Patents by Inventor Steve Ray Ivans

Steve Ray Ivans 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).

  • Rotorcraft variable thrust cross-flow fan systems
    Patent number: 10279900
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a rotorcraft includes a fuselage, a tailboom, a drive system and a variable thrust cross-flow fan system. The cross-flow fan system includes a cross-flow fan assembly that is mechanically coupled to a drive shaft and operable to rotate with the drive shaft about a longitudinal axis. The cross-flow fan assembly includes first and second driver plates having a plurality of blades rotatably mounted therebetween. The blades are disposed radially outwardly from the longitudinal axis and have a generally circular path of travel when the cross-flow fan assembly rotates about the longitudinal axis. The blades are moveable between a plurality of pitch angle configurations. A control assembly is coupled to the blades. The control assembly is operable to change the pitch angle configuration of the blades to generate variable thrust at a substantially constant rotational speed of the cross-flow fan assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Bryan Robertson, Dudley Smith, Mark Dreier, Steve Ray Ivans, Kirk Landon Groninga
  • Rotorcraft Variable Thrust Cross-flow Fan Systems
    Publication number: 20180044009
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a rotorcraft includes a fuselage, a tailboom, a drive system and a variable thrust cross-flow fan system. The cross-flow fan system includes a cross-flow fan assembly that is mechanically coupled to a drive shaft and operable to rotate with the drive shaft about a longitudinal axis. The cross-flow fan assembly includes first and second driver plates having a plurality of blades rotatably mounted therebetween. The blades are disposed radially outwardly from the longitudinal axis and have a generally circular path of travel when the cross-flow fan assembly rotates about the longitudinal axis. The blades are moveable between a plurality of pitch angle configurations. A control assembly is coupled to the blades. The control assembly is operable to change the pitch angle configuration of the blades to generate variable thrust at a substantially constant rotational speed of the cross-flow fan assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2016
    Publication date: February 15, 2018
    Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Bryan Robertson, Dudley Smith, Mark Dreier, Steve Ray Ivans, Kirk Landon Groninga