Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
244137400 | Releasable, externally mounted cargo | 32 |
20090084901 | PIVOTABLE PYLON FOR EXTERNAL CARRIAGE OF AIRCRAFT STORES - A pivotable pylon for carrying stores, such as ordinance, sensors and pods external to an aircraft includes an elongated strongback coupled against an external surface of the aircraft and generally parallel to the longitudinal axis thereof. An elongated pivoting structure is pivotally coupled to the strongback for parallel pivotal movement relative thereto. A locking mechanism locks the pivoting structure in a selected one of a plurality of angular positions relative to the strongback. At least one stores rack is coupled to the pivoting structure for receiving and coupling at least one stores item to the pivoting structure. An aerodynamic fairing may be disposed on the pylon to decrease drag. The pylon can be mounted on either side of the aircraft and in any one of a plurality of longitudinal stations, and enables the aircraft to carry stores that are too large for its equipment bays, and to carry an optimal load of stores. | 04-02-2009 |
20100001139 | SWIVELING PENDANT ASSEMBLIES FOR AERIALLY TRANSPORTING CARGO AND ASSOCIATED METHODS OF USE AND MANUFACTURE - Cargo pendant assemblies for transporting cargo with aircraft and other cargo movers are disclosed herein. A pendant assembly configured in accordance with one embodiment of the disclosure includes a pendant line having a first end portion opposite a second end portion. The second end portion is configured to be releasably attached to the aerial vehicle or other type of cargo transporter. The pendant assembly also includes a swivel attached to the first end portion of the pendant line, and a hook attached to the swivel. The hook is configured to releasably retain the cargo and rotate about the swivel independent of the pendant line and without twisting the pendant line. The pendant assembly further includes a release actuator that extends through at least a portion of the swivel and is operably coupled to the hook. The release actuator allows a user to release the cargo from the hook. | 01-07-2010 |
20100090063 | FRANCESCO STAROPOLI AND MARCO BASAGLIA - Under-wing pylon for an aircraft comprising on the upper side means ( | 04-15-2010 |
20100140412 | METHOD OF JETTISONING AN EXTERNAL LOAD CARRIED BY AN AIRCRAFT, AND AN ASSOCIATED DEVICE - The present invention relates to a method and an associated device for automatically jettisoning an external load ( | 06-10-2010 |
20100193639 | Aerial Transport Apparatus - The invention provides a cargo hook apparatus for securing cargo external to an aircraft for transportation, the apparatus comprising, pendent sling means, an attachment for securing the pendent sling means to the aircraft, and a cargo hook assembly, where the cargo hook assembly comprises a high-strength, lightweight alloy, and where the cargo hook assembly weighs less than about 55 pounds. | 08-05-2010 |
20100243815 | Payload Quick Release for an Aerial System - A payload quick release mechanism for an unmanned aerial vehicle is provided. This mechanism is affixed to a structure on the unmanned aerial vehicle, and allows for quick attachment and removal of a payload from the unmanned aerial vehicle. The attachment device comprises a body with a perimeter and a plurality of arms that extend from the body perimeter. Each arm comprises an indented section, within which a tab extending from the payload top may be placed. When the payload tab rests within the indented section, the payload is prevented from translation and is attached to the mechanism. | 09-30-2010 |
20100288884 | FIXING EXTERNAL LOADS TO AIRCRAFT - A fitting, and an aircraft incorporating such a fitting, comprises a band-like clasp which surrounds and is clamped to the aircraft wing, with a streamlined structure affixed for mounting an external load to the underside of an aircraft wing. | 11-18-2010 |
20110186686 | REMOVABLE SUPPORT FOR OPTIONAL EXTERNAL EQUIPMENT ON AN AIRCRAFT, AND AN AIRCRAFT PROVIDED WITH SUCH A SUPPORT - The present invention relates to a removable support ( | 08-04-2011 |
20110240799 | Decoupling Mechanism for a Store - According to one embodiment, an aircraft pylon system comprises a pylon, a bail bar located within the pylon, an offset bracket assembly, and a lanyard release assembly. The offset bracket assembly comprises an elongated member configured to be placed around the bail bar within the pylon, a bracket coupled to the elongated member, and a lanyard-engaging member coupled to the bracket and offset from a longitudinal axis of the elongated member. The lanyard release assembly comprises a lanyard coupled to the lanyard-engaging member and a lanyard release connector coupled to the lanyard and releasably coupled to the store. | 10-06-2011 |
20120037759 | CARGO SUSPENSION FRAME FOR AIRCRAFT - The bottom surface of an aircraft, such as an Osprey V-22 propeller driven aircraft, has at least four distributed hook attachment points. A load suspension apparatus is attached to the four attachment points with elongated slings. The load suspension apparatus includes an upper rigid frame and a lower rigid frame of lesser dimensions. The lower frame is suspended from the upper frame with V-shaped slings. A cargo load is attached to the lower frame. The load suspension apparatus provides stable attachment of loads to tilt wing and rotary wing aircraft at high aircraft speeds, at transitions between high and low speeds and through aircraft turns. | 02-16-2012 |
20120145832 | LOAD LIFTING APPARATUS FOR A HELICOPTER AND HELICOPTER - A load lifting apparatus for a helicopter has a cable, including a supply length in a cable store. The cable is secured at one end to the helicopter and has a free end. A load-bearing element, on which a load to be raised can be secured, is arranged on the cable. The cable can be removed from the cable store in order to lower the load-bearing element downwards from the helicopter. As the load-bearing element is lowered or pulled upwards, the cable acts at a force-introduction location on the helicopter. The load-bearing element is arranged on the cable such that it can move along the cable. At least one cable-attachment location is present on the helicopter, and is spaced apart from the force-introduction location and has, or can have, the free end of the cable secured on it. | 06-14-2012 |
20120193481 | PAYLOAD MOUNT ADAPTER ASSEMBLY - A payload mount adapter assembly for use with an aircraft is disclosed. The payload mount adapter assembly includes, but is not limited to an upper section that is configured for mounting to the aircraft and a lower section that is configured to receive a payload. The lower section is releasably engaged with the upper section such that the lower section is substantially unadjustable with respect to the upper section when the lower section is in a fixed state and the lower section is substantially adjustable with respect to the upper section when the lower section is in a released state. | 08-02-2012 |
20130048788 | AIRCRAFT STORE EJECTOR SYSTEM - An aircraft store ejector systems and subsystems thereof. Embodiments can include a two-reservoir re-pressurization system wherein a remote reservoir is used to maintain desired pressure in a local ejector reservoir. The system can include a release valve having a vent valve and valve piston. The release valve can control release of pressurized gas to a pitch control valve. The pitch control valve can be configured to distribute the pressurized gas between two or more ejector piston assemblies. One or more of the ejector piston assemblies can include multiple concentric piston stages and piston chambers, the piston chambers configured to contain a volume of gas. The ejector piston assemblies can be configured to compress the volume of gas within the piston chambers as the piston stages are extended out from the aircraft. Such compression can provide a return force to the piston stages. | 02-28-2013 |
20130056586 | AUTOMATIC JETTISON SYSTEM FOR A ROTORCRAFT - A method of automatically jettisoning cargo suspended from a suspension system coupled to an auto jettison system, includes receiving an initial load value from at least one attachment point of the suspension system, the receiving of the initial load value in response to attaching the cargo to the suspension system; receiving an instantaneous load value of the cargo suspended on an attachment point, the attachment point being coupled to the cargo; predicting a rate of change of the instantaneous load value at a predetermined future time period; combining the predicted rate of change of the instantaneous load value with the initial load value to create a predicted load value; comparing the predicted load value to a threshold value for the attachment point; and jettisoning the cargo from the attachment point if the predicted value is greater than the threshold value. | 03-07-2013 |
20130112813 | MULTIPLE BUNDLE SLING LOAD SYSTEM - A multiple bundle sling load system including a sling for attachment to an aircraft, a support system suspended from the sling for carrying a plurality of bundles, a load release mechanism interconnecting each bundle with the support structure, a parachute associated with at least one of the bundles, a parachute release mechanism interconnecting each parachute with the support structure. And an actuator for remotely operating each release mechanism for selectively releasing each load release mechanism and not releasing the associated parachute release mechanism for an air drop operation and selectively releasing each load release mechanism and each associated parachute release mechanism for a land drop operation. | 05-09-2013 |
20130206914 | Sensor Pod Mount for an Aircraft - Embodiments related to mounting a sensor pod mount to an aircraft fuselage are disclosed. In one example embodiment, a sensor pod mount comprises a sensor pod mounting body where the sensor pod mounting body includes a mounting region for removably mounting the sensor pod mount to the fuselage using a coupling that joins a strut to the fuselage. | 08-15-2013 |
20130221158 | Configurable Pod Structure and Store Stowage and Deployment System and Method - In one embodiment there is provided a radar signature and induced aerodynamic drag minimizing, externally mountable, internally configurable pod structure optimized for internal placement of one or more deployable stores through configuration and optimal kinematic operation of a pod door assembly. The pod structure has an externally mountable pod housing, a predetermined pod housing cross-sectional configuration optimized to provide a configurable interior volume accommodating multiple different store configurations, and a predetermined pod housing configuration having a cross-sectional configuration optimized to minimize a radar signature and an induced aerodynamic drag. The pod structure further has a pod door assembly integral with the pod housing and having a plurality of pod doors and one or more seal door mechanism assemblies. The pod structure is optimized in kinematic operational combination of the pod doors and seal door mechanism assemblies controlling ejection launch envelopes. | 08-29-2013 |
20130240674 | SECURING/RELEASING DEVICE, AND RELATED AIRDROP DEVICE - In the field of devices for airdropping a load from a flying vehicle, there is provided a device for securing/releasing a first member ( | 09-19-2013 |
20130270393 | LOAD ATTACHMENT SYSTEM FOR HELIPCOPTERS - A load attachment system for a helicopter including a load attachment coupling mounted to a helicopter, the load attachment coupling having a load point associated therewith forward of the standard hook attachment and below the centre of gravity of the helicopter. | 10-17-2013 |
20130299640 | AUTOMATIC CARGO HOOK RELEASE ASSEMBLY - A method of releasing cargo suspended from at least one cargo hook release pendant in a suspension system coupled to a cargo hook release system includes receiving a voltage release signal at a cargo hook control interface and a cargo release harness assembly; receiving an energizing voltage signal at the cargo release harness assembly; energizing a relay in response to receiving the energizing voltage signal, the relay being electrically coupled to the cargo release harness assembly; automatically transmitting the voltage release signal from the cargo release harness assembly to at least one cargo hook release pendant in response to energizing the relay; and automatically releasing the cargo from at least one cargo hook release pendant in response to automatically transmitting the voltage release signal. Also, the cargo hook release system includes the cargo hook control interface, the cargo release harness assembly, and at least one cargo hook release pendant. | 11-14-2013 |
20140008495 | Detachable Connecting Arrangement for Fitting Launchable External Loads to an Aircraft - A detachable connecting arrangement for fitting launchable external loads to an aircraft, having a hook-like connecting element fitted to the external load and a holding element fitted to the aircraft for the hook-like connecting element. The hook-like connecting element includes a lower supporting surface and an upper supporting surface. The holding element has a first opposing supporting surface that interacts with the lower supporting surface, and a second, upper opposing supporting surface that interacts with the upper supporting surface. The lower supporting surface and the first opposing supporting surface are designed to support mass forces of the external load directed away from the aircraft, and the upper supporting surface and the upper opposing supporting surface are designed to support mass forces of the external load directed towards the aircraft. | 01-09-2014 |
20140048654 | AIRCRAFT DEVICE DEPLOYMENT SYSTEM WITH SPRING-DRIVEN MECHANICAL LINKAGE - A deployment system includes a spring-driven linkage for deploying one or more kicker feet, to push a device to be deployed away from the deployment system. The kicker feet may include fore and aft kicker feet that push the deployed device to obtain a desire pitch in the launch, an example being a minimal or substantially zero pitch. The release of the kicker feet may be controlled by a pair of actuator, such as electrical solenoid actuators, both of which must be actuated to deploy the device. An electrical connection may allow positional float to account for tolerances in the positioning of the device relative to the deployment system. | 02-20-2014 |
20140291450 | AIRCRAFT BASED NON-DEDICATED SPECIAL MISSION POD MOUNTING APPARATUS - Particular embodiments comprise a non-dedicated, temporarily installed, airborne special mission payload mounting system which is mechanically interfaced to the Air Deployment System (ADS) rails of a host cargo aircraft. An Adaptive Mounting Plate (AMP) is placed over an ADS rail section and restrained in position. Once the AMP is secured, an articulated or fixed position strut can be attached to it through the opened side doorway without removing the original door. Once the fixed position or articulated strut is bolted to the AMP, a one piece or segmented two piece pressurized door plug indented along its lower periphery to accommodate the protruding form factor of the fixed position or articulated strut is installed within the vacant doorway above the strut providing an airtight seal and thereby permitting pressurization of the aircraft. | 10-02-2014 |
20150014485 | SUSPENSION SYSTEM FOR CARRYING AN EXTERNAL LOAD WITH AN AIRCRAFT, AND AN AIRCRAFT - A suspension system ( | 01-15-2015 |
20150122949 | HYDRO-PNEUMATIC EJECTION ASSEMBLY FOR AN AIRCRAFT - Device for engaging and ejecting a load suspended below an aircraft, comprising at least two ejection pistons ( | 05-07-2015 |
20150298807 | MODULAR POD SYSTEM FOR AIRCRAFT - A mission pod system for an aircraft set to perform a mission includes a fixed portion that is fixedly secured to an exterior surface of the aircraft. The mission pod system also includes a modular portion that is removably secured to the fixed portion and spaced away from the exterior surface of the aircraft via the fixed portion. The modular portion includes an entirety of mission-specific components. | 10-22-2015 |
20150314871 | HELICOPTER-MEDIATED SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR LAUNCHING AND RETRIEVING AN AIRCRAFT - Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a helicopter-mediated system and method for launching and retrieving an aircraft capable of long-distance efficient cruising flight from a small space without the use of a long runway. | 11-05-2015 |
20150360779 | EXTERNAL LOAD MASS ROPE OF A ROTORCRAFT - An external load mass rope for attachment to a cargo hook device of a rotorcraft that comprises at least one first cargo hook and at least one second cargo hook, the external load mass rope comprising at least one first rope leg and at least one second rope leg, wherein the at least one first rope leg is adapted for attachment to the at least one first cargo hook and the at least one second rope leg is adapted for attachment to the at least one second cargo hook, characterized in that at least one of the first and second rope legs comprises an associated length adjustment unit that is adapted to shorten or lengthen the at least one of the first and second rope legs in operation on the basis of associated operating parameters. | 12-17-2015 |
20160083089 | AIRCRAFT STORE DEPLOYMENT SYSTEM WITH IMPROVED SAFETY OF ARMING AND RELEASING STORES - A deployment system for deploying a store from an aircraft includes a lock member that selectively engages the store to the deployment system, an ejector that selectively ejects the store from the deployment system, and a deployment system controller communicatively coupled to the lock member and to the ejector, the system controller communicatively coupled to the aircraft to receive commands from the aircraft, wherein upon receipt of a master arm command from the aircraft the system controller maintains the lock member in an engaged state relative to the store, and wherein upon receipt of a fire command from the aircraft the system controller disengages the lock member from the store and activates the ejector to eject the store from the deployment system. | 03-24-2016 |
20160144961 | INTERCHANGEABLE MOUNTING PLATFORM - A platform for interchangeably mounting a payload to a base support is provided. In one aspect, the platform comprises: a support assembly configured to be releasably coupled to a payload via a first coupling and configured to control a spatial disposition of the payload; and a mounting assembly configured to be releasably coupled via a second coupling to a plurality of types of base supports selected from at least two of the following: an aerial vehicle, a handheld support, or a base adapter mounted onto a movable object. | 05-26-2016 |
20170233076 | Rapid Store Load System For Aircraft And Method Of Operation Thereof | 08-17-2017 |
20180022455 | DROPPING MECHANISM WITH UNIVERSAL MOUNTING POINTS | 01-25-2018 |