Thomas S Parham

US Patent:

20120305698, Dec 6, 2012

Filed:

Nov 4, 2010

Appl. No.:

13/577633

Inventors:

Troy C. Schank - Keller TX, US
Peter H. Kitzinger - Grapevine TX, US
Paul B. Sherrill - Grapevine TX, US
Thomas C. Parham - Colleyville TX, US
David A. Popelka - Colleyville TX, US

Assignee:

BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON INC. - Fort Worth TX

International Classification:

B64C 27/615
B64C 13/30

US Classification:

244 1711, 244 993, 244213

Abstract:

A method and apparatus is provided, including an actuator system that may be connected to a wing frame for controlling an active element. The actuator system may include sliding elements movable along an axis parallel to the span-wise axis of the wing. The sliding elements may be connected to fixed elements and a crank element, the crank element generally comprising a beam element and a cross-axis flexure pivot element. The beam element may be offset from the pivot element so that the crank element is rotatable about the pivot element with a negative stiffness under an external force that tends to pull the sliding elements away from the fixed elements.

US Patent:

20130082136, Apr 4, 2013

Filed:

Nov 1, 2010

Appl. No.:

13/703813

Inventors:

Troy C Schank - Keller TX, US
Peter H Kintzinger - Grapevine TX, US
Paul B Sherrill - Grapevine TX, US
Thomas Parham - Colleyville TX, US

Assignee:

BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON INC. - FORT WORTH TX

International Classification:

B64C 13/26
F16H 21/44
B64C 27/00

US Classification:

244 1711, 244 992, 74469, 74103

Abstract:

A method and apparatus is provided, including an actuator system that may be connected to a wing frame for controlling an active element. The actuator system may include sliding elements movable along an axis parallel to the span-wise axis of the wing. The sliding elements may be connected to fixed elements and a crank element, the crank element generally comprising a beam element and a pivot element. The beam element may be offset from the pivot element so that the crank element is rotatable about the pivot element with a negative stiffness under an external force that tends to pull the sliding elements away from the fixed elements.

US Patent:

20130105637, May 2, 2013

Filed:

Nov 1, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/286677

Inventors:

Frank B. Stamps - Colleyville TX, US
David A. Popelka - Colleyville TX, US
Charles Eric Covington - Colleyville TX, US
Thomas C. Parham - Colleyville TX, US

Assignee:

BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON INC. - Fort Worth TX

International Classification:

B64C 27/57
B64C 27/22

US Classification:

244 76 R

Abstract:

A system and method for adjusting a rotor blade upon detection of a harmful force exerted on an aircraft wing includes a sensor attached to the wing and a subsystem operably associated with the sensor. The method includes sensing the force exerted on the wing with the sensor and determining whether the sensed force is potentially harmful to the structural integrity of the wing. The method further includes counteracting the harmful force by adjusting the rotor blade movement.

US Patent:

20220194567, Jun 23, 2022

Filed:

Mar 8, 2022

Appl. No.:

17/689511

Inventors:

- Providence RI, US
Frank Bradley Stamps - Colleyville TX, US
Jouyoung Jason Choi - Southlake TX, US
Michael R. Smith - Colleyville TX, US
Thomas C. Parham - Colleyville TX, US

Assignee:

Textron Innovations Inc. - Providence RI

International Classification:

B64C 27/00
B64C 11/00

Abstract:

A vibration attenuator for a rotor of an aircraft has a first ring with an eccentric weight, a coaxial second ring with an eccentric weight, and a central ring coaxial with the first and second rings and located therebetween. A first post extends from the first ring toward the central ring and is received in a first arcuate groove formed on the central ring, whereas a second post extends from the second ring toward the central ring and is received in a second groove formed on the central ring. A motor is configured for driving the central ring in rotation about the axis relative to the motor. The grooves are equal in length, and a center of the first groove is located on an opposite side from a center of the second groove. Rotation of the central ring by the motor causes rotation of the first and second rings.

US Patent:

20210024205, Jan 28, 2021

Filed:

Oct 12, 2020

Appl. No.:

17/068767

Inventors:

- Fort Worth TX, US
Thomas PARHAM - Colleyville TX, US
Dalton T. HAMPTON - Fort Worth TX, US
Frank STAMPS - Colleyville TX, US
Zachary Edwin DAILEY - Grapevine TX, US
Robert L. MILLIKEN - North Richland Hills TX, US

Assignee:

Bell Textron Inc. - Fort Worth TX

International Classification:

B64C 27/35
B64C 27/46

Abstract:

An example of a hub for a tail rotor includes a body configured to couple to a mast of a rotor system, a trunnion disposed within the body, first and second shafts disposed on opposite sides of the trunnion, first and second end plates secured to the body, and first and second end bearings, the first end bearing disposed between the first shaft and the first end plate and the second end bearing disposed between the second shaft and the second end plate.

US Patent:

20200354046, Nov 12, 2020

Filed:

May 10, 2019

Appl. No.:

16/409605

Inventors:

- Fort Worth TX, US
Jouyoung Jason Choi - Southlake TX, US
Thomas Clement Parham - Colleyville TX, US

Assignee:

Bell Textron Inc. - Fort Worth TX

International Classification:

B64C 27/00
B64C 27/32
B64C 13/16
H02P 25/02

Abstract:

An aircraft having a differential rotor speed resonance avoidance system. The aircraft includes an airframe having structural elements subject to resonant vibration at critical frequencies. A thrust array is coupled to the airframe. The thrust array includes at least four rotor systems distributed about the airframe, each rotor system operable over a range of rotor speeds. A flight control system is operably associated with the thrust array and is configured to independently control the rotor speed of each rotor system. While preserving flight dynamics during flight operations, the flight control system selectively increases the rotor speed of some of the rotor systems by a speed delta and decreases the rotor speed of others of the rotor systems by the speed delta to avoid generating excitation frequencies by the rotor systems at the critical frequencies.

US Patent:

20200255133, Aug 13, 2020

Filed:

Feb 11, 2019

Appl. No.:

16/272091

Inventors:

- Fort Worth TX, US
Thomas Parham - Colleyville TX, US
Dalton T. Hampton - Fort Worth TX, US
Frank Stamps - Colleyville TX, US
Zachary Edwin Dailey - Grapevine TX, US
Robert L. Milliken - North Richland Hills TX, US

Assignee:

Bell Helicopter Textron Inc. - Fort Worth TX

International Classification:

B64C 27/35
B64C 27/46

Abstract:

An example of a hub for a tail rotor includes a body configured to couple to a mast of a rotor system, a trunnion disposed within the body, first and second shafts disposed on opposite sides of the trunnion, first and second end plates secured to the body, and first and second end bearings, the first end bearing disposed between the first shaft and the first end plate and the second end bearing disposed between the second shaft and the second end plate.

US Patent:

20180329430, Nov 15, 2018

Filed:

May 12, 2017

Appl. No.:

15/594393

Inventors:

- Fort Worth TX, US
Jillian Samantha Alfred - Ft. Worth TX, US
Sung Kyun Kim - Bedford TX, US
Marko Vuga - Arlington TX, US
Matthew Hendricks - Grand Prairie TX, US
Mark Wasikowski - Keller TX, US
Thomas Parham - Colleyville TX, US
Michael Reaugh Smith - Colleyville TX, US

International Classification:

G05D 1/08
B64C 27/82
B64C 27/04
B64C 27/57

Abstract:

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a method of operating a rotorcraft includes receiving a measured yaw rate from a yaw rate sensor or a measured lateral acceleration from a lateral acceleration sensor of the rotorcraft, filtering the measured yaw rate or the measured lateral acceleration using a filter to form a filtered measured yaw rate or a filtered measured lateral acceleration, and regulating a yaw rate or a lateral acceleration of the rotorcraft based on the measured yaw rate or the measured lateral acceleration. The filter includes a bandpass characteristic or a notch characteristic, and the filtering is configured to reduce lateral vibrations caused by airflow in a tail section of the rotorcraft