Aeronautics and astronautics – Miscellaneous
Reexamination Certificate
2011-03-08
2011-03-08
Barefoot, Galen (Department: 3643)
Aeronautics and astronautics
Miscellaneous
C244S063000, C244S116000, C244S137100
Reexamination Certificate
active
07900866
ABSTRACT:
A system and methods for airborne launch and recovery of aircraft. In one embodiment the system comprises a flexible tether configured to be towed behind an airborne mother ship. A drag device is secured to a distal end of the flexible tether to generate drag and maintain tension in the flexible tether. A reel associated with the mother ship anchors a proximal portion of the flexible tether and selectively lets out and takes up the flexible tether to adjust a length of the flexible tether. A capture mechanism associated with the aircraft engages the flexible tether to enable the aircraft to translate along the flexible tether. In embodiments of the present methods, a flexible tether is deployed from an airborne mother ship. An aircraft translates forward and rearward along the flexible tether. Prior to launch, the weight of the aircraft is transferred from the flexible tether to the wings. During recovery, the weight of the aircraft is transferred from the wings to the flexible tether.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1164967 (1915-12-01), Thorp
patent: 1547912 (1925-07-01), Hall
patent: 1731091 (1929-10-01), Belleville
patent: 1869506 (1932-08-01), Richardson
patent: 3167278 (1965-01-01), Roberge
patent: 3520502 (1970-07-01), Smethers, Jr.
patent: 3599907 (1971-08-01), Ransom et al.
patent: 4645144 (1987-02-01), Zupanick
patent: 4890751 (1990-01-01), Opdahl
patent: 4923148 (1990-05-01), Fillingham et al.
patent: 5103712 (1992-04-01), Minovitch
patent: 6874729 (2005-04-01), McDonnell
patent: 7097137 (2006-08-01), McDonnell
patent: 7152828 (2006-12-01), Garcia, Jr.
patent: 7156036 (2007-01-01), Seiple
patent: 2005/0145752 (2005-07-01), Beyerle
patent: 2006/0202088 (2006-09-01), Padan
patent: 2017617 (1978-03-01), None
Search Report from UK Intellectual Property Office on co-pending UK application (GB0814038.6) dated Nov. 27, 2008.
“CEROS Project Description”, CEROS—National Defense Center of Excellence for Research in Ocean Sciences, pp. 1-2, Jun. 26, 2006, http://www.ceros.org/documents/projectdescriptions/13%20PD—CTA—SoftRail—53798.pdf.
Co-pending related U.S. Appl. No. 11/831,806, filed Jul. 31, 2007; Title: “Reconfigurable Aircraft and Associated Methods”.
Kutzmann Aaron J.
Lutke Kevin R.
Barefoot Galen
Gumpel Charles S.
The Boeing Company
Yee & Associates P.C.
LandOfFree
System and methods for airborne launch and recovery of aircraft does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with System and methods for airborne launch and recovery of aircraft, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and System and methods for airborne launch and recovery of aircraft will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2671112