Aeronautics inventions 11/07

20070272792 - Optical switching apparatus: An optical matrix switch station (1) is shown mounting a plurality of optical switch units (15, 17), each of which includes a mirror (29), moveable in two axes, for purpose of switching light beams from one optical fiber to another. A mirror assembly (41) is formed from a single body... Agent: Marsh, Fischmann & Breyfogle LLP

20070272793 - Set of conjugated components to build a ultralight type airplane: A The set of conjugated components to build a ultralight type airplane, in particular a constructive concept that has as end product a ultralight type airplane with a general configuration visually similar to the DEMOISELLE. In summary, the inventive concept has as purpose to enable that a handcrafted and ancient... Agent: Stites & Harbison PLLC

20070272796 - Ducted open rotor apparatus and method: A propulsor apparatus for a mobile platform, for example an aircraft is provided. The propulsor apparatus includes an aerodynamically shaped propeller duct that houses at least a portion of a turboprop engine, and fully houses a propeller driven by the engine. Inside the propeller duct is a circumferential ring that... Agent: Harness Dickey & Pierce, PLC

20070272797 - Engine exhaust for modifying a target: A method for modifying a target includes directing exhaust from multiple engines, preferably jet engines, towards the target. The target being modified can be, for example, a fire, an atmospheric system, a storm, snow, a gathering, a spill, an emission, a discharge, a mud slide, or a dust. The operation... Agent: Houston Eliseeva

20070272794 - Helicopter: A helicopter has a main rotor with propeller blades which is driven by a rotor shaft and which is hinge-mounted to this rotor shaft. The angle between the surface of rotation of the main rotor and the rotor shaft may vary. A swinging manner on an oscillatory shaft is essentially... Agent: Greenberg Traurig LLP (la)

20070272795 - Wing-in-ground-effect craft: An wing-in-ground-effect craft (11) having a loaded canard forewing (13) and a main forward delta configuration wing (15) attached to fore (17) and mid (19) sections of a body (21) respectively. The body (21) is formed with an integral planning hull (23) for amphibious applications, extending rearward to a tail... Agent: Intellectual Property Group Fredrikson & Byron, P.A.

20070272798 - Aircraft fuselage: The invention related to bearing structures of aircraft, in particular to an airtight fuselage. The inventive aircraft fuselage whose width is substantially greater than the height in the closed cross-section thereof comprises frames which are successively disposed along the fuselage and to which the external skin is fixed, stringers connected... Agent: Jacobson Holman PLLC

20070272799 - Aircraft wing: The wing has a structural part (15) and a separable complementary part (10) designed in a way that it can be mounted respectively dismounted in the structural part of the wing reproducing the form of a desired standard wing. Said complementary part constitutes at least partially a leading edge of... Agent: Browdy And Neimark, P.l.l.c. 624 Ninth Street, Nw

20070272800 - Extendible sway brace for an airborne payload rack and a rack containing same: An extendible sway brace for a rack for an airborne payload. The sway brace is extendable. A mechanism for extending the sway brace includes means for preventing extension of the sway brace when the pressure exerted by the brace on a payload reaches a predetermined pressure. The means for preventing... Agent: Nath & Associates

20070272801 - Autonomously controlled gps-guided parafoil recovery apparatus: A GPS-guided parafoil recovery system which provides for the recovery of a radiosonde sensor and other electronic equipment and weather balloon without damage by allowing for a safe, non-destructive precision landing of the sensor at a specified landing site. The recovery system includes a parafoil having a plurality of control... Agent: Navairwd Counsel Group

20070267537 - Internal support structure for an airship: A system and method for internally supporting a flexible envelope such as an airship is described, comprising a truss structure and supporting struts attached to a central support member. The internal structure may be foldable so as to allow the envelope to be collapsed when not in use.... Agent: Daniel S. Coolidge Coolidge & Graves PLLC

20070267536 - Method and apparatus for pre-heating an aircraft engine: The present invention is an aircraft engine heating system and the associated method of its operation. The system contains an electric heater comprised of an electrical heating element, thermostat and fan. A power cord is provided for supplying electricity to the heating element and the fan. Two metal tubing adaptors... Agent: Herb Hill

20070267538 - Floating bearing structure with static buoyancy: Disclosed is a suspended load-bearing structure that is formed by pneumatic structural load-bearing elements (1) comprising an elongate hollow body (2), compression bars (3), and traction elements (4). The hollow body (2) is impinged upon by gases that are lighter than air. In a first embodiment, an individual suspended structural... Agent: Winstead PC

20070267539 - Hinged device for doors of an aircraft nacelle and nacelle equipped with said hinged device: A hinged device for at least one door (46.1, 46.2) of an aircraft nacelle (40), whereby the door is able to block an opening (44) that is made in the fairing of the nacelle, the device including a base to which is connected at least one door, able to occupy... Agent: Young & Thompson

20070267540 - Electric-based secondary power system architectures for aircraft: Methods and systems for providing secondary power to aircraft systems. In one embodiment, an aircraft system architecture for providing power to an environmental control system includes an electric generator operably coupled to a jet engine. The jet engine can be configured to provide propulsive thrust to the aircraft, and the... Agent: Perkins Coie, LLP

20070267541 - Pivoting coupling system for a large dihedral empennage to the tail fuselage of an aircraft: Pivoting coupling system of a large dihedral empennage to the tail fuselage of an aircraft, in which the empennage (1) comprises a right lateral box (la) and a left lateral box (1b) arranged at a large dihedral angle in the tail fuselage (6) of the aircraft, characterised in that it... Agent: Wenderoth, Lind & Ponack, L.L.P.

20070267542 - System and method for converting a passenger aircraft to a cargo aircraft: An aircraft-conversion method of converting a passenger aircraft to a cargo aircraft, includes selecting a passenger aircraft, and converting the aircraft to a cargo aircraft by changing a door of the aircraft to accommodate loading and unloading of cargo. The selecting step may involve an all-passenger aircraft, and the converting... Agent: Kolisch Hartwell, P.C.

20070267544 - Aircraft with improved cargo hold: An aircraft according to one embodiment has a fuselage which houses an upper level and a lower level separated by the floor of the upper level, wherein at least one of the cross-sectional shape of the fuselage and the floor of the upper level is configured such that the ceiling... Agent: Nixon & Vanderhye, PC

20070267543 - Lightweight aircraft passenger seat with composite construction: An aircraft seat assembly configured in accordance with an example embodiment of the invention utilizes composite materials to achieve significant weight savings relative to conventional seat designs. The seat assembly includes a lightweight composite support structure, a lightweight composite seat base, and a seat back assembly that employs a lightweight... Agent: Ingrassia Fisher & Lorenz, P.C. (boeing)

20070267545 - Asset protection method and apparatus: An asset protection apparatus comprising at least one module is disclosed. A module comprises at least one interior layer contacting an asset surface; at least one thermal layer affixed to said at least one interior layer, wherein said at least one thermal layer includes heat adding and heat removal means... Agent: Law Office Of Jay R. Hamilton, PLC.

20070267546 - Method and apparatus for detecting conditions conducive to ice formation: A method for detecting ambient conditions conducive to ice formation. The method includes the steps of measuring at least one parameter selected from a group of parameters consisting of a static pressure, a total pressure, a total temperature, a dew point temperature, and a liquid water content, and determining whether... Agent: Perkins Coie, LLP

20070267547 - Flexible reefing loops for parachutes: A reefing loop assembly which is attached to the skirt of a parachute canopy to secure a reefing loop to a parachute. The reefing loop assembly is fabricated from a flexible fabric to allow a parachute to be packed without damaging the parachute during packing.... Agent: Navairwd Counsel Group

20070267548 - Flight control systems: A system and method for a controlling an aircraft with flight control surfaces that are controlled both manually and by a computing device is disclosed. The present invention improves overall flight control operation by reducing the mechanical flight control surface components while providing sufficient back-up control capability in the event... Agent: Lathrop & Gage Lc

20070262195 - Uav with control and stability system: Disclosed is a remotely controlled aircraft configured to vertically take-off and land. The aircraft includes a pair of propulsion devices that are mounted on an airframe above the level of the center of gravity. A set of control devices are mechanically linked to the propulsion devices for varying the orientation... Agent: Thelen Reid Brown Raysman & Steiner LLP

20070262194 - Mechanism for biaxial rotation of a wing and vehicle containing such mechanism: A vehicle with wings and a mechanism for causing a flapping motion in wings. Each wing structure comprises a wing and a wing spar coupled to a follower via a resilient member. Each wing carrier is pivotally connected to the body and is configured to restrain lateral movement and permit... Agent: Ratnerprestia

20070262196 - Super-transporter aircraft: A super-transporter aircraft for transporting at least one element of a secondary aircraft, wherein the structural rigidity of a fuselage of the super-transporter is at least partly imparted by the transported element. The super-transported aircraft can be equipped with a securing device for securing the transported element to the fuselage... Agent: Patterson, Thuente, Skaar & Christensen, P.A.

20070262197 - Ultralight coaxial rotor aircraft: An ultralight coaxial dual rotor helicopter having a substantially L shaped frame. Attached to the back of the frame is a vertical shaft engine, and a pair of yaw paddles for controlling yaw of the craft. The drive shaft connects to a belt drive at the top of the frame,... Agent: Thorpe North & Western, LLP.

20070262198 - Flying machine: The new type of flying machine will be of circular in shape. This is made up of two (concave) dishes joined at the circumference with hollow space in between them. A number of specially designed jets or nozzles are fixed round the circumference. The propellant force is ejected through the... Agent: A. Subbiah

20070262199 - Shelton wing in ground effect: Wing in ground effect vehicles operate near the surface to acquire benefits in aerodynamic performance. However, a lack of sufficient stability has been a frequent limitation for such vehicles. The disclosed invention is a wing in ground effect vehicle that comprises a plurality of mechanical devices to acquire stability in... Agent: David B. Shelton

20070262200 - Extra long life carbon-carbon friction material: The present invention pertains to carbon-carbon composites what are reinforced with PAN-based carbon fibers and which have an all pyrocarbon matrix deposited via chemical vapor infiltration and/or chemical vapor deposition. The uniquely low wear life of the C—C composites of this invention is achieved via a high initial heat treatment... Agent: Honeywell International

20070262201 - Morphable ceramic composite skins and structures for hypersonic flight: An exemplary morphable ceramic composite structure includes a flexible ceramic composite skin and a truss structure attached to the skin. The truss structure can morph shape of the skin from a first shape to a second shape that is different than the first shape. The flexible ceramic composite skin may... Agent: Robert R. Richardson, P.s.

20070262202 - Apparatus for deicing a surface of an aircraft: An apparatus for deicing a surface of an aircraft includes a pair of adjacent movable surface elements that lie in a common plane and cover a portion of an aircraft. The pair of surface elements are connected to a reciprocating actuator through a bell crank for reciprocal movement and in... Agent: Lowe Hauptman Ham & Berner, LLP

20070262203 - Active stabilization of a refueling drogue: A refueling drogue adapted to connect to a refueling hose extending from a refueling aircraft. The drogue may include an active stabilization system adapted to effectively stabilize the refueling drogue via control surfaces on the refueling drogue when the refueling drogue is placed in an airstream.... Agent: Foley And Lardner LLP Suite 500

20070262204 - Large-scale deployable solar array: A deployable structure is disclosed. The deployable structure may include one or more slit-tube longerons; and one or more flat sheets coupled with the one or more slit-tube longerons. The one or more slit-tube longerons and the one or more flat sheets may be stowed by rolling the one or... Agent: Townsend And Townsend And Crew, LLP

20070262205 - Retractable multiple winglet: Unlike conventional winglets that attempt to block out wingtip vortices, these winglets use multiple airfoils to recycle much of the energy of these vortices back into useful lift and thrust (drag reduction). This will improve the lift to drag ratio at high angles of attack. These airfoils extend outward in... Agent: Roger Grant

20070262206 - Multi-functional mission grip for a vehicle: A mission control grip mounted to a consol to provide a crew interface with a multitude of systems through a multitude of Multi-Functional Displays (MFDs). The mission control grip includes a fist-shaped grip movable about a first axis and a second axis, a thumb-operated control switch and a switch for... Agent: Carlson, Gaskey & Olds, P.C.

20070262207 - Wing employing leading edge flaps and winglets to achieve improved aerodynamic performance: A wing for use on a supersonic aircraft that includes an inboard section a central section of the wing outboard of the inboard portion, and an outboard section. The outboard section can be a winglet oriented anhedrally relative to a lateral axis of the supersonic aircraft. Leading edge segments on... Agent: Koestner Bertani LLP

20070257150 - Landing gear ground test: A method of applying a test load to a landing gear mounted on an aircraft, the method comprising parking the aircraft with at least one tire of the landing gear on a platform; and moving the platform so as to apply the test load to the landing gear via the... Agent: Nixon & Vanderhye, PC

20070257151 - Covering device for a hinge of an aircraft: Hinges, in particular in doors of aircraft, have poor aerodynamics. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a covering device for a hinge of an aircraft is provided with a flexible covering, which for example is stretched, with a closed hinge, over the outer contour of the hinge. Advantageously,... Agent: Ostrolenk Faber Gerb & Soffen

20070257152 - Compression-molded parts having an embedded conductive layer and method for making same: A compression-molded part has a conductive layer embedded in the part during molding of the part. The conductive layer is generally adjacent an outer surface of the part and is preferably formed from a mesh, a foil, a pulled screen, or multiple layers of conductive elements. The part is preferably... Agent: Law Offices Of James E. Walton, PLLC

20070257153 - Ice management system for tiltrotor aircraft: An ice management system is configured for an aircraft having at least one rotor, each rotor having a plurality of blades. The system has an electrical power supply adapted to be carried by the aircraft remote from the rotor, and at least one heater is carried by the rotor for... Agent: Law Offices Of James E. Walton, PLLC

20070257154 - In-flight refueling lightning protection system: A lightning protection system, method and aircraft are provided for reducing the flammability of jet fuel spilled during an in-flight refueling operation between a supplying aircraft and a receiving aircraft. An inert gas is injected adjacent to a refueling interface in order to displace oxygen in the fuel-air mixture and... Agent: Intellectual Property Management Boeing Management Company

20070257155 - Apparatus for providing velocity differential between parachute and payload to reduce shock load: An apparatus for dissipating shock load in a parachute delivery system has at least one strip of material having a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a predetermined length. The apparatus also has a piercing member having a first portion for piercing through the strip of... Agent: U.s. Army Soldier Systems Center

20070252047 - Surface flow diverting and static charging ducted pores on wing or blade tip to reduce wake and bvi noise: Air pressure distribution for airfoil lower and upper surfaces is utilized to divert airflow using ducts formed in space-curve shapes placed inside the airfoil volume, through span-wise located inlets from high pressure areas on the airfoil lower surface near the leading edge and through chord-wise spaced inlets on the side... Agent: Anadish Kumar Pal

20070252028 - Passive aerodynamic sonic boom suppression for supersonic aircraft: An aircraft capable of supersonic flight comprises a body portion including a fuselage, a wing, and an engine nacelle mounted below the wing. The aircraft may also include a high-mounted aft, tail. The area/lift distribution of the body portion is tailored to reduce sonic boom disturbance. The body portion further... Agent: Koestner Bertani LLP

20070252029 - Electronics for manned or unmanned vehicles: A new generation of simplified vehicle electronic systems can be operated by either an onboard (manned) or off-board (remote controlled) operator, or automatically from an on-board system without any human operator. In the latter case, preferred embodiments can provide security against operation by unauthorized personnel and/or operation in an unauthorized... Agent: Rutan & Tucker, LLP. Hani Z. Sayed

20070252030 - Multimodal, deployable vehicle: A multimodal vehicle includes a ground based vehicle with an attached high-capacity airfoil parachute for deployment. The ground based vehicle includes a drive system for use on either land, water or both. Furthermore, the ground based vehicle is sized and dimensioned for transport of multiple vehicles in a cargo plane.... Agent: Bourque & Associates Intellectual Property Attorneys, P.A.

20070252031 - Wing tip devices: A tip device to act as an outboard continuation of an aircraft wing or other aerodynamic lifting surface has a downward cant angle, a leading edge swept back in relation to the leading edge of the inboard lifting surface, and a chord reducing in the outboard direction of the device.... Agent: Mcdonnell Boehnen Hulbert & Berghoff LLP

20070252032 - Method and apparatus for generating lift: A method of generating lift for a vehicle including a gas turbine engine having a combustor, a core flow heated by the combustor, and a bypass flow which bypasses the combustor. The method includes segregating at least a portion of the core flow from the bypass flow, directing the segregated... Agent: Lee & Hayes, PLLC

20070252033 - Discoidal flying craft: A flying discoidal rotorcraft is equipped with a double counter rotated pulsed DC electric linear-toroidal electric motor-generator combined with a magnetically levitated suspension of the rotorcraft body over the propulsion assembly. The inner and outer rims are made up of electro-active-magnetic levitation and guidance pilot solenoids as the fixed portion... Agent: Patent Law & Venture Group

20070252034 - Methods and apparatuses for launching unmanned aircraft, including releasably gripping aircraft during launch and braking subsequent grip motion: Methods and apparatuses for launching unmanned aircraft and other flight devices or projectiles are described. In one embodiment, the aircraft can be launched from an apparatus that includes a launch carriage that moves along a launch guide. The carriage can accelerate when portions of the carriage and/or the launch guide... Agent: Perkins Coie LLP Patent-sea

20070252035 - Unmanned vehicle: A UAV or watercraft includes a navigation system that is configured to identify and make use of convective energy in a fluid medium through which it travels. The energy is used to provide movement through the medium and extend vehicle endurance or range without the need for additional fuel. In... Agent: Robert C. F. Perez C/o Kaufman & Canoles

20070252036 - Systems and methods for braking aircraft, including braking intermediate main gears and differential braking: Systems and methods for braking aircraft are disclosed. These systems and methods can be employed on multi-main gear aircraft to reduce the radius with which the aircraft makes low speed, pivot turns. Further systems and methods can be used to correct the braking behavior of the aircraft during a turn... Agent: Perkins Coie LLP Patent-sea

20070252037 - Air-taxi stands, boarding bridges for air taxis, and methods of using same: An air-taxi stand includes a boarding bridge with an aircraft-proximal end and an aircraft-distal end. The aircraft-distal end includes an aircraft interface. The air-taxi stand is configured to allow for simultaneous ground movement of an aircraft, adjacent a concourse, including forward power-in pushing and forward power-out pushing. A method includes... Agent: John Greaves

20070252038 - Aerial security and control system: A security system for monitoring and securing an aircraft carrying passengers comprising an electronically remotely controlled lock to selectively lock an overhead storage compartment during the duration of a flight. A video/audio surveillance system is also provided along with a remote transmission and reception system. Access control to the pilot's... Agent: Roberto J. Rios

20070252039 - Thermal management system with staged cooling: A thermal management system comprises a first heat exchanger having an inlet and an outlet, a second heat exchanger having an inlet and an outlet, a fluid loop, a first heat pump, and a second heat pump. The fluid loop circulates a fluid, and forms a continuous path between the... Agent: Kinney & Lange, P.A.

20070252040 - Seal assemblies for use with drooped spoilers and other control surfaces on aircraft: Aerodynamic seals for use with control surfaces on aircraft are described herein. In one embodiment, a seal assembly for use with an aircraft includes a first seal member and a second seal member. The first seal member has a first proximal portion configured to be attached to a fixed airfoil... Agent: Perkins Coie, LLP

20070252041 - Interior panel attachment system: An attachment system for coupling together two airplane sections includes an attachment section securing one of the airplane sections and a mount section affixed to the other section. The attachment section includes a top, a bottom, a first end, and a second end. Coupled to the top are a two... Agent: Ostrager Chong Flaherty & Broitman PC

20070252042 - Method and apparatus for parachute reefing control: An apparatus for controlling the drag area growth of a parachute canopy during airborne descent with sensors attached to the payload for facilitating modification of the schedule of release of a parachute canopy reefing mechanism. A control processor is included that can receive and/or calculate a schedule for disengaging the... Agent: Sperry Zoda And Kane Suite D

20070252043 - Promotional item: A promotional item (10) includes a central member (12) having one or more receiving features (14, 16) adapted to removable secure one or more substantially rectangular card-like objects (18), such as business cards, credit cards, baseball cards, and the like. In an embodiment, the flying promotional item (10) comprises an... Agent: Peter J. Rashid

20070252044 - Satellite active motion damping: Methods and apparatus are provided for active motion damping of a spacecraft whose attitude control system (SACS) has experienced a partial failure. In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus comprises, an attitude control processor (ACP), a motion damping controller (MDC) coupled to the ACP, a control moment gyro (CMG) comprising a... Agent: Honeywell International Inc.

20070252045 - Materials for self-transpiring hot skins for hypersonic vehicles or reusable space vehicles: A self-transpiring hot skin for a hypersonic or reusable space vehicle that can provide protection to the vehicle during short periods of abnormally high heat flux (either planned in the flight profile or an off-nominal event). The hot skin includes a ceramic composite structure having an internal cavity that is... Agent: Ostrager Chong Flaherty & Broitman, P.C.

20070252046 - Bias correcting phase compensating rate limiter: A bias correcting phase compensating rate limiter to control movement of a device may include a switching arrangement adapted to reverse a polarity of an error signal in response to a set of predetermined conditions that may include a commanded rate of movement of the device exceeding a rate limit... Agent: Moore And Van Allen PLLC For Boeing