The Boeing Company

Other

Theboeing Company

Ric Enterprises

Rsv Invention Enterprises

Vedanta Society of Western Washington

Mithra M Sankrithi

Sergey D Barmichev

Richard K Simms

Gerhard E Seidel

Arun A Nadkarni

Kevin Matthew Retz

Mark Edward Wentland

Paul W Dees

Chester P Nelson

Eric Evin Adamson

Scott L Pelton

Richard J Mazzone

Kim G Ohlmann

Richard C Burnham

David W Eckert

Edward W Gronenthal

V Kenneth Stuhr

Usha M Sankrithi

Zarir Pastakia

Walter H Howard, Jr

Marlyn E Kyle

Kenneth V Stuhr

A cargo aircraft is disclosed, and may include a fuselage defining a longitudinally-extending cargo compartment and including: an elongate cylindrical portion, longitudinally-opposed forward and rearward ends, and laterally-opposed first and second sides, and a forward portion engaged with the forward end of the cylindrical portion, the fuselage defining a continuous cargo opening to the cargo compartment along the first side, the cargo opening having a first portion extending along the cylindrical portion to a rearward edge and a second portion extending along the forward portion to a forward edge, wherein an increased distance of the forward edge from the forward end of the cylindrical portion allows an elongate cargo item to be obliquely inserted lengthwise through the cargo opening from the forward edge at a decreased acute loading angle between the elongate cargo item and the lateral centerline.

Cargo aircraft system and related method for loading elongate cargo therein

An aircraft has an aft main cargo cabin with a low deck floor, and a rear access configured to provide access to the aft main cargo cabin from behind the fuselage. The deck floor of the aft main cargo cabin is lower than a first deck floor of a forward main cabin of a forward section of the fuselage. The aft main cargo cabin has a second height that is greater than the first height of the forward main cabin, allowing the aft main cargo cabin to accommodate oversize cargo with larger dimension(s). The aircraft may be built with such an aft main cargo cabin and rear access, or may be a modified aircraft that includes such an aft main cargo cabin and rear access. Related methods of reconfiguring a base aircraft into a modified aircraft having such an aft main cargo cabin and rear access are also disclosed.

Aircraft configuration with tall aft cargo section and rear access

A seat assembly is configured to be positioned within an interior cabin of a vehicle. The seat assembly includes a seat support structure that is configured to connect to a floor structure within the interior cabin of the vehicle. The seat support structure includes a seat base and a front end opposite from a rear end. Arm rests are pivotally coupled to the seat support structure. A seat back is pivotally coupled to the seat support structure proximate to pivotal coupling of the arm rests to the seat support structure. In at least one other embodiment, a seat back coupling upwardly and rearwardly extends from a middle portion of the rear cross beam. A seat back includes a narrowed mounting portion that pivotally couples to the seat back coupling without interfering with knee space formed in a back side of the seat back.

Vehicle seat assemblies

An aircraft empennage includes a lower vertical fin member attached to a rear portion of a fuselage, and an upper stabilizer assembly connected to the lower vertical member by an articulating mount configured to allow movement of the upper stabilizer assembly relative to the lower vertical member to adjust pitch trim of the fuselage. The upper stabilizer assembly includes first and second horizontal stabilizer portions and at least one upper vertical member.

Articulated empennage with rudder and elevator

The invention provides a pumped storage system with waterfall control subsystem, architected to enable optimized achievement of two primary goals in the context of a geography with upper and lower water bodies such as lakes, which are connected by a river with a waterfall. The first primary goal comprises energy storage utilizing a pumped storage system between two water bodies of different elevation, which can store energy from excess power production periods and return that energy by producing power to fill needs during deficit power production periods. The second primary goal comprises touristic value & waterfall viewer satisfaction combined with environmental & ecological objectives. A multiobjective control subsystem is utilized for synthesis of time-domain control commands aimed towards optimized achievement of the aforesaid two primary goals, and for control of the pumped storage system with waterfall control subsystem responsive to these time-domain control commands.

Pumped storage system with waterfall control subsystem

An aircraft empennage includes a lower vertical member attached to a rear portion of a fuselage, and an upper stabilizer assembly connected to the lower vertical member by an articulating mount configured to allow movement of the upper stabilizer assembly relative to the lower vertical member to adjust pitch trim of the fuselage. The upper stabilizer assembly includes a V-shaped tail member having a pair of angled stabilizer portions, and each angled stabilizer portion has a trailing-edge ruddervator control surface. A rudder may be attached to a trailing edge of the lower vertical member.

Articulated empennage with ruddervator

A shape adapting system of a cushion assembly and method of forming a shape adapting system of a cushion assembly include an array of cells that retain a fluid, a fluid exchange sub-system coupled to the cells, wherein the fluid exchange sub-system fluidly connects the cells together, and at least one valve coupled to the fluid exchange sub-system. The valve(s) is configured to move between an open position in which the fluid is able to migrate among the cells to change a shape of the support base, and a closed position in which the shape of the support base is maintained.

Shape adapting system and method for a cushion assembly

Fuselage configurations in which window seats project into and partially occupy inter-frame spaces. In accordance with some embodiments, a frame in proximity to a window seat is equipped with a riser duct closure cover for defining a riser duct for passing a volume of air through a supply duct located below a floor of a passenger cabin through the riser duct and through a crown distribution duct located above a ceiling of the passenger cabin. In accordance with other embodiments, the frames in proximity to window seats are equipped with respective airbags. More specifically, for each pair of adjacent frames in which the forward frame of the pair is located forward of the window seat, the aft frame of the pair is located aft of the window seat, the forward frame is equipped with an airbag.

Aircraft fuselage frame equipped with airbag and riser duct closure cover

A wedge frame for an aircraft that provides tailstrike angle enhancement. The wedge frame has converging, non-parallel faceplanes that tilt a rear portion of the aircraft fuselage upward in order to prevent or reduce risk of the tail of the aircraft striking the ground during takeoff and landing. A method to prevent or reduce risk of the rear portion of an aircraft from striking the ground during takeoff and landing by using a wedge frame having converging, non-parallel faceplanes to tilt upward the rear portion of the aircraft.

Aircraft frame for tailstrike angle enhancement

Systems, methods, and apparatus for permitting evacuation of an aircraft following a water landing are disclosed. In one or more embodiments, the disclosed method involves deploying, an evacuation unit, from inside a storage housing located proximate a door of the aircraft. In one or more embodiments, the evacuation unit comprises at least one step and a wave fence. In at least one embodiment, when the evacuation unit is fully deployed, at least a portion of the wave fence is in water-tight contact with at least a portion of a frame of the door such that water flow into the aircraft is prevented and/or inhibited.

Airline door retractable wave fence with steps for evacuation

An airplane includes a wing mounted mid-level on a tubular fuselage. The wing includes carry-through that passes transversely through the fuselage and divides a cabin deck into fore and aft sections. At least one longitudinal passageway in the carry-through structure allows passenger/crew walk-through between the fore and aft sections of the deck.

Mid-wing airplane

Integrated high-speed aircraft, such as high-speed transport aircraft, and associated methods of manufacture. In one embodiment, a high-speed transport aircraft includes a fuselage having a first fuselage portion and a second fuselage portion positioned aft of the first fuselage portion. The first fuselage portion can have a first cross-sectional area and the second fuselage portion can have a second cross-sectional area that is less than the first cross-sectional area. The high-speed transport aircraft can further include a wing and a propulsion system. The wing can extend outwardly from the fuselage at least proximate to the second fuselage portion and can include a leading edge region and a trailing edge region. The propulsion system can include an engine nacelle fixedly attached to the wing and laterally aligned with the second fuselage portion. In one aspect of this embodiment, the engine nacelle can include an air inlet positioned aft of the leading edge region of the wing and an exhaust gas outlet positioned aft of the trailing edge region of the wing.

Integrated high-speed aircraft and associated methods of manufacture

Sleeping units such as bunks or cabins are arranged in a space efficient manner in the lower lobe of an aircraft, accessible from the main passenger cabin by a stairway or elevator. The space efficient arrangement of sleeping units can include bunks extending longitudinally along one side of a longitudinal aisle and bunks extending transversely of the aircraft at the other side of the aisle. Access to the transversely extending bunks can be by short cross-aisles. At least one portion of the passenger compartment can have a floor lowered relative to the normal cargo floor to provide additional headroom in the aisle, while another portion of the sleeping compartment can rest on the cargo floor for conversion between a passenger rest area configuration and a standard cargo carrying configuration.

Aircraft lower lobe sleeping compartment

A rest area is provided in the crown of an aircraft, above the ceiling of the main passenger cabin. The rest area includes a longitudinally extending aisle having a floor lowered into the overhead bin structure of the passenger cabin, and raised beds accessible from the aisle. The beds can extend longitudinally at opposite sides of the aisle, or transversely of the aircraft with end access from the aisle. The rest area can incorporate a lounge consisting of a couch, recliners, and/or storage units, with an enlarged passing area for users of the rest area. The overhead rest area provides a convenient, comfortable resting area, such as for pilots and attendants, without affecting the revenue generating capability of the seating configuration of the main passenger cabin, or the cargo carrying capably of the lower lobe of the aircraft.

Growing community of inventors

Bellevue, WA, United States of America

Mithra M Sankrithi