Patents by Inventor Stefan NAPIER

Stefan NAPIER 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: 10464658
    Abstract: An aircraft wing having a wing tip device at the tip thereof is disclosed. The wing tip device is configurable between: a flight configuration for use during flight and a ground configuration for use during ground-based operations to reduce span. In the flight configuration, flight loads may be transferred via a load transfer arrangement from the wing tip device into the fixed wing, but during movement of the wing tip device towards the ground configuration, the load transfer arrangement is disengaged. The wing includes an actuation assembly having a sliding chassis coupled to the wing tip device, via a track and follower arrangement. The track includes a wide portion and a narrow portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS LIMITED
    Inventors: Matthew Harding, Stefan Napier, Nicola Marongiu
  • Patent number: 10421529
    Abstract: An aircraft including a wing 10 having a fixed wing 12 and a swing wing tip device 14 pivotably mounted about a pivot 16 at the tip of the fixed wing, wherein the swing wing tip device 14 is configurable between a flight configuration for use during flight and a ground configuration for use during ground-based operations, where the span of the aircraft wing is reduced. The swing wing tip device 14 includes a receiving portion 48 arranged such that in the ground configuration, portions of the upper wing skin and lower wing skin of the fixed wing which are exposed in the flight configuration are at least partially received within the receiving portion 48 of the swing wing 14.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: Airbus Operations Limited
    Inventors: Stefan Napier, Robert Hart, Matthew Harding, Nick Livings
  • Patent number: 10196128
    Abstract: An aircraft wing is disclosed having a wing tip device configurable between a flight configuration for use during flight and a ground configuration for use during ground-based operations to reduce the span. The wing includes an actuator and an actuation assembly having an articulation mechanism having a master bell crank connected to the actuator and a slave link connecting the master bell crank with the wing tip device. The slave link is pivoted, at one end, to the master bell crank about a first pivot, and at the other end, to the wing tip device about a second pivot. The master bell crank being pivotably mounted, at its base, about a third pivot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS LIMITED
    Inventors: Matthew Harding, Stefan Napier, Nicola Marongiu
  • Patent number: 9889920
    Abstract: An aircraft wing comprises a fixed wing and a wing tip device at the tip thereof. The wing tip device is configurable between: a flight configuration for use during flight and a ground configuration for use during ground-based operations to reduce the span. The wing comprises an actuation assembly for moving the wing tip device. The actuation assembly is arranged to move the wing tip device in a two-stage movement comprising a first stage in which the wing tip device is translated away from the flight configuration in a linear movement only, and a second, subsequent stage, in which the wing tip device is rotated to the ground configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS LIMITED
    Inventors: Matthew Harding, Stefan Napier, Nicola Marongiu, Robert Ian Thompson, Nick Livings, Stephen Paul Briancourt, Sylvain Boye
  • Publication number: 20170152016
    Abstract: An aircraft including a wing 10 having a fixed wing 12 and a swing wing tip device 14 pivotably mounted about a pivot 16 at the tip of the fixed wing, wherein the swing wing tip device 14 is configurable between a flight configuration for use during flight and a ground configuration for use during ground-based operations, where the span of the aircraft wing is reduced. The swing wing tip device 14 includes a receiving portion 48 arranged such that in the ground configuration, portions of the upper wing skin and lower wing skin of the fixed wing which are exposed in the flight configuration are at least partially received within the receiving portion 48 of the swing wing 14.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2016
    Publication date: June 1, 2017
    Inventors: Stefan NAPIER, Robert HART, Matthew HARDING, Nick LIVINGS
  • Publication number: 20170137111
    Abstract: An aircraft wing having a wing tip device at the tip thereof is disclosed. The wing tip device is configurable between: a flight configuration for use during flight and a ground configuration for use during ground-based operations to reduce span. In the flight configuration, flight loads may be transferred via a load transfer arrangement from the wing tip device into the fixed wing, but during movement of the wing tip device towards the ground configuration, the load transfer arrangement is disengaged. The wing includes an actuation assembly having a sliding chassis coupled to the wing tip device, via a track and follower arrangement. The track includes a wide portion and a narrow portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2016
    Publication date: May 18, 2017
    Inventors: Matthew HARDING, Stefan NAPIER, Nicola MARONGIU
  • Publication number: 20170137110
    Abstract: An aircraft wing is disclosed having a wing tip device configurable between a flight configuration for use during flight and a ground configuration for use during ground-based operations to reduce the span. The wing includes an actuator and an actuation assembly having an articulation mechanism having a master bell crank connected to the actuator and a slave link connecting the master bell crank with the wing tip device. The slave link is pivoted, at one end, to the master bell crank about a first pivot, and at the other end, to the wing tip device about a second pivot. The master bell crank being pivotably mounted, at its base, about a third pivot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2016
    Publication date: May 18, 2017
    Inventors: Matthew HARDING, Stefan NAPIER, Nicola MARONGIU
  • Publication number: 20160244146
    Abstract: An aircraft wing comprises a fixed wing and a wing tip device at the tip thereof. The wing tip device is configurable between: a flight configuration for use during flight and a ground configuration for use during ground-based operations to reduce the span. The wing comprises an actuation assembly for moving the wing tip device. The actuation assembly is arranged to move the wing tip device in a two-stage movement comprising a first stage in which the wing tip device is translated away from the flight configuration in a linear movement only, and a second, subsequent stage, in which the wing tip device is rotated to the ground configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2016
    Publication date: August 25, 2016
    Inventors: Matthew HARDING, Stefan NAPIER, Nicola MARONGIU, Robert Ian THOMPSON, Nick LIVINGS, Stephen Paul BRIANCOURT, Sylvain BOYE