Patents by Inventor Neil T. Rapues

Neil T. Rapues 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).

  • Patent number: 9108602
    Abstract: A system and procedures for setting a parking brake for an aircraft having an electric brake system are disclosed. Electric activation of a parking brake as described herein mimics the sequence of events that is performed to engage the parking brake of legacy hydraulic brake systems. The electric activation process obtains brake pedal deflection data and parking brake lever status data, and determines whether to set the parking brake mechanism based upon the received data. Once the electric brake actuators are set, the electric brake system engages a friction brake to hold the brake actuators in place without having to physically lock or latch the brake pedals in a depressed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: T. Todd Griffith, Neil T. Rapues, Tanong Nalamliang, Mark R. McConoughey
  • Patent number: 7524000
    Abstract: A system and procedures for controlling a brake status indicator for an aircraft having an electric brake system are disclosed. Electric activation and deactivation of the brake status indicator mimics that of legacy hydraulic brake systems. The control methodology obtains brake force data that indicates actual clamping force of the electric brake actuators, parking brake lever status data that indicates whether the parking brake lever is raised or lowered, and parking brake activation data that indicates whether the parking brake mechanisms are active or inactive. The individual indicator elements of the brake status indicator are independently and concurrently controlled using multiple processing modules/channels of the electric brake system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: David T. Yamamoto, Neil T. Rapues, Tanong Nalamliang
  • Publication number: 20080133072
    Abstract: A system and procedures for controlling a brake status indicator for an aircraft having an electric brake system are disclosed. Electric activation and deactivation of the brake status indicator mimics that of legacy hydraulic brake systems. The control methodology obtains brake force data that indicates actual clamping force of the electric brake actuators, parking brake lever status data that indicates whether the parking brake lever is raised or lowered, and parking brake activation data that indicates whether the parking brake mechanisms are active or inactive. The individual indicator elements of the brake status indicator are independently and concurrently controlled using multiple processing modules/channels of the electric brake system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2006
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Inventors: David T. Yamamoto, Neil T. Rapues, Tanong Nalamliang
  • Publication number: 20080133073
    Abstract: A system and procedures for setting a parking brake for an aircraft having an electric brake system are disclosed. Electric activation of a parking brake as described herein mimics the sequence of events that is performed to engage the parking brake of legacy hydraulic brake systems. The electric activation process obtains brake pedal deflection data and parking brake lever status data, and determines whether to set the parking brake mechanism based upon the received data. Once the electric brake actuators are set, the electric brake system engages a friction brake to hold the brake actuators in place without having to physically lock or latch the brake pedals in a depressed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2006
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Inventors: T. Todd Griffith, Neil T. Rapues, Tanong Nalamliang, Mark R. McConoughey