Patents by Inventor Ulrich SCHAFERLEIN

Ulrich SCHAFERLEIN 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: 11794918
    Abstract: A method of operating an actuator system (1) having a number k, k?, of actuators (2), in particular individual propulsion units of an MAV-VTOL aircraft (10), in particular electrically powered actuators, wherein a desired control command up?m, m?, for controlling the actuator system (1) is allocated to real actuator commands u?k, k?, by using a weighted allocation matrix D (W), from an equation u=D?1(W)up, wherein D?1(W) is an inverse of the weighted allocation matrix, and the real actuator commands u are applied for controlling the actuators (2). The method includes determining a characterizing value u* from the real actuator commands u; determining, at least for some of the actuators (2), preferably for all of the actuators (2), a deviation ei, i=1, 2, . . . , k of a respective actuator command ui, i=1, 2, . . . , k from said characterizing value u*; determining, at least for some of the actuators (2), preferably for all of the actuators (2), a weight wi, i=1, 2, . . .
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Volocopter GmbH
    Inventors: Burak Yuksel, Ulrich Schaferlein, Tobias Vermeulen, Johannes Stephan
  • Patent number: 11708158
    Abstract: A VTOL aircraft (1), including: a fuselage (2) for transporting passengers and/or load; a front wing (3) attached to the fuselage (2); an aft wing (4) attached to the fuselage (2), behind the front wing (3) in a direction of forward flight (FF); a right connecting beam (5a) and a left connecting beam (5b), which connecting beams (5a, 5b) structurally connect the front wing (3) and the aft wing (4), which connecting beams (5a, 5b) are spaced apart from the fuselage (2); and at least two propulsion units (6) on each one of the connecting beams (5a, 5b). The propulsion units (6) include at least one propeller (6b, 6b?) and at least one motor (6a) driving the propeller (6b, 6b?), preferably an electric motor, and are arranged with their respective propeller axis in an essentially vertical orientation (z).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Volocopter GmbH
    Inventors: Sebastian Mores, Tobias Vermeulen, Ulrich Schaferlein
  • Patent number: 11697494
    Abstract: An aircraft in the form of an electrically driven, vertical take-off and landing, preferably people-carrying and/or load-carrying multicopter (1) is provided, in which a multiplicity of rotors are arranged in a common rotor plane (R), in which a tail unit (6), protruding upward or downward with respect to the rotor plane (R), is provided above or below the rotor plane (R), preferably in a rear region of the aircraft (1) with respect to a forward flying direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: Volocopter GmbH
    Inventors: Ulrich Schaferlein, Manuel Kessler
  • Patent number: 11673659
    Abstract: A passive elastic teeter bearing for an aircraft rotor, including, rotatably arranged on an rotational axis of said rotor, a teeter beam, configured for attaching the rotor which has rotor blades, with the teeter beam being configured for performing a teetering motion, and having two pairs of first lugs arranged at opposite ends thereof at a distance with respect to the rotational axis; and a hub piece located below the teeter beam, the hub piece having two arms that extend outwardly in a radial direction, each having a second lug arranged at a distance with respect to said rotational axis. Each second lug is located between the two lugs of a respective pair of first lugs, and respective connecting pins pass through the first and second lugs on either side of the rotational axis. A pair of elastic bushings are arranged on each connecting pin between a first one of the first lugs and the second lug and between a second one of said first lugs and the second lug, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Volocopter GmbH
    Inventors: Jonathan Sebastian Howes, Ulrich Schäferlein
  • Patent number: 11636770
    Abstract: A method for monitoring the take-off and/or landing procedure of an aircraft (1), in particular for an electrical, vertical take-off and landing aircraft (1), in which a monitoring region of a take-off and landing site (2) is monitored by at least one microphone (4, 5) of a monitoring station to detect sound emission data of an aircraft (1) taking off or landing as it approaches or departs and the detected sound emission data are transmitted from the monitoring station to an evaluation unit. The detected sound emission data are evaluated by the evaluation unit by comparing the detected sound emission data to characteristic sound emission data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: Volocopter GmbH
    Inventor: Ulrich Schaferlein
  • Patent number: 11603181
    Abstract: A supporting wing structure for an aircraft, in particular for a load-carrying and/or passenger-carrying aircraft, preferably an aircraft in the form of a vertical take-off and landing multicopter having a plurality of electrically driven rotors which are disposed in a distributed manner. The supporting wing structure has a plurality of struts. A first number of the struts are at least largely disposed in a first direction, while a second number of the struts are at least largely disposed in a second direction, the second direction being oriented orthogonal to the first direction. At least the struts of the second number have an aerodynamic profile in cross section, and/or in the struts are connected to one another at least in pairs between neighboring struts by a connecting structure, preferably from individual connecting segments, and the connecting structure or the connecting segments have an aerodynamic profiling. Furthermore an aircraft is provided equipped with such a supporting wing structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: Volocopter GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Harms, Ulrich Schaferlein, Manuel Kessler, Sebastian Miesner
  • Publication number: 20210163144
    Abstract: A method of operating an actuator system (1) having a number k, k?, of actuators (2), in particular individual propulsion units of an MAV-VTOL aircraft (10), in particular electrically powered actuators, wherein a desired control command up?m, m?, for controlling the actuator system (1) is allocated to real actuator commands u?k, k?, by using a weighted allocation matrix D (W), from an equation u=D?1(W)up, wherein D?1(W) is an inverse of the weighted allocation matrix, and the real actuator commands u are applied for controlling the actuators (2). The method includes determining a characterizing value u* from the real actuator commands u; determining, at least for some of the actuators (2), preferably for all of the actuators (2), a deviation ei, i=1, 2, . . . , k of a respective actuator command ui, i=1, 2, . . . , k from said characterizing value u*; determining, at least for some of the actuators (2), preferably for all of the actuators (2), a weight wi, i=1, 2, . . .
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2020
    Publication date: June 3, 2021
    Applicant: Volocopter GmbH
    Inventors: Burak YUKSEL, Ulrich SCHAFERLEIN, Tobias VERMEULEN, Johannes STEPHAN
  • Publication number: 20210150919
    Abstract: A method for monitoring the take-off and/or landing procedure of an aircraft (1), in particular for an electrical, vertical take-off and landing aircraft (1), in which a monitoring region of a take-off and landing site (2) is monitored by at least one microphone (4, 5) of a monitoring station to detect sound emission data of an aircraft (1) taking off or landing as it approaches or departs and the detected sound emission data are transmitted from the monitoring station to an evaluation unit. The detected sound emission data are evaluated by the evaluation unit by comparing the detected sound emission data to characteristic sound emission data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2020
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Applicant: Volocopter GmbH
    Inventor: Ulrich SCHAFERLEIN
  • Publication number: 20200407055
    Abstract: A VTOL aircraft (1), including: a fuselage (2) for transporting passengers and/or load; a front wing (3) attached to the fuselage (2); an aft wing (4) attached to the fuselage (2), behind the front wing (3) in a direction of forward flight (FF); a right connecting beam (5a) and a left connecting beam (5b), which connecting beams (5a, 5b) structurally connect the front wing (3) and the aft wing (4), which connecting beams (5a, 5b) are spaced apart from the fuselage (2); and at least two propulsion units (6) on each one of the connecting beams (5a, 5b). The propulsion units (6) include at least one propeller (6b, 6b?) and at least one motor (6a) driving the propeller (6b, 6b?), preferably an electric motor, and are arranged with their respective propeller axis in an essentially vertical orientation (z).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2020
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Applicant: Volocopter GmbH
    Inventors: Sebastian MORES, Tobias VERMEULEN, Ulrich Schaferlein
  • Publication number: 20200398981
    Abstract: An aircraft in the form of an electrically driven, vertical take-off and landing, preferably people-carrying and/or load-carrying multicopter (1) is provided, in which a multiplicity of rotors are arranged in a common rotor plane (R), in which a tail unit (6), protruding upward or downward with respect to the rotor plane (R), is provided above or below the rotor plane (R), preferably in a rear region of the aircraft (1) with respect to a forward flying direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Publication date: December 24, 2020
    Applicant: Volocopter GmbH
    Inventors: Ulrich SCHAFERLEIN, Manuel KESSLER
  • Publication number: 20200369363
    Abstract: A supporting wing structure for an aircraft, in particular for a load-carrying and/or passenger-carrying aircraft, preferably an aircraft in the form of a vertical take-off and landing multicopter having a plurality of electrically driven rotors which are disposed in a distributed manner. The supporting wing structure has a plurality of struts. A first number of the struts are at least largely disposed in a first direction, while a second number of the struts are at least largely disposed in a second direction, the second direction being oriented orthogonal to the first direction. At least the struts of the second number have an aerodynamic profile in cross section, and/or in the struts are connected to one another at least in pairs between neighboring struts by a connecting structure, preferably from individual connecting segments, and the connecting structure or the connecting segments have an aerodynamic profiling. Furthermore an aircraft is provided equipped with such a supporting wing structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2020
    Publication date: November 26, 2020
    Applicant: Volocopter GmbH
    Inventors: Michael HARMS, Ulrich SCHAFERLEIN, Manuel KESSLER, Sebastian MIESNER
  • Patent number: D930548
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Volocopter GmbH
    Inventors: Ulrich Schaferlein, Michael Harms