公开(公告)号：US20240376976A1

公开(公告)日：2024-11-14

申请号：US18316073

申请日：2023-05-11

Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.

Inventor： Nathaniel Ross Bernklau ,  Charles Eric Covington

IPC: F16H57/04 ,  F16N29/00 ,  G01F23/292

Abstract: An aircraft is described and includes an aircraft body, a gearbox housing containing a lubricant, and a remote gearbox lubricant level gauging (RGLLG) system including a light source that when activated illuminates an interior of the gearbox housing; at least one light tube for transmitting light from inside the gearbox housing to an observer end of the RGLLG system, and at least one indicator at the observer end of for indicating a level of the lubricant contained within the gearbox based on the light transmitted via the at least one light tube.

公开(公告)号：US12077308B2

公开(公告)日：2024-09-03

申请号：US17721015

申请日：2022-04-14

Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.

Inventor： Charles Eric Covington ,  Chia-Wei Su ,  Darren Gregory Lang

IPC: B64D35/08 ,  B64D31/12

CPC classification number: B64D31/12 ,  B64D35/08

Abstract: A method of operating a multi-engine drive system of an aircraft includes driving a main rotor of the aircraft by a main engine of the multi-engine drive system at an operating speed of the main engine, operating a supplemental engine of the multi-engine drive system at approximately 80% of an operating speed of the supplemental engine, wherein, during the operating step, a clutch interoperably coupled to the supplemental engine is interoperably decoupled from the main rotor and, responsive to a command to interoperably engage the clutch, if the clutch successfully engages such that the clutch is interoperably coupled to the main rotor, providing, by the supplemental engine, power to the main rotor.

公开(公告)号：US12054245B2

公开(公告)日：2024-08-06

申请号：US17867231

申请日：2022-07-18

Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.

Inventor： Thomas Dewey Parsons ,  Charles Eric Covington ,  Kent E. Donaldson ,  Andrew Thomas Carter

IPC: B64C27/12 ,  B64D31/06

CPC classification number: B64C27/12 ,  B64D31/06

Abstract: In an embodiment, an aircraft includes a drive system, a main engine coupled to the drive system to provide first power, and a supplemental engine coupled to the drive system to provide second power additive to the first power. The aircraft also includes a control system to control the main engine and the supplemental engine to optimize usage of the supplemental engine. The control system is operable to maintain the supplemental engine in a reduced power state at least until a determination is made that supplemental power is needed to satisfy a total power demand of the drive system. The control system is also operable to determine that supplemental power is needed to satisfy the total power demand of the drive system. The control system is further operable to increase a power level of the supplemental engine in response to the determination that supplemental power is needed.

公开(公告)号：US12024307B2

公开(公告)日：2024-07-02

申请号：US17721890

申请日：2022-04-15

Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.

Inventor： Brady Garrett Atkins ,  Troy Cyril Schank ,  Charles Eric Covington ,  Carlos Alexander Fenny ,  Jonathan Toth

IPC: B64C11/00 ,  B64C11/04 ,  B64D31/06

CPC classification number: B64D31/06 ,  B64C11/002 ,  B64C11/04

Abstract: A rotor-regulation system includes a rotor that includes a plurality of rotor blades, a rotor mast operable to drive the rotor, and a rotor disc-brake system operable to modulate rotation of the rotor mast.

公开(公告)号：US11623736B2

公开(公告)日：2023-04-11

申请号：US17336264

申请日：2021-06-01

Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.

Inventor： Erik Oltheten ,  Darren Gregory Lang ,  Charles Eric Covington

IPC: B64C13/04

Abstract: An aircraft includes an electronically controlled engine (ECE) and a first and a second throttle control assembly. The first throttle control assembly includes a first throttle fly button configured to command a FLY mode and a first throttle idle button configured to command an IDLE mode. The second throttle control assembly includes a second throttle fly button configured to command the FLY mode and a second throttle idle button configured to command the IDLE mode.

公开(公告)号：US11215439B2

公开(公告)日：2022-01-04

申请号：US16840996

申请日：2020-04-06

Applicant: TEXTRON INNOVATIONS INC.

Inventor： David Bryan Roberts ,  Charles Eric Covington ,  Brady Garrett Atkins

IPC: G01B7/30 ,  G01B7/04 ,  G01B11/26 ,  G01D5/347 ,  G01B11/04 ,  B64C29/00 ,  G01D5/249

Abstract: A method and system to measure a parameter associated with a component, device, or system with a specified accuracy, including: providing one or more sensors operably disposed to detect the parameter; obtaining a coarse measurement of the parameter within a first range using the one or more sensors, wherein the first range includes minimum and maximum values for the parameter; obtaining a fine measurement of the parameter within a second range using the one or more sensors, wherein the second range is smaller than the first range and has a specified ratio to the first range that provides the specified accuracy; determining a current value of the parameter by combining the coarse and fine measurements; and providing the current value of the parameter to a communications interface, a storage device, a display, a control panel, a processor, a programmable logic controller, or an external device.