Patents by Inventor James A. Cordell
James A. Cordell 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: 11738493Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes fastening a plurality of components of a composite structure in an assembly fixture, wherein the assembly fixture comprises a plurality of strands of a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic material, wherein the fiber-reinforced thermoplastic material comprises a thermoplastic embedded with a plurality of reinforcement fibers, wherein the plurality of reinforcement fibers is aligned within each strand of the plurality of strands, and wherein the assembly fixture further comprises an anisotropic thermal expansion property based on an orientation of the plurality of reinforcement fibers within the assembly fixture; and heating the assembly fixture in an autoclave to bond the plurality of components of the composite structure.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2021Date of Patent: August 29, 2023Assignee: TEXTRON INNOVATIONS INC.Inventors: David G. Carlson, Douglas K. Wolfe, James A. Cordell
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Publication number: 20210308926Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes fastening a plurality of components of a composite structure in an assembly fixture, wherein the assembly fixture comprises a plurality of strands of a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic material, wherein the fiber-reinforced thermoplastic material comprises a thermoplastic embedded with a plurality of reinforcement fibers, wherein the plurality of reinforcement fibers is aligned within each strand of the plurality of strands, and wherein the assembly fixture further comprises an anisotropic thermal expansion property based on an orientation of the plurality of reinforcement fibers within the assembly fixture; and heating the assembly fixture in an autoclave to bond the plurality of components of the composite structure.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 27, 2021Publication date: October 7, 2021Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.Inventors: David G. Carlson, Douglas K. Wolfe, James A. Cordell
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Patent number: 11077596Abstract: In one embodiment, an assembly fixture may include a base structure including a plurality of strands of a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic material comprising a thermoplastic embedded with a plurality of reinforcement fibers, wherein the plurality of reinforcement fibers is aligned within each strand of the plurality of strands, and wherein the base structure further comprises an anisotropic thermal expansion property based on an orientation of the plurality of reinforcement fibers within the base structure, The assembly fixture may further include a plurality of fastening structures coupled to the base structure, wherein the plurality of fastening structures is configured to fasten a plurality of components of a composite structure for assembly using a heated bonding process.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2020Date of Patent: August 3, 2021Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.Inventors: David G. Carlson, Douglas K. Wolfe, James A. Cordell
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Patent number: 11027465Abstract: A method is provided in one example embodiment and may include positioning at least one nozzle within a hollow portion of a rotor blade at a distance associated with a span of the rotor blade and providing, via the at least one nozzle, a liquid foam mixture in the hollow portion, wherein the liquid foam expands and becomes a solid foam material that fills the hollow portion of the rotor blade. Another method is provided in another example embodiment and may include providing a plurality of openings for a rotor blade that are positioned proximate to a hollow portion of the rotor blade and providing a liquid foam mixture in the hollow portion of the rotor blade through at least one opening of the rotor blade, wherein the liquid foam mixture expands and becomes a solid foam material that fills the hollow portion of the rotor blade.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2018Date of Patent: June 8, 2021Assignee: TEXTRON INNOVATIONS INC.Inventors: James A. Cordell, Suvankar Mishra, Andrew Paul Haldeman, Jesse J. Wrabel, Dalton T. Hampton
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Publication number: 20210060886Abstract: Embodiments are directed to systems and methods for manufacturing composite assemblies comprising laying up composite plies on molds for two or more uncured components, joining the molds for the two or more uncured components to form a tubular body, and curing the joined components simultaneously to create a single composite assembly. The single composite assembly may form a spar for an aerodynamic component. The method may further comprise forming at least one axial edge having a sloped shape on the uncured components and mating the sloped axial edges together when joining the uncured components. The molds for the two or more uncured components may comprise female tools or both female tools and male tools. The two or more cured composite assemblies may comprise one or more of carbon and fiberglass composite materials.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 29, 2019Publication date: March 4, 2021Applicant: Bell Textron Inc.Inventors: Nicholas Allen Torske, Steven Cordell, James Cordell, Michael Christopher Burnett, Mark Mays
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Publication number: 20200346382Abstract: In one embodiment, an assembly fixture may include a base structure including a plurality of strands of a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic material comprising a thermoplastic embedded with a plurality of reinforcement fibers, wherein the plurality of reinforcement fibers is aligned within each strand of the plurality of strands, and wherein the base structure further comprises an anisotropic thermal expansion property based on an orientation of the plurality of reinforcement fibers within the base structure, The assembly fixture may further include a plurality of fastening structures coupled to the base structure, wherein the plurality of fastening structures is configured to fasten a plurality of components of a composite structure for assembly using a heated bonding process.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 10, 2020Publication date: November 5, 2020Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.Inventors: David G. Carlson, Douglas K. Wolfe, James A. Cordell
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Patent number: 10654208Abstract: In one embodiment, a method may comprise heating a composite material into a viscous form, wherein the composite material comprises a thermoplastic and a plurality of reinforcement fibers, wherein the plurality of reinforcement fibers is randomly arranged within the thermoplastic. The method may further comprise extruding a plurality of strands of the composite material, wherein extruding the plurality of strands causes the plurality of reinforcement fibers within each strand to align. The method may further comprise arranging the plurality of strands of the composite material to form an assembly fixture, wherein the assembly fixture comprises an anisotropic thermal expansion property, and wherein the anisotropic thermal expansion property is based on an orientation of the plurality of reinforcement fibers within the assembly fixture.Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 2017Date of Patent: May 19, 2020Assignee: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON INC.Inventors: David G. Carlson, Douglas K. Wolfe, James A. Cordell
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Publication number: 20200094450Abstract: A method is provided in one example embodiment and may include positioning at least one nozzle within a hollow portion of a rotor blade at a distance associated with a span of the rotor blade and providing, via the at least one nozzle, a liquid foam mixture in the hollow portion, wherein the liquid foam expands and becomes a solid foam material that fills the hollow portion of the rotor blade. Another method is provided in another example embodiment and may include providing a plurality of openings for a rotor blade that are positioned proximate to a hollow portion of the rotor blade and providing a liquid foam mixture in the hollow portion of the rotor blade through at least one opening of the rotor blade, wherein the liquid foam mixture expands and becomes a solid foam material that fills the hollow portion of the rotor blade.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 25, 2018Publication date: March 26, 2020Inventors: James A. Cordell, Suvankar Mishra, Andrew Paul Haldeman, Jesse J. Wrabel, Dalton T. Hampton
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Publication number: 20190084207Abstract: In one embodiment, a method may comprise heating a composite material into a viscous form, wherein the composite material comprises a thermoplastic and a plurality of reinforcement fibers, wherein the plurality of reinforcement fibers is randomly arranged within the thermoplastic. The method may further comprise extruding a plurality of strands of the composite material, wherein extruding the plurality of strands causes the plurality of reinforcement fibers within each strand to align. The method may further comprise arranging the plurality of strands of the composite material to form an assembly fixture, wherein the assembly fixture comprises an anisotropic thermal expansion property, and wherein the anisotropic thermal expansion property is based on an orientation of the plurality of reinforcement fibers within the assembly fixture.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 20, 2017Publication date: March 21, 2019Inventors: David G. Carlson, Douglas K. Wolfe, James A. Cordell