公开(公告)号：US20190002112A1

公开(公告)日：2019-01-03

申请号：US15636368

申请日：2017-06-28

Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.

Inventor： Timothy Brian Carr ,  Chad Richard Haugeberg ,  Deepak Chandrashekar Jangamakote

IPC: B64D25/16

Abstract: A breakaway cover for providing emergency access to a release mechanism for a life raft on a vehicle includes a housing configured to be attached the vehicle. The housing includes a recess wherein the release mechanism may be located. The recess is protected by a cover. The cover has a first end attached the housing and a second end retained to the housing but capable of being pulled free. The cover is configured to fracture along a series of slots proximate the first end when pulled by a user.

公开(公告)号：US20180374287A1

公开(公告)日：2018-12-27

申请号：US16103861

申请日：2018-08-14

Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.

Inventor： Brian Edward Tucker ,  Richard Marcos Muñiz

IPC: G07C5/08 ,  G05B23/02 ,  B64D45/00 ,  G06F17/50 ,  B64F5/60

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for statistically equivalent level of safety modeling. One method includes identifying sub-fleets within a fleet based upon usage profiles, determining a sub-fleet reliability value for each sub-fleet, determining a baseline fleet reliability for the fleet by combining the sub-fleet reliability values on a weighted basis, applying at least one credit to at least one sub-fleet, determining a post-credit sub-fleet reliability value for each sub-fleet based upon the at least one credit, determining a post-credit fleet reliability for the fleet by combining the post-credit sub-fleet reliability values on a weighted basis, comparing the baseline fleet reliability with the post-credit fleet reliability to identify a change in fleet reliability and determining whether the change in fleet reliability is within a predetermined threshold to validate the at least one credit.

公开(公告)号：US20180362160A1

公开(公告)日：2018-12-20

申请号：US15623328

申请日：2017-06-14

Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.

Inventor： Kirk L. Groninga ,  John Lloyd ,  Daniel B. Robertson

IPC: B64C39/02 ,  B64C27/20 ,  B64C13/04 ,  B64C25/10 ,  B64C9/00

Abstract: In a first aspect, there is a personal air vehicle including a body having a forward portion, a central portion and an aft portion; a first ducted fan supported by the forward portion of the body; a second ducted fan supported by the aft portion of the body; and third and fourth ducted fans supported by the left and right sides of the body and pivotable relative to the body. An aspect provides a method of flying the personal air vehicle.

公开(公告)号：US20180362153A1

公开(公告)日：2018-12-20

申请号：US15627819

申请日：2017-06-20

Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.

Inventor： Jared Mark Paulson ,  Bryan Marshall ,  Christopher E. Foskey

IPC: B64C27/00 ,  B64C27/473 ,  B64C27/82 ,  F03D13/35

Abstract: The present invention includes a balancing system that includes a weight box, mounted substantially within the rotor-blade spar, flush with a rotor-blade spar outer surface, operably accessible from a rotor-blade tip, and retained within the rotor-blade spar by a weight-box retention pin, one or more weight-box contact surfaces bonded to a rotor-blade-spar inner surface, or a weight-box lip providing a bearing contact with an edge of a spar rotor-blade spar cutout; and a weight package attached to the weight box, the weight package including a weight-box cover, two or more weight guide-rods attached to the weight-box cover, wherein one of the two or more weight guide-rods is positioned forward of a pitch change axis or center of twist and wherein one of the two weight guide-rods is positioned aft of the pitch change axis or center of twist, and one or more balance weights mounted on the weight guide-rods.

公开(公告)号：US20180362152A1

公开(公告)日：2018-12-20

申请号：US16103083

申请日：2018-08-14

Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.

Inventor： Dudley E. Smith ,  Cory M. Hitte ,  Bryan Marshall ,  Carlos Alexander Fenny

IPC: B64C27/00 ,  B64D27/24 ,  B64C27/12 ,  B64D27/02

Abstract: Embodiments refer generally to systems and methods for providing autorotative enhancement for helicopters using an autorotative assist unit coupled to the transmission of the helicopter. Methods of utilizing an autorotative assist unit as well as retrofitting an autorotative assist unit to an existing helicopter are also disclosed. By employing an autorotative assist unit, improved autorotation can be achieved without the need to increase the weight of the rotor.

公开(公告)号：US20180354615A1

公开(公告)日：2018-12-13

申请号：US15619765

申请日：2017-06-12

Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.

Inventor： Kirk Landon Groninga ,  Daniel Bryan Robertson

IPC: B64C29/00 ,  B64C39/08 ,  B64D27/24 ,  B64C15/12

CPC classification number: B64C29/0033 ,  B64C3/385 ,  B64C15/12 ,  B64C27/28 ,  B64C39/08 ,  B64D27/24 ,  B64D2027/026

Abstract: An aircraft having a vertical takeoff and landing fight mode and a forward flight mode. The aircraft includes a fuselage and an X-tiltwing that is rotatable relative to the fuselage between a vertical lift orientation and a forward thrust orientation. The X-tiltwing has oppositely disposed V-wing members each having first and second wing sections. In the vertical lift orientation, the first and second wing sections of each V-wing member are generally in the same horizontal plane. In the forward thrust orientation, the first and second wing sections of each V-wing member are generally in the same vertical plane. A distributed propulsion system is attached to the X-tiltwing such that a plurality of propulsion assemblies is attached to each wing section. A flight control system is operably associated with the distributed propulsion system to independently control each of the propulsion assemblies.

公开(公告)号：US20180354602A1

公开(公告)日：2018-12-13

申请号：US16018862

申请日：2018-06-26

Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.

Inventor： James Everett Kooiman ,  Mark Loring Isaac ,  John Elton Brunken, JR. ,  John McCullough

IPC: B64C1/26 ,  B64C29/00 ,  B64C1/14 ,  B64C3/18

CPC classification number: B64C1/26 ,  B64C1/1423 ,  B64C3/187 ,  B64C29/0033

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an aircraft features a fuselage, a wing member, and two fuselage beam. The fuselage features a first plurality of structural supports, a second plurality of structural supports, a first opening disposed between the first plurality of structural supports, and a second opening disposed between the second plurality of structural supports. The wing member is disposed above the first opening and above the second opening. The wing features a plurality of ribs including a first rib and a second rib. The first fuselage beam couples the first rib of the wing member to the fuselage and has an elongated body portion extending across the first plurality of structural supports. The second fuselage beam couples the second rib of the wing member to the fuselage and features an elongated body portion extending across the second plurality of structural supports.

公开(公告)号：US10151555B1

公开(公告)日：2018-12-11

申请号：US15617889

申请日：2017-06-08

Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.

Inventor： Robert Wesley Matson ,  David Kimble Huber

IPC: F41B11/62 ,  F41F1/00 ,  F41B11/73

CPC classification number: F41B11/73 ,  F41B11/62

Abstract: An air cannon has a barrel and a sabot sized to fit within the barrel and configured to engage a projectile located within the barrel forward of the sabot. A flexible cord connects the sabot to a fixed location relative to the barrel. Forward motion of the sabot is decelerated by the cord after the sabot exits the forward end of the barrel, and the sabot is retained by the cord near the forward end of the barrel.

公开(公告)号：US20180348794A1

公开(公告)日：2018-12-06

申请号：US15608834

申请日：2017-05-30

Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.

Inventor： Mark Berkley ,  David Fuessel ,  Steven Welch ,  David Meek

IPC: G05D1/08 ,  B64C13/50 ,  B64C27/68 ,  G06F1/26

CPC classification number: B64D47/00 ,  B64D2221/00 ,  H02J3/14

Abstract: A rotorcraft includes an avionics control unit (ACU) and multiple power distribution units (PDUs) electrically connected to an electrical bus, wherein each PDU of the multiple PDUs is electrically connected to a respective multiple electrical loads, and wherein each PDU of the multiple PDUs is configured to receive commands from the ACU to couple or decouple one or more of its respectively connected multiple electrical loads from the electrical bus. The ACU is configured to send commands to the multiple PDUs to couple or decouple a first set of electrical loads and to couple or decouple a second set of electrical loads from the electrical bus, wherein the coupling or decoupling of the first set and the coupling or decoupling the second set is based on a first priority of the first set and a second priority of the second set, respectively.

公开(公告)号：US10145244B2

公开(公告)日：2018-12-04

申请号：US14792263

申请日：2015-07-06

Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.

Inventor： Paul K. Oldroyd ,  Drew Sutton ,  Andrew Maresh ,  Christopher Foskey

IPC: B64C27/473 ,  F01D5/14

Abstract: A rotorcraft rotor blade assembly includes a stub spar extending less than a full span of the rotor blade assembly. An upper skin portion extends substantially the full span of the rotor blade assembly. A lower skin portion extends substantially the full span of the rotor blade assembly. The stub spar is positioned between the upper skin portion and the lower skin portion.