Patents by Inventor Robert B. Mullins

Robert B. Mullins 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).

  • Proprotor blade with leading edge slot
    Patent number: 7594625
    Abstract: A proprotor blade (27a, 27b, 127a, 127b) having a fixed, spanwise, leading edge slot (215) located in at least the inboard portion of the proprotor is disclosed. The slot (215) is formed by a selectively shaped slat (217) disposed in a selectively shaped recessed area (219) located at the leading edge (202) of the main portion of the proprotor blade. The slot (215) is selectively shaped so the a portion of the airflow over the lower airfoil surface of the proprotor blade is diverted between the main portion of the proprotor blade and the slat (217) and exits at the upper airfoil surface of the proprotor blade. The present invention may be used on both military-type tiltrotor aircraft (11) and civilian-type tiltrotor aircraft (111) with only minor variations to accommodate the different shapes of the proprotor blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel B. Robertson, Dudley E. Smith, Charles L. Hollimon, Jimmy C. Narramore, Robert B. Mullins