Patents by Inventor Robert D. Hawkins
Robert D. Hawkins 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: 9770872Abstract: Fiber reinforced composite structures having curved stepped surfaces are fabricated by laying up plies of fiber reinforced material over a tool having a stepped tool feature. The plies are rotated about a fixed axis as they are laid up to substantially form a fixed axis rosette pattern. The plies are angularly oriented such that at least certain of the plies have fiber orientations other than 0, +45, ?45 and 90 degrees. Potential bridging of the fibers over the stepped tool features is reduced or eliminated by cutting slits in the plies in the area of the stepped features, so that the plies can be fully compacted.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2015Date of Patent: September 26, 2017Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANYInventors: Andrew E. Modin, Jack A. Woods, Robert D. Hawkins
-
Patent number: 9701067Abstract: A method is presented. The method comprises identifying a desired shape of a ply on a tool, in which the ply has a fiber orientation; identifying a cut shape for the ply, in which the cut shape is different than the desired shape; cutting a composite prepreg ply to have the cut shape, the composite prepreg ply having the fiber orientation; using a deformable carrier to apply the composite prepreg ply having the cut shape to the tool such that the composite prepreg ply has the desired shape on the tool.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 2013Date of Patent: July 11, 2017Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANYInventors: Robert D. Hawkins, Kurtis S. Willden, Andrew E. Modin, Edoardo Depase, Michael L. Glain, Benjamin Adam Mussi, Max U. Kismarton
-
Publication number: 20150231834Abstract: Fiber reinforced composite structures having curved stepped surfaces are fabricated by laying up plies of fiber reinforced material over a tool having a stepped tool feature. The plies are rotated about a fixed axis as they are laid up to substantially form a fixed axis rosette pattern. The plies are angularly oriented such that at least certain of the plies have fiber orientations other than 0, +45, ?45 and 90 degrees. Potential bridging of the fibers over the stepped tool features is reduced or eliminated by cutting slits in the plies in the area of the stepped features, so that the plies can be fully compacted.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 28, 2015Publication date: August 20, 2015Inventors: Andrew E. Modin, Jack A. Woods, Robert D. Hawkins
-
Patent number: 9056448Abstract: Fiber reinforced composite structures having curved stepped surfaces are fabricated by laying up plies of fiber reinforced material over a tool having a stepped tool feature. The plies are rotated about a fixed axis as they are laid up to substantially form a fixed axis rosette pattern. The plies are angularly oriented such that at least certain of the plies have fiber orientations other than 0, +45, ?45 and 90 degrees. Potential bridging of the fibers over the stepped tool features is reduced or eliminated by cutting slits in the plies in the area of the stepped features, so that the plies can be fully compacted.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2013Date of Patent: June 16, 2015Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANYInventors: Andrew E. Modin, Jack A. Woods, Robert D. Hawkins
-
Publication number: 20140027048Abstract: A method is presented. The method comprises identifying a desired shape of a ply on a tool, in which the ply has a fiber orientation; identifying a cut shape for the ply, in which the cut shape is different than the desired shape; cutting a composite prepreg ply to have the cut shape, the composite prepreg ply having the fiber orientation; using a deformable carrier to apply the composite prepreg ply having the cut shape to the tool such that the composite prepreg ply has the desired shape on the tool.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 7, 2013Publication date: January 30, 2014Applicant: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Robert D. Hawkins, Kurtis S. Willden, Andrew E. Modin, Edoardo Depase, Michael L. Glain, Benjamin Adam Mussi, Max U. Kismarton
-
Patent number: 8636936Abstract: A method for fabricating a laminated composite body including a metal foil and a plurality of fiber plies. The method includes perforating a sheet of metal foil, stacking the perforated metal foil sheet and the plurality of fiber plies in face to face relation in a predetermined order and orientation, and infusing resin into the stacked sheet and plies so that resin flows through the perforations in the metal foil sheet and intersperses between the plurality of fiber plies to form the laminated composite body.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 2006Date of Patent: January 28, 2014Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Andrew E. Modin, Robert D. Hawkins, Robert G. Albers, Jack A. Woods
-
Patent number: 8551380Abstract: Composite prepreg is laid up over a tool by placing prepreg material on a carrier film and using the carrier film to apply the prepreg material to the tool. The prepreg is conformed to contours of the tool by deforming the carrier film.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2010Date of Patent: October 8, 2013Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Robert D. Hawkins, Kurtis S. Willden, Andrew E. Modin, Edoardo Depase, Michael L. Glain, Benjamin Adam Mussi, Max U. Kismarton
-
Publication number: 20130236685Abstract: Fiber reinforced composite structures having curved stepped surfaces are fabricated by laying up plies of fiber reinforced material over a tool having a stepped tool feature. The plies are rotated about a fixed axis as they are laid up to substantially form a fixed axis rosette pattern. The plies are angularly oriented such that at least certain of the plies have fiber orientations other than 0, +45, ?45 and 90 degrees. Potential bridging of the fibers over the stepped tool features is reduced or eliminated by cutting slits in the plies in the area of the stepped features, so that the plies can be fully compacted.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 24, 2013Publication date: September 12, 2013Applicant: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Andrew E. Modin, Jack A. Woods, Robert D. Hawkins
-
Patent number: 8449709Abstract: Fiber reinforced composite structures having curved stepped surfaces are fabricated by laying up plies of fiber reinforced material over a tool having a stepped tool feature. The plies are rotated about a fixed axis as they are laid up to substantially form a fixed axis rosette pattern. The plies are angularly oriented such that at least certain of the plies have fiber orientations other than 0, +45, ?45 and 90 degrees. Potential bridging of the fibers over the stepped tool features is reduced or eliminated by cutting slits in the plies in the area of the stepped features, so that the plies can be fully compacted.Type: GrantFiled: May 25, 2007Date of Patent: May 28, 2013Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Andrew E. Modin, Jack A. Woods, Robert D. Hawkins
-
Publication number: 20120121866Abstract: Composite prepreg is laid up over a tool by placing prepreg material on a carrier film and using the carrier film to apply the prepreg material to the tool. The prepreg is conformed to contours of the tool by deforming the carrier film.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 12, 2010Publication date: May 17, 2012Inventors: ROBERT D. HAWKINS, Kurtis S. Willden, Andrew E. Modin, Edoardo Depase, Michael L. Glain, Benjamin Adam Mussi, Max U. Kismarton
-
Patent number: 8066503Abstract: A composite item is fabricated in a device for infusing a layup. The device include a mandrel, vacuum cup and bagging film. The mandrel is to receive the layup. The mandrel includes a reinforcement receiving zone and a resin receiving zone substantially adjacent to the reinforcement receiving zone. The vacuum cup is in cooperative alignment with the resin receiving zone. The bagging film is to generate a gas tight envelope surrounding the reinforcement receiving zone and the resin receiving zone. The vacuum cup is sealed upon the bagging film to generate a chamber above the resin receiving zone.Type: GrantFiled: October 25, 2005Date of Patent: November 29, 2011Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventor: Robert D. Hawkins
-
Patent number: 7943076Abstract: A curved composite element is laid up over a tool having first and second curved tool surfaces possessing differing radii of curvatures. A plurality of composite fiber ply segments are arranged in substantially side-by-side relationship into a group. The ply segments are formed as a group onto the first curved tool surface, and the group is then formed from the first curved tool surface onto the second curved tool surface.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2009Date of Patent: May 17, 2011Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Robert D. Hawkins, Andrew E. Modin, Edoardo P. Depase
-
Publication number: 20080289747Abstract: Fiber reinforced composite structures having curved stepped surfaces are fabricated by laying up plies of fiber reinforced material over a tool having a stepped tool feature. The plies are rotated about a fixed axis as they are laid up to substantially form a fixed axis rosette pattern. The plies are angularly oriented such that at least certain of the plies have fiber orientations other than 0, +45, ?45 and 90 degrees. Potential bridging of the fibers over the stepped tool features is reduced or eliminated by cutting slits in the plies in the area of the stepped features, so that the plies can be fully compacted.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 25, 2007Publication date: November 27, 2008Inventors: Andrew E. Modin, Jack A. Woods, Robert D. Hawkins
-
Patent number: 7334782Abstract: By evacuating the resin feed tank to a pressure below atmospheric pressure, employing cyclic compaction, and controlling the net compaction pressure, we are better able to control a resin infusion process, particularly a vacuum assisted resin transfer molding process, and produce aerospace-grade fiber-reinforced resin composite having fiber volume fractions and tool-side surface finishes comparable to or exceeding those made using an autoclave.Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 2003Date of Patent: February 26, 2008Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Jack A Woods, Andrew E. Modin, Robert D. Hawkins, Dennis J. Hanks
-
Patent number: 6101641Abstract: A system for the removal of waste from dry toilet bowls (10) and other containers adapted to have a disposable liner sheet (12) comprising an apparatus (16, 18, 20, 36) for forming elastic wads (32) from lengths of liner sheet (12) containing waste and for inserting the wads through a port (28) into a pipe (34), and an arrangement (38) for introducing air pressure into the pipe near the port to propel the wads along the pipe toward the exit (40).Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 1999Date of Patent: August 15, 2000Inventors: Robert D. Hawkins, James A. Hawkins
-
Patent number: 6058520Abstract: Disclosed is a mechanism for gripping and moving liner sheet (10) including a detachable cartridge having a frame (34) holding a supply of liner sheet (10) on a roll (24) for the purpose of forming a disposable liner inside a dry toilet or other adapted waste receptacle. The cartridge has spaced apart feed pads (54) with low friction faces (20) which automatically align with high friction surfaces (18) on moveable belts (12) as the frame (34) is attached to the waste receptacle. Edge portions (26) of the sheet (10) are guided between the low friction surfaces (20) and the belts (12). When the belts (16) are moved, the sheet (10) is pulled from the roll (24) and the edge portions (26) are transported around the perimeter of the waste receptacle by the belts (12) in cooperation with the low friction surfaces (20) thus causing a liner to be formed inside the waste receptacle.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 1999Date of Patent: May 9, 2000Inventors: Robert D. Hawkins, James A. Hawkins
-
Patent number: 5991931Abstract: A process and apparatus to implement the process for the disposal of toilet waste in a relatively small space with low input energy. The process to include the following operations: separating the liquid portion from the solid portion of the toilet waste, disposing of the liquid portion of the waste by drainage, forming a mixture by combining the solid portion of the waste with a quantity of flammable material having structural properties that retain air passages within the mixture, storing the mixture in a chamber, and burning the mixture within the chamber.Type: GrantFiled: January 20, 1998Date of Patent: November 30, 1999Inventors: Robert D. Hawkins, James A. Hawkins
-
Patent number: 5960487Abstract: A dry toilet uses a substantially continuous sheet of disposable bowl lining material to convey the toilet waste out of the toilet bowl for disposal. The sheet is supplied folded on a roll and is transported by a conveyance apparatus concealed within the rim of the toilet bowl.Type: GrantFiled: September 2, 1997Date of Patent: October 5, 1999Inventors: Robert D. Hawkins, James A. Hawkins
-
Patent number: 4411939Abstract: A board which can be conformed to a desired shape, for example, when fabricating a curved wall of a boat hull or gas tank, consists of a plurality of core strips, preferably of polyurethane foam, with mating edge surfaces of complementary shape, with webs of fibrous material, for example, glass fibre matting, interposed between the mating edge surfaces and lying flat against the outer faces of the strips. The webs are held in contact with outer faces of the core strips, for example by stitching passing through outer cover sheets, also of glass fibre material. When "wetted out" with resin the board can be conformed to a desired shape by virtue of the mating edge surfaces of the core strips. The structure forms a rigid internally reinforced structure or wall when the resin is fully cured.Type: GrantFiled: November 26, 1980Date of Patent: October 25, 1983Assignee: National Research Development CorporationInventors: Robert D. Hawkins, James A. Hawkins
-
Patent number: 4140279Abstract: A spray gun for spraying viscous liquids such as resin has a pistol-grip handle on which a lidded container is cradled with a peripheral skirt of the lid clamped against a spray nozzle head, so that a nozzle inlet tube communicates with the container. Liquid is sprayed by compressed air supplied to the nozzle through the handle under control of a valve on the handle.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 1977Date of Patent: February 20, 1979Inventor: Robert D. Hawkins