| BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON INC. Patent applications |
| Patent application number | Title | Published |
|---|
| 20120119017 | Aircraft Wing Extension and Nozzle System - A system and method to control flight of an aircraft. The aircraft having an engine with a rotatably nozzle assembly configured to create forward propulsion and yaw control of the aircraft. The engine exhaust passing through the nozzle is redirected with a valve disposed within the nozzle. Lift is created with a lift system carried by the wing of the aircraft. Additional lift is created during flight with a retractable wing extension disposed within the wing of the aircraft. | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120101666 | Aircraft Occupant Protection System - An occupant protection system for an aircraft comprising a sensor system for sensing flight condition information and a control system, which includes an impending crash detection system and an impact detection system. The impending crash detection system receives flight information from the sensors determines whether a crash is likely to occur. If an impending crash is detected, the impending crash detection system activates impact modes of a first group of aircraft systems. The impact detection system receives flight information from the sensor system and determines whether an impact has occurred or is occurring. If an impact is detected, the impact detection system activates impact modes of a second group of aircraft systems. | 04-26-2012 |
| 20120096714 | Method of Applying Abrasion Resistant Materials to Rotors - A process for applying a plurality of coats of abrasion resistant material to a substrate such as a rotor for an air-craft. The abrasion resistant material is composed of a first and a second material. The coats gradually transition from an abrasion resistant composition having a larger percentage part per volume of the first material to a larger percentage part per volume of the second material as additional coats are applied. | 04-26-2012 |
| 20120063897 | Differential Pitch-Control to Optimize Co-Rotating Stacked Rotor Performance - A rotor system for a rotorcraft having at least one rotor blade pair operably associated with a differential pitch assembly operably for controlling a pitch angle of an upper rotor blade and the lower rotor blade in the rotor blade pair. Operation of the differential pitch assembly changes the pitch of the upper rotor blade more severely than the pitch of the lower rotor blade. As such, the rotor system is configured to provide optimum pitch of the upper and lower rotor blades during a helicopter mode and an airplane mode. | 03-15-2012 |
| 20120061526 | Rotor Blade Spacing for Vibration Attenuation - A rotor system for a rotorcraft, the rotor system is a rotor hub having six rotor blades attached to a rotor mast via a rotor yoke assembly. Each rotor blade is angularly spaced in 30° and 90° alternating angular increment about a mast axis of rotation. Such rotor blades spacing reduces the vibration that is translated into the rotorcraft through the rotor mast. | 03-15-2012 |
| 20120061509 | Co-Rotating Stacked Rotor Disks for Improved Hover Performance - The system of the present application represents a rotor hub for a rotorcraft and a rotorcraft incorporating the rotor hub. The rotor hub is represented as having multiple rotor disk assemblies, each rotor disk assembly rotating in the same direction about the same mast axis of rotation. In the preferred embodiment, each rotor disk assembly has three rotor blades. The upper rotor disc assembly and the lower rotor disk assembly are separated by approximately 2.5% of the rotor disk diameter, at least to take advantage of “wake contraction”. | 03-15-2012 |
| 20120043412 | Rotor Hub and Controls for Multi-Bladed Rotor System - A rotor system for a rotorcraft includes a rotor hub having a plurality of rotor blade pairs mechanically coupled to a rotor mast. A pitch link assembly is mechanically coupled to each rotor blade pair for controlling the pitch angle of each rotor blade pair in tandem. Each rotor blade pair has an upper rotor blade and a lower rotor blade. The plurality of rotor blade pairs rotor in a single direction and about a single axis of rotation. | 02-23-2012 |
| 20120041724 | Method for Analyzing and Designing Armor in a Vehicle - Properly identifying the most vulnerable areas and quantifying the effectiveness of armor at those locations is critical to achieving efficient armor integration. A method for designing protective armor for a vehicle includes the deriving shotlines through an element; computing a probability of kill value for each shotline in each element; calculating a probability of kill intensity for each element; ranking the elements according to highest probability of kill intensity; mapping the elements in a 3D CAD environment to visually depict the elements having the highest probability of kill intensity; and designing armor taking into account the elements having the highest probability of kill intensity. | 02-16-2012 |
| 20120038366 | System and Method for Detecting Sensor Leakage - A test system for testing a sensor system includes a high-impedance resistor for forming a voltage divider with any corrosion or foreign substance that might be present between a signal conductor and a ground conductor. While a voltage is applied across the voltage divider, the voltage can be measured across the high-impedance resistor for determining whether an undesirable amount of conductance exists between the signal wire and ground. The test system also includes switching means for switching between any number of signal wires of a system undergoing testing. | 02-16-2012 |
| 20110315816 | Constant-Velocity Joint with Torque-Combining Differential - A constant-velocity drive system for an aircraft rotor has a gimbal mechanism and a differential torque-combining mechanism. The gimbal mechanism has gimbals driven in rotation by a rotor mast about a mast axis, the gimbals providing for gimballing relative to the mast about gimbal axes generally perpendicular to the mast axis. The differential torque-combining mechanism is connected to the gimbal mechanism and configured to be driven in rotation about the mast axis by the gimbal mechanism. The differential mechanism is capable of gimballing relative to the mast about the gimbal axes, the differential torque-combining mechanism having an output component attached to a yoke of the rotor for driving the yoke in rotation with the differential torque-combining mechanism. | 12-29-2011 |
| 20110252954 | JETTISONABLE ARMOR - An aircraft has an armor releasably attached to the body of an aircraft, an actuator connecting the armor to the body of the aircraft, and a control that, upon operation, actuates the actuator to release the armor from the body. | 10-20-2011 |
| 20110030503 | TRANSMISSION HOUSING ASSEMBLY HAVING IMPROVED BEARING LINER - A housing assembly for use in a rotorcraft includes a housing having an opening, a bearing configured to radially and/or axially support a shaft that is adapted to rotate, the bearing disposed within the opening of the housing, and a liner arranged between the housing and the bearing. The liner is made of a material selected from the group consisting of ceramic material, ceramic coated material, ceramic and metallic hybrid material, lightweight metallic material, lightweight metallic alloy material and lightweight metallic coated material. | 02-10-2011 |
| 20100299067 | COLLISION AVOIDANCE AND WARNING SYSTEM - A collision avoidance and warning system for a helicopter uses a type of emitted energy, for example radio frequency radar, from a transceiver positioned to cover a selected field of view for detecting an object or pedestrian in the vicinity of the helicopter. For helicopters that include a tail rotor assembly, the selected field of view can include a region around the tail rotor assembly so that when the helicopter is running on the ground, an alarm can be issued to persons approaching the tail rotor assembly. When the helicopter is in flight, the collision avoidance and warning system can alert the pilot when a portion of the helicopter outside of the pilot's field of view is in danger of a collision with an object. | 11-25-2010 |
| 20100254817 | High performance low noise rotorcraft blade aerodynamic design - One embodiment of the present invention is a main rotor helicopter blade for generating higher lift with less drag and delaying stall at high Mach numbers. A cross-section of this blade includes aft camber. The difference between a chord line of the cross-section and a camber line of the cross-section increases from a leading edge of the cross-section to a maximum between a trailing edge of the cross-section and a midpoint of the chord line and decreases to the trailing edge producing the aft camber of the blade. The aft camber generates higher lift with less drag and delays stall at high Mach numbers. | 10-07-2010 |
| 20100236654 | Fluid Conduit with Self-Healing Protective Sleeve - A fluid conduit having a self-healing sleeve in a spaced relationship from the conduit to provide protection against leaks due to ballistic projectiles, such as small arms fire. | 09-23-2010 |
| 20100224733 | Plasma actuators for drag reduction on wings, nacelles and/or fuselage of vertical take-off and landing aircraft - An aircraft includes a surface over which an airflow passes. A plasma actuator is configured to generate a plasma above the surface, the plasma coupling a directed momentum into the air surrounding the surface to reduce separation of the airflow from the surface. A method of reducing separation of an airflow from a surface of an aircraft includes generating a plasma in air surrounding the surface at a position where the airflow would separate from the surface in the absence of the plasma. | 09-09-2010 |
| 20100221119 | Helicopter Rotor Yoke and Method of Making Same - A rotor yoke includes a blade attachment portion, a mast attachment portion, and an intermediate portion extending between the blade attachment portion and the mast attachment portion. The intermediate portion, the blade attachment portion, and the mast attachment portion define an optional inner edge, such that the inner edge, if present, defines an opening. The rotor yoke further includes a peripheral, outer edge extending about the blade attachment portion, the intermediate portion, and the mast attachment portion. At least one of the outer edge and the inner edge, if present, includes a reduced thickness portion exhibiting a thickness that is less than a thickness of an adjacent portion of the rotor yoke. | 09-02-2010 |
| 20100209242 | Rotor Hub Vibration Attenuator - A vibration attenuator for an aircraft has at least one weight mounted in a rotating system of a rotor hub of the aircraft, each weight being rotatable about an axis of rotation of the hub relative to the hub and to each other weight. Drive means are provided for rotating each weight about the axis of rotation at a selected speed for creating oscillatory shear forces that oppose and attenuate rotor-induced vibrations having a selected frequency. | 08-19-2010 |
| 20100126298 | CUSTOMIZABLE PEDAL SYSTEM - A pedal system including a support base, a first lever including a root portion and a terminal portion formed such that the terminal portion interfaces with the root portion at a bend in the first lever of a first predetermined angle, the root portion of the first lever being pivotally mounted to the support base such that the first lever is rotatable in a first plane of rotation about an axis of rotation at or near the support base, a second lever including a root portion and a terminal portion formed such that the terminal portion interfaces with the root portion at a bend in the second lever of a second predetermined angle, the root portion of the second lever being pivotally mounted to the support base such that the second lever is rotatable in a second plane of rotation about the axis of rotation. | 05-27-2010 |
| 20090312891 | Conversion system fault management system for tiltrotor aircraft - The difference between a first position of a first pylon of a tiltrotor aircraft and a second position of a second pylon of the aircraft is prevented from becoming too large. An actuator position error for the first pylon is calculated from a difference between the first position and a commanded first position of the first pylon. An actuator position error for the second pylon is calculated from a difference between the second position and a commanded second position of the second pylon. An absolute value of the actuator position error for the first pylon is compared to the preset limit. If the absolute value of the actuator position error for the first pylon is greater than or equal to a preset limit, the actuator position error for the second pylon is calculated from the difference between the first position and the second position. | 12-17-2009 |
| 20090208691 | Device and Method for Repairing Structural Components - A device for repairing a structural component ( | 08-20-2009 |
| 20090114764 | Automatic conversion system for tiltrotor aircraft - One embodiment of the present invention is a method for automatically controlling the conversion of a tiltrotor aircraft. An airspeed command for the tiltrotor aircraft is received. The airspeed command is converted to a pylon position. A difference between the airspeed command and a measured airspeed is calculated. The difference between the airspeed command and a measured airspeed is converted to a dynamic pylon position. A total pylon position is calculated from the pylon position and the dynamic pylon position. A pylon of the tiltrotor aircraft is moved to the total pylon position. Another embodiment of the present invention is a system for calculating a position of a pylon of a tiltrotor aircraft based on an airspeed command. The system includes an airspeed command module, a pylon trim position module, a dynamic pylon position module, and a pylon position module. | 05-07-2009 |
| 20090014581 | Counter-Torque Device for a Helicopter - A ducted fan for a helicopter includes a transverse duct and a counter-torque device supported within the duct. The counter-torque device includes a rotor rotatably mounted within the duct and a stator fixedly mounted within the duct downstream from the rotor. The rotor includes a rotor hub having a rotor axis, and rotor blades extending from the hub. The Rotor blades have a modulated angular distribution about the rotor axis. The stator includes a stator hub, and a plurality of stator vanes distributed around the stator hub. The stator vanes are angularly modulated around the stator hub. | 01-15-2009 |
| 20080243313 | GOVERNOR FOR A ROTOR WITH A VARIABLE MAXIMUM COLLECTIVE PITCH - A governor configured to regulate the rotational velocity of one or more rotors of an aircraft by adjusting a collective blade pitch of the one or more rotors. In one embodiment, the governor comprises a control monitor, a maximum pitch module, a rotor module, and a pitch adjustment module. The control monitor is configured to monitor one or more flight control inputs that are controllable by an operator of the aircraft. The maximum pitch module is configured to dynamically determine a maximum collective blade pitch based on the one or more flight control inputs monitored by the control monitor. The rotor module is configured to monitor information related to the rotational velocity of the one or more rotors. The pitch adjustment module is configured to (i) receive information related to the rotational velocity of the one or more rotors from the rotor module and (ii) adjust the collective blade pitch of the one or more rotors to regulate the rotational velocity of the one or more rotors. | 10-02-2008 |
| 20080225536 | ROTOR BLADE VISUAL LIGHTS - A rotorcraft, such a helicopter or a tiltrotor aircraft, includes a light emitting device configured to provide light at a tip of a rotor blade. The light emitting device includes a light emitting diode arranged on the rotor blade, and a power source, wherein the power source is configured to power the light emitting diode due to a movement of the rotor blade. The power source may include a piezo-electric material configured to create a voltage due to movements of the rotor blade or an electrical generator including a stationary magnet assembly and a moveable coil assembly arranged on a shaft that rotates the rotor blade. | 09-18-2008 |
