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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.:

US 11767112 B1

PDFFull Text
Date of Patent:
Sep. 26, 2023

Filed:

Feb. 22, 2023

Aircraft having a magnetically couplable payload module

Applicant:

Textron Innovations Inc., Providence, RI (US);

Inventors:

John Richard McCullough, Weatherford, TX (US);

Paul K. Oldroyd, Azle, TX (US);

Assignee:

Textron Innovations Inc., Providence, RI (US);

Attorney:

Lawrence Youst PLLC

Primary Examiner:

Benjamin P Lee

Int. Cl.
CPC ...
B64C 39/08 (2006.01); B64C 29/00 (2006.01); B64C 3/56 (2006.01); B64C 11/46 (2006.01); B64C 17/00 (2006.01); B64C 29/02 (2006.01); B64C 39/02 (2023.01); B64D 27/24 (2006.01); B64D 27/26 (2006.01); B64C 27/30 (2006.01); B64C 1/06 (2006.01); G05D 1/00 (2006.01); G05D 1/10 (2006.01); B64U 30/10 (2023.01); B64U 30/20 (2023.01); B64U 101/60 (2023.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
B64C 39/08 (2013.01); B64C 1/063 (2013.01); B64C 3/56 (2013.01); B64C 11/46 (2013.01); B64C 17/00 (2013.01); B64C 27/30 (2013.01); B64C 29/0033 (2013.01); B64C 29/02 (2013.01); B64C 39/024 (2013.01); B64D 27/24 (2013.01); B64D 27/26 (2013.01); G05D 1/0094 (2013.01); G05D 1/101 (2013.01); G05D 1/102 (2013.01); G05D 1/106 (2019.05); B64C 2211/00 (2013.01); B64D 2027/262 (2013.01); B64U 30/10 (2023.01); B64U 30/20 (2023.01); B64U 2101/60 (2023.01);
Abstract

An aircraft is configured for thrust-borne lift in a vertical takeoff and landing flight mode and wing-borne lift in a forward flight mode. The aircraft includes an airframe having a first wing and a first payload station. A distributed propulsion system that is coupled to the airframe includes a plurality of propulsion assemblies configured to provide vertical thrust in the vertical takeoff and landing flight mode and forward thrust in the forward flight mode. A control system is operably associated with the distributed propulsion system and is operable to independently control each of the propulsion assemblies. A payload module is configured to be transported by the airframe from a pickup location to a delivery location. The payload module is magnetically coupled to the first payload station during transportation and, responsive to a command from the control system, is magnetically decoupled from the first payload station at the delivery location.

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