Patents by Inventor Piet-Christof Wölcken

Piet-Christof Wölcken 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: 9957802
    Abstract: A morphing trailing edge device for an airfoil includes a skin member, an actuator, and a torsion element. The skin member is configured to extend on a surface of a trailing edge region of an airfoil and includes a load introduction point within a reinforced area. The skin member further includes a stiffening member arranged essentially perpendicular to the load introduction point, wherein the load introduction point, the reinforced area and the stiffening member are integrated into the skin member. The actuator is configured to drive the torsion element with an actuation load. The torsion element is configured to translate the actuation load to the load introduction point, so that the actuation load morphs the trailing edge region up- or downwardly relative to a horizontal plane. A morphing airfoil for an aircraft, an aircraft with a morphing airfoil and a method for manufacturing a morphing airfoil are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventor: Piet-Christof Wölcken
  • Publication number: 20160047246
    Abstract: A morphing trailing edge device for an airfoil includes a skin member, an actuator, and a torsion element. The skin member is configured to extend on a surface of a trailing edge region of an airfoil and includes a load introduction point within a reinforced area. The skin member further includes a stiffening member arranged essentially perpendicular to the load introduction point, wherein the load introduction point, the reinforced area and the stiffening member are integrated into the skin member. The actuator is configured to drive the torsion element with an actuation load. The torsion element is configured to translate the actuation load to the load introduction point, so that the actuation load morphs the trailing edge region up- or downwardly relative to a horizontal plane. A morphing airfoil for an aircraft, an aircraft with a morphing airfoil and a method for manufacturing a morphing airfoil are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2015
    Publication date: February 18, 2016
    Applicant: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventor: Piet-Christof Wölcken