Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.

Other

Lockheed Martin Corporation

Brian Stanley Modrzejewski

Frank B Stamps

Doug Mueller

Michael E Rinehart

David Popelka

Robert Patrick Wardlaw

Ken Shundo

Emily Schofield

Dan Sottiaux

Kenneth Myron Jackson

Brad Jeffrey Ekstrom

J Scott Drennan

Bryan Judd

Siddhesh Pradeep Raje

Carlos Alexander Fenny

John R McCullough

Gilberto Morales

Scott Raymond Gardner

Russell Lee Mueller

Glenn Alan Shimek

Vance Newton Cribb, Iii

Monte McGlaun

Ron Woods

Danny Spivey

Tim Stark

Farid Saiyed

Mark Mays

Dan Brungs

Doug Wylin

Tim Cecil

Byron Mueller

Gary D Hall

Brian S Vollmer

Travis Jurell

In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a first seal and a perforated cover. The first seal may comprise one or more inlet apertures and be located proximate to an opening into an interior of a nacelle. The perforated cover may be slidably engaged with the first seal and configured to vary an amount of air allowed into the interior of the nacelle.

Variable seal for an engine nacelle

A hybrid composite reinforced ring gear minimizing radial deformation during high RPM conditions includes a composite backing secured to a metal rim. In use, at operating temperature the composite backing contracts while the metal rim expands thus creating a compressive stress on the metal rim and significantly reduces radial deformation due to centrifugal forces as compared to an all steel ring gear.

Composite reinforced ring gear

One aspect of a cooling system includes a gas source connected to a component to be cooled. The gas source continuously supplies compressed gas to the component in response to an input. The cooling system also includes a controller connected to the gas source, the controller to provide the input to the gas source to continuously supply the compressed gas to the component.

Aircraft gaseous cooling system

An aircraft includes a first rotor assembly, a second rotor assembly, and a rotor phase angle control system. The system includes a phase adjustor operably associated with the first rotor assembly and the second rotor assembly. The method includes sensing vibrations exerted on the aircraft and offsetting a phase angle of the first rotor assembly and the second rotor assembly to minimize the vibrations.

Variable hub-to-hub phasing rotor system

The present invention includes a rolling element bearing system and method of using the same, comprising: a ball bearing comprising an inner race coupled to an inner shaft (journal) at an outer surface of the inner shaft, an outer race coupled to an outer shaft at an inner surface of the outer shaft, and a roller element disposed between the inner race and the outer race, wherein the inner race and the outer surface of the inner shaft form a pocket between a portion of the inner race and the outer surface, and the inner race comprises an orifice through the inner race to fluidly connect the pocket and the rolling element.

Roller bearing lubrication systems

A system and method to transfer heat energy through a composite structure. The system includes a heat pipe extending through a thickness of the composite material. The method includes extending a heat pipe through the composite material from a first surface exposed to the heat energy to a second surface exposed to airflow.

Composite top case with embedded heat pipes

According to one embodiment, a gear includes a steel portion that is oriented on a center axis. The steel portion includes a hub, a cylindrical rim, a web, and a plurality of engagement features. The hub is centered about the center axis. The rim has an exterior surface and an interior surface that surrounds the hub and is centered about the center axis. The web extends from an exterior surface of the hub to the interior surface of the rim. The engagement features are on the exterior surface of the cylindrical rim. The gear also includes a first composite piece adjacent to a first side of the web, the first composite piece extending from the hub to the interior surface of the rim, wherein the first composite piece does not extend past the hub towards the center axis.

Composite and metal hybrid gear

A flexible bladder can be expanded to insert a tool by implementing a tool assembly that includes an elongated hollow member including a hollow portion to receive at least one of a flexible bladder or a tool. An inlet member is attached to an end of the elongated hollow member. The inlet member receives at least one of the flexible bladder or the tool. A port is positioned on the elongated hollow member to apply vacuum inside the elongated hollow member.

Expanding flexible bladder to insert tool

A variable state planetary shifting transmission can include an input shaft, an output shaft; and a planetary system having a sun gear associated with the input shaft, a planetary carrier, and a ring gear associated with a ring housing. The transmission can include an overrunning clutch operably coupled to the planetary carrier. The transmission can include a clutch assembly coupled to the planetary carrier. The transmission is capable of changing the speed ratio between the input shaft and the output shaft by selective engagement of the clutch assembly against the ring gear which can cause either the freeing or locking of the planetary carrier by the overrunning clutch.

Variable speed aircraft transmission

A method of repairing a core stiffened structure, including removing a damaged portion of the core stiffened structure; bonding a shelf onto a first core member; bonding a second core member to a shelf; and securing a skin patch over the second core member.

Method of repairing a core stiffened structure

According to one embodiment, a flight control device includes a grip, a stick associated with the grip, and a gimbal. The stick defines a first axis. The gimbal includes a first platform, a second platform, a first electro- rheological elastomeric bearing, and a second electro-rheological elastomeric bearing. The first platform is coupled to the stick and configured to rotate on a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis. The second platform is in mechanical communication with the first platform and configured to rotate on a third axis that is perpendicular to the second axis. The first electro-rheological elastomeric bearing defines the second axis, and the second electro-rheological elastomeric bearing defines the third axis. The first and second electro-rheological elastomeric bearing being configured to each have a variable stiffness.

Electro-rheological elastomeric, variable-stiffness flight control device

A heater system includes a bag forming a cavity, a fluid bladder carried within the cavity and forming a fluidly sealed chamber. The fluid bladder being configured to store electrorheological fluid within a fluidly sealed chamber. The heater system further including an electrical wire in fluid communication with the electrorheological fluid and a heater blanket carried within the cavity. The method includes altering the electrorheological fluid with a current and providing heat with a heater blanket.

Variable stiffness blanket with variable heating

A damper includes a housing that forms a fluidly sealed cavity for receiving a fluid therein. The fluid is configured to change fluid properties as electrical energy is induced. An electrical subsystem provides electrical energy to the fluid, which is monitored with a control subsystem. The method includes inducing the fluid with electrical energy to change the dampening effects of the damper in real time.

Hybrid fluid elastomeric damper

In accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure, a trunnion includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is capable of coupling directly to a drive tube of an aircraft, wherein the drive tube is capable of rotating around a first axis. The second portion is capable of coupling to a swash plate of the aircraft, wherein the swash plate is capable of causing the pitch of at least one of a plurality of aircraft blades to change.

Growing community of inventors

Keller, TX, United States of America

Brian Stanley Modrzejewski