公开(公告)号：US11091258B2

公开(公告)日：2021-08-17

申请号：US16442288

申请日：2019-06-14

Applicant: Bell Textron Inc.

Inventor： Kirk L. Groninga ,  Daniel B. Robertson

IPC: B64C29/00 ,  B64C39/04 ,  B64D27/02

Abstract: An exemplary tiltrotor aircraft having a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) flight mode and a forward flight mode includes tiltable rotors located at forward boom ends, tiltable ducted fans located at wings aft of the forward boom ends, and aft rotors located on aft boom portions.

公开(公告)号：US11807357B2

公开(公告)日：2023-11-07

申请号：US17527900

申请日：2021-11-16

Applicant: Bell Textron Inc.

Inventor： Kirk L. Groninga ,  Danielle Lynn Moore

IPC: B64C29/00 ,  B64D27/26 ,  B64C39/12

CPC classification number: B64C29/0033 ,  B64C39/12 ,  B64D27/26

Abstract: One embodiment is an aircraft operable in a hover mode and a cruise mode and including a fuselage; wings connected on opposite sides of the fuselage; a canard connected to the fuselage forward of the wings; forward propulsion systems connected to a trailing edge of the canard on opposite sides of the fuselage; aft propulsion systems connected to trailing edges of the wings; and wing-mounted propulsion systems connected to leading edges of the wings. The aft propulsion systems are tiltable between a first position when the aircraft is in the hover mode and a second position when the aircraft is in the cruise mode. Each of the propulsion systems includes a rotor assembly comprising a plurality of rotor blades. The propulsion systems are substantially equidistant from a center of gravity (CG) of the aircraft.

公开(公告)号：US11718397B2

公开(公告)日：2023-08-08

申请号：US17324184

申请日：2021-05-19

Applicant: Bell Textron Inc.

Inventor： Brent C. Ross ,  Kirk L. Groninga ,  Steven R. Ivans ,  Jason Paul Hurst

IPC: B64C29/00 ,  B64C13/24 ,  B64D27/24 ,  B64D35/04

CPC classification number: B64C29/0033 ,  B64C13/24 ,  B64D27/24 ,  B64D35/04

Abstract: Embodiments include an aircraft comprising a fuselage; a wing connected to the fuselage; and first and second propulsion systems connected to the wing on opposite sides of the fuselage, wherein at least a portion of each of the first and second propulsion systems and at least a portion of the wing are tiltable between a first position in which the aircraft is in a hover mode and a second position in which the aircraft is in a cruise mode, wherein each of the propulsion systems includes pylon and a rotor assembly comprising a plurality of rotor blades.

公开(公告)号：US11117655B2

公开(公告)日：2021-09-14

申请号：US16436406

申请日：2019-06-10

Applicant: Bell Textron Inc.

Inventor： Kirk L. Groninga ,  Daniel B. Robertson

IPC: B64C27/82 ,  B64C27/78 ,  B64C27/52

Abstract: An exemplary tail rotor includes a first blade assembly configured to rotate in a first direction about an axis of rotation and a second blade assembly configured to rotate in a second direction about the axis of rotation.

公开(公告)号：US12168508B2

公开(公告)日：2024-12-17

申请号：US17216591

申请日：2021-03-29

Applicant: Bell Textron Inc.

Inventor： Brent C. Ross ,  Kirk L. Groninga ,  Steven R. Ivans ,  Steve R. Schafer ,  Brad Joseph Passe ,  Nicholas Ralph Carlson

IPC: B64C29/00 ,  B64C39/04 ,  B64C39/08 ,  B64D27/24

Abstract: One embodiment is an aircraft including a fuselage; a wing connected to the fuselage; first and second booms connected to the wing on opposite sides of the fuselage; first and second forward propulsion systems attached to forward ends of the first and second booms; first and second aft propulsion systems fixedly attached proximate aft ends of the first and second booms; first and second wing-mounted propulsion systems connected to outboard ends of wings; and first and second wing tips fixedly connected to outboard sides of the first and second wing-mounted propulsion systems; wherein the first and second wing-mounted propulsion systems and the first and second wing tips are collectively tiltable between a first position when the aircraft is in a hover mode and a second position when the aircraft is in a cruise mode.

公开(公告)号：US11613375B2

公开(公告)日：2023-03-28

申请号：US16414402

申请日：2019-05-16

Applicant: Bell Textron Inc.

Inventor： Kirk L. Groninga ,  Daniel B. Robertson

IPC: B64D35/08 ,  B64C27/12 ,  B64C27/28 ,  B64D27/24 ,  F16H1/28 ,  F16H57/00 ,  H02K7/116

Abstract: An exemplary dual motor input includes a common shaft for coupling to a member to be rotationally driven, a first motor rotationally coupled to a first drive shaft, the first drive shaft coupled to the common shaft, and a second motor rotationally coupled to a second drive shaft, the second drive shaft coupled to the common shaft.

公开(公告)号：US12246827B1

公开(公告)日：2025-03-11

申请号：US18530482

申请日：2023-12-06

Applicant: Bell Textron Inc.

Inventor： Kirk L. Groninga ,  Daniel B. Robertson

IPC: B64C29/00 ,  B64C15/02 ,  B64C39/04

Abstract: An exemplary tiltrotor aircraft having a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) flight mode and a forward flight mode includes tiltable rotors located at forward boom ends, tiltable ducted fans located at wings aft of the forward boom ends, and aft rotors located on aft boom portions.

公开(公告)号：US20220306292A1

公开(公告)日：2022-09-29

申请号：US17216591

申请日：2021-03-29

Applicant: Bell Textron Inc.

Inventor： Brent C. Ross ,  Kirk L. Groninga ,  Steven R. Ivans ,  Steve R. Schafer ,  Brad Joseph Passe ,  Nicholas Ralph Carlson

IPC: B64C29/00 ,  B64D27/24

Abstract: One embodiment is an aircraft including a fuselage; a wing connected to the fuselage; first and second booms connected to the wing on opposite sides of the fuselage; first and second forward propulsion systems attached to forward ends of the first and second booms; first and second aft propulsion systems fixedly attached proximate aft ends of the first and second booms; first and second wing-mounted propulsion systems connected to outboard ends of wings; and first and second wing tips fixedly connected to outboard sides of the first and second wing-mounted propulsion systems; wherein the first and second wing-mounted propulsion systems and the first and second wing tips are collectively tiltable between a first position when the aircraft is in a hover mode and a second position when the aircraft is in a cruise mode.

公开(公告)号：US11097838B2

公开(公告)日：2021-08-24

申请号：US16442180

申请日：2019-06-14

Applicant: Bell Textron Inc.

Inventor： Kirk L. Groninga ,  Daniel B. Robertson ,  Matthew E. Louis

IPC: B64C29/00 ,  B64C27/52 ,  B64C27/22 ,  B64C11/00

Abstract: An exemplary ducted fan with an optimized stator includes a duct surrounding a rotor hub from which blades radially extend and the stator having a stator span extending horizontally across an inside diameter of the duct, the stator having a stator chord extending from a leading edge to a trailing edge, wherein a length of the stator chord varies across the stator span.

公开(公告)号：US11873085B2

公开(公告)日：2024-01-16

申请号：US17366834

申请日：2021-07-02

Applicant: Bell Textron Inc.

Inventor： Kirk L. Groninga ,  Daniel B. Robertson

IPC: B64C29/00 ,  B64C39/04 ,  B64D27/02

CPC classification number: B64C29/0033 ,  B64C29/0025 ,  B64C39/04 ,  B64D2027/026

Abstract: An exemplary tiltrotor aircraft having a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) flight mode and a forward flight mode includes tiltable rotors located at forward boom ends, tiltable ducted fans located at wings aft of the forward boom ends, and aft rotors located on aft boom portions.