Textron Innovations Inc.

Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.

Bell Textron Inc.

Other

Timothy Brian Carr

William Anthony Amante

Joseph Richard Carpenter, Jr

Matthew Edward Louis

Steve Michael Loveland

Bobby Howard Mosier

Michael Reaugh Smith

George Matthew Thompson

Joshua Andrew Emrich

Karl Schroeder

Joseph Daniel Leachman

Chad Richard Haugeberg

Nicholas Ralph Carlson

Richard Theodore Perryman

William David Dennison

Darrell W Wilkerson

Michael Stephen Deslatte

Ernest Edward Senn, Jr

Sheshaprasad Hassan Subramanya

Albert Gerard Brand

Jonathan Andrew Knoll

David Gordon Carlson

Suvankar Mishra

Nicholas James Plagianos

Martin Peryea

Arunkumar Koppa Siddalingappa

William P Gardiner

Ronald James Turner

Eric Christopher Terry

Joshua Robert O'Neil

Brian John Cox

Jayson David Roe

Darpan Bansal

Savithramma Narayanappa

Nicholas Hou

Douglas Howard Hamelwright

Pawan Bangalore Sathyananda

Deepak Chandrashekar Jangamakote

Michael Douglas Ishmael

Douglas Hamelwright, Jr

Kevin Stump

Joseph Richard Carpenter Jr

William D Dennison

Douglas Hamelwright Jr

Disclosed is an apparatus for maintaining a position of a vehicle door relative to a vehicle frame may include a link and a fastener. The link may have a first end and a second end. The first end may have a loop and the first end may be at an opposite end of the link from the second end. The fastener may be on a surface of the link and may be configured to fasten the link to the vehicle frame. A hook may be on the second end. The loop may be an arc or an incomplete circular portion. The vehicle may be a rotorcraft vehicle.

Stowable vehicle door securing system and apparatus

An aircraft, such as a rotorcraft, may have at least one area designated to house at least one fuel cell and at least one aircraft structure that may translate, during a drop impact of the aircraft, into the area designated to house the fuel cell. At least one shaped fuel cell may be provided and deployed therein, in accordance with the present systems and methods. Each respective shaped fuel cell may define at least one respective through-voids defined through the respective shaped fuel cell, and/or at least one respective edge cavity defined along an edge of the shaped fuel cell, wherein the respective through-void and/or the respective edge cavity correspond to the respective aircraft structure that may translate, during the drop impact of the aircraft, into the area of the aircraft designated to house the respective fuel cell to receive and accommodate the respective structure during the drop impact.

Shaped aircraft fuel cells, systems and methods for enhanced crashworthiness

Embodiments are directed to a fuel cell protection system comprising an aircraft fuselage having an inner surface and an outer surface, an attachment point mounted on the outer surface, an aircraft fuel cell spaced apart from the inner surface, and a plate positioned between the inner surface and the aircraft fuel system, the plate spaced apart from the inner surface to create a void space. The attachment point may be a cargo hook. The void space is configured to receive all or a portion of the cargo hook after a crash. The plate creating the void space may be a rigid material or may be a ballistic fabric material.

Fuel cell protection system

A handle assembly for an access panel is described and includes a handle connected to a support structure integrated into and covered by a skin of the access panel, the handle comprising a grip portion and upper and lower flanges extending perpendicularly from the grip portion and having first ends connected to the grip portion and second ends connected to the support structure; and a cover disposed over an opening in the access panel skin and selectively transitionable between a closed position and an open position, the opening situated relative to the handle such that the handle is concealed when the cover is in a closed position and accessible via the opening when the cover is in an open position.

Integrated door handle with hinged access cover

Embodiments are directed to an aircraft fuselage comprises two keel beams and two roof beams. Each keel beam is formed as a single component having no joints. Each keel beam comprises a first portion that is configured to define a floor of an aircraft and a second portion that is configured to define a tail section of an aircraft. The second portion is positioned at an angle relative to the first portion. Each roof beam is coupled to the second portion of a corresponding keel beam at a point remote from the first portion. Each roof beam and a corresponding keel beam are positioned along a single butt line relative to an aircraft fuselage centerline. Frame members are coupled to both keel beams and both roof beams.

Single butt line keel and roof beam

A replaceable web structure for an aircraft frame is described and includes a plurality of structural members fabricated from a first type of material, the replaceable web structure comprising a plurality of web members fabricated from thin sheets of a second type of material, wherein each of the web members is fastened to a web frame of one of the structural members to replace a web portion of the one of the structural members; wherein the second type of material is stronger than the first type of material such that one of the sheets of the second type of material is lighter weight than a sheet of equal strength of the first type of material.

Modular hybrid airframe structure for battery thermal event protection and repair

In an embodiment, a ducted fan assembly includes a housing that further includes a rotor. The ducted fan assembly also includes a plurality of stators that extend outward from the housing. The ducted fan assembly also includes a control vane pivotally attached to at least one of the plurality of stators. The ducted fan assembly also includes a rim that extends around at least a portion of a perimeter of the ducted fan assembly and is supported by the plurality of stators and the control vane, where the rim defines an opening surrounding at least a portion of the housing.

Ducted fan assembly for an aircraft

An exemplary cushion for a fuel system is constructed of a lattice structure formed of a material that is substantially nonabsorbent of fuel and has a network of nodes and beams defining cells, an exterior surface of the lattice structure is configured to be oriented toward a fuel cell and an interior surface of the lattice structure is configured to fit to a mounting surface.

Lattice structure cushions for aircraft fuel systems

A rotor system includes a rotor duct; at least one rotor blade that includes an outboard end; a tip extension mechanism affixed at the outboard end of the at least one rotor blade, the tip extension mechanism including at least one shim, the at least one rotor blade with the tip extension mechanism affixed thereto including an extended rotor blade; and a blade tip affixed to an outboard end of the extended rotor blade, wherein the blade tip is affixed to the extended rotor blade via at least one removable fastener.

Adjustable ducted rotor blade tip extension

A duct for a ducted-rotor aircraft may include an internal structure and an aerodynamic exterior skin that is adhesively bonded to the internal structure. The skin may include a leading-edge portion disposed at an inlet of the duct and an inner portion disposed along an interior of the duct. The inner portion of the skin may be bonded to the internal structure with a first bondline of adhesive and the leading-edge portion of the skin may be bonded to the inner portion of the skin with a second bondline of adhesive. One or both of the first and second bondlines of adhesive may be of non-uniform thickness to take up tolerance stackups between the inner portion of the skin, the leading-edge portion of the skin, and the internal structure.

Bonded skins for ducted-rotor aircraft

A ducted-rotor aircraft includes a fuselage, first and second ducts, and a spindle that is coupled to the fuselage. Each duct includes a rotor having a plurality of blades. The first and second ducts are coupled to opposed ends of the spindle. The spindle is rotatably coupled to the fuselage with first and second bearings. The first bearing is configured to react to radial loads and the second bearing is configured to react to both radial and axial loads. The spindle includes a shaft, first and second fittings secured to opposed ends of the shaft, and first and second attachment interfaces that are attachable to the first and second ducts. The attachment interfaces may be integral with the fittings. Alternatively, the fittings may be configured to be secured to the attachment interfaces with fasteners.

Conversion spindle with dual ducted tiltrotors

In an embodiment, a ducted fan assembly includes a housing that further includes a rotor. The ducted fan assembly also includes a rim that extends around at least a portion of a perimeter of the ducted fan assembly, where the rim defines an opening surrounding at least a portion of the housing. The ducted fan assembly also includes a skin that is attached to the rim and extends around the at least a portion of a perimeter of the ducted fan assembly to form a leading edge of the ducted fan assembly. The ducted fan assembly also includes a blade positioned on the rim underneath the skin.

Ducted fan assembly with blade in leading edge

In an embodiment, a ducted fan assembly includes a housing that further includes a rotor. The ducted fan assembly also includes a rim that defines an opening surrounding at least a portion of the housing. The ducted fan assembly also includes a movable leading edge that is attached to the rim and extends around at least a portion of a perimeter of the ducted fan assembly, where the movable leading edge is adjustable between at least a first position and a second position.

Ducted fan assembly with a movable leading edge

A method and device for protecting an adjacent rupturable component including positioning a sheet of puncture resistant, flexible material including one or more openings at or about the structure opening wherein the one or more openings accommodate the rupturable component; permanently or semi-permanently attaching the sheet to the structure at a first portion of an area of the sheet; and positioning the rupturable component through the one or more openings, such that one or more portions of the rupturable component near the one or more openings are protected by the sheet if the structure becomes frayed; wherein the sheet prevents damage to the rupturable component if the structure frays or fractures at or about the structure opening.

Method for enhanced fuel cell protection from adjacent damaged components

Various implementations directed to composite skid member with varying cross-sections are provided. In one implementation, an aircraft landing gear assembly may include two composite skid members configured to contact the ground, where each composite skid member includes a first cross-section and a second cross-section, and where the first cross-section is different than the second cross-section. The aircraft landing gear assembly may also include two cross members configured to couple to a fuselage of an aircraft and configured to interconnect the two composite skid members.

Composite skid member with varying cross-sections

Growing community of inventors

Fort Worth, TX, United States of America

Timothy Brian Carr