The Boeing Company

Other

Adam Ian Nadel

Kjersta Lynn Larson-Smith

Garrett K Quillia

Andrew Leung

Lauren Marie Butt

Brian Whipple

Alex Schonfeld

Anthony R Amadio

Matthew Krott

Nikola Baltadjiev

Anthony Prete

A tunable blade assembly for a flight vehicle includes a hub rotatable about a central axis. The tunable blade assembly also includes a blade extending along a longitudinal axis between a root end and a tip end, with the tip end spaced from the hub. The blade is coupled to the hub at the root end such that the blade is rotatable concurrently with the hub and rotation of the blade generates vibrations in the blade. The blade defines a cavity spaced from the tip end. The tunable blade assembly further includes a tunable control assembly which includes a mass adjustable inside of the cavity of the blade to reduce the vibrations in the blade. In certain configurations, a blade assembly is coupled to a hub of a flight vehicle and includes the blade and the tunable control assembly discussed above.

Tunable blade assembly, a blade assembly, and a method of controlling vibration

A fastening system includes a first component and a second component. The fastening system includes a fastener assembly configured to attach together the first component and the second component. The fastening system also includes a layer disposed between the fastener assembly and the first component and/or the second component. The layer is configured to provide an alert when a predetermined compressive load has been reached in the first component and the second component which signals that a preload of the fastener assembly has been reached. A method of preloading a fastener assembly includes applying a torque to the fastener assembly until a predetermined compressive load has been reached in the first component and the second component. The alert of the layer is activated when the predetermined compressive load has been reached which signals that the preload of the fastener assembly has been reached.

Fastening system, a fastener assembly, and a method of preloading the fastener assembly

Flow control ducted fans are disclosed. A disclosed example flow control apparatus for use with an aircraft includes a duct defining an inner cavity with a primary flow path, a fan disposed in the inner cavity, an aperture on an exterior surface of the duct and upstream from the fan, the aperture fluidly coupled to the inner cavity to define a secondary flow path, and a door to control a degree to which the aperture is opened.

Flow control ducted fans

A landing gear assembly for an aircraft includes an energy absorber and a land-contact assembly attached to the energy absorber. A retraction assembly is attached to the energy absorber via a pivot point. A trigger assembly is coupled to the energy absorber and the retraction assembly. The trigger assembly is configured to retract the land-contact assembly from an extended position to retracted position in response to a piston of the energy absorber reaching a maximum stroke position in which the trigger assembly triggers an actuator to actuate from a locked position to an unlocked position to release the retraction assembly in a controlled manner which rotates the energy absorber and the land-contact assembly to the retracted position. The maximum stroke position of the piston is beyond normal-operation stroke positions of the piston. A landing gear system and a method of activating the landing gear system utilizes the trigger assembly.

Landing gear assembly for an aircraft, a landing gear system, and a method

Disclosed is an electro-mechanical apparatus for snugging a boot, especially a snow ski boot, around the calf of the user. The apparatus is essentially comprised of a reversible electric motor, a jackscrew, a switch, two brackets, a strap, and a power supply. The invention enables the user to achieve a desired snug fit by first placing a foot of the user into the boot, then operating the electric motor to turn the jackscrew, bringing the two brackets together and thereby tightening the strap around the boot to reach the desired fit. Once the desired snug fit is achieved, the electric motor is switched off, the user closes pre-existing latches on the boot to lock the boot parts into place, and the user removes the apparatus from around the boot by unbuckling a quick release buckle provided for this purpose. The apparatus may then be stored for later use. The reversible feature of the electric motor enables the operator to reverse the direction of travel of the jackscrew and thereby widen the gap between the brackets so that the apparatus is ready to be used again. Also disclosed is a method of tightening the parts of a boot onto the calf of a user utilizing a strap surrounding the parts of the boot and an electric motor to tighten the strap to reach the desired snug fit. Once the desired fit is achieved, the user removes the apparatus by releasing a quick release buckle.

Growing community of inventors

Vienna, VA, United States of America

Adam Ian Nadel