 degrees. The flap is translatable and rotatable relative to the wing independently of the movement of the spoiler. The trailing edge system is configured to adopt one of several different configurations or modes of operation facilitating all of camber and/or wing chord change during cruise, high speed and low speed roll control mode, enhanced high lift, and load alleviation. As such, the wing may not need any separate ailerons or other trailing edge control surfaces, and may also offer improved aerodynamics, reduced drag and other efficiency improving benefits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2023
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Inventor: Oliver FAMILY
  • Patent number: 11760492
    Abstract: An aircraft including: a wing having a leading edge; an electric motor mounted on the wing; and an electric power cable in the wing for providing power to the electric motor, wherein the electric power cable runs through a duct in the wing; the duct comprises an air inlet and an air outlet; and the electric power cable is cooled by air passing through the duct between the air inlet and the air outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: AIRBUS (S.A.S.)
    Inventors: Samuel Phillips, Thomas James, Oliver Family, Thomas Fulcher, Boris Schwerdt
  • Publication number: 20230107062
    Abstract: An aircraft may have one or more electrically powered thrust-generating engines and a combustion engine forming part of a power generator system for powering the electric engine and/or recharging a battery system that powers the electric engine. An exhaust pipe leads via an interior space within the aircraft from the exhaust of the combustion engine, or other source of hot gases, to an exhaust outlet. The direction of the exhaust pipe at the outlet is transverse to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft. A fairing immediately upstream of the outlet has a trailing edge, for example with a sawtooth profile, which creates turbulence and/or chaotic airflow over and downstream of the outlet, and thus mixes the freestream air and the hot gases from inside the aircraft more efficiently.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2022
    Publication date: April 6, 2023
    Inventors: Oliver Family, José Angel Hernanz-Manrique, Juan Olivares-Berlanga
  • Publication number: 20220111967
    Abstract: An aircraft including: a wing having a leading edge; an electric motor mounted on the wing; and an electric power cable in the wing for providing power to the electric motor, wherein the electric power cable runs through a duct in the wing; the duct comprises an air inlet and an air outlet; and the electric power cable is cooled by air passing through the duct between the air inlet and the air outlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2021
    Publication date: April 14, 2022
    Inventors: Samuel PHILLIPS, Thomas JAMES, Oliver FAMILY, Thomas FULCHER, Boris SCHWERDT
  • Patent number: 9994331
    Abstract: A method is provided of inerting one or more fuel tanks of an aircraft. The method comprises: providing a temperature value indicative of a temperature at the aircraft's destination; comparing said temperature value with a predetermined value; and on the basis of said comparison, controlling the provision of inerting gas to the one or more aircraft fuel tanks. An aircraft fuel tank inerting arrangement, a software product and an aircraft are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS LIMITED
    Inventors: Oliver Family, Mark Smiles, Dylan James
  • Publication number: 20160176535
    Abstract: A method is provided of inerting one or more fuel tanks of an aircraft. The method comprises: providing a temperature value indicative of a temperature at the aircraft's destination; comparing said temperature value with a predetermined value; and on the basis of said comparison, controlling the provision of inerting gas to the one or more aircraft fuel tanks. An aircraft fuel tank inerting arrangement, a software product and an aircraft are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2015
    Publication date: June 23, 2016
    Inventors: Oliver FAMILY, Mark SMILES, Dylan JAMES