Patents Examined by Brian M O'Hara
  • Patent number: 12291342
    Abstract: A propulsion system comprising a chassis, a fan cowl, an articulation system fixed between the chassis and the fan cowl and comprising a shaft with two offset cylinders in which a central cylinder is movably mounted in rotation on the chassis and wherein a lateral cylinder is movably mounted in rotation on the fan cowl, a blocking device limits the rotation of the central cylinder relative to the chassis between a closed position and an intermediate position, and a stopping device allows rotation of the fan cowl between the intermediate position and the open position and preventing rotation of the fan cowl beyond the intermediate position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2024
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS
    Inventors: Grégory De Oliveira, Thomas Bourdieu, Julien Ferreira
  • Patent number: 12286229
    Abstract: An aircraft wing, including a main wing and a trailing edge high lift assembly movably arranged at a main wing trailing edge, the high lift assembly including a flap and a connection assembly movably mounting the flap to the main wing, such that the flap is movable between retracted and extended positions. In the extended position, a gap is present between a main wing lower rear panel and a flap leading-edge section. In the retracted position, the gap is closed or minimized. The flap is movable between an extended position, a first retracted position, and a second retracted position where the flap is moved beyond the first retracted position in a forward direction, and the wing comprises a gap closing device configured to close or minimize the gap in both the first and second retracted positions of the flap, and to open the gap in the flap extended position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventors: Bernhard Schlipf, Dennis Krey, Jan Haunert
  • Patent number: 12286223
    Abstract: An aircraft wing section assembly is disclosed having a structural spine, a movement mechanism including a support rod 1 extending through the structural spine, a first lever, for connection to and for moving a first moveable control surface, pivotally mounted to the support rod, a second similar lever for connection to and for moving a second moveable control surface, and a connection mechanism for connecting the first and second levers such that pivotal movement of the first lever causes pivotal movement of the second lever, and an actuation mechanism for actuating pivotal movement of the first lever, such that, in use, when the actuation mechanism actuates pivotal movement of the first lever, the second lever also pivotally moves, thus causing movement of both the first and second moveable control surfaces. Also disclosed is an aircraft wing assembly, an aircraft and a method of operating an aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS LIMITED
    Inventors: Mark Shaun Kelly, Peter Kelly, Stuart Strachan Alexander
  • Patent number: 12269612
    Abstract: An aircraft tow vehicle comprises a turntable lifting unit configured to automatically rotate and lift for attachment to a nose landing gear of an aircraft. A gate coupled to the turntable lifting unit automatically unlocks, opens to receive the nose landing gear, closes to secure the nose landing gear, and locks. A sensor system detects the nose landing gear. A controller receives data from the sensor system, processes the data to determine a position of the nose landing gear, and controls the turntable lifting unit while automatically adjusting a position of the tow vehicle relative to the nose landing gear. A moving floor adjusts to accommodate different nose wheel sizes. A nose wheel adapter automatically positions itself to hold down the nose landing gear when weight is detected on the moving floor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2024
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: TowFLEXX MilTech, Inc.
    Inventors: Axel Schickling, Tobias Strobl
  • Patent number: 12269596
    Abstract: A blended wing body (BWB) aircraft having a blended wing body having a main body and wings with no clear demarcation between the wings and the main body along a leading edge of the BWB aircraft, a passenger cabin located within the main body having one or more cross aisles extending along a lateral axis, wherein a shape of the passenger cabin is asymmetrical about a lateral axis, more than one passenger bays located within the passenger cabin, wherein each of the more than one passenger bays are separated by at least one cross aisle of the one or more cross aisles and one or more lavatories situated outside the more than one passenger bays and substantially adjacent to a perimeter of the passenger cabin, wherein each of the one or more lavatories are linked to one cross aisle of the one or more cross aisles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2024
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: JetZero, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Savian, Ian Geoffrey Scoley
  • Patent number: 12252232
    Abstract: A control system for assisting a pilot to control an aircraft operating under control of an active inceptor, the control system comprising: a receiver for receiving pilot-inputs on an active inceptor, an instruction generator to generate an instruction, the instruction based on an external signal associated with the geographical location of the aircraft; a tactile cue generator to generates a tactile cue which causes the active inceptor to move from a nominal position to a first offset position within a predetermined time period in response to the instruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: BAE SYSTEMS PLC
    Inventors: Justin Mark Dee, Peter Stuart Maley
  • Patent number: 12246816
    Abstract: Mobile units have the following inseparable sub-assemblies: a cylindrical outer envelope with low conicity or even constant section, one or more longitudinal fluidic channels, sensors, and one or more transverse fluidic channels. Each fluidic channel convergent at the inlet and divergent at the outlet to ensure the absorption of the entire frontal fluid vein. The motorizations are engineered for fluidic channeling design and each one controlled by the sensors fitted to measure differential pressures between external and absorbed fluid media. The transverse fluidic channels connected on demand, upstream to the high-pressure outlets of the longitudinal fluidic channels, downstream to pressurized boxes for vertical and directional movements. A set of volumes internal to the external fuselage envelope, not occupied by other devices of the mobile units, structured in technical operating sub-assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Inventor: Jean-Paul Merrien
  • Patent number: 12234004
    Abstract: An aircraft door handle and lighting system for an entryway on an aircraft. The system includes a face plate with recessed areas. One recessed area includes a handle positioned for a user to grasp when entering or exiting the aircraft, and another recessed area includes a light source configured to direct light towards one or more stairs. Another recessed area is configured on the opposite side of the entryway and includes a light source configured to direct light towards the stairs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: Rebecca Rae Groninga, Clayton Auther Richards, Zonmong Alexander Lor, Merril Binford Williams, Sergio Ricardo Martinez
  • Patent number: 12227318
    Abstract: An aerial vehicle or another system having moving components may be configured with a capacitive sensing system for detecting body parts of humans or other animals within proximity. The capacitive sensing system includes conductive components provided in association with surfaces of housings within which motors rotate propellers or other objects. The capacitors are coupled to circuits including transistors, resistors, capacitors or other features that are configured to determine levels of capacitance on the conductive components during operations of the aerial vehicle or other system. When a body part approaches a conductive component, and disrupts a level of capacitance on a capacitor coupled to the conductive component, a change in the level of capacitance on the capacitor is detected. Where the change exceeds a predetermined threshold, predetermined actions such as stopping or otherwise altering operations of the motors may be performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Assaf Bata, Gheorghe Panaghiu, Yair E. Gheva
  • Patent number: 12221233
    Abstract: Disclosed are a method, a device and a non-transitory storage medium. The method includes: deploying a detection satellite to fly in one detection orbital plane opposite to the satellites in the large-scale constellation, to sequentially detect satellites flying in one target orbital plane of the large-scale constellation in a manner that an approach distance between the detection satellite and a satellite being detected is within a set detection distance, transmitting the detection satellite from the one detection orbital plane to another detection orbital plane in virtue of Earth oblateness perturbation, so as to sequentially detect satellites flying in another target orbital plane of the large-scale constellation in a manner that the approach distance between the detection satellite and a satellite being detected is within the set detection distance, and stopping the detection satellite from detecting until all satellites of the large-scale constellation have been detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Assignee: Harbin Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Ruichen Xi, Fan Wu, Xibin Cao, Shi Qiu, Jinsheng Guo, Huayi Li
  • Patent number: 12214899
    Abstract: Propeller restraint kits for turboprop aircraft are provided which include at least one, and preferably a pair, of propeller restraint systems. Each propeller restraint system will preferably include an open-ended propeller restraint boot that may be formed of a flexible and durable fabric material which is sized and configured for placement over the tip of a propeller blade. A cowling attachment assembly is provided in the kit and is adapted to being attached to an aircraft cowling skin. A propeller boot tether strap of predetermined length interconnects the propeller restraint boot and the cowling attachment assembly. The cowling attachment assembly includes (i) a quick disconnect (QD) pin assembly connected to a terminal end of the propeller boot tether strap, and (ii) a pin receiver adapted to being positionally attached to an interior portion of the aircraft cowling skin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: TEXTRON INNOVATIONS INC.
    Inventors: Russell Ray Schrock, Michael Earl Lee
  • Patent number: 12208896
    Abstract: A wing (3) for an aircraft (1) including a main wing (5) and a trailing edge high lift assembly (9) movably arranged at a trailing edge of the main wing (5). The trailing edge high lift assembly (9) includes a flap (11) and a connection assembly (13) movably mounting the flap (11) to the main wing (5). The connection assembly (13) includes an actuator unit (35) moving the flap (11) between a retracted position and at least one extended position. The flap (11) includes a leading edge part (23) and a trailing edge part (27) mounted to the leading edge part (23) pivotable about a pivot axis (31).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventors: Bernhard Schlipf, Jan Haunert
  • Patent number: 12209447
    Abstract: A device for emergency opening of an aircraft door having: a tubular actuating member (7) which includes a first end plate (8) and a second end plate (9); an elastic compression device having a tubular spring (10) compressed between the first end plate (8) and the second end plate (9); an expansion regulator (17, 18) arranged inside the tubular spring (10); a retaining member which includes at least one peripheral attachment connecting the first end plate (8) to the second end plate (9), the peripheral attachment being radially outside the tubular spring (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: LATECOERE
    Inventors: Sébastien Devillez, Christian Reidt
  • Patent number: 12202602
    Abstract: Fluid systems are described. An example fluid system includes a body and a housing. The body has a leading edge, a trailing edge, a first portion, and a second portion attached to the first portion. The second portion is moveable relative to the first portion between a first position and a second position. The housing extends from the first portion to the second portion and is configured to move as the second portion moves relative to the first portion. The housing is moveable between a first configuration and a second configuration. The housing is in the first configuration when the second portion is in the first position and is in the second configuration when the second portion is in the second position. The housing has a first length when in the first configuration and a second length when in the second configuration that is greater than the first length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: COFLOW JET, LLC
    Inventor: Gecheng Zha
  • Patent number: 12195159
    Abstract: A hand-held wing rig includes an inflatable front tube forming a leading edge and a rigid or inflatable center strut which together span a canopy. A radially projecting spoiler profile is formed approximately in the lower region of the leading edge. In use, the spoiler profile is tangentially flowed against, facing a user. Further disclosed is a kite including a spoiler profile formed approximately in the lower region of the leading edge, which is tangentially flowed against.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: Boards & More GmbH
    Inventors: Max Pajank, Antonio Destino, Till Eberle
  • Patent number: 12195172
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a skid device for aircraft and a method for controlling the same that may implement an optimal soft landing even under varied landing conditions in various environments, and the skid device may include: at least one support leg having a hollow portion and fixed to a lower portion of a fuselage; a skid connected to an end of the support leg; a magnetic field generator installed in the hollow portion; and a magnetorheological material accommodated in the hollow portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventors: Kye Yoon Kim, Choung Hyoung Kim
  • Patent number: 12196372
    Abstract: There is provided a tank system having a removable plug assembly. The tank system has a vacuum tank with a vacuum tank main portion, a pressure tank mounted within the vacuum tank, and a vacuum cavity formed between the pressure tank and the vacuum tank. The pressure tank has the removable plug assembly with removable plug element(s), each configured to plug and to unplug opening(s) in the pressure tank, and a retraction mechanism within the pressure tank coupled to the removable plug element(s). When an emergency condition occurs, the retraction mechanism is activated to pull the removable plug element(s) away from the opening(s) and into the interior of the pressure tank, to allow a cryogenic fluid to exit from the pressure tank, through the opening(s), and into the vacuum cavity, and when the vacuum tank has a breach, to allow the cryogenic fluid to further exit out into air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Robert E. Grip, Aaron J. Kutzmann
  • Patent number: 12195162
    Abstract: A tail located on a helicopter has a front area located on the tail, a rear area connected to the front area in a foldable manner around the axis, and a first shaft at the front area and a second shaft at the rear area allows power transfer to the tail rotor throughout the flight movement of the helicopter. A first coupling and a second coupling are located on the first shaft in a gear form. A first hub on the first shaft surrounds the first coupling and is form-compatible with the first coupling to allow the first coupling to perform at least partially a spherical rotational movement, and a second hub form-compatible with the second coupling located on the second shaft opposite the second coupling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: TUSAS-TURK HAVACILIK VE UZAY SANAYII ANONIM SIRKETI
    Inventor: Furkan Yilmaz
  • Patent number: 12195165
    Abstract: A helicopter tail folding mechanism for a tail located on the helicopter has a front region located on the tail, a rear region connected to the front region to make a folding movement around the axis on which it is supported, a first shaft located on the front region and a second shaft located on the rear region enables power to be transmitted to the tail rotor during the flight movement of the helicopter, a first coupling and a second coupling located on the first shaft both with a threaded form, a first hub located on the first shaft surrounding the first coupling all around that is form-fitting to the first coupling to enable the first coupling to make at least a partial spherical rotational movement, and a second hub located on the second shaft to be arranged opposite to the second coupling and being form-fitting to the second coupling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: TUSAS—TURK HAVACILIK VE UZAY SANAYII ANONIM SIRKETI
    Inventor: Furkan Yilmaz
  • Patent number: 12179901
    Abstract: A folding mechanism for a tail located on a helicopter has a front region on the tail, a rear region connected to the front region can be folded around the axis on which it is supported, a first shaft located on the front region and a second shaft located on the rear region enables power to be transmitted to the tail rotor during the flight movement of the helicopter, a first coupling and a second coupling located on the first shaft with a threaded form, a first hub located on the first shaft surrounding the first coupling all around and is form-fitting to the first coupling to enable the first coupling to make at least a partial spherical rotational movement, and a second hub located on the second shaft is arranged opposite the second coupling and being form-fitting to the second coupling with a dampener located on the front region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: TUSAS-TURK HAVACILIK VE UZAY SANAYII ANONIM SIRKETI
    Inventor: Furkan Yilmaz