The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 21, 2023
Filed:
May. 29, 2020
Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation, a Subsidiary of the Boeing Company, Manassas, VA (US);
Andrew Mark Heafitz, Cambridge, MA (US);
Jason Grzywna, Marlborough, MA (US);
Felipe Bohorquez, Cambridge, MA (US);
Anna Zolnikov, Cambridge, MA (US);
Jose Antonio L. Turalba, Cambridge, MA (US);
Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation, a subsidiary of The Boeing Company, Manassas, VA (US);
Abstract
Presented are weight distribution systems for aircraft center of gravity (CG) management, methods for making/operating such systems, and aircraft equipped with CG management systems. A method is presented for managing the CG of an aircraft. The aircraft includes first and second landing gears and an airframe that removably attaches thereto one or more payloads and/or hardware modules. The method includes supporting the aircraft on a support leg that operatively attaches to the airframe and, while supported on the support leg, determining if the aircraft pivots onto the first or second landing gear. If the aircraft pivots onto either landing gear, the method responsively identifies a new airframe position for the payload/hardware module that will shift the aircraft's CG to within a calibrated 'acceptable' CG range; doing so should balance the aircraft on the support leg. The payload/hardware module is then relocated to the new airframe position.