Patents by Inventor William Tulloch
William Tulloch 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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Publication number: 20220167480Abstract: An electronic device to control illumination levels of a light emitting device. The electronic device comprises a microcontroller that is adapted to: receive data relating to an object sensed by a sensor; provide the received data to a machine learning algorithm; and output a control signal to define an illumination pattern and an illumination level of the light emitting device based on analysis of the received data.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 24, 2021Publication date: May 26, 2022Inventor: William Tulloch
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Patent number: 11332231Abstract: A fastener for holding together two or more structures. The fastener includes a first bush and a second bush. The first bush includes a hollow shaft having a first end and a second end opposite to the first end. The first end of the first bush has a first radially-extending protrusion. The second bush includes a hollow shaft having a first end and a second end opposite to the first end. The first end of the second bush has a second radially-extending protrusion. The second end of the second bush is configured to connect to the second end of the first bush so as to resist separation of the first and second bushes and so as to define an axial hole through the fastener defined by the shaft of the first bush and the shaft of the second bush.Type: GrantFiled: November 27, 2018Date of Patent: May 17, 2022Assignee: Airbus Operations LimitedInventors: William Tulloch, Pat Broomfield
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Patent number: 11300150Abstract: A barrel nut for a fastener is disclosed. The barrel nut is configured to prevent axial movement of the fastener relative to a structure on which the fastener is installed. The barrel nut comprises a first part and a second part pivotable relative to the first part.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2019Date of Patent: April 12, 2022Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS LIMITEDInventors: William Tulloch, Pat Broomfield
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Patent number: 11286031Abstract: An assembly with an aircraft fuel tank is disclosed having a captive nut with an internal thread, a secondary structure, and a fastener which secures the secondary structure to the fuel tank. The fastener has a shaft which passes through the secondary structure and has an external thread coupled to the internal thread of the captive nut. The fuel tank has a fuel tank element with a hole, and the captive nut has a sleeve which is located in the hole with an interference fit between an outer surface of the sleeve and an inner surface of the wall of the hole.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2018Date of Patent: March 29, 2022Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS LIMITEDInventors: William Tulloch, Pat Broomfield
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Publication number: 20220009614Abstract: A fitting for connecting a first aircraft structure to a second aircraft structure is disclosed including a first substantially planar surface, a second substantially planar surface, a body, and a cavity in the body configured to retain a captive nut. The body connects the first surface to the second surface such that the first surface is at an angle of less than or equal to 90° to the second surface. The cavity is configured such that a captive nut retained therein is adjacent the first surface and the second surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2019Publication date: January 13, 2022Inventors: William TULLOCH, Pat BROOMFIELD
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Patent number: 11161618Abstract: A joint for connecting a first aircraft structure to a second aircraft structure such that relative rotation and relative translational movement of the first and second aircraft structures along a first axis is permitted, whilst relative translational movement of the first and second aircraft structures along axes orthogonal to the first axis is substantially prevented. The joint includes a bracket having an opening aligned with the first axis; a pin aligned with the first axis and extending through the opening; and a bearing mounted in the opening. The bearing has an inner bearing surface defining a bore through which the pin extends, which is configured for translational sliding contact with the pin, and a part-spherical outer bearing surface configured for rotational sliding contact with the opening.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2019Date of Patent: November 2, 2021Assignees: Airbus Operations Limited, Airbus Operations (SAS)Inventors: William Tulloch, Pat Broomfield, Olivier Pautis
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Publication number: 20210301858Abstract: A barrel nut retainer for retaining a barrel nut in a bore of a component is disclosed having a body adapted to fit within a bore and extending between a first end and a second end, and wherein the body has an aperture between the first end and second end configured to receive a barrel nut, and a head portion at the first end of the body, the head portion adapted to sit over an open end of the bore.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 29, 2021Publication date: September 30, 2021Inventors: William TULLOCH, Paul DEAN
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Patent number: 11047418Abstract: A locking apparatus for locking the rotational position of a fastener component which is rotatable about an axis relative to a structure. The locking apparatus includes a rigid locking member having a first end configured to engage with the fastener component such that rotation of the fastener component relative to the first end is substantially prevented, and a second end configured to engage with the structure such that rotation of the locking member relative to the structure is substantially prevented.Type: GrantFiled: February 21, 2019Date of Patent: June 29, 2021Assignee: Airbus Operations LimitedInventors: William Tulloch, Pat Broomfield
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Patent number: 10864983Abstract: An aircraft (1) having a wing (3) and a wing tip device (4) at the tip of the wing (3), wherein the wing tip device (4) includes a rib (16) positioned in a span wise region (C) of the wing tip device (4) in which transonic flow occurs when the aircraft (1) is in flight. A method of designing an aircraft (1) including predicting where transonic flow occurs on the wing tip device (4) when the aircraft (1) is in flight, and designing the wing tip device (4) with a rib (16) positioned in the span wise region (C) of the wing tip device (4) in which the predicted transonic flow occurs.Type: GrantFiled: February 6, 2018Date of Patent: December 15, 2020Assignee: Airbus Operations LimitedInventors: Richard Hewson, William Tulloch
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Publication number: 20200339271Abstract: A component which is configured to be joined to a further component in a preselected relative orientation is disclosed. The further component has an interface surface and the component is configured to contact the interface surface when joined to the further component. The component includes a surface disposed on a side of the component intended to face the interface surface when the components are joined, a plurality of recesses formed in the surface, and a plurality of spacer elements. Each recess has a preselected orientation relative to the component, the preselected orientation being selected in dependence on the preselected relative orientation. Each spacer element comprises a contact surface configured to contact the interface surface when the components are joined. Each spacer element is disposed in one of the recesses such that the orientation of a given contact surface is defined by the orientation of the corresponding recess.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 23, 2020Publication date: October 29, 2020Inventors: William TULLOCH, Pat BROOMFIELD
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Publication number: 20200290721Abstract: The trailing edge structure of an aircraft wing is subjected, in use, to high temperature efflux from an aircraft's engines. Such elevated temperatures can detrimentally affect the ultimate tensile strength of the trailing edge. An aircraft wing component includes composite material having a first portion including a metal matrix containing reinforcing material, and a second portion including a metal matrix containing hollow metal ceramic spheres, the second portion being adjacent a surface of the composite material. The provision of two portions, one of which contains reinforcing material and the other comprising hollow spheres means that the composite material has both structural strength and heat shielding qualities where they are needed most in the component. The portion of composite containing the hollow metal ceramic spheres acts as an embedded layer of heat insulation.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 5, 2020Publication date: September 17, 2020Inventor: William Tulloch
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Publication number: 20200277068Abstract: An assembly is disclosed including a first component, a second component, and a spacer component. The first component has a first interface surface. The second component has a second interface surface with a curvature different to the curvature of the first interface surface. The second component is connected to the first component such that the second interface surfaces faces the first interface surface. The spacer component is disposed between the first interface surface and the second interface surface and is configured to be pivotable relative to the first interface surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 3, 2020Publication date: September 3, 2020Inventors: William TULLOCH, Pat BROOMFIELD
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Publication number: 20200173486Abstract: A locking apparatus for locking the rotational position of a fastener component which is rotatable about an axis relative to a structure. The locking apparatus includes a collar and a rigid arm. The collar is configured to engage with the fastener component such that relative rotation of the collar and the fastener component is substantially prevented. The arm has a first end configured to engage with the collar such that rotation of the collar relative to the first end is substantially prevented, and a second end configured to engage with the structure such that rotation of the arm relative to the structure is substantially prevented. The collar has an inner surface having a first finite order of rotational symmetry about the axis, and an outer surface having a second, larger, finite order of rotational symmetry about the axis.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 3, 2019Publication date: June 4, 2020Inventors: William TULLOCH, Danny PAYNE
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Publication number: 20200102081Abstract: A joint for connecting a first aircraft structure to a second aircraft structure such that relative rotation and relative translational movement of the first and second aircraft structures along a first axis is permitted, whilst relative translational movement of the first and second aircraft structures along axes orthogonal to the first axis is substantially prevented. The joint includes a bracket having an opening aligned with the first axis; a pin aligned with the first axis and extending through the opening; and a bearing mounted in the opening. The bearing has an inner bearing surface defining a bore through which the pin extends, which is configured for translational sliding contact with the pin, and a part-spherical outer bearing surface configured for rotational sliding contact with the opening.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 26, 2019Publication date: April 2, 2020Inventors: William TULLOCH, Pat BROOMFIELD, Olivier PAUTIS
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Publication number: 20190368531Abstract: A barrel nut for a fastener is disclosed. The barrel nut is configured to prevent axial movement of the fastener relative to a structure on which the fastener is installed. The barrel nut comprises a first part and a second part pivotable relative to the first part.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 31, 2019Publication date: December 5, 2019Inventors: William TULLOCH, Pat BROOMFIELD
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Publication number: 20190257349Abstract: A locking apparatus for locking the rotational position of a fastener component which is rotatable about an axis relative to a structure. The locking apparatus includes a rigid locking member having a first end configured to engage with the fastener component such that rotation of the fastener component relative to the first end is substantially prevented, and a second end configured to engage with the structure such that rotation of the locking member relative to the structure is substantially prevented.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 21, 2019Publication date: August 22, 2019Inventors: William TULLOCH, Pat BROOMFIELD
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Publication number: 20190176961Abstract: An assembly with an aircraft fuel tank is disclosed having a captive nut with an internal thread, a secondary structure, and a fastener which secures the secondary structure to the fuel tank. The fastener has a shaft which passes through the secondary structure and has an external thread coupled to the internal thread of the captive nut. The fuel tank has a fuel tank element with a hole, and the captive nut has a sleeve which is located in the hole with an interference fit between an outer surface of the sleeve and an inner surface of the wall of the hole.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 13, 2018Publication date: June 13, 2019Inventors: William TULLOCH, Pat BROOMFIELD
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Publication number: 20190161160Abstract: A fastener for holding together two or more structures. The fastener includes a first bush and a second bush. The first bush includes a hollow shaft having a first end and a second end opposite to the first end. The first end of the first bush has a first radially-extending protrusion. The second bush includes a hollow shaft having a first end and a second end opposite to the first end. The first end of the second bush has a second radially-extending protrusion. The second end of the second bush is configured to connect to the second end of the first bush so as to resist separation of the first and second bushes and so as to define an axial hole through the fastener defined by the shaft of the first bush and the shaft of the second bush.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 27, 2018Publication date: May 30, 2019Inventors: William TULLOCH, Pat BROOMFIELD
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Publication number: 20180237127Abstract: An aircraft (1) having a wing (3) and a wing tip device (4) at the tip of the wing (3), wherein the wing tip device (4) includes a rib (16) positioned in a span wise region (C) of the wing tip device (4) in which transonic flow occurs when the aircraft (1) is in flight. A method of designing an aircraft (1) including predicting where transonic flow occurs on the wing tip device (4) when the aircraft (1) is in flight, and designing the wing tip device (4) with a rib (16) positioned in the span wise region (C) of the wing tip device (4) in which the predicted transonic flow occurs.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 6, 2018Publication date: August 23, 2018Inventors: Richard HEWSON, William TULLOCH
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Publication number: 20050094682Abstract: Infrared laser light generated by a solid state diode pumped transform-limited Ti:Sapphire laser is converted to UV wavelengths using third and fourth harmonic generation systems. The resulting output is tunable between approximately 187 and 333 nm. The combined solid state Ti:Saapphire laser and harmonic generation system includes feedback mechanisms for improved power and wavelength stability. The system can operate at pulse repetition rates of several thousand Hertz.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 24, 2004Publication date: May 5, 2005Inventors: William Tulloch, Alan Fry, Jeremy Weston, William White, Eric Wilson