Patents by Inventor Tony Shuo Tao
Tony Shuo Tao 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: 11964783Abstract: Examples include an apparatus for delivering a payload. The apparatus includes a first autonomous vehicle and a second autonomous vehicle that are configured to be coupled to an aircraft. The first autonomous vehicle includes a wing and a first propulsion system configured to deliver the second autonomous vehicle to a first destination. The second autonomous vehicle includes a payload and a second propulsion system configured to deliver the payload to a second destination.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2021Date of Patent: April 23, 2024Assignee: Aurora Flight Sciences CorporationInventor: Tony Shuo Tao
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Patent number: 11780556Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for deployable wing portions of an aircraft. An example method of deploying an aircraft includes separating the aircraft from a launch vehicle, the aircraft having a wing pivotably coupled to a fuselage, rotating, about an axis of rotation, the wing relative to the fuselage from a first rotational orientation to a second rotational orientation different from the first rotational orientation, wherein, in the first rotational orientation, the wing extends along a direction that substantially aligns with a longitudinal axis of the fuselage, and extending the wing in a lateral direction away from the fuselage in the second rotational orientation.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2021Date of Patent: October 10, 2023Assignee: Aurora Flight Sciences CorporationInventors: Tony Shuo Tao, Lauren Trollinger Wolfe, Lansing Wei, Francesco Giannini
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Patent number: 11772773Abstract: Aircraft and related methods are disclosed. In one example, an aircraft comprises an airframe comprising one or more wings, one or more pusher rotors supported by the airframe, and one or more puller rotors supported by the airframe, wherein the one or more puller rotors are positioned behind the one or more pusher rotors. In another example, a method for loading cargo on to an aircraft comprises loading cargo into a fuselage of the aircraft through an upper forward portion of the fuselage.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2021Date of Patent: October 3, 2023Assignee: Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation, a subsidiary of The Boeing CompanyInventor: Tony Shuo Tao
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Publication number: 20230264805Abstract: A system comprising an aerial vehicle or an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) configured to control pitch, roll, and/or yaw via airfoils having resiliently mounted trailing edges opposed by fuselage-house deflecting actuator horns. Embodiments include one or more rudder elements which may be rotatably attached and actuated by an effector member disposed within the fuselage housing and extendible in part to engage the one or more rudder elements.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 25, 2023Publication date: August 24, 2023Inventors: Carlos Thomas Miralles, Robert Nickerson Plumb, Tony Shuo Tao, Nathan Olson
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Patent number: 11667373Abstract: A system comprising an aerial vehicle or an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) configured to control pitch, roll, and/or yaw via airfoils having resiliently mounted trailing edges opposed by fuselage-house deflecting actuator horns. Embodiments include one or more rudder elements which may be rotatably attached and actuated by an effector member disposed within the fuselage housing and extendible in part to engage the one or more rudder elements.Type: GrantFiled: February 17, 2021Date of Patent: June 6, 2023Assignee: AEROVIRONMENT, INC.Inventors: Carlos Thomas Miralles, Robert Nickerson Plumb, Tony Shuo Tao, Nathan Olson
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Publication number: 20230150649Abstract: A system comprising an aerial vehicle or an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) configured to control pitch, roll, and/or yaw via airfoils having resiliently mounted trailing edges opposed by fuselage-house deflecting actuator horns. Embodiments include one or more rudder elements which may be rotatably attached and actuated by an effector member disposed within the fuselage housing and extendible in part to engage the one or more rudder elements.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 12, 2023Publication date: May 18, 2023Inventors: Tony Shuo Tao, Nathan Olson, Carlos Thomas Miralles, Robert Nickerson Plumb
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Publication number: 20230150648Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for deployable wing portions of an aircraft. An example method of deploying an aircraft includes separating the aircraft from a launch vehicle, the aircraft having a wing pivotably coupled to a fuselage, rotating, about an axis of rotation, the wing relative to the fuselage from a first rotational orientation to a second rotational orientation different from the first rotational orientation, wherein, in the first rotational orientation, the wing extends along a direction that substantially aligns with a longitudinal axis of the fuselage, and extending the wing in a lateral direction away from the fuselage in the second rotational orientation.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 15, 2021Publication date: May 18, 2023Inventors: Tony Shuo Tao, Lauren Trollinger Wolfe, Lansing Wei, Francesco Giannini
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Publication number: 20230063152Abstract: Examples include an apparatus for delivering a payload. The apparatus includes a first autonomous vehicle and a second autonomous vehicle that are configured to be coupled to an aircraft. The first autonomous vehicle includes a wing and a first propulsion system configured to deliver the second autonomous vehicle to a first destination. The second autonomous vehicle includes a payload and a second propulsion system configured to deliver the payload to a second destination.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 24, 2021Publication date: March 2, 2023Inventor: Tony Shuo Tao
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Patent number: 11577818Abstract: A system comprising an aerial vehicle or an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) configured to control pitch, roll, and/or yaw via airfoils having resiliently mounted trailing edges opposed by fuselage-house deflecting actuator horns. Embodiments include one or more rudder elements which may be rotatably attached and actuated by an effector member disposed within the fuselage housing and extendible in part to engage the one or more rudder elements.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2021Date of Patent: February 14, 2023Assignee: AEROVIRONMENT, INC.Inventors: Tony Shuo Tao, Nathan Olson, Carlos Thomas Miralles, Robert Nickerson Plumb
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Patent number: 11554865Abstract: Winged tilt-rotor vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft and related methods are disclosed. Aircraft comprise an airframe comprising one or more wings; one or more tilt-adjustable rotors positioned forward of the one or more wings; and one or more fixed-tilt rotors positioned behind at least one of the one or more wings. Methods comprise tilting only one or more forward rotors positioned in front of one or more wings of the aircraft, and not tilting one or more rearward rotors positioned behind at least one of the one or more wings.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 2020Date of Patent: January 17, 2023Assignee: AURORA FLIGHT SCIENCES CORPORATIONInventors: Tony Shuo Tao, William Cooper Thalheimer, Robert William Parks, Adrian Hachen
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Patent number: 11505314Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft (100) and a propulsion system (600) thereof. The propulsion system (600) comprises a primary rotor (108) configured to couple to an airframe (102) and oriented to generate a vertical thrust relative to the airframe (102), a drivetrain (626) operably coupled to an engine (602) and configured to mechanically drive the primary rotor (108), and a plurality of tiltable secondary rotor assemblies (114) configured to be disposed about the primary rotor (108). The primary rotor (108) comprises a plurality of collective-only variable-pitch blades. Each of the plurality of tiltable secondary rotor assemblies (114) may have a secondary rotor (116) and an electric motor (608) to drive the secondary rotor (116). An electric generator (606) operably coupled to the engine (602) or to the drivetrain (626) may be configured generate electric power for each electric motor (608) of the plurality of tiltable secondary rotor assemblies (114).Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2019Date of Patent: November 22, 2022Assignee: Aurora Flight Sciences CorporationInventor: Tony Shuo Tao
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Patent number: 11485614Abstract: Presented are corner attachment assemblies for cargo suspension systems, methods for making/using such assemblies, and aircraft equipped with underbody suspension systems using corner attachment assemblies for securing payload containers. Mounting assemblies are presented for securing objects to tether cables of suspension systems. A representative cargo mounting assembly includes a pair of shoulder clamps, each of which includes a flap that projects from a cup. Each shoulder clamp flap mechanically attaches, e.g., via a flap through-hole with a structurally reinforcing grommet, to a respective segment of a tether cable of a cargo suspension system. In addition, each shoulder clamp cup includes multiple noncoplanar, mutually adjoining contact surfaces. For instance, the cup may have a tetrahedral geometry with three mutually orthogonal, triangular-shaped contact surfaces. Each contact surface attaches, e.g., via a high-strength adhesive, to a respective surface of a corner of a cargo container.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2020Date of Patent: November 1, 2022Assignee: Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation, a subsidiary of The Boeing CompanyInventor: Tony Shuo Tao
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Patent number: 11472546Abstract: Fixed-wing short-takeoff-and-landing aircraft and related methods. The aircraft comprise an airframe comprising a rear wing assembly and a forward wing assembly positioned forward of the rear wing assembly, a rear plurality of blowing rotor assemblies operatively coupled to the rear wing assembly that are configured to blow air across the rear wing assembly to induce lift in the rear wing assembly, and a forward plurality of blowing rotor assemblies that are operatively coupled to the forward wing assembly and configured to blow air across the forward wing assembly to induce lift in the forward wing assembly. The methods comprise inducing lift in a forward wing assembly by blowing air across the forward wing assembly with a forward plurality of blowing rotor assemblies and inducing lift in a rear wing assembly by blowing air across a rear wing assembly with a rear plurality of blowing rotor assemblies.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2020Date of Patent: October 18, 2022Assignee: AURORA FLIGHT SCIENCES CORPORATIONInventor: Tony Shuo Tao
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Publication number: 20220212775Abstract: Aircraft and related methods are disclosed. In one example, an aircraft comprises an airframe comprising one or more wings, one or more pusher rotors supported by the airframe, and one or more puller rotors supported by the airframe, wherein the one or more puller rotors are positioned behind the one or more pusher rotors. In another example, a method for loading cargo on to an aircraft comprises loading cargo into a fuselage of the aircraft through an upper forward portion of the fuselage.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 26, 2021Publication date: July 7, 2022Inventor: Tony Shuo Tao
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Publication number: 20210371251Abstract: Presented are corner attachment assemblies for cargo suspension systems, methods for making/using such assemblies, and aircraft equipped with underbody suspension systems using corner attachment assemblies for securing payload containers. Mounting assemblies are presented for securing objects to tether cables of suspension systems. A representative cargo mounting assembly includes a pair of shoulder clamps, each of which includes a flap that projects from a cup. Each shoulder clamp flap mechanically attaches, e.g., via a flap through-hole with a structurally reinforcing grommet, to a respective segment of a tether cable of a cargo suspension system. In addition, each shoulder clamp cup includes multiple noncoplanar, mutually adjoining contact surfaces. For instance, the cup may have a tetrahedral geometry with three mutually orthogonal, triangular-shaped contact surfaces. Each contact surface attaches, e.g., via a high-strength adhesive, to a respective surface of a corner of a cargo container.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 2, 2020Publication date: December 2, 2021Applicant: Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation, a subsidiary of The Boeing CompanyInventor: Tony Shuo Tao
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Publication number: 20210261245Abstract: Fixed-wing short-takeoff-and-landing aircraft and related methods. The aircraft comprise an airframe comprising a rear wing assembly and a forward wing assembly positioned forward of the rear wing assembly, a rear plurality of blowing rotor assemblies operatively coupled to the rear wing assembly that are configured to blow air across the rear wing assembly to induce lift in the rear wing assembly, and a forward plurality of blowing rotor assemblies that are operatively coupled to the forward wing assembly and configured to blow air across the forward wing assembly to induce lift in the forward wing assembly. The methods comprise inducing lift in a forward wing assembly by blowing air across the forward wing assembly with a forward plurality of blowing rotor assemblies and inducing lift in a rear wing assembly by blowing air across a rear wing assembly with a rear plurality of blowing rotor assemblies.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 24, 2020Publication date: August 26, 2021Inventor: Tony Shuo Tao
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Publication number: 20210261235Abstract: A system comprising an aerial vehicle or an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) configured to control pitch, roll, and/or yaw via airfoils having resiliently mounted trailing edges opposed by fuselage-house deflecting actuator horns. Embodiments include one or more rudder elements which may be rotatably attached and actuated by an effector member disposed within the fuselage housing and extendible in part to engage the one or more rudder elements.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 17, 2021Publication date: August 26, 2021Inventors: Carlos Thomas Miralles, Robert Nickerson Plumb, Tony Shuo Tao, Nathan Olson
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Publication number: 20210261234Abstract: A system comprising an aerial vehicle or an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) configured to control pitch, roll, and/or yaw via airfoils having resiliently mounted trailing edges opposed by fuselage-house deflecting actuator horns. Embodiments include one or more rudder elements which may be rotatably attached and actuated by an effector member disposed within the fuselage housing and extendible in part to engage the one or more rudder elements.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 12, 2021Publication date: August 26, 2021Inventors: Tony Shuo Tao, Nathan Olson, Carlos Thomas Miralles, Robert Nickerson Plumb
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Patent number: D945947Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2020Date of Patent: March 15, 2022Assignee: AURORA FLIGHT SCIENCES CORPORATIONInventor: Tony Shuo Tao
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Patent number: D1009696Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 2020Date of Patent: January 2, 2024Assignee: Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation, a subsidiary of The Boeing CompanyInventors: Tony Shuo Tao, William Cooper Thalheimer, Robert William Parks, Adrian Hachen, Bruno Miguel Costa Moniz