Patents Issued in May 1, 2018
  • Patent number: 9957007
    Abstract: A saddle for bicycles includes a support body, having a front portion and a rear portion, a pair of pins spaced apart from one another, which project downwards from the bottom of the support body at the rear portion thereof, a saddle rail, an interchangeable damping system, first connection elements for connecting the saddle rail to the front portion and second connection elements for connecting the saddle rail to the rear portion, wherein the second connection elements include a pair of bushes and respective adjustment ring nuts, suitable for compressing at least one elastic element stacked along the pins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: SELLE ROYAL S.P.A.
    Inventor: Barbara Bigolin
  • Patent number: 9957008
    Abstract: A bicycle seatpost structure mainly provided with a shock absorber includes a sealed chamber, a buffer element and a gas. The gas is filled in the sealed chamber to change a gas pressure in the sealed chamber. The buffer element is elastic and installed in the sealed chamber for providing an upward elastic support force to an up tube of the seatpost. When a rider sitting on the saddle presses at the saddle, a shock damping force is produced, and the shock damping force and flexibility may be adjusted by the gas pressure and changed anytime according to the rider's body weight or preference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Taiwan Hodaka Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Black Tsai
  • Patent number: 9957009
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a support element for the human body, including a padding component and a base component or body, the base component including an upper, in use, surface, as well as a lower, in use, surface, the padding component includes an upper, in use, surface, and a lower, in use, surface designed to engage the upper, in use, surface of the base component, the support element including removable anchoring means of the base component to the padding component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: SELLE ROYAL S.P.A.
    Inventors: Barbara Bigolin, Claudio Checchin, Marco Malfatti
  • Patent number: 9957010
    Abstract: A seat back support assembly comprises a vehicle engaging member and a seat back receiving member. The vehicle engaging member is configured to be secured to a vehicle body. The vehicle engaging member includes a supporting section. The seat back receiving member includes (i) a base that is adjustably coupled to the supporting section, and (ii) a receiver that is coupled to the base, the receiver being configured to receive the seat back. The base is alternately positioned in a first vertical position and a second vertical position relative to the supporting section. When the base is in the first vertical position, the seat back is at a first height relative to the vehicle seat. Alternatively, when the base is in the second vertical position, the seat back is at a second height relative to the vehicle seat that is different than the first height.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: HIGH END SEATING SOLUTIONS, LLC
    Inventor: Lars Roulund
  • Patent number: 9957011
    Abstract: A two-wheeled balancing electric vehicle; a connecting body partially overlaps with a left support assembly and a right support assembly respectively; a plurality of elastic devices are arranged in the vertical direction, with at least one elastic device disposed at the front end position between the connecting body and the right support assembly, with at least one elastic device disposed at the rear end position between the connecting body and the right support assembly, with at least one elastic device disposed at the front end position between the connecting body and the left support assembly, with at least one elastic device disposed at the rear end position between the connecting body and the left support assembly. Under the function of the elastic device at the front end, the force of the malfunction of leaning backwards will be absorbed, in order to prevent the balancing vehicle from opening self-sensing of leaning backwards, so that the danger is avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: JINAN METAL HABER METALLURGICAL TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shuangfeng Jiang
  • Patent number: 9957012
    Abstract: Provided is a vehicle body frame structure which can reduce a burden in the assembly of a straddle-type vehicle. The vehicle body frame comprises a main frame; and a rear frame connected to and extending rearward from the main frame. The main frame includes first and second members which are connected to each other. The main frame includes first and second connection portions spaced apart from each other in a direction perpendicular to a vehicle width direction. The connection portions are provided at the first member and the second member, respectively. The rear frame includes a first connected portion connected to the first connection portion by a first fastener member, and a second connected portion connected to the second connection portion by a second fastener member. The restricting direction of the first fastener member is orthogonal to the restricting direction of the second fastener member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroshi Ishii, Tomo Yamamoto, Daisuke Saeki
  • Patent number: 9957014
    Abstract: A bicycle pedal contains: a frame, a connection seat, an engagement block, a fitting sleeve, a fixing column, and a torsion spring. The frame includes a first orifice, a second orifice, and a trench. The connection seat includes two retaining sets, a circular tube, and two troughs. The engagement block is engaged in the trench, and the fitting sleeve is fitted with the first orifice. The fixing column is connected with a bearing and a washer and is screwed with a screw nut by using a threaded section of the fixing column. The torsion spring includes a first extending segment and a second extending segment, and the engagement block includes two shoulders facing the connection seat. Furthermore, the connection seat includes multiple protrusions facing and mating with the two shoulders so as to limit a rotation of the connection seat and the two retaining sets in the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Inventor: Chin-Long Hsieh
  • Patent number: 9957015
    Abstract: A cover system for protecting boats, vessels, and other various shaped vehicles and objects is disclosed. A plurality of separate and distinct inflatable bladders supports a cover whereby a dome-like shape is produced. The resulting shape of the cover resists pooling of water and snow thereby reducing or even eliminating water damage to the underlying structure. Furthermore, since each bladder is separate and distinct, the plurality of bladders creates a support structure that conforms to objects of various shapes and sizes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Inventor: Gregory S. Reden
  • Patent number: 9957016
    Abstract: A foldaway balcony that includes a vertical support, a platform structure tiltably mounted to the vertical support and a barrier structure mounted on the platform structure. The platform structure includes a support structure and a floor structure which are tiltable separately from one another relative to the vertical support. The barrier structure includes barrier elements, hinged at the edge of the platform structure, and tiltable between a stowed position in which they lie inside the support structure, and a deployed position, in which they stand up relative to the support structure. A barrier element, connected to a distal side of the edge of the platform structure includes a first and a second pair of stanchions hinged to the distal side, a first and a second rod which interconnect the upper ends of the stanchions, and a handrail with parallel guides, in which are housed the first and the second rods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: OPACMARE S.r.l.
    Inventor: Michele Grimaldi
  • Patent number: 9957017
    Abstract: The present invention relates broadly to a floating structure and more particular to a floating structure formed by a plurality of modular floating units, a method for forming a floating structure, and a method for stabilising a plurality of modular floating units lined abreast.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Inventor: Hsin Chi Su
  • Patent number: 9957018
    Abstract: The present invention is related generally to electric energy production and storage and more particularly to three devices that can work independently or as a system for generating, storing and retrieving of significant volume of “green” electric energy from sea and ocean waves. The present invention comprises of three module systems for wave power amplifying, wave power harnessing and conversion to electric energy, and energy storage. The system could double the height and quadruple the power of any wave, harness and convert all the wave power to electrical energy, store it without loss for as long as needed, and release it when and as needed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Inventor: Cvetan Angeliev
  • Patent number: 9957019
    Abstract: A foldable recreational board that can be formed into a ridable board for riding and then folded when finished for easy transportation or storage. The foldable recreational board has foam sections covered by a flexible skin. The flexible skin includes a closing and opening mechanism. When the closing and opening mechanism is closed the skin is held very tight around the foam sections so that the foam sections are squeezed together tightly to form a ridable board. When the closing and opening mechanism is opened, pressure is released from the foam sections and the recreational board can be folded. In a preferred embodiment there are three foam sections and the opening and closing mechanism is two zippers attached to a ½ inch thick flexible neoprene skin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Inventor: Joe Sciarra
  • Patent number: 9957020
    Abstract: The present invention is a Low-Drag Fin and Foil System for Surfboards (10), particularly including cambered fin foils (40; 42). The invention (10) also discloses low-drag, directionally unstable fin positions wherein the lesser of negative angle of attack of a trailing fin (50), versus the higher or positive angle of attack of a forward fin (48), makes the board (12) highly maneuverable by creating a yawing moment that aids the rotation of the board (12) as it is turned. The system particularly utilizes fins (40) having foil (42) shapes in which either the cambered side (74) or the non-cambered side (76) is provided with a combination of a convex curvature (68) and a concave curvature (70) to result in an oscillating curvature (72) which has a positive effect on control and acceleration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Inventor: Kirby J. Mead
  • Patent number: 9957021
    Abstract: A fin plug (10) for a water craft, said fin plug (10) including: a top surface (15) and a bottom surface (20); at least one fin cavity (25), for receiving a base element of a fin, extending inwardly from at least one opening in the top surface (15); and at least one hole (35) or recess in the top surface (15) adapted to be filled with foam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: FIN CONTROL SYSTEMS PTY. LIMITED
    Inventors: Gregory Scott, Michael Durante
  • Patent number: 9957022
    Abstract: A hookless coupling device for releasable connection to a sports harness includes an elongate body having a connector end for connection with the sports harness, an engagement end, and an elongate aperture extending between the connector end and the engagement end for engaging an engager. The aperture is wider at the connector end than at the engagement end. The sports harness includes a band for surrounding the waist or hips of a person, and the elongate body. A sports device, releasably engagable to the harness, has a spherical engager tethered with a line. The aperture passes the spherical engager though the engagement end and the engager is moved to the connector end. A sports kite includes a canopy, a traction line having a first end tethered to the canopy, and a second end to which the spherical engager is connected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Neil Pryde Limited
    Inventors: Pete Cabrinha, David Starbuck, Philip Sobolev, David Hastilow
  • Patent number: 9957023
    Abstract: Proactive control of watercraft movement based on water surface features. A method obtains, from a plurality of floating sensors at least partially surrounding a watercraft in a body of water, information about movement of a surface of the body of water, the plurality of floating sensors being arranged in multiple sets, the floating sensors of each set of the multiple sets being interconnected by a respective tether extending from the watercraft. The method builds a surface model of the surface of the body of water based on the obtained information about movement of the surface, the surface model including indications of force and directional movement of features of the surface of the body of water, and determines, based on the surface model, at least one control maneuver for controlling movement of the watercraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gopal K. Bhageria, Rudranil D. Gupta, Sarbajit K. Rakshit
  • Patent number: 9957024
    Abstract: A boat lifting device for lifting a ship, such as a motorboat, a utility boat, a prefabricated rubber boat, a shipping boat, a cruise yacht, or a dinghy yacht, above the surface or for floating the same on the surface and, more particularly, to a boat lifting device operated by a hydraulic cylinder, air, water pressure, a worm gear, or a rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: KSB & SUNGPOONG CO., LTD
    Inventors: Im Cheol Choi, Gyeong Hwa Jeon
  • Patent number: 9957025
    Abstract: An automated system is provided for moving a boat from a storage position in a boat garage to a deployed position in a dock channel. The system can include a boat trolley. The boat trolley can include a bottom frame that couples to and rides on rails of a track that extends between the boat garage and the dock channel. The boat trolley can also include an upper frame that with bunker supports for supporting the hull of the boat. The upper frame can be lifted off of the lower frame by a dock lift mechanism to thereafter lower the upper frame into the water, from which the boat can be deployed. Once done using the boat, the user can navigate the boat onto the upper frame, and the dock lift mechanism used to lift the upper frame and boat out of the water, the upper frame then dropped onto and coupled to the lower frame, and the boat trolley operated to move the boat from the dock to the boat garage for storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Inventors: Ronald E. Peterson, Arnold E. Peterson
  • Patent number: 9957026
    Abstract: A device for providing buoyancy comprising; —a bladder capable of being inflated; —a vessel containing fluid for inflating the bladder; and —one or more valves for controlling the passage of fluid between the bladder and the vessel; wherein one or more of the valves are capable of being opened to permit the passage of fluid from the vessel to the bladder in response to at least one of exposure of the device to a pre-determined pressure level and detection of blood oxygen concentration below a pre-determine threshold in an individual using the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: UNITED ARAB EMIRATES UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Ali Al Marzouqi, Mahmoud Al Ahmad, Shamsa Aldhaheri, Ghubaisha Slayem Al Ameri, Maryam Abdullah Al Jabri
  • Patent number: 9957027
    Abstract: An outboard drive device (10) comprising a motor (11) having a crankshaft (16), wherein said outboard drive device (10) further comprises a propeller shaft (12) with a propeller which propeller is below the hull (13) of a boat when said outboard drive device (10) is operated, and a power coupling system for transferring power from the motor (11) to the propeller shaft (12). The motor (11) is an automotive motor or an industrial base engine, wherein the crankshaft (16) is substantially horizontal and substantially parallel to the propeller shaft (12) when said outboard drive device (10) is operated. The power coupling system comprises a power transfer device (17), a transmission (18) and a transmission drive shaft (19). The power transfer device (17) connects the crankshaft (16) with the transmission drive shaft (19) for transferring the output power from the crankshaft (16) to the transmission drive shaft (19).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: CIMCO MARINE AB
    Inventor: Andreas Blomdahl
  • Patent number: 9957028
    Abstract: The speed of a marine propulsion system's engine is temporarily elevated in response to a decrease in helm demand. A controller receives a command to decrease the helm demand from a first helm demand to a second helm demand and compares a demand difference between the second helm demand and the first helm demand to a threshold demand delta. In response to the demand difference exceeding the threshold demand delta, the controller tabulates a time since the demand difference exceeded the threshold demand delta and determines an engine speed offset based upon the second helm demand and the time. The controller determines a non-elevated engine speed setpoint corresponding to the second helm demand and calculates an elevated engine speed setpoint based on the non-elevated engine speed setpoint and the engine speed offset. Engine speed is then decreased to the elevated engine speed setpoint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventors: William P. O'Brien, Jason S. Arbuckle, Andrew J. Przybyl
  • Patent number: 9957029
    Abstract: An exhaust gas processing apparatus that processes exhaust gas, including a reaction tower that includes an internal space extending in a height direction; a trunk tube that extends in the height direction in the internal space of the reaction tower and transports a liquid; and a plurality of branch tubes that are provided extending from an outer side surface of the trunk tube toward an inner side surface of the reaction tower, each include an ejecting section that ejects the liquid supplied from the trunk tube, and are provided at positions at different heights. Ejection regions of the liquid where the liquid is ejected from the respective ejecting sections of branch tubes that are adjacent in the height direction include a region in which the ejection regions partially overlap in an overhead view as seen from the height direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Nanae Matsumoto, Yoshiaki Enami, Kuniyuki Takahashi, Takashi Inui
  • Patent number: 9957030
    Abstract: A keel cooler assembly comprising a liquid coolant tube including a plurality of turbulence enhancers for improving the heat transfer of the liquid coolant without substantially increasing pressure drop of the liquid coolant. In one embodiment, the turbulence enhancers generate turbulent wakes in the liquid coolant for disrupting laminar boundary layers for improving heat transfer. In another embodiment, the turbulence enhancers generate and propagate turbulent vortexes in the liquid coolant to enhance mixing of the bulk liquid coolant for improving heat transfer. In other embodiments, turbulators, including inserts or impediments, are provided having various configurations and being arranged in predetermined patterns for enhancing turbulence of the liquid coolant for improving keel cooler heat transfer efficiency without substantially increasing pressure drop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Duramax Marine, LLC
    Inventors: P. Charles Miller, Jr., Frank E. Horvat
  • Patent number: 9957031
    Abstract: A system and method determine a size and a shape for identical geodesic modules that are used to form a structure. The system and method may include analyzing input data regarding a size and a shape of the structure to be formed, and determining the size and the shape for each of the identical geodesic modules based on the size and the shape of the structure to be formed. The structure may include a framework including the identical geodesic modules. Each of the geodesic modules has a size and a shape that are the same as all of the other of the geodesic modules. A forming system and method position a framework and a covering skin of the structure in relation to a mandrel, and drill and rivet the framework to the covering skin with a plurality of operating heads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Sina Golshany, Junghyun Ahn, Derek Alderks, Todd William Erickson
  • Patent number: 9957032
    Abstract: A fiber composite component made of a fiber composite material comprises at least one first surface section, at least one second surface section and at least one transition region. The first surface section and the second surface section are arranged at an angle to each other and incorporate the transition region. The transition region comprises at least one first curvature section and at least one second curvature section whose mean curvatures differ from each other, which curvature sections connect to each other in a tangentially continuous manner. The first surface section connects to the transition region, and the transition region connects to the second surface section in each case in a tangentially continuous manner. In one example, the radius of curvature of the first curvature section is smaller than that of the second curvature section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS GMBH
    Inventor: Tobias Kremer
  • Patent number: 9957033
    Abstract: A fence 30A is installed on an inner surface 21a of a door 20A on the side which faces a landing gear bay 15, the fence 30A rising inwardly of the airframe from the inner surface 21a. When the door 20A opens outwardly of an airframe due to a pressure difference between the side of an outer surface 21c of the door 20A and the side of an inner surface 21a facing inner part of the landing gear bay 15 during a flight of an aircraft 10, the fence 30A closes a gap between the door 20A and an opening 15a of the landing gear bay 15, and thereby prevents air from flowing into the landing gear bay 15 through the gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI AIRCRAFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ichiro Maeda, Hirofumi Maeda
  • Patent number: 9957034
    Abstract: The present invention provides a windshield of an aircraft, including a plurality of conductive members that are disposed along an in-plane direction of the windshield, and are wire-connected together, wherein the plurality of conductive members are heaters that generate heat when supplied with an alternating current, and the conductive members are wire-connected such that induced currents induced in the respective conductive members by a magnetic field in association with a lightning current are circulated between the conductive members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI AIRCRAFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Taketoshi Yamaura, Katsuya Kitazume, Masaki Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 9957035
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an aircraft. The aircraft includes a fuselage module for receiving a payload. The fuselage module includes a plurality of internal connections. The aircraft includes a wing module adjustably coupled to the fuselage module and a tail module coupled to the wing module. The wing module may be adjusted relative to the fuselage module to adjust a location of an aerodynamic center of the aircraft to maintain a pre-determined distance between the location of the aerodynamic center of the aircraft and the location of the center of gravity of the aircraft. A main landing gear may be adjusted relative to the fuselage module to adjust the location of the aerodynamic center of the aircraft to maintain a pre-determined distance between the location of the aerodynamic center of the aircraft and the location of the center of gravity of the aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: The Texas A&M University System
    Inventors: John Valasek, James Franklin May, Andrew Beckett, Cecil C. Rhodes, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9957036
    Abstract: The present invention provides an aircraft structure comprising a first sub-structure, having a first box cross-section, a second sub-structure, having a second box cross-section, and a joint joining a first end region of the first sub-structure to second end region of the second sub-structure, wherein the joint comprises an overlap region where the end regions of the first and the second sub-structures overlap such that the first sub-structure is inside the second sub-structure. The present invention also provides an aircraft comprising such an aircraft structure and a method of manufacturing an aircraft structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS LIMITED
    Inventors: Timothy J. Sanderson, Jonathan Price, James Eden, Chetan Korya, Robert James Heath, Peter Baker, Richard Smith, Graham Morgan
  • Patent number: 9957037
    Abstract: A method of making a solar cell assembly includes placing backsides of multiple solar cells in contact with a substrate. The solar cells are electrically connected to each other. Heat and pressure are applied to the solar cells and the substrate to simultaneously impress the solar cells into the substrate and bond the solar cells to the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventors: Daniel H. Cornew, Maximus Yaney
  • Patent number: 9957038
    Abstract: Propeller blade assemblies and a propeller blade retention assembly including a sleeve for operably coupling a propeller blade to a hub wherein the sleeve retains the propeller blade within the hub and allows the propeller blade to rotate about its pitch axis and where the sleeve includes a self-aligning mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: GE Aviation Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Rajendra Vishwanath Pawar, Ravindra Shankar Ganiger, Murugesan Periasamy, David Raju Yamarthi, Sandeep Kumar, Amit Arvind Kurvinkop, Bajarang Agrawal, Nagashiresha G
  • Patent number: 9957039
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a system for opening and closing, in a substantially longitudinal direction, at least one hatch of a landing gear bay of an aircraft. In particular, the system includes: a proximal guide rod and a distal guide rod, each having a first end pivotably attachable to the hatch, and a second end pivotably attachable to a stationary inner structure of the gear bay, and arranged such as to form a deformable parallelogram hinge; and at least one drive rod having a first end that is pivotably attachable to the hatch, and a second end that is pivotably attachable to a landing gear leg.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: AKKA INGENIERIE PRODUIT
    Inventors: Louis Peltier, Robin Allory, Maurice Ricci
  • Patent number: 9957040
    Abstract: A propeller system includes a propeller located at a tail section and a drive shaft operably connected to the propeller to drive the propeller about a propeller axis. A propeller gearbox connects the propeller to the drive shaft and a propeller gearbox lubricant cooler is operably connected to the propeller gearbox and disposed circumferentially about the drive shaft. The propeller gearbox lubricant cooler transfers thermal energy from a flow of lubricant flowing therethrough to a flow of air flowing through the tail section across the propeller gearbox lubricant cooler. A method of cooling a gearbox for a propeller includes circulating a volume of lubricant through a propeller gearbox and flowing the lubricant into a propeller gearbox cooler. Thermal energy is transferred from the lubricant to a flow of air flowing across the propeller gearbox cooler and the flow of air is vented from the tail section of the rotorcraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: David A. Darrow, Jr., Thomas L. Tully
  • Patent number: 9957041
    Abstract: An emergency collective actuator includes an actuator motor to produce an actuation force and an actuator linkage that directly engages a friction control lever that is pivotally supported on the collective stick of a helicopter to apply the actuation force directly to the friction control lever such that the actuation force initially disengages the friction control and then reduces the adjustable pitch toward a minimum collective pitch position. The actuator can include a clutch that slips to allow the pilot to overcome the actuation force and that slips responsive to an engagement of the friction control by the pilot, but otherwise the clutch co-rotates with the motor shaft to bias the adjustable pitch toward a minimum collective pitch position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Merlin Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Marvin, John E. Mercer, Derek Vetter
  • Patent number: 9957042
    Abstract: A bimodal propeller aircraft is disclosed. In various embodiments, the aircraft is flown using a cruise propeller and a hover propeller. The hover propeller has one or more folding blades optimized to provide lift to the aircraft in a first flight mode. The cruise propeller is optimized to provide thrust in a second flight mode. In the second flight mode, the one or more folding blades of the hover propeller may remain in a stowed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Kitty Hawk Corporation
    Inventors: Damon Vander Lind, Gregory Mainland Horn
  • Patent number: 9957043
    Abstract: A method for monitoring air pressure in a kite when kite boarding is described. The method involves a first step of connecting an air pressure sensor to one or more bladders of the kite. The method involves a second step of positioning a visual display for the air pressure sensor where it will be visible to a user conducting a visual inspection of the kite to display a pressure reading as sensed by the pressure sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Ocean Rodeo Sports Inc.
    Inventors: Ross Davis Harrington, Peter G. Berrang
  • Patent number: 9957044
    Abstract: Heavier-than-air, aircraft having flapping wings, e.g., ornithopters, where angular orientation control is effected by variable differential sweep angles of deflection of the flappable wings in the course of sweep angles of travel and/or the control of variable wing membrane tension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: AEROVIRONMENT, INC.
    Inventors: Matthew Todd Keennon, Karl Robert Klingebiel, Alexander Andryukov, Bart Dean Hibbs, John Peter Zwaan
  • Patent number: 9957045
    Abstract: A drone (2) has an upper coupler (6) that releasably connects to a lower coupler (8) of a second drone (4), interconnecting the drones in a stacked combined flying machine (5A). The couplers index a predetermined rotational relationship between the two drones about a central vertical axis (10). An embodiment (5C) provides coaxial counter-rotating propellers of the respective upper and lower drones. Other embodiments rotationally offset the upper and lower drones to minimize overlap (A1, A2) of the upper and lower propeller disks or to overlap only portions (A1) of the propeller disks that rotate in opposite directions. The couplers may have electrical connectors that integrate control systems (38, 40) that establish a master/slave control relationship.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Inventor: Brehnden Daly
  • Patent number: 9957046
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein may help to provide medical support via a fleet of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). An illustrative UAV may include a housing, a payload, a line-deployment mechanism coupled to the housing and a line, and a payload-release mechanism that couples the line to the payload, wherein the payload-release mechanism is configured to release the payload from the line. The UAV may further include a control system configured to determine that the UAV is located at or near a delivery location and responsively: operate the line-deployment mechanism according to a variable deployment-rate profile to lower the payload to or near to the ground, determine that the payload is touching or is within a threshold distance from the ground, and responsively operate the payload-release mechanism to release the payload from the line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventors: William Graham Patrick, James Ryan Burgess, Andrew Conrad
  • Patent number: 9957047
    Abstract: A water scooping apparatus for an aircraft comprising an extendible tubular member having a first end and an opposite end, wherein the first end is pivotally attached to the aircraft, a duct for fluidly connecting the extendible tubular member at the first end to a water tank, a floater connected to the opposite end of the extendible tubular member, wherein the floater is provided with an intake opening for taking in water; wherein the intake opening is fluidly connected to the extendible tubular member; wherein the water scooping apparatus is operable between a resting position in which the extendible tubular member is substantially retracted, and an operating position in which the extendible tubular member extends downwards from the aircraft at an angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: JABE BEHEER B.V.
    Inventor: Jack Benedik
  • Patent number: 9957048
    Abstract: Systems and methods include UAVs that serve to assist carrier personnel by reducing the physical demands of the transportation and delivery process. A UAV generally includes a UAV chassis including an upper portion, a plurality of propulsion members configured to provide lift to the UAV chassis, and a parcel carrier configured for being selectively coupled to and removed from the UAV chassis. UAV support mechanisms are utilized to load and unload parcel carriers to the UAV chassis, and the UAV lands on and takes off from the UAV support mechanism to deliver parcels to a serviceable point. The UAV includes computing entities that interface with different systems and computing entities to send and receive various types of information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: United Parcel Service of America, Inc.
    Inventor: Julio Gil
  • Patent number: 9957049
    Abstract: A heated roller shade system is provided. The heated roller shade system includes a roller located in a cavity defined between an inner wall of a vehicle and an outer wall of the vehicle. The roller shade system also includes a shade coupled to the roller. The roller is configured to selectively move the shade between a deployed position and an open position. The roller shade system also includes a heating mechanism coupled to at least one of the roller and the shade. The heating mechanism facilitates increasing a temperature of at least one of the roller and the shade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Sahrudine Apdalhaliem, Kimberly Dawn Meredith, Morteza Safai, Lon E. Switzer, Thomas Seth Perkins, Scott A. Langdon, Tuan D. Nguyen
  • Patent number: 9957050
    Abstract: A galley cart includes walls defining an interior cavity extending between a front and a rear of the galley cart and the interior cavity extending between a top end and a bottom end. A supply port is provided in flow communication with the interior cavity at or near either the top end or the bottom end of the cart. A return port is provided in flow communication with the interior cavity that is adjacent the supply port at or near the top end or the bottom end of the cart. A barrier is positioned between the supply port and the return port within the interior cavity of the cart to define a supply chamber and a return chamber to control airflow through the interior cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Thomas Joseph Moran
  • Patent number: 9957051
    Abstract: An environmental control system (ECS) pack is provided including a primary heat exchanger, a secondary heat exchanger, and an air cycle machine. The air cycle machine includes a compressor and a turbine. The compressor is fluidly coupled to an outlet of the primary heat exchanger and to an inlet of the secondary heat exchanger. The outlet of the secondary heat exchanger is fluidly coupled to the turbine. A first conduit connects the outlet of the primary heat exchanger and the inlet of the secondary heat exchanger. The first conduit includes a first valve. A second conduit connects the outlet of the secondary heat exchanger to an air load. The second conduit includes a second valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Louis J Bruno, Thomas M. Zywiak, Diane G. Drew
  • Patent number: 9957052
    Abstract: An Environmental Control System includes sensors, an air purification subsystem, and a controller in communication with the sensors and air purification subsystem. The sensors detect contaminants in outside air supplied through engine and APU bleeds or other air sources including ground supplies and electric compressors, contaminants in recirculated air, particulates in outside air, carbon dioxide in recirculated air, temperature in an environment, and pressure in an environment. These sensed parameters are compared against thresholds. Based on the comparisons, changes to the outside air and/or recirculated air are made.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Richard B. Fox, Bijan F. Hagh, Mike Koerner, Stephen Yates, Peter M. Michalakos, Russell W. Johnson
  • Patent number: 9957053
    Abstract: A system includes a signal monitor to monitor a time rate of change of a revolutions per minute (RPM) trim signal that is received from an RPM command path to control a velocity of a helicopter rotor. An icing detector detects for the presence of ice accumulation on the helicopter rotor by comparing the time rate of change of the RPM trim signal to a predetermined threshold for the time rate of change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation
    Inventor: Jonathan D. Almond
  • Patent number: 9957054
    Abstract: Disclosed is an emergency slide system comprising a slide having a telescoping structural support, and a slide surface. The emergency slide system further comprises a gas deployment device comprising a gas generator, compressed gas cylinder, or both. The gas deployment device may further include an aspirator, according to various embodiments. The telescoping structural support provides a more compact and quickly deployable system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: GOODRICH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jaro S. Volny, Drew Hartman
  • Patent number: 9957055
    Abstract: A propulsion system for an aircraft including a plurality of primary engines is provided. The plurality of primary engines includes at least a first primary engine and a second primary engine, each configured for mounting to a respective one of a pair of wings of the aircraft. The propulsion system additionally includes an aft engine configured for mounting at a tail section of the aircraft. The plurality of primary engines are sized to provide an amount of thrust sufficient for the aircraft to takeoff without use of the aft engine, such that the aft engine may be configured as a non-prime reliable engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Patrick Michael Marrinan, Thomas Lee Becker, Kurt David Murrow
  • Patent number: 9957056
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a propulsion unit for an aircraft including a nacelle which surrounds a turbojet engine. The nacelle has an inner structure surrounding a downstream compartment of the turbojet engine, and the inner structure includes two annular half-portions. The propulsion unit also includes a rail/guide unit and to move the annular half-portions between a working position and a maintenance position. In particular, the rail/guide unit radially moves away the annular half-portions relative to a longitudinal axis of the nacelle, during a translation movement of the annular half-portions. The nacelle is provided with a connecting rod which is connected to the annular half-portions and to the turbojet engine and so that the connecting rod contributes to rotate the annular half-portions about the rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignees: AIRCELLE, SNECMA
    Inventors: Patrick Boileau, Pierre Caruel, Carmen Ancuta, Bruno Beutin
  • Patent number: 9957057
    Abstract: A gust lock lever system associated with an aircraft throttle quadrant allows flight crew to freely choose which engine to use for ground taxing operations. A stop member is connected to a crossbar of the gust lock lever system for moveable positioning into alignment with a respective one of the port and starboard engine throttle levers. The stop member causes the port and starboard throttle levers to thereby assume an asymmetrically differential side-by-side position relative to one another in response to advancement of the port and starboard throttle levers toward the crossbar when the crossbar is in an intermediate position thereof. The asymmetrically differential side-by-side position of the throttle levers therefore provide the flight crew with an unordinary tactile sensation in the event that the aircraft's engine throttles are attempted to be advanced to a take-off thrust condition with the gust lock lever system improperly deployed in the intermediate ground taxiing position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: EMBRAER S.A.
    Inventors: André Pires Ferreira, Ayrton Galindo Bernardino Florencio, Claudio Valencise Quaglio, Lauro Rocha Borges, Marcelo Staben Barbosa, Webster Ramos Silva