Patents by Inventor Paul M. Rothhaar
Paul M. Rothhaar 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: 10538321Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices provide a vehicle, such as an aircraft, with rotors configured to function as a tri-copter for vertical takeoff and landing (“VTOL”) and a fixed-wing vehicle for forward flight. One rotor may be mounted at a front of the vehicle fuselage on a hinged structure controlled by an actuator to tilt from horizontal to vertical positions. Two additional rotors may be mounted on the horizontal surface of the vehicle tail structure with rotor axes oriented vertically to the fuselage. For forward flight of the vehicle, the front rotor may be rotated down such that the front rotor axis may be oriented horizontally along the fuselage and the front rotor may act as a propeller. For vertical flight, the front rotor may be rotated up such that the front rotor axis may be oriented vertically to the fuselage, while the tail rotors may be activated.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2018Date of Patent: January 21, 2020Assignee: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE ADMINISTRATOR OF NASAInventors: David D. North, Mark J. Aull, William J. Fredericks, Mark D. Moore, Paul M. Rothhaar, William T. Hodges, Zachary R. Johns
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Patent number: 10370100Abstract: A vehicle includes a wing and a control surface pivotably coupled to the wing and configured to pivot about a range of motion. A propulsor is coupled to the control surface and configured to rotate between a first position associated with a hover flight mode and a second position associated with a forward flight mode. The propulsor is aerodynamically actuated between the first position and the second position due to aerodynamics about the wing. The propulsor may rotate from an initial flight mode, such as a takeoff mode, to a second flight mode, such as a forward flight mode.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2016Date of Patent: August 6, 2019Assignee: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE ADMINISTRATOR OF NASAInventors: Paul M. Rothhaar, William J. Fredericks, David D. North
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Publication number: 20190016459Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices provide a vehicle, such as an aircraft, with rotors configured to function as a tri-copter for vertical takeoff and landing (“VTOL”) and a fixed-wing vehicle for forward flight. One rotor may be mounted at a front of the vehicle fuselage on a hinged structure controlled by an actuator to tilt from horizontal to vertical positions. Two additional rotors may be mounted on the horizontal surface of the vehicle tail structure with rotor axes oriented vertically to the fuselage. For forward flight of the vehicle, the front rotor may be rotated down such that the front rotor axis may be oriented horizontally along the fuselage and the front rotor may act as a propeller. For vertical flight, the front rotor may be rotated up such that the front rotor axis may be oriented vertically to the fuselage, while the tail rotors may be activated.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 11, 2018Publication date: January 17, 2019Inventors: DAVID D. NORTH, MARK J. AULL, WILLIAM J. FREDERICKS, MARK D. MOORE, PAUL M. ROTHHAAR, WILLIAM T. HODGES, ZACHARY R. JOHNS
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Patent number: 10071801Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices provide a vehicle, such as an aircraft, with rotors configured to function as a tri-copter for vertical takeoff and landing (“VTOL”) and a fixed-wing vehicle for forward flight. One rotor may be mounted at a front of the vehicle fuselage on a hinged structure controlled by an actuator to tilt from horizontal to vertical positions. Two additional rotors may be mounted on the horizontal surface of the vehicle tail structure with rotor axes oriented vertically to the fuselage. For forward flight of the vehicle, the front rotor may be rotated down such that the front rotor axis may be oriented horizontally along the fuselage and the front rotor may act as a propeller. For vertical flight, the front rotor may be rotated up such that the front rotor axis may be oriented vertically to the fuselage, while the tail rotors may be activated.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2016Date of Patent: September 11, 2018Assignee: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE ADMINISTRATOR OF NASAInventors: David D. North, Mark J. Aull, William J. Fredericks, Mark D. Moore, Paul M. Rothhaar, William T. Hodges, Zachary R. Johns
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Patent number: 9896200Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices are provided that combine an advance vehicle configuration, such as an advanced aircraft configuration, with the infusion of electric propulsion, thereby enabling a four times increase in range and endurance while maintaining a full vertical takeoff and landing (“VTOL”) and hover capability for the vehicle. Embodiments may provide vehicles with both VTOL and cruise efficient capabilities without the use of ground infrastructure. An embodiment vehicle may comprise a wing configured to tilt through a range of motion, a first series of electric motors coupled to the wing and each configured to drive an associated wing propeller, a tail configured to tilt through the range of motion, a second series of electric motors coupled to the tail and each configured to drive an associated tail propeller, and an electric propulsion system connected to the first series of electric motors and the second series of electric motors.Type: GrantFiled: October 24, 2016Date of Patent: February 20, 2018Assignee: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE ADMINISTRATOR OF NASAInventors: William J. Fredericks, Mark D. Moore, Ronald C. Busan, Paul M. Rothhaar, David D. North, William M. Langford, Christopher T. Laws, William T. Hodges, Zachary R. Johns, Sandy R. Webb
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Publication number: 20170057631Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices are provided that combine an advance vehicle configuration, such as an advanced aircraft configuration, with the infusion of electric propulsion, thereby enabling a four times increase in range and endurance while maintaining a full vertical takeoff and landing (“VTOL”) and hover capability for the vehicle. Embodiments may provide vehicles with both VTOL and cruise efficient capabilities without the use of ground infrastructure. An embodiment vehicle may comprise a wing configured to tilt through a range of motion, a first series of electric motors coupled to the wing and each configured to drive an associated wing propeller, a tail configured to tilt through the range of motion, a second series of electric motors coupled to the tail and each configured to drive an associated tail propeller, and an electric propulsion system connected to the first series of electric motors and the second series of electric motors.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 24, 2016Publication date: March 2, 2017Inventors: William J. FREDERICKS, Mark D. MOORE, Ronald C. BUSAN, Paul M. ROTHHAAR, David D. NORTH, William M. LANGFORD, Christopher T. LAWS, William T HODGES, Zachary R. JOHNS, Sandy R. WEBB
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Patent number: 9475579Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices are provided that combine an advance vehicle configuration, such as an advanced aircraft configuration, with the infusion of electric propulsion, thereby enabling a four times increase in range and endurance while maintaining a full vertical takeoff and landing (“VTOL”) and hover capability for the vehicle. Embodiments may provide vehicles with both VTOL and cruise efficient capabilities without the use of ground infrastructure. An embodiment vehicle may comprise a wing configured to tilt through a range of motion, a first series of electric motors coupled to the wing and each configured to drive an associated wing propeller, a tail configured to tilt through the range of motion, a second series of electric motors coupled to the tail and each configured to drive an associated tail propeller, and an electric propulsion system connected to the first series of electric motors and the second series of electric motors.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2014Date of Patent: October 25, 2016Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationInventors: William J. Fredericks, Mark D. Moore, Ronald C. Busan, Paul M. Rothhaar, David D. North, William M. Langford, Christopher T. Laws, William T. Hodges, Zachary R. Johns, Sandy R. Webb
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Publication number: 20160288903Abstract: A vehicle includes a wing and a control surface pivotably coupled to the wing and configured to pivot about a range of motion. A propulsor is coupled to the control surface and configured to rotate between a first position associated with a hover flight mode and a second position associated with a forward flight mode. The propulsor is aerodynamically actuated between the first position and the second position due to aerodynamics about the wing. The propulsor may rotate from an initial flight mode, such as a takeoff mode, to a second flight mode, such as a forward flight mode.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 22, 2016Publication date: October 6, 2016Inventors: PAUL M. ROTHHAAR, WILLIAM J. FREDERICKS, DAVID D. NORTH
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Publication number: 20160244158Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices are provided that combine an advance vehicle configuration, such as an advanced aircraft configuration, with the infusion of electric propulsion, thereby enabling a four times increase in range and endurance while maintaining a full vertical takeoff and landing (“VTOL”) and hover capability for the vehicle. Embodiments may provide vehicles with both VTOL and cruise efficient capabilities without the use of ground infrastructure. An embodiment vehicle may comprise a wing configured to tilt through a range of motion, a first series of electric motors coupled to the wing and each configured to drive an associated wing propeller, a tail configured to tilt through the range of motion, a second series of electric motors coupled to the tail and each configured to drive an associated tail propeller, and an electric propulsion system connected to the first series of electric motors and the second series of electric motors.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 13, 2014Publication date: August 25, 2016Inventors: WILLIAM J. FREDERICKS, Mark D. Moore, Ronald C. Busan, Paul M. Rothhaar, David D. North, William M. Langford, Christopher T. Laws, William T. Hodges, Zachary R. Johns, Sandy R. Webb
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Publication number: 20160200436Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices provide a vehicle, such as an aircraft, with rotors configured to function as a tri-copter for vertical takeoff and landing (“VTOL”) and a fixed-wing vehicle for forward flight. One rotor may be mounted at a front of the vehicle fuselage on a hinged structure controlled by an actuator to tilt from horizontal to vertical positions. Two additional rotors may be mounted on the horizontal surface of the vehicle tail structure with rotor axes oriented vertically to the fuselage. For forward flight of the vehicle, the front rotor may be rotated down such that the front rotor axis may be oriented horizontally along the fuselage and the front rotor may act as a propeller. For vertical flight, the front rotor may be rotated up such that the front rotor axis may be oriented vertically to the fuselage, while the tail rotors may be activated.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 24, 2016Publication date: July 14, 2016Inventors: David D. North, Mark J. Aull, William J. Fredericks, Mark D. Moore, Paul M. Rothhaar, WILLIAM T. Hodges, Zachary R. Johns