公开(公告)号：US11235631B2

公开(公告)日：2022-02-01

申请号：US16558143

申请日：2019-09-01

Applicant: The Boeing Company

Inventor： Scott Hartshorn ,  Keith Daniel Humfeld

IPC: B60F5/02 ,  G05D1/04 ,  B64B1/58 ,  B64C39/02 ,  B63B35/00 ,  B63G8/00 ,  B63G8/22 ,  B63G8/08 ,  C25B15/02 ,  C25B1/04 ,  H01M10/46 ,  H02S40/38 ,  H02S10/40 ,  H02S30/20 ,  H01M16/00 ,  H02S20/30 ,  C25B1/55

Abstract: Autonomous craft capable of extended duration operations as lighter-than-air craft, having the ability to alight on the surface of a body of water and generate hydrogen gas for lift via electrolysis using power derived from a photovoltaic system, as well as methods of launching an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) having a deployable envelope from a surface of a body of water.

公开(公告)号：US11235359B2

公开(公告)日：2022-02-01

申请号：US16272561

申请日：2019-02-11

Applicant: The Boeing Company

Inventor： Joseph Andrew Bolton ,  Keith Daniel Humfeld

IPC: B08B7/00 ,  B23K26/361 ,  A47L7/00 ,  B23K26/40 ,  B23K101/34

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses are disclosed for the selective and controlled removal of debris from specific areas of a substrate outer surface without adversely impacting the substrate outer surface, including substrate outer surface coatings, and returning an actual substrate outer surface profile containing affixed debris to a predetermined substrate outer surface profile by comparing a library of predetermined profiles to an actual substrate outer surface profile in real time.

公开(公告)号：US11220321B2

公开(公告)日：2022-01-11

申请号：US16351949

申请日：2019-03-13

Applicant: THE BOEING COMPANY

Inventor： Joseph Andrew Bolton ,  Keith Daniel Humfeld

IPC: G02B6/32 ,  B64C1/14 ,  F16B5/00 ,  G02B6/26 ,  G02B6/42 ,  F16B35/00 ,  F16B33/00 ,  F16B19/04 ,  F16B15/00

Abstract: A fastener includes a head that is configured to be engaged by a tool, and a shaft extending from the head. The shaft includes a distal end that is opposite from the head. At least one optical component is coupled to one or both of the head or the shaft. The optical component(s) is configured to allow light to pass through the fastener. A window system includes a panel that includes an exterior surface and an interior surface, and the fastener extending between the exterior surface and the interior surface of the panel. A screen is coupled to the interior surface. The screen receives light from the optical component(s) of the fastener.

公开(公告)号：US11174371B2

公开(公告)日：2021-11-16

申请号：US16294568

申请日：2019-03-06

Applicant: The Boeing Company

Inventor： Keith Daniel Humfeld

IPC: C08K9/04 ,  C08K3/04 ,  C08J5/04 ,  C08J5/24 ,  B29C70/02 ,  B82Y30/00 ,  B29C70/88 ,  B29C70/10 ,  B29K63/00 ,  B29K307/04 ,  B29K507/04 ,  B29K105/08 ,  B29K105/16 ,  B29L9/00

Abstract: Composite materials having carbon reinforcement fibers impregnated with a matrix material are augmented with functionalized graphene nanoplatelets having amine groups formed on a surface of the graphene nanoplatelets and epoxide groups formed on at least one edge of the graphene nanoplatelets as a supplement to or a replacement for resin matrix material to increase strength of the composite materials. Related methods of increasing strength of composite materials include mixing the functionalized graphene nanoplatelets into the matrix material prior to impregnating the carbon reinforcement fibers, depositing the functionalized graphene nanoplatelets onto the matrix material to form an interlayer, and depositing the functionalized graphene nanoplatelets onto a bed of carbon reinforcement fibers with no resin matrix material. The composite materials and related methods for increasing strength of composite materials may include graphene nanoplatelets having holes formed through the graphene nanoplatelets.

公开(公告)号：US11073707B2

公开(公告)日：2021-07-27

申请号：US15805943

申请日：2017-11-07

Applicant: The Boeing Company

Inventor： Scott D. Hartshorn ,  Keith Daniel Humfeld

IPC: G02F1/01 ,  G06F3/01 ,  G02F1/139 ,  G02B27/01 ,  G06F3/0484 ,  G02B27/28

Abstract: A dimmable window apparatus is provided. The dimmable window apparatus includes a window including a first linear polarizing film and a second linear polarizing film, the first linear polarizing film and the second linear polarizing film having respectively a first axis of polarization and a second axis of polarization, the second axis of polarization being electronically-controllable. The apparatus further includes a processor coupled to the second linear polarizing film, and configured to control the second axis of polarization to thereby control the opacity of the window that is defined by the first axis of polarization and the second axis of polarization relative to one another.

公开(公告)号：US20210114749A1

公开(公告)日：2021-04-22

申请号：US16658459

申请日：2019-10-21

Applicant: The Boeing Company

Inventor： Keith Daniel Humfeld ,  Joseph Andrew Bolton

IPC: B64F5/10 ,  B64C3/26 ,  B29C70/54

Abstract: Methods for machining a composite material substrate are discloses comprising integrating a predetermined pattern area having a disbond material for the purpose of creating a disbond region into the composite material substrate at a predetermined thickness, detecting the disbond region and forming a plurality of recesses in the composite material substrate by removing a machined plug from the composite material substrate to form recesses positioned at locations corresponding to the predetermined pattern area, and composite components comprising the recesses machined according to such methods.

公开(公告)号：US10974467B2

公开(公告)日：2021-04-13

申请号：US15043358

申请日：2016-02-12

Applicant: The Boeing Company

Inventor： Keith Daniel Humfeld ,  Arthur August Rugtvedt ,  Jeffrey Lynn Duce

IPC: B29C70/44 ,  B29C33/02 ,  B29C70/02 ,  B29C33/38 ,  B29C64/10 ,  B29C35/02 ,  B29L31/00

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for enhancement of vacuum bagging processes for a composite part. One system includes dispensers configured to dispense materials onto a forming tool for a composite part, and a controller. The controller is able to identify a selected location for placing the composite part on the tool, to direct the dispensers to apply a mold release agent onto the tool based on the selected location, to apply a sealant onto the tool proximate to the selected location, to lay up a ply of constituent material for the composite part atop the mold release agent at the selected location, to apply a pressure pad material atop the constituent material, to apply a breather material atop the pressure pad, and to apply vacuum bag material atop the ply proximate to the selected location to cover the ply as well as the sealant.

公开(公告)号：US10901228B2

公开(公告)日：2021-01-26

申请号：US15635101

申请日：2017-06-27

Applicant: THE BOEING COMPANY

Inventor： Keith Daniel Humfeld ,  Morteza Safai

IPC: G01N21/31 ,  G01N21/77 ,  G01N15/14 ,  G02B27/12 ,  G02B27/10 ,  G01N15/02 ,  G01N15/00

Abstract: A curved beam replicator includes a body having a first surface and a second surface. The second surface defines at least a portion of a cavity. The first surface is configured to cause light entering the body from another medium to be refracted at a first angle such that the light strikes the second surface at a second angle. The second surface is configured to cause a first portion of the light striking the second surface to pass through the second surface and be refracted into a medium in the cavity and to cause a second portion of the light striking the second surface to be reflected toward the first surface at a third angle. The third angle such that the second portion of the light is totally internally reflected by the first surface.

公开(公告)号：US20200290717A1

公开(公告)日：2020-09-17

申请号：US16351949

申请日：2019-03-13

Applicant: THE BOEING COMPANY

Inventor： Joseph Andrew Bolton ,  Keith Daniel Humfeld

IPC: B64C1/14 ,  F16B5/00 ,  G02B6/26 ,  G02B6/42

Abstract: A fastener includes a head that is configured to be engaged by a tool, and a shaft extending from the head. The shaft includes a distal end that is opposite from the head. At least one optical component is coupled to one or both of the head or the shaft. The optical component(s) is configured to allow light to pass through the fastener. A window system includes a panel that includes an exterior surface and an interior surface, and the fastener extending between the exterior surface and the interior surface of the panel. A screen is coupled to the interior surface. The screen receives light from the optical component(s) of the fastener.

公开(公告)号：US20190224930A1

公开(公告)日：2019-07-25

申请号：US15877628

申请日：2018-01-23

Applicant: The Boeing Company

Inventor： Keith Daniel Humfeld ,  Scott Hartshorn

IPC: B29C70/48 ,  B32B27/12 ,  B29C70/54 ,  B32B27/08

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for fabricating composite parts that include both chopped fiber and continuous fiber components. One embodiment is a method that includes laying up a laminate comprising at least one ply of continuous fiber-reinforced polymer onto a first surface of a mold, filling a cavity of the mold with chopped fibers and resin that contact the laminate, curing the chopped fibers and the laminate together into an integral composite part, and separating the integral composite part from the mold.