Patents by Inventor Robert Alan Self

Robert Alan Self 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: 11891169
    Abstract: In an implementation, a rotor blade (alternatively referred to herein as “blade”) for a helicopter or other aircraft may include an outer layer. The outer layer may define a cavity. The outer layer may at least partially correspond to an airfoil, e.g., a wing. One or more inserts may be included within the cavity and be encompassed thereby. The first insert may have a density of at least 0.6 pounds per cubic inch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: TEXTRON INNOVATIONS INC.
    Inventors: Paul Branson Sherrill, Robert Alan Self
  • Publication number: 20210078699
    Abstract: In an implementation, a rotor blade for a helicopter may include an outer layer. The outer layer may have a leading edge region and a trailing edge region and may define a cavity. The leading edge region may include a first shape at least partially corresponding with an airfoil, e.g., a wing. An insert may be included within the cavity and be encompassed thereby. The insert may include a shape that substantially corresponds with the first shape, e.g., the insert may substantially correspond with a leading edge of an airfoil. The insert may have a plurality of weight shot each of which may be surrounded by a binding agent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2019
    Publication date: March 18, 2021
    Inventors: Paul Branson Sherrill, Robert Patrick Wardlaw, Robert Alan Self
  • Publication number: 20210070433
    Abstract: In an implementation, a rotor blade (alternatively referred to herein as “blade”) for a helicopter or other aircraft may include an outer layer. The outer layer may define a cavity. The outer layer may at least partially correspond to an airfoil, e.g., a wing. One or more inserts may be included within the cavity and be encompassed thereby. The first insert may have a density of at least 0.6 pounds per cubic inch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2019
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Inventors: Paul Branson Sherrill, Robert Alan Self
  • Patent number: 10689104
    Abstract: A system and method for attaching a damper to a tail rotor blade includes a cuff that is integral with the rotor blade. The cuff has upper and lower lugs formed by extending a skin over a blade core of the rotor blade. The skin extends past the blade core to the root end of the rotor blade. The rod end of the damper is inserted into an opening between the lugs. The rod end of the damper is coupled to the blade with a bolt through aligned holes in the lugs. The cuff also couples the rotor blade to the grip inside the cuff. The cuff includes a same material as that forming the skin. Sacrificial buffer pads are applied to interior faces of the lugs. The buffer pads permit a distance between the lugs to be machined within a tolerance without removing skin from the cuff.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: TEXTRON INNOVATIONS INC.
    Inventors: Glenn Alan Shimek, Nathan Patrick Green, Robert Alan Self, Mark Adam Wiinikka
  • Publication number: 20180327089
    Abstract: A system and method for attaching a damper to a tail rotor blade includes a cuff that is integral with the rotor blade. The cuff has upper and lower lugs formed by extending a skin over a blade core of the rotor blade. The skin extends past the blade core to the root end of the rotor blade. The rod end of the damper is inserted into an opening between the lugs. The rod end of the damper is coupled to the blade with a bolt through aligned holes in the lugs. The cuff also couples the rotor blade to the grip inside the cuff. The cuff includes a same material as that forming the skin. Sacrificial buffer pads are applied to interior faces of the lugs. The buffer pads permit a distance between the lugs to be machined within a tolerance without removing skin from the cuff.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2017
    Publication date: November 15, 2018
    Inventors: Glenn Alan Shimek, Nathan Patrick Green, Robert Alan Self, Mark Adam Wiinikka