Did You Know...
...that the Eveready Battery began as an invention called the "electric flowerpot," which was a tube with a battery and light bulb inside? The idea was to fasten this gizmo to the side of a flowerpot so it would illuminate the flowers from the bottom. The idea died on the vine and the businessman who licensed the flower pot, Conrad Huber, was left with a pile of useless tubes -- until he found a way to market them as batteries to light the world!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7726610 | Systems and methods for providing differential motion to wing high lift device Systems and methods for providing differential motion to wing high lift devices are disclosed. A system in accordance with one embodiment of the invention includes a wing having a leading edge, a trailing edge, a first deployable lift device with a first spanwise lo... | 06/01/2010 |
| 7588214 | Deployable support structure A support structure (1) is provided comprising a plurality of curved surfaces A, B hingedly interconnected along their edges such as to provide effective deployment in two separate stages. Preferably, the structure has only two curved surfaces hingedly interc... | 09/15/2009 |
| 7367532 | High lift longitudinal axis control system A bipartite, full span airplane flap system having an inboard flap portion and an outboard flap portion, wherein the outboard flap portion includes an integrated aileron mounted on its substantially equivalent spanwise length. ... | 05/06/2008 |
| 7258308 | Method and apparatus for controlling airflow with a gapped trailing edge device having a flexible flow surface A method and apparatus for controlling airflow with a gapped trailing edge device having a flexible flow surface. The airfoil can include a first portion having a first leading edge, a first flow surface, and a second flow surface facing opposite from the first flow... | 08/21/2007 |
| 7243881 | Multi-function trailing edge devices and associated methods Trailing edge devices configured to carry out multiple functions, and associated methods of use and manufacture are disclosed. An external fluid flow body (e.g., an airfoil) configured in accordance with an embodiment of the invention includes a first portion and a ... | 07/17/2007 |
| 7059034 | One-piece closed-shape structure and method of forming same The present invention relates to a one-piece closed-shape structure and a method for manufacturing a one-piece closed-shape structure. In particular, the present invention relates to a one-piece fuselage and a method for manufacturing a one-piece fuselage. One embod... | 06/13/2006 |
| 6930489 | Device for the recognition of residual synchronization errors of multiple slats of flaps placed next to each other in aircraft A device for the recognition of residual synchronization errors of multiple slats or flaps placed next to each other in an aircraft. The device includes a current carrying wire that runs through the slats or flaps. This wire is fastened at one end in the area of the... | 08/16/2005 |
| 6863242 | Method and system for controlling an aircraft control surface A system for controlling an aircraft control surface may include a control surface having at least two control surface elements mounted to rotate about an axis on a stabilizer element of the aircraft. An actuator with at least two actuating devices moves the control... | 03/08/2005 |
| 6863245 | Aerodynamic profile with an adjustable flap An aerodynamic profile has an adjustable flap, which has a forward profile area as well as a rearward profile area situated in the downward current, bounded by a pressure-side covering skin as well as a suction-side covering skin. The pressure-side and suction-side ... | 03/08/2005 |
| 6601801 | Gapped trailing-edge control surface for an airfoil An airfoil assembly, such as a wing or horizontal stabilizer, has a gapped trailing-edge control surface and a door connected to the control surface by a linkage such that deflection of the control surface in one direction causes the door to pivot, thus o... | 08/05/2003 |
| 6554229 | Aileron for fixed wing aircraft An aircraft aileron system (10, 10) is comprised of two panels (12, 14, 28, 30, 62, 70) located at the rear portion of the wing (W24, 54), in a spanwise direction and aligned with the wing's trailing edge. The panels are independently hinged at their lead... | 04/29/2003 |
| 6467733 | Aerodynamic control surface system A flight control system provides a maximized mechanical advantage when the load of the airstream on the airfoil is also at a maximum. A control surface is pivotally mounted for movement through a range of positions between a neutral position at which airs... | 10/22/2002 |
| 6382562 | AFT egress and control device for an aircraft An aircraft having a cabin within a wing of the aircraft includes an access opening in an aft end of the cabin adjacent a trailing edge of the wing, and a trailing edge portion of the wing juxtaposed with the access opening and including at least one pivo... | 05/07/2002 |
| 6328265 | Slot forming segments and slot changing spoilers A slot forming segment is inserted between two portions of a wing, which are adjacent along a longitudinal axis of wing, into a cove of a carved trailing edge of a leading portion of the adjacent portions and pivotal relatively to both adjacent portions o... | 12/11/2001 |
| 6276641 | Adaptive flow body An adaptive flow body is provided whose profile can be adapted to different operating requirements regarding lift and crosswinds, flow resistance, and steering. The rear part of the flow body is divided into two rear partial profiles by a slot that penetr... | 08/21/2001 |
| 6220551 | Flight controls with automatic balance Flight controls with automatic balance for use in controlling the movement of an aircraft through a fluid system, the control system includes ailerons divided into two parts, which at lower speed adopt the shape of a conventional aileron and rotate in the... | 04/24/2001 |
| 6168379 | Helicopter rotor blade with a movable flap A helicopter rotor blade includes a main airfoil body (12) and a movable control flap (3) incorporated in the trailing edge profile of the airfoil body. The flap (3) is movably connected to the main airfoil body (12) by a flexibly bendable junction elemen... | 01/02/2001 |
| 6123297 | Segmented flap with variable camber for aircraft wing A segmented flap having a variable curvature for an airplane wind. The flap includes segments arranged to be angularly adjustable in relation to each other and in relation to the wing and at least an articulating mechanism having a first link arm and a se... | 09/26/2000 |
| 6123296 | Self-actuated flow control system Arrays of microslats operating within the boundary layer of an aircraft wing or other surfaces are provided. The arrays consist of rows of microslats, staggered between rows, and shaped so that the trailing edge of the microslat is normal or perpendicular... | 09/26/2000 |
| 6079672 | Aileron for fixed wing aircraft An aircraft aileron system unique in its construction, method of deployment and the functional results obtained, is comprised of two panels located at the rear portion of the wing, in a spanwise direction and aligned with the wing's trailing edge. The pan... | 06/27/2000 |
| 6045095 | Vane-airfoil combination A vane-airfoil combination for shifting forces associated with an airfoil. The vane-airfoil combination includes an airfoil moving through a fluid, such as air. A plurality of vanes is positioned in front of the airfoil to divert the path of the fluid to ... | 04/04/2000 |
| 5839698 | Control surface continuous seal A continuous skin and seal airfoil comprises a rigid structural wing box located centrally chordwise and extending spanwise and including a spanwise extending spar, an upper skin surface and a lower skin surface. Upper and lower control surfaces are pivot... | 11/24/1998 |
| 5735485 | Variable slot airbrake for aircraft wing An airbrake located on the wing of an aircraft between a rear spar and a wing flap comprises two panels aligned with the upper surface of the wing when the airbrake is closed. In the open state or fully deployed position, the two panels are contiguous and... | 04/07/1998 |
| 5655737 | Split rudder control system aerodynamically configured to facilitate closure A split rudder control system for an aircraft which reduces the net opening hinge moments opposing return of the split rudders to the fully closed position from small deflection angles. The split rudder control system provides a smoothly faired aerodynami... | 08/12/1997 |
| 5628477 | Auxiliary airfoil lost motion detector and actuator Apparatus for detecting and signaling a skewing or misalignment of adjacent aircraft leading edge slats is disclosed. A cable is attached to an actuator having a compression spring system and located in an outboard slat. The cable passes through cable gui... | 05/13/1997 |
| 5564656 | Segmented spoilers Segmented spoilers are parallel arrays of individually-extended barrier surfaces, such as rotatable eccentrically-mounted disks. The overlapping surface areas extend through a slot on a aircraft surface. When actuated, a segmented array generates a stiff,... | 10/15/1996 |
| 5098034 | Vertical/short takeoff or landing aircraft having a rotatable wing and tandem supporting surfaces An improved vertical/short takeoff or landing aircraft (10). The aircraft has a canard wing (14), attached to the forward section of the aircraft body, that has an engine (26) on each side. Each engine drives a pusher propeller (42). Located aft of the ca... | 03/24/1992 |
| 4848258 | Airfoil sailing system An airfoil system for use on water vessels is described. A plurality of fore and aft symmetrical sails are arranged to form an asymmetrical two surface airfoil. The individual sails may be rotated to allow tacking. The parameters of sail configurations de... | 07/18/1989 |
| 4796840 | Trailing edge flap operation in wings Flap carriers fold spanwise (about chordwise axes) into the wing but are moved down together through pivotal linkage; the flaps are protracted and retracted through pivoting of the carriers relative to each other on spanwise axes. On retraction, the entir... | 01/10/1989 |
| 4717097 | Aircraft wings with aileron-supported ground speed spoilers and trailing edge flaps Aileron-supported split flaps and ground speed spoilers (collectively referred to as "aerodynamic lifting or braking devices") for reducing aircraft approach speeds and reducing the length of the runway needed to land the aircraft. The actuating mechanism... | 01/05/1988 |
| 4290612 | Surface conforming thermal/pressure seal A seal assembly for sealing a variable gap between the surface of a first element and a second element movable relative thereto. A seal may comprise a seal housing attached to the second element for movement therewith and having a sealing surface thereon ... | 09/22/1981 |
| 4049219 | Variable pivot trailing edge flap A double segmented airplane flap with the main flap movable by a four-bar linkage and the aft flap programmed with a linkage pivotally mounted to wing support structure. The two flap segments are pivotally joined. Linkage programming the aft flap segment ... | 09/20/1977 |
| 4003533 | Combination airbrake and pitch control device An aircraft having a composite configuration comprising a conventional fuselage forebody portion which symmetrically and variformly blends into a relatively wide, substantially flat beaver-tail-like afterbody, with said afterbody having an integral pitch ... | 01/18/1977 |
