Patents Issued in December 17, 2019
  • Patent number: 10507873
    Abstract: A resin structure having an impact absorbing property includes a resin member including a resin material and having an uneven thickness structure. The resin member includes a thick-walled portion having an average thickness of a first value in an impact absorbing direction and two thin-walled portions having an average thickness of less than the first value in the impact absorbing direction. The thick-walled portion is disposed between the two thin-walled portions. The Expressions (I) and (II) are satisfied. 1<t1/t2<1.545×(L/d)?0.107??(I) L/d>0??(II) In Expressions (I) and (II), t1 represents an average thickness (mm) of the thick-walled portion. t2 represents an average thickness (mm) of the thin-walled portions. L represents an inter-connection-point distance (mm) between connection points formed on the two thin-walled portions, respectively, and connected to other structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: Teijin Limited
    Inventor: Masatomo Teshima
  • Patent number: 10507874
    Abstract: A modular support system for a vehicle with multi-component support structures that include a pair of side supports, a pair of base supports, and a horizontal support suspended between the pair of side supports. Each side support can include a vertical portion, a base portion extending from the vertical portion and coupled, directly or indirectly, to the base support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Inventors: Robert Crandall, William H. Cord
  • Patent number: 10507875
    Abstract: A trailer wall apparatus includes at least one logistics post. In another aspect, a vertically elongated cargo-securing or logistics post is attached adjacent to a vertically elongated depression within a sandwich panel of a cargo container, the sandwich panel employing at least one core sheet including alternating peaks and valleys therein in addition to attached interior and exterior face sheets. A further aspect employs a logistics post including internal lips which contact against and/or assist with alignment to diagonal surfaces of a depression in a container or trailer wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: Celltech Metals Inc.
    Inventors: Fabien Ebnöther, Douglas P Cox
  • Patent number: 10507876
    Abstract: A vehicle side mirror includes: a mirror assembly including a mirror facing a rearward direction; a housing having a rearward-facing opening defining an interior space which receives at least a portion of the mirror assembly, exposing the mirror assembly from the rearward direction; a cap covering a front portion of the housing, the cap having an inlet formed therethrough; and a shroud disposed between the cap and the housing that is configured to direct air passing through the inlet around the mirror assembly to an outlet defined by an opening between a rear end of the cap and a rear end of the shroud.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: David W. Curtis
  • Patent number: 10507877
    Abstract: A self-centering grille assembly includes a grille having a first chamfer and a second chamfer, a first outboard component including a third chamfer and a second outboard component including a fourth chamfer. An additional alternative embodiment of self-centering grille assembly including a centering bar is also disclosed as are related methods of centering a grille between a first outboard component and a second outboard component on a motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Joseph Prescott Hickey
  • Patent number: 10507878
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a vehicle body transfer system using a transfer unit. The system may include a base configured to move along a base rail; a moving unit comprising a supporting part that is configured to support a vehicle body, wherein the moving unit is configured to move the supporting part in a predetermined direction and the moving part is disposed on the base; and a tool unit disposed outside the base rail and selectively engaged to the moving unit, wherein the tool unit is configured to provide a driving torque such that the moving unit controls a position of the supporting part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, KIA Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Hyunwoo Lee, Ji Eun Jang, Yoon Jang
  • Patent number: 10507879
    Abstract: A system for automatically mounting a tailgate on a vehicle body includes: an X-direction regulation jig that measures an X-direction position of the tailgate and regulates the X-direction position; a Y-direction regulation jig that measures a Y-direction position of the tailgate and regulates the Y-direction position; a tailgate loading and mounting robot that corrects the X-direction position and the Y-direction position of the tailgate and mounts the tailgate on a side of a roof panel of the vehicle body; and a nut assembly robot that automatically assembles a nut to a hinge of the tailgate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Seung Ho Lee
  • Patent number: 10507880
    Abstract: An air-guiding device for a motorcycle is provided to provide defined guidance of wind airflow in a region of a motorcycle fork. The air-guiding device include at least one rear guiding element in the longitudinal direction configured to be rigidly fastened to the motorcycle behind the motorcycle fork, and a front guiding element configured to be fastened indirectly or directly to the rear guiding element in front of the motorcycle fork in a manner which allows the front guiding element to rotate relative to the rear guiding element when the motorcycle fork is rotated about a vertical axis. The air guiding device may also be provided with a central guiding element behind the motorcycle for which is connected to the front guiding element and rotatable relative to the rear guiding element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Dieter Wendt, Patrick Faulhaber
  • Patent number: 10507881
    Abstract: A bicycle display is provided that allows the user to recognize the selected operation mode. The bicycle display includes a display screen configured to display information corresponding to a first operation mode and a second operation mode of a bicycle component that is selectable between at least the first operation mode and the second operation mode in accordance with operation of an operation unit. The display screen includes a switching region switched between a first display state, which shows the switching region in a first color in a state where the first operation mode is selected, and a second display state, which shows the switching region in a second color in a state where the second operation mode is selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Takeshita, Satoshi Shahana, Natsuki Noma, Ayumi Kato
  • Patent number: 10507882
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a suspension system (200) that is installed on a vehicle and is capable of performing functions including park locking, returning momentum, tilt limiting and rear suspension. The suspension system (200) comprises a rear suspension mounting structure (302), a rear suspension swing arm (306), a tilt limiting structure (201), and a tilt restoring structure (202). The rear suspension swing arm (306) is pivotally coupled to the rear suspension mounting structure (302) and configured to rotate about the rear suspension mounting structure (302) in response to a tilting movement of the vehicle. The tilt limiting structure (201) is configured to mechanically inhibit the tilting movement when a tilt angle of the vehicle exceeds an instantly-calculated tilt angle value. The tilt restoring structure (202) is configured to apply a force in response to the tilting movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Inventors: Yi-Pin Wei, Christian Janse
  • Patent number: 10507883
    Abstract: A bicycle operating device comprises a base structure, an operating member, an adjustment member, a receiving member, and an elastic member. The adjustment member is attached to one of the base structure and the operating member to change a rest position of the operating member relative to the base structure. The receiving member is provided to the other of the operating member and the base structure to be movable with the adjustment member in response to a pivotal movement of the operating member relative to the base structure. The elastic member is provided between the adjustment member and the receiving member to keep a clearance between the adjustment member and the receiving member in a rest state where the operating member is in the rest position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventors: Kazunori Okubo, Kentaro Kosaka
  • Patent number: 10507884
    Abstract: A service brake caliper and the parking brake caliper (hereinafter called P caliper) are supported by a swing arm rotatably supporting the rear wheel. The service brake caliper and the P caliper are configured to brake the brake disc. In the rear brake device of the vehicle, the service brake caliper and the P caliper are fixed to a stay member, the stay member being supported by the swing arm. At least some of the service brake caliper and the P caliper are arranged in positions forward of a vehicle body and upward of the vehicle body from an axle of the rear wheel. A first boss and a third boss are arranged on a straight line passing through a center point of the axle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kosuke Inase, Masayuki Iwata, Kazuhiko Gogo
  • Patent number: 10507885
    Abstract: An automatic control method suitable for a bicycle system is provided. The bicycle system has a gear ratio and a toque ratio formed by an auxiliary torque and a pedaling torque. The automatic control method includes following steps: sensing a pedaling cadence and the pedaling torque of the bicycle system in a riding state; setting a first cadence threshold and a second cadence threshold according to a preset pedaling cadence while the first cadence threshold is greater than the second cadence threshold; and determining whether the pedaling cadence is greater than the first cadence threshold or less than the second cadence threshold so as to set to increase or decrease the gear ratio. In addition, a bicycle system suitable for the automatic control method is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: Giant Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Min-Chang Chen, Wei-Chieh Ho, Chung-Wei Lin
  • Patent number: 10507886
    Abstract: A bicycle controller controls a motor in accordance with the riding environment of a bicycle. The bicycle controller includes an electronic control unit that is configured to control a motor, which assists pedaling of a bicycle in accordance with a manual driving force. The electronic control unit is further configured to change a response speed of the motor with respect to a change in the manual driving force in accordance with an inclination angle of the bicycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Satoshi Shahana, Yasuhiro Tsuchizawa, Hiroshi Matsuda
  • Patent number: 10507887
    Abstract: The invention relates to a drive unit for fitting or retrofitting a two-wheeled vehicle (1), preferably a bicycle, having an electric motor which is designed as a disc motor (10), comprising a rotor disc (11) having permanent magnets (12) and an annular stator (13) with windings, which generate an electrical alternating field for driving the rotor disc (11), wherein the rotor disc (11) can be fastened non-rotatably to a receptacle (6) on the front or rear wheel of the two-wheeled vehicle (1) and the annular stator (13) can be fastened to a frame part (4, 5) of the two-wheeled vehicle (1). For tool-free dismantling the annular stator (13) can be unfolded in the circumferential direction and can be removed or pulled off from the rotor disc (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Inventors: Daniel Kerschgens, Heinz Georg Russwurm
  • Patent number: 10507888
    Abstract: A bicycle crank assembly comprises a crank arm, a first sprocket, and a second sprocket. One of the first sprocket and the second sprocket comprises a first shifting facilitation area to facilitate a first shifting operation in which a bicycle chain is shifted from the second sprocket toward the first sprocket in a first chain-phase state in which a reference tooth of a plurality of second sprocket teeth is received in an outer link space, and a second shifting facilitation area to facilitate a second shifting operation in which the bicycle chain is shifted from the second sprocket toward the first sprocket in a second chain-phase state in which the reference tooth of the plurality of second sprocket teeth is received in an inner link space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventor: Akinobu Sugimoto
  • Patent number: 10507889
    Abstract: A vessel with three platforms—an outer hull, an inner deck hull and a passenger carriage, having four independent suspension systems there between so as to accommodate for the multi axis movements of the outer hull. This multi axis suspension system spread between the three platforms will offer the passenger carriage stability against the pitch, yaw and roll rotations a vessel makes as it twists and turns going up and down the slope of a wave as well as the heave, sway and surge movements induced by the waves pushing the vessel around and or the ship sliding down the face of a wave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Inventor: Fred Pereira
  • Patent number: 10507890
    Abstract: A flat bottom boat including an upper hull portion and a lower hull portion. The upper hull portion has a first width and a lower surface. The lower hull portion has a second width that is less than a first width. The lower hull portion extends from a lower edge of the upper hull portion. A lower surface of the lower hull portion is substantially flat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Inventor: Matt Lottman
  • Patent number: 10507891
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to knee braces for boats. The knee braces described herein are particularly suitable for use with lightweight, inflatable rafts and kayaks, for example packrafts used in backcountry boating. The knee braces include a fabric body and a plurality of adjustable straps configured to attach the fabric body to a side wall of the boat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: ALPACKA RAFT LLC
    Inventor: Sheri Lynn Tingey
  • Patent number: 10507892
    Abstract: The embodiments herein provide a tool for assisting users while docking a boat. According to an embodiment herein, a boarding aid mechanism for a boat for assisting a passenger while docking a boat includes a clamp, a vertical slide arm and a dock arm. The clamp is secured to one side of the boat. The vertical slide arm is mechanically coupled to the clamp using a pin. The vertical slide arm comprises a rubber handgrip for supporting and balancing the passenger. The dock arm is an L shaped structure extending from the vertical slide arm. The dock arm is slid into the vertical slide arm and further the vertical slide arm is secured to the clamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Inventor: George Carter
  • Patent number: 10507893
    Abstract: A ribbon-foil depressor is incorporated into a towed seismic array to provide downward lift to array sections or components. The ribbon-foil depressors may be deployed on the port and starboard spur lines or on the outboard separation ropes. The ribbon-foil depressors may be used to submerge and operate seismic equipment at depths as low as 60 m or more and are capable of maintaining towed seismic streamer cables at these depths and still remain stable through various speed changes and turns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: GX Technology Canada Ltd.
    Inventor: Daniel George Martin
  • Patent number: 10507894
    Abstract: There is provided a self-restoring motion compensating mooring system for a floating unit. The mooring system includes a plurality of mooring anchors, a plurality of top fairleads attached near the top edges of the floating unit, a plurality of bottom fairleads attached near bottom edges of the floating unit, a stabilizer, a plurality of mooring cables passing through the respective top and bottom fairleads, connected between the plurality of mooring anchors and the stabilizer. Further, in respective equilibrium positions of the floating unit and the stabilizer, the center of gravity of the stabilizer is located directly below the center of gravity of the floating unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Inventors: Jitendra Prasad, William C Hu, Manoj Menon
  • Patent number: 10507895
    Abstract: A trolling device for a boat includes a trolling motor and a control mechanism. The control mechanism controls at least one of the speed and the direction of the trolling motor. The control mechanism is configured to receive control instructions from an electronic GPS mapping computer to cause the trolling motor to maintain a controlled drift of the fishing boat with respect to an anchor point, water current rate, water current direction, wind, and/or wave action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: Garmin Switzerland GmbH
    Inventors: Ted V. Grace, Ryan T. Grace
  • Patent number: 10507896
    Abstract: Provided is a maneuvering device including: an input device (101) configured to detect an input operation for instructing movement of a mobile body to generate input information, a calculator (11) configured to change the input information so as to acquire an effect equivalent to a case in which a dead zone is set to the input operation, to thereby generate changed input information; and a controller (103) configured to control the movement of the mobile body (100a) based on the changed input information. The calculator is configured to change a range of the dead zone in accordance with a detection parameter detected in relation to the movement of the mobile body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hisaya Niizawa
  • Patent number: 10507897
    Abstract: A vessel propulsion apparatus includes an engine, an electric motor located farther forward than a propeller, a propeller shaft, a first transmission that defines a first transmission path extending from the engine to the propeller shaft to transmit power of the engine to the propeller shaft along the first transmission path, and a second transmission that defines a second transmission path, different from the first transmission path, extending from the electric motor to the propeller shaft to transmit power of the electric motor to the propeller shaft along the second transmission path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Daisuke Nakamura
  • Patent number: 10507898
    Abstract: An electromechanical lockout device for a remote control on a marine vessel includes an electric actuator and a locking pin having an engagement end and a second end. The locking pin is arranged with respect to a control lever such that the locking pin is positionable in a locked position, where the engagement end of the locking pin prevents rotation of the control lever into a reverse position, and in a retracted position, where the engagement end of the locking pin allows rotation of the control lever into the reverse position. A method of controlling lockout for a remote control includes sensing a position of a control lever, calculating a rate of change of the position, and engaging a lockout to prevent a gear system from shifting into reverse gear if the rate of change exceeds a threshold rate of change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventors: David J. Belter, Jeffrey J. Broman, Eric S. Mueller
  • Patent number: 10507899
    Abstract: To provide a motion control device for a ship, which does not require adjustment of weights of an performance function, and is less liable to fail in control calculation by building optimization calculation only into a part of classical feedback control, the motion control device, which is configured to cause a ship, on which a plurality of outboard engines are installed, to cruise along a desired trajectory, includes: a trajectory generator configured to output a trajectory command; a controller configured to output a control force command based on the trajectory command and a sensor information group output from a sensor group provided for the ship; and a control force distributor configured to carry out, based on the control force command, optimization calculation for operation amounts required for the plurality of outboard engines in accordance with a constraint condition set in advance so as to output the operation amounts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Naoki Imamura, Ryo Sakaguchi, Norihiko Mouri
  • Patent number: 10507900
    Abstract: A composite material that includes a layer of reinforcing fibres impregnated with a curable resin matrix and a plurality of electrically conductive composite particles positioned adjacent or in proximity to the reinforcing fibres. Each of the electrically conductive composite particles is composed of a conductive component and a polymeric component, wherein the polymeric component includes one or more polymers that are initially in a solid phase and are substantially insoluble in the curable resin, but is able to undergo at least partial phase transition to a fluid phase during a curing cycle of the composite material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: CYTEC TECHNOLOGY CORP.
    Inventors: Carmelo Luca Restuccia, Emiliano Frulloni, Fiorenzo Lenzi
  • Patent number: 10507901
    Abstract: A computing device obtains environmental data, capability data corresponding to a vehicle, and a readiness criteria specifying a maximum time to transition the vehicle from an idle state to an active state. The computing device determines an action that satisfies the readiness criteria and protects the vehicle from a forthcoming environmental condition indicated by the environmental data. In particular, determining the action is based on the environmental data, the capability data, and the readiness criteria. The computing device outputs a control signal, to an actuator, that controls the actuator to mechanically orient part of the vehicle and/or part of a structure in which the vehicle is located to at least partly implement the action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: John W Glatfelter, John A Lepore
  • Patent number: 10507902
    Abstract: An aerodynamic dome component that is placed in front of a wind turbine hub includes an outer ring, a central axle disposed relative to the outer ring, a plurality of radially extending tensioning members and a skin-like covering. The plurality of radially extending tensioning members are coupled to the outer ring at a first end and to the central axle at a second end. The outer ring, the plurality of radially extending tensioning members and the central axle together form an underlying dome support structure. The skin-like covering is configured to envelop at least a portion of the underlying dome support structure to form at least a portion of the aerodynamic dome component and define a front dome portion. The skin-like covering enveloping at least a portion of the underlying dome support structure may further define a rear dome portion, wherein the rear dome portion is configured downwind from the front dome portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Fulton Jose Lopez, Daniel Jason Erno, Peggy Lynn Baehmann, Robert Michael Zirin
  • Patent number: 10507903
    Abstract: A motor assembly that includes a motor having a motor casing, a rotatable shaft extending from said motor casing to a shaft length and a hub coupled to said rotatable shaft, the hub having a circumferential skid surface disposed immediately proximal to the motor casing and having a channel configured to seat a propeller, when a propeller is present, wherein a bending moment applied to the shaft through the hub results in the circumferential skid surface contacting said motor casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: AEROVIRONMENT, INC.
    Inventors: Emil Ghapgharan, Lane Dennis Dalan, Pavel Belik, Christopher Eugene Fisher, Austin Craig Gunder
  • Patent number: 10507904
    Abstract: Systems and methods of coupling a nose cone to a turbine machine. Nose cone assembly weight and coupling difficulty are each reduced by reducing or eliminating the number of bolts used to mount the nose cone to the turbine machine, as well as the support or retaining ring. The disclosed nose cone comprises a plurality of hub mounting elements disposed around the circumference of a base portion, each of the hub mounting elements comprising a flexible flange extending toward the central axis and having a ridge protruding from a radially outward facing surface. The flexible flange is configured to deflect toward the central axis upon engagement with the hub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventor: Matthew A. Scott
  • Patent number: 10507905
    Abstract: An adaptive flight control system for controlling the pitch of blades of a propulsive propeller of a hybrid helicopter as a function of the return value of the pitch. The adaptive flight control system comprises control means supplying the pitch control order, a piloting member controlling variation of the pitch, and piloting means applying a control gain in order to transform the control order into a setpoint, and transmitting the setpoint to the piloting member. The piloting means include information return means applying a return gain that is variable to the return value of the variation of the pitch to the piloting means, also modifying the control gain as a function of the return value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: AIRBUS HELICOPTERS
    Inventors: Jean-Romain Bihel, Arnaud Groll, Romuald Biest, Zouhair Sassi
  • Patent number: 10507906
    Abstract: An aerodynamic surface assembly is provided to facilitate control of the flow over the aerodynamic surface. The aerodynamic surface assembly includes an aerodynamic surface defining an outer mold line over which a fluid is to flow in a downstream direction. The outer mold line defines a smooth contour that is interrupted by step down region that is inset relative to the smooth contour defined by the outer mold line upstream thereof. The aerodynamic surface defines an orifice opening in to the step down region. The aerodynamic surface assembly may also include an overhang extending from the outer mold line of the aerodynamic surface upstream at the orifice. The overhang extends in the downstream direction and at least partially over the orifice. The aerodynamic surface assembly may also include a fluidic actuator defining a pair of curved passageways extending from an input region and are in fluid communication with the orifice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Edward A. Whalen, Michael DeSalvo, Ari Glezer
  • Patent number: 10507907
    Abstract: A deployable vortex generator attached to a lifting surface includes a vane moveable relative to the lifting surface. The vane moves from a deployed position to a retracted position in response to a change in ambient conditions. In the deployed position, the vane acts on the air flow to create vortices. In the retracted position, the vane is closely aligned with the free stream velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Anat Bordoley, Brian J. Tillotson, Michael Chih-Huan Wang, Dan J. Clingman
  • Patent number: 10507908
    Abstract: A commanded control signal is compared against an adaptive control signal in order to detect a rotor strike by a rotor included in an aircraft, wherein the adaptive control signal is associated with controlling the rotor and the adaptive control signal varies based at least in part on the commanded control signal and state information associated with the rotor. In response to detecting the rotor strike, a control signal to the rotor is adjusted in order to reduce a striking force associated with the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: Kitty Hawk Corporation
    Inventor: Christopher Scott Saunders
  • Patent number: 10507909
    Abstract: An aerofoil has a main portion of aerofoil cross section and a trailing edge portion (12) movable with respect to the main portion by an actuating device (14), the trailing edge portion (12) is movable at or about an area/point of flexion A, the area/point of flexion A is located at or adjacent a pressure or suction surface of the aerofoil, the trailing edge portion (12) is connected to the main portion by first and second connection members (18, 20), the first connection member (18) extends inwardly away from the area/point of flexion A and has an end which is directly or indirectly connected to the main portion, the first and second connection members (18, 20) are flexible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: AGUSTAWESTLAND LIMITED
    Inventors: Andrew Cave, Simon Stacey
  • Patent number: 10507910
    Abstract: Dual-input mechanical bypass linkage apparatus and methods are disclosed. An example dual-input mechanical bypass linkage apparatus includes a primary link and a secondary link spaced apart from the primary link. The dual-input mechanical bypass linkage apparatus further includes a first extension link extending between the primary link and the secondary link. The first extension link is coupled to the primary link, to the secondary link and to a first input link. The first input link is coupled to a first actuator. The primary link is coupled to a second input link. The second input link is coupled to a second actuator. The dual-input mechanical bypass linkage apparatus further includes a second extension link spaced apart from the first extension link and extending between the primary link and the secondary link. The second extension link is coupled to the primary link, to the secondary link and to an output link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Donald Guzman
  • Patent number: 10507911
    Abstract: The invention relates to a control rod for the adjusting of a helicopter rotor blade, wherein the control rod can be adjusted in longitudinal direction, comprising: at least one contact area element, at least one limit stop element, which is designed to limit the adjustability of the control rod in longitudinal direction to a specifiable adjusting range in interrelation with the at least one contact area element, wherein the limit stop element can be transferred from a first position to a second position, wherein the at least one stop element limits the adjustability of the control rod in the first position and enables the adjustability of the control rod beyond the specifiable adjusting range in the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Jürgen Götte, Andre Hausberg
  • Patent number: 10507912
    Abstract: A proprotor system for a tiltrotor aircraft includes a yoke having a plurality of blade arms each having an inboard pocket. Each of a plurality of bearing assemblies is disposed at least partially within one of the inboard pockets. Each of a plurality of inboard beams is disposed at least partially between a centrifugal force bearing and a shear bearing of each bearing assembly and has a proprotor blade coupled thereto. Each of a plurality of latch assemblies selectively couples one of the bearing assemblies to the yoke. Each latch assembly is rotatable relative to the yoke between an engaged position wherein the latch assembly is engagable with one of the bearing assemblies to couple the bearing assembly to the yoke and a disengaged position wherein the latch assembly is disengaged from the respective bearing assembly enabling installation and removal of the respective bearing assembly relative to the respective pocket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: Bell Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Amarjit Olenchery Kizhakkepat, Michael Christopher Burnett, Michael Dean Dearman
  • Patent number: 10507913
    Abstract: A hypersonic aircraft having a homopolar motor with high temperature superconducting (HTS) non-insulated (NI) coil magnets is described. In some implementations, the HTS NI coil magnets can have a graded resistance design. In some implementations, the HTS NI coil magnets can include a series of stacked coils, each of the series of coils comprising multiple turns having turn-to-turn resistance, where the turn-to-turn resistance of the series of coils is graded coil-to-coil across the magnet. In some implementations, the HTS NI coil magnets can include an NI coil comprising multiple turns and two or more thermal barriers each disposed between two adjacent turns of the coil, where an electrically conductive portion of one of the thermal barriers does not overlap with an electrically conductive portion of a different adjacent one of the thermal barriers. Some implementations can include a disk-type homopolar motor/generator including one or more HTS NI coil magnets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: North Carolina State University
    Inventors: Wan-Kan Chan, Justin Schwartz
  • Patent number: 10507914
    Abstract: In an aspect, in general, a spooling apparatus includes a filament feeding mechanism for deploying and retracting filament from the spooling apparatus to an aerial vehicle, an exit geometry sensor for sensing an exit geometry of the filament from the spooling apparatus, and a controller for controlling the feeding mechanism to feed and retract the filament based on the exit geometry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: FLIR DETECTION, INC.
    Inventors: Jason S. Walker, John W. Ware, Samuel A. Johnson, Andrew M. Shein
  • Patent number: 10507915
    Abstract: Method for providing obstacle avoidance using depth information of image is provided. The method includes the following steps. Shoot a scene to obtain a depth image of the scene. Determine a flight direction and a flight distance according to the depth image. Then, fly according to the flight direction and the flight distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignees: INVENTEC APPLIANCES (PUDONG) CORPORATION, INVENTEC APPLIANCES CORP.
    Inventors: Cheng-Yu Lin, Kuo-Feng Hsu
  • Patent number: 10507916
    Abstract: Unmanned aerial vehicles include a processor to determine whether a first location of an unmanned vehicle and a second location of a virtual event is within a threshold distance; and a game experience controller to: control the unmanned vehicle based on a first command associated with a non-augmented state of the unmanned vehicle in response to the first location of the unmanned vehicle and the second location of the virtual event being outside of the threshold distance; and in response to the first location of the unmanned vehicle and the second location of the virtual event being within the threshold distance, control the unmanned vehicle based on a second command associated with an augmented state of the unmanned vehicle to simulate the unmanned vehicle being affected by the virtual event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: David Gomez Gutierrez, Rafael De La Guardia Gonzalez, Jose I. Parra Vilchis, Rodrigo Aldana Lopez
  • Patent number: 10507917
    Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided herein for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) control. A system for UAV control comprises a flight control system of a UAV, an image sensor on the UAV, an aircraft marshaling signal database, and a control circuit coupled to the flight control system, the image sensor, and the aircraft marshaling signal database. The control circuit being configured to: detect, with the image sensor, a gesture from a ground crew member, verify that the ground crew member is an authorized controller of the UAV, compare the gesture with marshaling signals in the aircraft marshaling signal database to determine a corresponding marshaling signal, determine a flight command based on the corresponding marshaling signal, and execute the flight command with the flight control system of the UAV.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventors: Robert C. Taylor, Donald R. High, John P. Thompson
  • Patent number: 10507918
    Abstract: In some embodiments, unmanned aerial task systems are provided that include a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) each comprising: a UAV control circuit; a motor; propulsion system; and a universal coupler configured to interchangeably couple with and decouple from one of multiple different tool systems each having different functions to be put into use while carried by a UAV, wherein a coupling system of the universal coupler is configured to secure a tool system with the UAV and enable a communication connection between a communication bus and the tool system, and wherein the multiple different tool systems comprise at least a package securing tool system configured to retain and enable transport of a package while being delivered, and a sensor tool system configured to sense a condition and communicate sensor data of the sensed condition to the UAV control circuit over the communication bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventors: Robert L. Cantrell, John P. Thompson, David C. Winkle, Michael D. Atchley, Donald R. High, Todd D. Mattingly, Brian G. McHale, John J. O'Brien, John F. Simon, Nathan G. Jones, Robert C. Taylor
  • Patent number: 10507919
    Abstract: Longitudinal lock devices for cargo in aircraft having a locking box fastened beneath the floor of an aircraft include a locking latch connectable to the cargo and coupled to a bar mechanism disposed inside the locking box. The locking latch is moveable in a direction towards extraction of the cargo in flight. The bar mechanism is fixed to the locking box and includes a puppet arm articulated on a second pivot wand a puppet follower articulated on a first pivot, whereby each of the pivots is operably fastened to the locking box (9). The puppet arm comprises a cam profile on a face there of which is cooperative with a puppet roller connected to an electro-mechanical actuator linear by means of a drive rod. The articulations moving the bar mechanism responsively determine locked, armed and released positions for the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: EMBRAER S.A.
    Inventors: Saint Clair Trisotto, João Carlos Livoratti, Douglas de Moura Germano, Mário Sérgio Candelária Bernardes Batista, Emanuel das Neves Rosa, Fábio Henrique Massuia Dos Santos, Reinaldo Sawaguchi Kolososki
  • Patent number: 10507920
    Abstract: An external cargo damping system includes lifting gear and a damping assembly. The lifting gear has a lifting body attachment end and an opposed external cargo end, and defines a load path that extends between the lifting body attachment and external cargo ends of the lifting gear. The damping assembly is connected in series with the lifting gear and is disposed along the load path to damp vibratory force transmitted between the lifting gear lifting body attachment and lifting gear ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT CORP.
    Inventors: Peter J. Waltner, John R. Herter
  • Patent number: 10507921
    Abstract: A cart for restocking provisions includes a body having one or more exterior surfaces. The one or more exterior surfaces include a top surface facing a first direction and a bottom surfacing facing a second direction that is away from the first direction and parallel to the first direction. The cart also includes a handle fixedly attached to the body. The cart further includes one or more wheels coupled to the bottom surface. In addition, the cart includes one or more hoppers each including a hollow space having a length that extends from an aperture located on the top surface and through at least a portion of an interior of the body. The hollow space includes at least one curved surface that extends from the aperture along at least a portion of the length to allow the provisions to be stored within the one or more hoppers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: Southwest Airlines Co.
    Inventors: Daniel Tarr, Charles Griffith, Alberto Cruz, Helen Greer
  • Patent number: 10507922
    Abstract: An energy absorbing backshell including a non-metallic core, a non-metallic casing surrounding the non-metallic core, a tube on the top surface of the non-metallic core and non-metallic casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: JAMCO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Norikazu Natsume, Steven Conboy, Nilesh Dingankar, John Cornell, Allen Gipson