Patents by Inventor Timothy W. Purcell

Timothy W. Purcell 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).

  • Center fuel tank assembly with partitioned center fuel tank for an aircraft and methods of sequencing fuel for the same
    Patent number: 10807702
    Abstract: There is provided a center fuel tank assembly for an aircraft. The assembly includes a center fuel tank disposed in a central part of the aircraft. The assembly further includes one or more fuel barrier members partitioning the center fuel tank into two or more separate volume sections comprising two or more separate sub-tanks arranged in a fore-to-aft alignment to form a partitioned center fuel tank. The assembly further includes a fuel flow control assembly coupled to each of the two or more separate sub-tanks, each fuel flow control assembly operating independently. A sequential fuel burn of fuel in the two or more separate sub-tanks is made in a fore-to-aft sequence while the aircraft is in flight, to assist in shifting aftward a center of gravity (CG) of the aircraft, to reduce aircraft drag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Lennard T. Baron, Todd W. Schulze, Theodore N. Rydell, Timothy W. Purcell, Patrick J. Mulvaney
  • CENTER FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY WITH PARTITIONED CENTER FUEL TANK FOR AN AIRCRAFT AND METHODS OF SEQUENCING FUEL FOR THE SAME
    Publication number: 20190322357
    Abstract: There is provided a center fuel tank assembly for an aircraft. The assembly includes a center fuel tank disposed in a central part of the aircraft. The assembly further includes one or more fuel barrier members partitioning the center fuel tank into two or more separate volume sections comprising two or more separate sub-tanks arranged in a fore-to-aft alignment to form a partitioned center fuel tank. The assembly further includes a fuel flow control assembly coupled to each of the two or more separate sub-tanks, each fuel flow control assembly operating independently. A sequential fuel burn of fuel in the two or more separate sub-tanks is made in a fore-to-aft sequence while the aircraft is in flight, to assist in shifting aftward a center of gravity (CG) of the aircraft, to reduce aircraft drag.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2018
    Publication date: October 24, 2019
    Inventors: Lennard T. Baron, Todd W. Schulze, Theodore N. Rydell, Timothy W. Purcell, Patrick J. Mulvaney
  • System, method, and computer program product for predicting cruise orientation of an as-built airplane
    Patent number: 8326587
    Abstract: Illustrative computer-executable methods, systems, and computer software program products predict cruise orientation of an as-built airplane. In illustrative embodiments, nominal orientation of an as-built airplane is input. Deviation from the nominal orientation of the as-built airplane is automatically computed, and the computed deviation from the nominal orientation of the as-built airplane is applied to the nominal orientation of the as-built airplane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: John G. Barnes, Douglas L. Wilson, Timothy W. Purcell, Stephen A. Walls, Dean A. Hawkinson
  • System, method, and computer program product for predicting cruise orientation of an as-built airplane
    Publication number: 20090157363
    Abstract: Illustrative computer-executable methods, systems, and computer software program products predict cruise orientation of an as-built airplane. In illustrative embodiments, nominal orientation of an as-built airplane is input. Deviation from the nominal orientation of the as-built airplane is automatically computed, and the computed deviation from the nominal orientation of the as-built airplane is applied to the nominal orientation of the as-built airplane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2007
    Publication date: June 18, 2009
    Inventors: John G. Barnes, Douglas L. Wilson, Timothy W. Purcell, Stephen A. Walls, Dean A. Hawkinson