Patents by Inventor Aphea Ann Thornton
Aphea Ann Thornton has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 11332339Abstract: A method of reducing entanglement of wires includes receiving, at a tray, one or more first wires of a first wire group from a wire feed system of a wire processing machine. In addition, the method includes receiving, at the tray, one or more second wires of a second wire group from the wire feed system after receiving the first wire group at the tray. The method further includes physically separating, using a separator device associated with the tray, at least a portion of the first wire group from the second wire group. The method also includes moving the second wire group relative to the first wire group, reducing movement of at least a portion of the first wire group relative to a tray surface during movement of the second wire group relative to the first wire group.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2019Date of Patent: May 17, 2022Inventors: Eerik J. Helmick, Bradley J. Mitchell, Nick S. Evans, Damien O. Martin, Aphea Ann Thornton
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Patent number: 11319183Abstract: A method of reducing entanglement of wires includes receiving from a wire feed system of a wire processing machine a first wire on a tray surface providing a wire-to-surface coefficient of friction between the tray surface and the first wire. In addition, the method includes receiving from the wire feed system a second wire at least partially on top of the first wire, the wire-to-surface coefficient of friction being higher than a wire-to-wire coefficient of friction between the first wire and the second wire. The method also includes moving the second wire relative to the first wire, and reducing movement of at least a portion of the first wire relative to the tray surface during movement of the second wire relative to the first wire due to the wire-to-surface coefficient of friction being higher than the wire-to-wire coefficient of friction.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2019Date of Patent: May 3, 2022Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Bradley J. Mitchell, Nick S. Evans, Damien O. Martin, Aphea Ann Thornton, Eerik J. Helmick
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Patent number: 11070019Abstract: An automated system for processing an end of a cable. The system includes: a cable delivery system; a cable processing module; a pallet supported by the cable delivery system; a drive wheel rotatably coupled to the pallet; a motor operatively coupled for driving rotation of the drive wheel; and an idler wheel rotatably coupled to the pallet and forming a nip with the drive wheel. The cable processing module includes cable processing equipment and a computer system. The computer system is configured to: (a) cause the drive wheel to rotate in a cable pushing direction to cause a specified length of cable to be inserted into the cable processing equipment; (b) activate the cable processing equipment to operate on the cable end; and (c) cause the drive wheel to rotate in a cable pulling direction to cause the length of cable to be removed from the cable processing equipment.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2018Date of Patent: July 20, 2021Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Grace L. Duncan, Bradley J. Mitchell, Damien O. Martin, Dinh X. Tran, Eerik J. Helmick, Aphea Ann Thornton, Nick S. Evans, David S. Wright, Lars E. Blacken, Keith M. Cutler
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Publication number: 20200161824Abstract: An automated system for processing an end of a cable. The system includes: a cable delivery system; a cable processing module; a pallet supported by the cable delivery system; a drive wheel rotatably coupled to the pallet; a motor operatively coupled for driving rotation of the drive wheel; and an idler wheel rotatably coupled to the pallet and forming a nip with the drive wheel. The cable processing module includes cable processing equipment configured to perform an operation on an end of a cable and a computer system. The computer system is configured to: (a) cause the drive wheel to rotate in a cable pushing direction to cause a specified length of cable to be inserted into the cable processing equipment; (b) activate the cable processing equipment to perform an operation on the inserted end of the cable; and (c) cause the drive wheel to rotate in a cable pulling direction to cause the specified length of cable to be removed from the cable processing equipment.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 19, 2018Publication date: May 21, 2020Applicant: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Grace L. Duncan, Bradley J. Mitchell, Damien O. Martin, Dinh X. Tran, Eerik J. Helmick, Aphea Ann Thornton, Nick S. Evans, David S. Wright, Lars E. Blacken, Keith M. Cutler
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Publication number: 20200048027Abstract: A method of reducing entanglement of wires includes receiving from a wire feed system of a wire processing machine a first wire on a tray surface providing a wire-to-surface coefficient of friction between the tray surface and the first wire. In addition, the method includes receiving from the wire feed system a second wire at least partially on top of the first wire, the wire-to-surface coefficient of friction being higher than a wire-to-wire coefficient of friction between the first wire and the second wire. The method also includes moving the second wire relative to the first wire, and reducing movement of at least a portion of the first wire relative to the tray surface during movement of the second wire relative to the first wire due to the wire-to-surface coefficient of friction being higher than the wire-to-wire coefficient of friction.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 16, 2019Publication date: February 13, 2020Inventors: Bradley J. Mitchell, Nick S. Evans, Damien O. Martin, Aphea Ann Thornton, Eerik J. Helmick
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Publication number: 20200048028Abstract: A method of reducing entanglement of wires includes receiving, at a tray, one or more first wires of a first wire group from a wire feed system of a wire processing machine. In addition, the method includes receiving, at the tray, one or more second wires of a second wire group from the wire feed system after receiving the first wire group at the tray. The method further includes physically separating, using a separator device associated with the tray, at least a portion of the first wire group from the second wire group. The method also includes moving the second wire group relative to the first wire group, reducing movement of at least a portion of the first wire group relative to a tray surface during movement of the second wire group relative to the first wire group.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 16, 2019Publication date: February 13, 2020Inventors: Eerik J. Helmick, Bradley J. Mitchell, Nick S. Evans, Damien O. Martin, Aphea Ann Thornton
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Patent number: 10501284Abstract: A wire processing system includes a tray having at least one tray surface configured to sequentially receive a first wire and a second wire from a wire feed system of a wire processing machine. The tray surface has a surface feature configured to provide a wire-to-surface coefficient of friction between the tray surface and the first wire higher than a wire-to-wire coefficient of friction between the first wire and the second wire laying on top of the first wire. The wire-to-surface coefficient of friction reduces movement of at least a portion of the first wire relative to the tray surface during movement of the second wire relative to the first wire.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2016Date of Patent: December 10, 2019Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Eerik J. Helmick, Bradley J. Mitchell, Nick S. Evans, Damien O. Martin, Aphea Ann Thornton
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Patent number: 10501283Abstract: A wire processing system includes a tray having at least one tray surface configured to sequentially receive a first wire and a second wire from a wire feed system of a wire processing machine. The tray surface has a surface feature configured to provide a wire-to-surface coefficient of friction between the tray surface and the first wire higher than a wire-to-wire coefficient of friction between the first wire and the second wire laying on top of the first wire. The wire-to-surface coefficient of friction reduces movement of at least a portion of the first wire relative to the tray surface during movement of the second wire relative to the first wire.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2016Date of Patent: December 10, 2019Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Bradley J. Mitchell, Nick S. Evans, Damien O. Martin, Aphea Ann Thornton, Eerik J. Helmick
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Publication number: 20170369271Abstract: A wire processing system includes a tray having at least one tray surface configured to sequentially receive a first wire and a second wire from a wire feed system of a wire processing machine. The tray surface has a surface feature configured to provide a wire-to-surface coefficient of friction between the tray surface and the first wire higher than a wire-to-wire coefficient of friction between the first wire and the second wire laying on top of the first wire. The wire-to-surface coefficient of friction reduces movement of at least a portion of the first wire relative to the tray surface during movement of the second wire relative to the first wire.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 22, 2016Publication date: December 28, 2017Inventors: Bradley J. Mitchell, Nick S. Evans, Damien O. Martin, Aphea Ann Thornton, Eerik J. Helmick
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Publication number: 20170369272Abstract: A wire processing system includes a tray having at least one tray surface configured to sequentially receive a first wire and a second wire from a wire feed system of a wire processing machine. The tray surface has a surface feature configured to provide a wire-to-surface coefficient of friction between the tray surface and the first wire higher than a wire-to-wire coefficient of friction between the first wire and the second wire laying on top of the first wire. The wire-to-surface coefficient of friction reduces movement of at least a portion of the first wire relative to the tray surface during movement of the second wire relative to the first wire.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 22, 2016Publication date: December 28, 2017Inventors: Eerik J. Helmick, Bradley J. Mitchell, Nick S. Evans, Damien O. Martin, Aphea Ann Thornton