Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation

Ampaire, Inc.

Pasturebird, Inc.

Perdue Foods LLC

Perdue Farms, Inc.

Cory Michael Combs

Charles R Smith

Raymond Paul Greive

Jeffrey Lane McDaniel

John C Rufino

Mitchell Robert Combs

Kevin Noertker

Kevin A Noertker

Matthew Allen Neal

Greg A Cifu

A circular grazing system for poultry and/or livestock. The circular grazing system including a center pivot structure installed at a field. The center pivot structure may have a center pivot axis. The field may be a poultry and/or livestock grazing field. The circular grazing system for poultry and/or livestock may include an enclosure for containing poultry and/or livestock. The enclosure may extend generally radially from the center pivot structure to a circumference of the field. The enclosure may be rotably coupled to the center pivot structure such that the enclosure rotates around the center pivot axis.

Circular grazing system and method

A system for maintaining a fleet of aircraft batteries located at multiple airports. The system may be configured to obtain charge information and battery health information for individual batteries within the fleet of aircraft batteries from charging containers located at individuals ones of the multiple airports. The charge information may include charge statuses of the individual batteries and/or the battery health information may characterize the degradation of the individual batteries over time. The system may determine predictions of one or more batteries to be re-allocated and/or to receive maintenance based on the battery health information. The system may generate a battery management plan including the one or more predictions recommending one or more batteries to be re-allocated and/or to receive maintenance.

System and method for maintaining a fleet of aircraft batteries located at multiple airports

A structurally-integrated battery pack may comprise an outer skin, an inner skin, structural foam, battery cells, and/or other components. Structural foam may be disposed between the outer skin and the inner skin. The structural foam may include battery voids and/or one or more cooling channels. Battery cells may be disposed within the battery voids. The battery cells within the battery voids and the structural foam may form layers. The layers may comprise a first layer including a first structural foam layer, a second layer including a first battery disposed within a first battery void, a third layer including at least a partial structural foam layer, and/or other layers. The partial structural foam layer may at least partially form a cooling channel. The outer skin, the inner skin, the structural foam, and/or the battery cells may be incorporated into a structural or non-structural element of an aircraft and/or vehicle.

Structurally-integrated battery pack

Grazing system and method

An oblique rotor-wing aircraft may be capable of vertical take-off and landing, subsonic cruise, transonic cruise, and/or supersonic cruise. The oblique rotor-wing aircraft may comprise one or more of a fuselage, a rotor-wing, a thrust-vectored propulsion system, a locking mechanism, and/or other components. The rotor-wing may be rotatably coupled to the fuselage. The rotor-wing may rotate about an axis in a first flight mode for vertical takeoff and landing. The oblique rotor-wing aircraft may include a thrust-vectored propulsion system that drives the rotation of the rotor-wing about the axis. The thrust-vectored propulsion system may include multiple, separately operable propulsion systems coupled to the rotor-wing and/or the fuselage. The oblique rotor-wing aircraft may comprise a locking mechanism that locks the rotor-wing at an angle oblique to the fuselage responsive to initiation of a second flight mode. The rotor-wing may be fixed at an angle oblique to the fuselage during the second flight mode.

Oblique rotor-wing aircraft

A latching mechanism is provided for engaging an aircraft surface panel to a support member. The aircraft panel is provided with a post extending from the lower surface, which extends through a panel support member into a post engagement mechanism. The post engagement mechanism defines a rotatable sleeve, which rotates for locking and unlocking engagement between the post and the post engagement mechanism. Locking engagement continues when power to the post engagement actuator is terminated. The post engagement mechanism may utilize various types of actuators, including mechanical, hydraulic, and pneumatic. The aircraft panel and the panel support member are translatable into and out of abutting engagement independent of the need for any contact with the aircraft panel upper surface.

Rotary ball lock latching mechanism

A pneumatic fastening mechanism is provided for fastening an aircraft surface panel to an aircraft panel support member. The panel includes a plurality of receptacles extending from the panel lower surface. The panel support member includes a corresponding plurality of panel engagement mechanisms, disposed on the support member lower surface, and translatable through the support member to engage the receptacles. The panel engagement mechanisms are extendable from a first position, wherein the panel abuts and is engaged to the panel support member, to second position wherein the panel is elevated above the panel support member upper surface where the panel may be unlocked and separated from the panel engagement mechanism. The panel engagement mechanism is operative to elevate and release the panel in response to changes in fluid pressure communicated to the panel engagement mechanisms.

Pneumatic fastening for fastening a surface paneling to an aircraft surface

A magnetic fastener assembly for securing an access panel to an aircraft structure. A panel magnetic foundation member is rigidly secured to a surface of the panel facing the aircraft structure and a land magnetic foundation member is rigidly secured to a surface of the aircraft structure facing the panel. A planar magnet is positioned between the panel magnetic foundation member and the land magnetic foundation member and being magnetically coupled thereto so as to secure the panel to the aircraft structure. A separation device, such as a pneumatic bladder, is positioned between the panel and the land structure and adjacent to the magnet, and is rigidly secured to the aircraft structure. The separation device is actuated to apply pressure to the panel and break the magnetic attraction between one or both of the panel magnetic foundation member and the magnet or the land magnetic foundation member and the magnet.

Method and apparatus for magnetic panel attachment

A magnetic latching system is provided for removably latching a panel to an aircraft surface portion. The latching system includes a removable axis panel engageable to a latching land. The panel and land define opposing magnetically attractive surface portions, with a body of magnetic material disposed there between. An inflatable seal is also disposed intermediate the panel and the land. Upon inflation, the inflatable seal is operative to urge the panel away from the land far enough to reconnect magnetic engagement between the panel and the land, sufficient to permit disengagement of the panel from the land.

Growing community of inventors

Temecula, CA, United States of America

Cory Michael Combs