Patents by Inventor Rodney ZIMMERMAN

Rodney ZIMMERMAN 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: 10336459
    Abstract: An engine mount assembly for coupling an engine to an airframe. The engine mount assembly includes a torsion bar coupled between the engine and the airframe. The torsion bar includes an external spline. The engine mount assembly also includes a bell crank having a clamp forming an internal spline with the internal spline of the bell crank adapted to mate with the external spline of the torsion bar to secure the bell crank to the torsion bar such that the bell crank rotates with the torsion bar responsive to movements of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce Bennett Bacon, Brett Rodney Zimmerman, Clegg Benjamin Brian Smith
  • Publication number: 20190100297
    Abstract: An airframe for a tiltrotor aircraft includes a wing airframe including a rib, a fuselage airframe including a fore-aft overhead beam and a cradle support assembly. The cradle support assembly includes a forward wing support coupled to the fore-aft overhead beam and the wing airframe and an aft wing support coupled to the fore-aft overhead beam and the wing airframe. The rib, the fore-aft overhead beam, the forward wing support and the aft wing support are substantially aligned to form a wing-fuselage integrated airframe beam assembly to support the wing airframe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2017
    Publication date: April 4, 2019
    Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: John Elton Brunken, JR., Andrew G. Baines, James Everett Kooiman, John Richard McCullough, Brett Rodney Zimmerman
  • Publication number: 20190092458
    Abstract: An inertia weight assembly positionable within a receiving portion of a rotor blade for use on a rotorcraft. The inertia weight assembly includes a weighted core and a casing having a closed outboard end and forming a cavity. The weighted core is disposed in the cavity such that the casing at least partially encloses the weighted core. The weighted core is formed from a first material and the casing is formed from a second material that is dissimilar to the first material. The casing provides an interface between the weighted core and the receiving portion of the rotor blade. The second material is more bondable to the receiving portion of the rotor blade than the first material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2017
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: John Richard McCullough, Paul K. Oldroyd, Brett Rodney Zimmerman
  • Publication number: 20190061925
    Abstract: A cargo transportation system includes a cargo platform having an upper surface and a perimeter. A propulsion system is disposed about the perimeter of the cargo platform. The propulsion system includes a plurality of propulsion assemblies, each including a propulsion unit disposed within a housing defining an airflow channel having an air inlet for incoming air and an air outlet for outgoing air such that the outgoing air is operable to generate at least vertical lift. A power system disposed within the cargo platform provides energy to drive the propulsion system. A flight control system operably associated with the propulsion system and the power system controls flight operations of the cargo transportation system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2017
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Kirk Landon Groninga, Daniel Bryan Robertson, Brett Rodney Zimmerman
  • Publication number: 20180255823
    Abstract: A control system for mixing materials having a container to receive the materials, agitators, a driveline to drive the agitators at an output speed with an output torque, an power source to provide an input speed with an input torque, a continuously variable transmission that connects the driveline and the power source, and an electronic control unit configured to adjust a speed ratio of the continuously variable transmission to provide a linear relationship between the input torque and the output torque with a slope, when the input torque is below a control input threshold, and to follow a corrected linear relationship between the input torque and the output torque with a corrected slope smaller than the slope when the input torque is above the control input threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Publication date: September 13, 2018
    Applicant: KUHN NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Bryan ROWNTREE, Jacob VEEDER, Rodney ZIMMERMAN, Aaron WEPNER, William BASSETT, Thomas J. HOFFMAN
  • Publication number: 20180118336
    Abstract: An aircraft system includes a wing member and a plurality of unmanned aircraft systems selectively connectable to the wing member. The wing member has a generally airfoil cross-section, a leading edge and a trailing edge. The unmanned aircraft systems have a connected flight mode while coupled to the wing member and an independent flight mode when detached from the wing member. In the connected flight mode, the unmanned aircraft systems are operable to provide propulsion to the wing member to enable flight. The unmanned aircraft systems are operable to be launched from the wing member to perform aerial missions in the independent flight mode and are operable to be recovered by the wing member and returned to the connected flight mode. Thereafter, in the connected flight mode, the unmanned aircraft systems are operable to be resupplied by the wing member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2016
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Scott Drennan, John William Lloyd, Frank Bradley Stamps, Brett Rodney Zimmerman
  • Publication number: 20170217596
    Abstract: An engine mount assembly for coupling an engine to an airframe. The engine mount assembly includes a torsion bar coupled between the engine and the airframe. The torsion bar includes an external spline. The engine mount assembly also includes a bell crank having a clamp forming an internal spline with the internal spline of the bell crank adapted to mate with the external spline of the torsion bar to secure the bell crank to the torsion bar such that the bell crank rotates with the torsion bar responsive to movements of the engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce Bennett Bacon, Brett Rodney Zimmerman, Clegg Benjamin Brian Smith