Patents by Inventor Thomas Clement Parham
Thomas Clement Parham 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).
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Patent number: 10843788Abstract: A wing airframe for a wing of a tiltrotor aircraft includes a wing airframe core assembly and a wing skin assembly disposed on the wing airframe core assembly. The wing skin assembly includes an outer skin and a damping sublayer, the damping sublayer interposed between the outer skin and the wing airframe core assembly. The tiltrotor aircraft includes a pylon assembly subject to aeroelastic movement during forward flight. The wing is subject to deflection in response to the aeroelastic movement of the pylon assembly. The damping sublayer reduces the deflection of the wing, thereby stabilizing the wing during forward flight.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2017Date of Patent: November 24, 2020Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.Inventors: Thomas Clement Parham, Jr., Jeffrey Bosworth, Gary Miller, Frank Bradley Stamps, Jouyoung Jason Choi, Paul K. Oldroyd, Richard Erler Rauber, Michael Scott Seifert
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Publication number: 20200354046Abstract: An aircraft having a differential rotor speed resonance avoidance system. The aircraft includes an airframe having structural elements subject to resonant vibration at critical frequencies. A thrust array is coupled to the airframe. The thrust array includes at least four rotor systems distributed about the airframe, each rotor system operable over a range of rotor speeds. A flight control system is operably associated with the thrust array and is configured to independently control the rotor speed of each rotor system. While preserving flight dynamics during flight operations, the flight control system selectively increases the rotor speed of some of the rotor systems by a speed delta and decreases the rotor speed of others of the rotor systems by the speed delta to avoid generating excitation frequencies by the rotor systems at the critical frequencies.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 10, 2019Publication date: November 12, 2020Applicant: Bell Textron Inc.Inventors: Jonathan A. Knoll, Jouyoung Jason Choi, Thomas Clement Parham
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Patent number: 10793254Abstract: A soft-in-plane proprotor system for a tiltrotor aircraft having a helicopter mode and an airplane mode. The proprotor system includes a hub, a plurality of proprotor blades and a plurality of blade support assemblies coupling the proprotor blades with the hub. Each blade support assembly includes a flapping bearing coupled to the hub and a yoke having first and second longitudinal sections with outboard grip members and an inboard arcuate section connecting the first and second longitudinal sections and coupled to the flapping bearing. A lead-lag damper is coupled between the hub and an inboard station of the respective proprotor blade. A twist shank is coupled between the outboard grip members of the yoke and an outboard station of the respective the proprotor blade. The twist shank defines a virtual lead-lag hinge outboard of the yoke and coincident with the respective pitch change axis.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2016Date of Patent: October 6, 2020Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.Inventors: Frank Bradley Stamps, Jouyoung Jason Choi, Thomas Clement Parham, Jr., Gary Miller, Richard Erler Rauber
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Patent number: 10569870Abstract: A proprotor system for tiltrotor aircraft having a helicopter mode and an airplane mode. The proprotor system includes a hub and a plurality of proprotor blades coupled to the hub such that each proprotor blade is operable to independently flap relative to the hub and independently change pitch. In the airplane mode, the proprotor blades have a first in-plane frequency greater than 2.0/rev.Type: GrantFiled: November 18, 2016Date of Patent: February 25, 2020Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.Inventors: Jouyoung Jason Choi, Gary Miller, Richard Erler Rauber, Thomas Clement Parham, Jr., Alan Carl Ewing, Frank Bradley Stamps
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Patent number: 10518867Abstract: A yoke for providing a centrifugal force retention load path between a proprotor blade and a hub of a soft-in-plane proprotor system operable for use on a tiltrotor aircraft. The yoke includes a continuous loop having a longitudinal axis and first and second longitudinal sections extending between inboard and outboard arcuate sections. A flapping bearing receiving region is disposed at least partially within the inboard arcuate section to an interior of the continuous loop. A centrifugal force bearing receiving region is disposed at least partially within the outboard arcuate section to the interior of the continuous loop. The continuous loop is formed from a composite material having a plurality of double bias material plies and a plurality of unidirectional material plies such that the number of unidirectional material plies is greater than the number of double bias material plies.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2016Date of Patent: December 31, 2019Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.Inventors: Thomas Clement Parham, Jr., Jouyoung Jason Choi, Gary Miller, Frank Bradley Stamps, Richard Erler Rauber
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Patent number: 10518868Abstract: A soft-in-plane proprotor system for a tiltrotor aircraft having a helicopter mode and an airplane mode. The proprotor system includes a hub, a plurality of proprotor blades and a plurality of loop yokes, each coupling one of the proprotor blades with the hub and each including first and second longitudinal sections extending between inboard and outboard arcuate sections and a bearing assembly disposed between the inboard and outboard arcuate sections of each loop yoke. Each bearing assembly includes a flapping bearing disposed generally within the inboard arcuate section of the respective loop yoke and coupled to the hub, a lead-lag damper coupled to the hub, a centrifugal force bearing disposed generally within the outboard arcuate section of the respective loop yoke and a blade anchor coupled between the lead-lag damper and the centrifugal force bearing. The blade anchor is also coupled to the respective proprotor blade.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2016Date of Patent: December 31, 2019Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.Inventors: Thomas Clement Parham, Jr., Jouyoung Jason Choi, Gary Miller, Frank Bradley Stamps, Richard Erler Rauber
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Patent number: 10457380Abstract: A proprotor system operable for use on a tiltrotor aircraft having a helicopter flight mode and an airplane flight mode. The proprotor system includes a rotor hub and a plurality of proprotor blades coupled to the rotor hub such that each proprotor blade has three independent degrees of freedom relative to the rotor hub including blade pitch about a pitch change axis, blade flap about a flapping axis and lead-lag about a lead-lag axis. Each of a plurality of spherical bearings couples one of the proprotor blades with the rotor hub. In addition, each of a plurality of lead-lag dampers couples one of the proprotor blades with the rotor hub, wherein each lead-lag damper is aligned with the pitch change axis of the respective proprotor blade, thereby providing pitch independent lead-lag damping.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2017Date of Patent: October 29, 2019Assignee: Bell Textron Inc.Inventors: Jouyoung Jason Choi, Thomas Clement Parham, Jr., Gary Miller, Frank Bradley Stamps
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Patent number: 10308356Abstract: A rotor hub assembly for a rotorcraft includes a yoke forming a bearing bore. The yoke has a teetering axis extending through the bearing bore. The rotor hub assembly includes a flapping bearing disposed in the bearing bore. The flapping bearing is operable to regulate teetering of the yoke about the teetering axis. The rotor hub assembly includes an axial spring abutting the flapping, thereby reducing movement of the flapping bearing along the teetering axis.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2016Date of Patent: June 4, 2019Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.Inventors: Dalton T Hampton, Thomas Clement Parham, Jr.
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Publication number: 20190002078Abstract: A wing airframe for a wing of a tiltrotor aircraft includes a wing airframe core assembly and a wing skin assembly disposed on the wing airframe core assembly. The wing skin assembly includes an outer skin and a damping sublayer, the damping sublayer interposed between the outer skin and the wing airframe core assembly. The tiltrotor aircraft includes a pylon assembly subject to aeroelastic movement during forward flight. The wing is subject to deflection in response to the aeroelastic movement of the pylon assembly.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 29, 2017Publication date: January 3, 2019Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.Inventors: Thomas Clement Parham, Jr., Jeffrey Bosworth, Gary Miller, Frank Bradley Stamps, Jouyoung Jason Choi, Paul K. Oldroyd, Richard Erler Rauber, Michael Scott Seifert
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Publication number: 20190002085Abstract: A proprotor system operable for use on a tiltrotor aircraft having a helicopter flight mode and an airplane flight mode. The proprotor system includes a rotor hub and a plurality of proprotor blades coupled to the rotor hub such that each proprotor blade has three independent degrees of freedom relative to the rotor hub including blade pitch about a pitch change axis, blade flap about a flapping axis and lead-lag about a lead-lag axis. Each of a plurality of spherical bearings couples one of the proprotor blades with the rotor hub. In addition, each of a plurality of lead-lag dampers couples one of the proprotor blades with the rotor hub, wherein each lead-lag damper is aligned with the pitch change axis of the respective proprotor blade, thereby providing pitch independent lead-lag damping.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2017Publication date: January 3, 2019Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.Inventors: Jouyoung Jason Choi, Thomas Clement Parham, JR., Gary Miller, Frank Bradley Stamps
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Publication number: 20180162518Abstract: A yoke for providing a centrifugal force retention load path between a proprotor blade and a hub of a soft-in-plane proprotor system operable for use on a tiltrotor aircraft. The yoke includes a continuous loop having a longitudinal axis and first and second longitudinal sections extending between inboard and outboard arcuate sections. A flapping bearing receiving region is disposed at least partially within the inboard arcuate section to an interior of the continuous loop. A centrifugal force bearing receiving region is disposed at least partially within the outboard arcuate section to the interior of the continuous loop. The continuous loop is formed from a composite material having a plurality of double bias material plies and a plurality of unidirectional material plies such that the number of unidirectional material plies is greater than the number of double bias material plies.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2016Publication date: June 14, 2018Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.Inventors: Thomas Clement Parham, JR., Jouyoung Jason Choi, Gary Miller, Frank Bradley Stamps, Richard Erler Rauber
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Publication number: 20180162520Abstract: A soft-in-plane proprotor system for a tiltrotor aircraft having a helicopter mode and an airplane mode. The proprotor system includes a hub, a plurality of proprotor blades and a plurality of blade support assemblies coupling the proprotor blades with the hub. Each blade support assembly includes a flapping bearing coupled to the hub and a yoke having first and second longitudinal sections with outboard grip members and an inboard arcuate section connecting the first and second longitudinal sections and coupled to the flapping bearing. A lead-lag damper is coupled between the hub and an inboard station of the respective proprotor blade. A twist shank is coupled between the outboard grip members of the yoke and an outboard station of the respective the proprotor blade. The twist shank defines a virtual lead-lag hinge outboard of the yoke and coincident with the respective pitch change axis.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2016Publication date: June 14, 2018Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.Inventors: Frank Bradley Stamps, Jouyoung Jason Choi, Thomas Clement Parham, JR., Gary Miller, Richard Erler Rauber
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Publication number: 20180162519Abstract: A soft-in-plane proprotor system for a tiltrotor aircraft having a helicopter mode and an airplane mode. The proprotor system includes a hub, a plurality of proprotor blades and a plurality of loop yokes, each coupling one of the proprotor blades with the hub and each including first and second longitudinal sections extending between inboard and outboard arcuate sections and a bearing assembly disposed between the inboard and outboard arcuate sections of each loop yoke. Each bearing assembly includes a flapping bearing disposed generally within the inboard arcuate section of the respective loop yoke and coupled to the hub, a lead-lag damper coupled to the hub, a centrifugal force bearing disposed generally within the outboard arcuate section of the respective loop yoke and a blade anchor coupled between the lead-lag damper and the centrifugal force bearing. The blade anchor is also coupled to the respective proprotor blade.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2016Publication date: June 14, 2018Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.Inventors: Thomas Clement Parham, JR., Jouyoung Jason Choi, Gary Miller, Frank Bradley Stamps, Richard Erler Rauber
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Publication number: 20180162526Abstract: A proprotor system for tiltrotor aircraft having a helicopter mode and an airplane mode. The proprotor system includes a hub and a plurality of proprotor blades coupled to the hub such that each proprotor blade is operable to independently flap relative to the hub about a flapping axis and independently change pitch about a pitch change axis. The proprotor blades have a first in-plane frequency less than 1.0/rev.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2016Publication date: June 14, 2018Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.Inventors: Thomas Clement Parham, JR., Jouyoung Jason Choi, Gary Miller, Frank Bradley Stamps, Richard Erler Rauber
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Publication number: 20180141650Abstract: A rotor hub assembly for a rotorcraft includes a yoke forming a bearing bore. The yoke has a teetering axis extending through the bearing bore. The rotor hub assembly includes a flapping bearing disposed in the bearing bore. The flapping bearing is operable to regulate teetering of the yoke about the teetering axis. The rotor hub assembly includes an axial spring abutting the flapping, thereby reducing movement of the flapping bearing along the teetering axis.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 22, 2016Publication date: May 24, 2018Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.Inventors: Dalton T Hampton, Thomas Clement Parham, JR.
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Publication number: 20180141654Abstract: A proprotor system for tiltrotor aircraft having a helicopter mode and an airplane mode. The proprotor system includes a hub and a plurality of proprotor blades coupled to the hub such that each proprotor blade is operable to independently flap relative to the hub and independently change pitch. In the airplane mode, the proprotor blades have a first in-plane frequency greater than 2.0/rev.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 18, 2016Publication date: May 24, 2018Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.Inventors: Jouyoung Jason Choi, Gary Miller, Richard Erler Rauber, Thomas Clement Parham, JR., Alan Carl Ewing, Frank Bradley Stamps