Patents by Inventor Roger D. Bernhardt

Roger D. Bernhardt 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: 11967738
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus for a full perimeter electrode cell are disclosed. In one or more embodiments, a battery comprises a plurality of battery cells. The battery further comprises a plurality of anode electrodes and a plurality of cathode electrodes, of each of the battery cells, arranged around a perimeter of the battery. In at least one embodiment, the anode electrodes and the cathode electrodes, of each of the battery cells, are arranged such that they are alternating around the perimeter of the battery. In some embodiments, there are an equal number of the anode electrodes and the cathode electrodes, for each of the battery cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Roger D. Bernhardt
  • Patent number: 11613219
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a structural member for a vehicle. The structural member comprises a plurality of finned spar members interlocked with one another, wherein each finned spar member of the plurality of finned spar members includes a main body, a plurality of web members extending from a flange of the main body, a circuit board formed on the main body, and a bus bar comprising a tube positioned in an opening formed in the main body, the bus bar being in electrical communication with the circuit board, wherein a compartment is formed between adjacent web members, the compartment being sized to receive a battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventor: Roger D. Bernhardt
  • Patent number: 11563257
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus for a structurally cross-tied energy cell are disclosed. In one or more embodiments, a battery comprises a plurality of battery cells, each comprising an anode layer and a cathode layer. The battery further comprises a plurality of anode cross ties electrically connected to at least some of the anode layers of the battery. Further, the battery comprises a plurality of cathode cross ties electrically connected to at least some of the cathode layers of the battery. In one or more embodiments, the anode cross ties and the cathode cross ties run through all of the battery cells of the battery. In at least one embodiment, the anode cross ties and the cathode cross ties are manufactured from an electrical conductor material. In some embodiments, the anode cross ties and the cathode cross ties each comprise conductive protrusions, which are located external to the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Roger D. Bernhardt
  • Patent number: 11530026
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a structural member for a vehicle. The structural member comprises a plurality of finned spar members interlocked with one another, wherein each of the finned spar members include a main body, a plurality of web members extending from a flange, a circuit board formed on the main body, and a bus bar formed on the main body, wherein a compartment is formed between adjacent web members, each compartment being sized to receive a battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventor: Roger D. Bernhardt
  • Patent number: 11518508
    Abstract: A robust amphibious air vehicle incorporates a fuselage with buoyant stabilizers and wings extending from the fuselage. At least one lift fan is mounted in the fuselage. Movable propulsion units carried by the wings are rotatable through a range of angles adapted for vertical and horizontal flight operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Roger D. Bernhardt
  • Patent number: 11504887
    Abstract: A system for removing and evenly completing cure of residual collected uncured resin from within a 3D printed part, which includes an enclosure which shields UV electromagnetic radiation from entering a space positioned within the enclosure. The system further includes a rotator device positioned in the space within the enclosure and a 3D printed part positioned within the space and associated with the rotator device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Jared Backues, Roger D. Bernhardt
  • Patent number: 11478941
    Abstract: End effectors and methods for gripping a curvilinear sheet of material are disclosed herein. The curvilinear sheet of material defines a first sheet side having a curvilinear first side topography and a second sheet side having a curvilinear second side topography. The end effector includes a negative mating shaped first sheet-engaging surface configured to operatively support the first sheet side and having a curvilinear first sheet-engaging surface topography that corresponds to the curvilinear first side topography. The end effector also includes a second sheet-engaging surface configured to operatively support the second sheet side and having a curvilinear appropriately mating negative shaped second sheet-engaging surface topography that corresponds to the curvilinear second side topography. The end effector further includes an actuation mechanism configured to selectively transition the end effector between an open orientation and a gripping (converging) orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Roger D. Bernhardt
  • Patent number: 11447022
    Abstract: Structural members containing energy storage are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a first spring unit having a first plate spaced from a second plate and a first biasing element positioned between the first plate and the second plate. The first biasing element enables the first plate to move relative to the second plate in a direction along a longitudinal axis of the apparatus. A second spring unit has a third plate spaced from a fourth plate and a second biasing element positioned between the third plate and the fourth plate. The second biasing element enables the third plate to move relative to the fourth plate along the longitudinal axis of the apparatus. A battery is positioned between the first spring unit and the second spring unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Roger D. Bernhardt, Daniel J. Clingman
  • Patent number: 11444312
    Abstract: Layered energy storage devices and methods of forming the layered energy storage devices are disclosed herein. The layered energy storage devices include a first device layer, a second device layer, an intermediate layer, and an interlock structure. The first device layer defines a first electrode, and the second device layer defines a second electrode. The intermediate layer extends between, and electrically separates, the first electrode and the second electrode. The intermediate layer includes an electrolyte material configured to facilitate ion transport between the first electrode and the second electrode. The interlock structure is at least partially defined by the first device layer and also by the second device layer. The interlock structure is configured to operatively interlock the first device layer, the second device layer, and the intermediate layer to one another. The methods include methods of forming the layered energy storage devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Roger D. Bernhardt
  • Patent number: 11440430
    Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide a vehicle, comprising: a housing; a battery comprising a plurality of layers and disposed within the housing; and a first removable battery compression device disposed within the housing and configured to apply compressive force to the plurality of layers of the battery via a first side of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventor: Roger D. Bernhardt
  • Patent number: 11427306
    Abstract: A ducted-fan unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capable of low-energy high-rate maneuvers for both vertical roll control and horizontal pitch control. The UAV includes ducted fans which are with respective piezoelectric-actuated thrust vectoring flaps. Thrust vector control is achieved by controlling the angular positions of a plurality of thrust vector flaps pivotably coupled at respective outlets of a plurality of ducts having fan rotors at the inlets. Each thrust vectoring flap has only one degree of freedom in the frame of reference of the UAV, namely, rotation about a single axis that is perpendicular to the axis of the duct. The angular position of the flap is controlled by sending electrical signals to a piezoelectric actuator (e.g., a piezoelectric bimorph actuator) having a voltage sufficient to cause the piezoelectric actuator to bend.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Roger D. Bernhardt, Dan J. Clingman
  • Patent number: 11387500
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus for a multi-tab battery cycle life extension through alternating electrode charging are disclosed. In one or more embodiments, a battery comprises a plurality of battery cells. The battery further comprises a plurality of anode electrodes and a plurality of cathode electrodes, of each of the battery cells, arranged around a perimeter of the battery. Further, the battery comprises a controller to apply, for each of the battery cells, a load or a charge from the anode electrodes to the cathode electrodes in a pattern such that charge is uniformly distributed across each of the battery cells. In one or more embodiments, the controller is located external or internal to the battery. In some embodiments, the battery further comprises a processor to determine the pattern for applying the load or the charge from the anode electrodes to the cathode electrodes for each of the battery cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Roger D. Bernhardt
  • Publication number: 20210347266
    Abstract: Structural members containing energy storage are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a first spring unit having a first plate spaced from a second plate and a first biasing element positioned between the first plate and the second plate. The first biasing element enables the first plate to move relative to the second plate in a direction along a longitudinal axis of the apparatus. A second spring unit has a third plate spaced from a fourth plate and a second biasing element positioned between the third plate and the fourth plate. The second biasing element enables the third plate to move relative to the fourth plate along the longitudinal axis of the apparatus. A battery is positioned between the first spring unit and the second spring unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2020
    Publication date: November 11, 2021
    Inventors: Roger D. Bernhardt, Daniel J. Clingman
  • Publication number: 20210151810
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus for a multi-tab battery cycle life extension through alternating electrode charging are disclosed. In one or more embodiments, a battery comprises a plurality of battery cells. The battery further comprises a plurality of anode electrodes and a plurality of cathode electrodes, of each of the battery cells, arranged around a perimeter of the battery. Further, the battery comprises a controller to apply, for each of the battery cells, a load or a charge from the anode electrodes to the cathode electrodes in a pattern such that charge is uniformly distributed across each of the battery cells. In one or more embodiments, the controller is located external or internal to the battery. In some embodiments, the battery further comprises a processor to determine the pattern for applying the load or the charge from the anode electrodes to the cathode electrodes for each of the battery cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2019
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Inventor: Roger D. Bernhardt
  • Publication number: 20210151729
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus for a structurally cross-tied energy cell are disclosed. In one or more embodiments, a battery comprises a plurality of battery cells, each comprising an anode layer and a cathode layer. The battery further comprises a plurality of anode cross ties electrically connected to at least some of the anode layers of the battery. Further, the battery comprises a plurality of cathode cross ties electrically connected to at least some of the cathode layers of the battery. In one or more embodiments, the anode cross ties and the cathode cross ties run through all of the battery cells of the battery. In at least one embodiment, the anode cross ties and the cathode cross ties are manufactured from an electrical conductor material. In some embodiments, the anode cross ties and the cathode cross ties each comprise conductive protrusions, which are located external to the battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2019
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Inventor: Roger D. Bernhardt
  • Publication number: 20210151730
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus for a full perimeter electrode cell are disclosed. In one or more embodiments, a battery comprises a plurality of battery cells. The battery further comprises a plurality of anode electrodes and a plurality of cathode electrodes, of each of the battery cells, arranged around a perimeter of the battery. In at least one embodiment, the anode electrodes and the cathode electrodes, of each of the battery cells, are arranged such that they are alternating around the perimeter of the battery. In some embodiments, there are an equal number of the anode electrodes and the cathode electrodes, for each of the battery cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2019
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Inventor: Roger D. Bernhardt
  • Publication number: 20210107185
    Abstract: A system for removing and evenly completing cure of residual collected uncured resin from within a 3D printed part, which includes an enclosure which shields UV electromagnetic radiation from entering a space positioned within the enclosure. The system further includes a rotator device positioned in the space within the enclosure and a 3D printed part positioned within the space and associated with the rotator device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2019
    Publication date: April 15, 2021
    Inventors: Jared Backues, Roger D. Bernhardt
  • Publication number: 20200391843
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a structural member for a vehicle. The structural member comprises a plurality of finned spar members interlocked with one another, wherein each of the finned spar members include a main body, a plurality of web members extending from a flange, a circuit board formed on the main body, and a bus bar formed on the main body, wherein a compartment is formed between adjacent web members, each compartment being sized to receive a battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2019
    Publication date: December 17, 2020
    Inventor: Roger D. BERNHARDT
  • Publication number: 20200391683
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a structural member for a vehicle. The structural member comprises a plurality of finned spar members interlocked with one another, wherein each finned spar member of the plurality of finned spar members includes a main body, a plurality of web members extending from a flange of the main body, a circuit board formed on the main body, and a bus bar comprising a tube positioned in an opening formed in the main body, the bus bar being in electrical communication with the circuit board, wherein a compartment is formed between adjacent web members, the compartment being sized to receive a battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2019
    Publication date: December 17, 2020
    Inventor: Roger D. BERNHARDT
  • Publication number: 20200346555
    Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide a vehicle, comprising: a housing; a battery comprising a plurality of layers and disposed within the housing; and a first removable battery compression device disposed within the housing and configured to apply compressive force to the plurality of layers of the battery via a first side of the battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2019
    Publication date: November 5, 2020
    Inventor: Roger D. Bernhardt