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:
Dec. 08, 1998
Filed:
Mar. 19, 1996
Leo J Baker, St. Johns, MI (US);
Other;
Abstract
A flight control apparatus (10, 210, 310 or 410) for use in a model airplane (50, 250, 350 or 450) is described. The apparatus includes a weight (20, 220, 320 or 420) and a resilient band (24, 224, 324 or 424). In the first three embodiments, the weight is mounted in a housing (12, 212 or 312) with the resilient band connected between the weight and the housing. In the fourth embodiment, the weight is mounted on the fuselage (452) of the airplane. The airplane is launched using a standard slingshot-like launching device (56). The resilient member (56A) is mounted around the extension (22, 222 or 422) of the weight in the first, second and fourth embodiments. In the third embodiment, the resilient member is mounted around a hook (354) on the head (350A) of the airplane. To launch, the user (100) holds the tail (60) of the airplane and pulls forward on the post (56B) of the launching device which pulls the weight of the apparatus to the forward most position. The user releases the tail of the airplane and the airplane is launched into the air. Once the airplane reaches its maximum acceleration and begins to decrease in speed, the force of inertia of the weight decreases. When the force of inertia tending to hold the weight forward becomes less than the force of the resilient band, the weight is moved backward.