Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100206982 | COUNTER ROTATING FAN DESIGN AND VARIABLE BLADE ROW SPACING OPTIMIZATION FOR LOW ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT - An air vehicle propulsion system incorporates an engine core with a power shaft to drive an outer blade row. The power shaft is extends through and is supported by a counter rotation transmission unit which drives an inner blade row in counter rotational motion to the outer blade row. The counter rotation transmission unit exchanges power from the engine core with the shaft. An actuator engages the shaft for translation from a first retracted position to a second extended position. | 08-19-2010 |
20100276541 | Method of Absorbing Energy in an Aircraft Passenger Seat Assembly - An aircraft seat assembly configured in accordance with an example embodiment of the invention offers a light weight and comfortable seat cushioning system that also provides energy-absorption and enhanced passenger maneuverability in extreme conditions such as may be experienced in a hard landing situation. The cushioning system includes a crushable, energy-absorbing layer, a main cushioning layer, a smaller ishial insert layer which may be the same as the main cushioning material and a semi-dynamic pneumatic cell which uses a dual action breather valve to vary its inflation with changes in cabin pressure. The seat cushion may be finished with a covering of cloth or upholstery. | 11-04-2010 |
20110018740 | TACTILE PILOT ALERTING SYSTEM AND METHOD - A method of alerting an occupant of a seat assembly of the occurrence of a triggering event comprising the steps of monitoring for the occurrence of the triggering event, vibrating the seat assembly and/or probing the seat assembly. | 01-27-2011 |
20110089290 | AIRPLANE CONFIGURATION - An aircraft configuration that may reduce the level of noise, infrared radiation, or combination thereof directed towards the ground from an aircraft in flight. An embodiment of an aircraft includes a fuselage, two forward swept wings, at least one engine mounted to the aircraft and higher than the wings, and vertical stabilizers mounted on each wing outboard of the outermost engine. The leading edge of the wing may extend forward of the leading end of the engine, and the trailing edge of the aft deck may extend aft of the trailing end of the engine. The aft deck may include an upwardly rotatable pitch control surface at the trailing edge of the deck. Engine types may vary, including but not limited to turbofans, prop-fans, and turbo-props. Main wings may be mounted above the longitudinal axis of the fuselage, and canards may likewise be mounted above or below the axis. | 04-21-2011 |
20110150645 | Optimization of Downstream Open Fan Propeller Position - A method and apparatus for controlling a propeller of a contra-rotation open fan (CROF) engine of an aircraft. A diameter of the propeller is set to be at a first diameter during at least a portion of a first flight condition of the aircraft. The diameter of the propeller is set to be at a second diameter, different from the first diameter, during at least a portion of a second flight condition of the aircraft. | 06-23-2011 |
20120091270 | AIRCRAFT CONFIGURATION - An aircraft configuration that may reduce the level of roaring jet exhaust noise, infrared radiation, sonic boom, or combination thereof directed towards the ground from an aircraft in flight. The aircraft's nacelles are mounted to the aircraft higher than the wings, with substantially vertical stabilizers outboard of the outermost engine. Noise shifting means are provided such as, for each nacelle, primary chevrons at the core nozzle, secondary chevrons at the fan nozzle, a partial bypass mixer, a long duct full flow mixer, or a combination thereof to provide a shift in spectrum distribution of jet exhaust noise from lower to higher frequency. Variable geometry chevrons may be used with increased immersion to provide such a shift just during noise-restricted portions of an aircraft flight profile. The aircraft aerodynamic structural surfaces serve as noise shielding barriers that more effectively block or redirect the frequency shifted noise up and away from communities. | 04-19-2012 |
20120119023 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REDUCING AIRCRAFT NOISE - An arrangement for an aircraft includes a fuselage, a wing, and a propulsor. The wing may have a wing upper surface, a rear spar and a wing trailing edge. The propulsor may include at least one rotor having a rotor diameter and a rotor axis. The propulsor may be mounted such that the rotor is located longitudinally between the rear spar and the wing trailing edge. The propulsor may also be mounted such that a lowest point of the rotor diameter is located vertically above the wing upper surface. | 05-17-2012 |
20120138743 | AIRCRAFT CONFIGURATION WITH RAMP ACCESS TO MULTIPLE DECKS - An aircraft may include a cabin having a first portion, a second portion, a first ramp and a second ramp. The first portion of the cabin may include an upper deck and a lower deck. The upper deck and the lower deck may be disposed proximate to each other with vertical separation therebetween. The second portion may include an intermediate deck disposed in a plane that is substantially parallel to planes in which the upper deck and the lower deck lie. The intermediate deck may be vertically separated from both the upper deck and the lower deck. The first ramp may extend between the lower deck and the intermediate deck to provide access therebetween. The second ramp may extend between the upper deck and the intermediate deck to provide access therebetween. | 06-07-2012 |
20130068890 | Dual Boarding System for Aircraft - A method and apparatus for boarding an aircraft. Passengers may be lined up in a first line and a second line relative to a doorway for the aircraft. A flow of the passengers in the first line and the second line may be controlled through a corridor connecting the doorway to a first aisle and a second aisle in an interior of the aircraft. The flow of the passengers may pass through a number of spaces in the corridor. The number of spaces may be reserved for a number of crew members during an emergency operation in which the passengers exit the aircraft. | 03-21-2013 |
20130080357 | Aircraft Seating Systems - A method and apparatus comprising a plurality of seating systems and a frame for use in a passenger aircraft. A first seating system in the plurality of seating systems may have different dimensions from a second seating system in the plurality of seating systems. A frame may be configured to be connected to the plurality of seating systems. | 03-28-2013 |
20140027571 | CONTROLLED LANDING GEAR TIRE TRACTION SYSTEM - A landing gear tire traction control system and methods are presented. An outer tire of an aircraft wheel is depressurized to a depressurized state in response to a non-optimal aircraft landing condition. An inner rotor of the aircraft wheel contacts the outer tire in response to the depressurized state, and a plurality of traction studs are deployed to protrude from the outer tire in response to the inner rotor contacting the outer tire. | 01-30-2014 |
20140083012 | DUAL FUNCTION LAVATORY DOOR - A dual function lavatory door and methods are presented. A hinged door panel comprises a doorway hinge coupled to a first side of a lavatory doorway of a lavatory. The doorway hinge positions the hinged door panel to couple to a first interior side-wall of the lavatory in a deployed position. An extendable door panel is coupled to the hinged door panel by a vertical hinge and can couple to a second side of the lavatory doorway opposite to the first side. The extendable door panel folds along the vertical hinge into an interior space of the lavatory in the deployed position. An extension panel is coupled to the extendable door panel and extends from the extendable door panel to couple to a second interior side-wall of the lavatory opposite to the first interior side-wall in the deployed position. | 03-27-2014 |
20140097294 | AIRCRAFT LAVATORY AND GALLEY SEPARATED BY AN INTERNAL WALL HAVING AN INTERMEDIATE NOTCH THAT IMPROVES THE LAVATORY ENVIRONMENT - An internal wall in an aircraft cabin separates a lavatory and a galley of the aircraft. The internal wall has an intermediate notch that increases a lateral width dimension of the lavatory above the notch and thereby improves the spatial environment of the lavatory. | 04-10-2014 |
20140117156 | SINGLE AISLE AIRCRAFT LAVATORY WITH OPTIMIZED USE OF FLOOR SPACE FOR WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBILITY - An aircraft cabin has a lavatory that is accessible from a cross-aisle of the aircraft and in which the toilet is moved from the typical outboard location to an inboard location where increased head room enables the toilet to be positioned in tight proximity to a back wall of the lavatory directly behind the toilet and thereby increases an open area of floor surface in front of the toilet for wheelchair access to the lavatory. | 05-01-2014 |
20140124622 | AIRCRAFT HAVING A RECESSED CAVITY IN AN AFT PRESSURE BULKHEAD WALL SURFACE AND A GALLEY MOVED REARWARDLY INTO THE RECESSED CAVITY INCREASING FLOOR SPACE IN FRONT OF THE GALLEY - An aircraft cabin has been reconfigured with a rear fuselage galley and a modified aft pressure bulkhead that enables the galley to be moved rearwardly to provide additional floor space in the aircraft cabin. | 05-08-2014 |
20140145035 | Aircraft Bird Strike Prevention - An aircraft comprises an aircraft body, and apparatus, carried by the body, for discharging a persistent vapor of bird repellant into an elevated airspace. | 05-29-2014 |
20140145481 | ADJUSTABLE SEAT ASSEMBLY - An aircraft seat assembly including multiple seats together having a total seating area. The aircraft seat assembly also includes an armrest separating a first seat of the multiple seats from a second seat of the multiple seats and a sliding mechanism coupled to the armrest. The sliding mechanism enables movement of the armrest to change a portion of the total seating area that is associated with at least one seat of the multiple seats. The aircraft seat assembly also includes a controller that controls movement of the armrest responsive to a control command. | 05-29-2014 |
20140166807 | AIRCRAFT CONFIGURATION WITH RAMP ACCESS TO MULTIPLE DECKS - An aircraft may include a cabin having a first portion, a second portion, a first ramp and a second ramp. The first portion of the cabin may include an upper deck and a lower deck. The upper deck and the lower deck may be disposed proximate to each other with vertical separation therebetween. The second portion may include an intermediate deck disposed in a plane that is substantially parallel to planes in which the upper deck and the lower deck lie. The intermediate deck may be vertically separated from both the upper deck and the lower deck. The first ramp may extend between the lower deck and the intermediate deck to provide access therebetween. The second ramp may extend between the upper deck and the intermediate deck to provide access therebetween. | 06-19-2014 |
20140183879 | ANTI-SKID SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLE TIRES ON ICY ROAD CONDITIONS AND METHOD THEREFOR - A method of increasing the friction between a tire of a vehicle and an icy surface includes dispensing a cooling agent such that at least a portion of the dispensed cooling agent is distributed between the tire of the vehicle and the icy surface. | 07-03-2014 |
20140191078 | Airplane Emergency Supplemental Braking System And Method - A system, an apparatus, and a method for an aerospace vehicle braking system for decelerating an aerospace vehicle on a landing surface. An arm is provided having a first portion connected to the aerospace vehicle and a second portion generally distal to the first portion. The second portion of the arm includes an engagement portion configured to engage the landing surface. The arm is movable between a first position, wherein the engagement portion is substantially disengaged from the landing surface, and a second position, wherein the engagement portion engages the landing surface with a force sufficient to significantly decelerate the aerospace vehicle. The engagement portion is configured to pivot with respect to the arm in response to the direction of travel of the aerospace vehicle upon the landing surface. An actuator is connected to the arm to selectively move the arm between the first position and the second position. | 07-10-2014 |
20140196372 | APPARATUS FOR A NO TOUCH LAVATORY DOOR - A no touch lavatory has a first sensor outside the lavatory that is operable to cause a motor assembly to open the door of the lavatory in response to a person making a motion in close proximity to the first sensor, a second sensor inside the lavatory that causes the motor assembly to close the door and causes a lock to lock the door in response to the second sensor detecting the person entering the lavatory, and a third sensor inside the lavatory that causes the lock to unlock the door and causes the motor assembly to open the door in response to the third sensor detecting a motion made by the person inside the lavatory. | 07-17-2014 |
20140308124 | OPTIMIZATION OF DOWNSTREAM OPEN FAN PROPELLER POSITION AND PLACEMENT OF ACOUSTIC SENSORS - A method and apparatus for controlling a propeller of a contra-rotation open fan (CROF) engine of an aircraft is provided. A diameter of the propeller is set to be at a first diameter during at least a portion of a first flight condition of the aircraft. The diameter of the propeller is set to be at a second diameter, different from the first diameter, during at least a portion of a second flight condition of the aircraft. | 10-16-2014 |
20140337067 | Aircraft Seating Systems - A method and apparatus comprising a plurality of seating systems and a frame for use in a passenger aircraft. A first seating system in the plurality of seating systems may have different dimensions from a second seating system in the plurality of seating systems. A frame may be configured to be connected to the plurality of seating systems. | 11-13-2014 |
20140367520 | ATTITUDE CONTROL OF AN AIRCRAFT IN A DITCHING CONDITION - Configurations provide rapid adjustment to an aircraft attitude in the water upon an emergency water landing. In one configuration, an aircraft fuselage has a forward compartment that includes a water intake and an air vent. The water intake is located below an expected waterline upon ditching the aircraft in water and transports a flow of water to the forward compartment at a designed flow rate. The air vent is positioned at a height in the forward compartment and allows a desired volume of water to fill the forward compartment and adjust an attitude of the aircraft within a time period. | 12-18-2014 |