Patents Assigned to Arris Composites Inc.
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Patent number: 12233609Abstract: A bundling apparatus for fabricating a preform charge consisting of plural preforms includes a guide module, a tacking module, a bundle-advancement module, and a cutting module, and optionally one or more of a bending module, a scoring module, and inspection module, a consolidation module, and a placement module.Type: GrantFiled: August 2, 2023Date of Patent: February 25, 2025Assignee: Arris Composites Inc.Inventors: Greg Oden, Scott Digiorgio, Rose Cheung Atkinson, Zachary Aaron August, Maxwell Harshorn Shimshak
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Patent number: 12226961Abstract: A preform charge is formed by forming an assemblage of preforms, wherein preforms in the assemblage are bonded to a neighboring preform such that the preform charge effectively becomes a single unit. The preform charge can then be added to a mold to fabricate a part via compression molding.Type: GrantFiled: October 11, 2019Date of Patent: February 18, 2025Assignee: Arris Composites Inc.Inventors: Erick Davidson, Ethan Escowitz, Riley Reese, Sean Hennessee, J. Scott Perkins
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Patent number: 12049049Abstract: Method and apparatus for splaying fibers for the forming preform charges for the production of composite discs, and for the production of composite disc, wherein rotary compaction is applied to an appropriately arranged assemblage of preforms.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2020Date of Patent: July 30, 2024Assignee: Arris Composites Inc.Inventors: Ethan Escowitz, Riley Reese, Erick Davidson, J. Scott Perkins
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Patent number: 12017420Abstract: A method for improving the impact resistance of a fiber-composite part includes positioning fibers within an expected impact region of the part, wherein at least a portion of most of the positioned fibers is oriented to be within about 45 degrees of parallel to an impact vector of an impact that occurs at the impact region. At least some of the fibers in the impact region should have relatively high impact resistance, such as glass fiber or aramid fiber, and the matrix in the impact region should have relatively high impact resistance.Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 2021Date of Patent: June 25, 2024Assignee: Arris Composites Inc.Inventors: Kenneth Kirkland, Bert D. Mannhalter, J. Scott Perkins, Ethan Escowitz, Riley Reese
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Patent number: 12011854Abstract: Fiber-composite parts that incorporate a very thin electrical circuit, and a method for making the parts via compression molding, are disclosed. The electrical circuit is encapsulated by a film having a melting point that exceeds the maximum temperature to which the film is exposed during compression molding. The electrical circuit is disposed in a composite ply, in a lay-up of composite plies, and electrical leads are routed through the composite plies so that the lead are accessible in the molded fiber-composite part.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 2021Date of Patent: June 18, 2024Assignee: Arris Composites Inc.Inventors: Ethan Escowitz, Riley Reese, Andrew Mathews, J. Scott Perkins
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Patent number: 11951696Abstract: A cosmetic part is formed via compression molding in a single molding operation with no post processing by forming an assemblage of feed constituents, wherein the assemblage includes plural fiber-bundle-based preforms and one or more resin-only constituents, the latter configured and positioned as appropriate to create resin-rich cosmetic layers where desired on the part.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2022Date of Patent: April 9, 2024Assignee: Arris Composites Inc.Inventors: Bert D. Mannhalter, J. Scott Perkins, Allison R. Light, Ian Graham, Joe Wong, Riley Reese
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Patent number: 11951690Abstract: A method for processing massive fiber bundles includes massive fiber-bundle formation and massive materials handling, wherein plural small-diameter bundles are unified, while more or less preserving their legacy cross-sectional form. It also includes bending, such as to create non-linear preforms, and preform-charge fabrication. Embodiments of the invention operate to help preserve a desired fiber alignment throughout a part fabricated from relatively large-diameter fiber bundles.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 2021Date of Patent: April 9, 2024Assignee: Arris Composites Inc.Inventors: J Scott Perkins, Bert D. Mannhalter, Riley Reese
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Patent number: 11945139Abstract: Methods for fabricating fiber-composite truss structures comprise a) individually molding multiple unit cells of a given size, and subsequently fusing them together in a repeating pattern, b) cross members are consolidated with longerons while maintaining continuity of fiber in the longerons, and c) compression-molded truss components are unioned to continuous fiber beams by means of mechanically interlocking joints.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2021Date of Patent: April 2, 2024Assignee: Arris Composites Inc.Inventors: Ethan Escowitz, Erick Davidson, J. Scott Perkins, Riley Reese
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Patent number: 11878447Abstract: A multi-material molding apparatus and method includes a single mold having, within a mold cavity, one or more movable partitions that segregate at least first and second molding materials. The first molding material is processed to form a first molded portion of the multi-material part. The second molding material is then flowed, through the movable partition, into contact with the first molded portion. That second molding material is then solidified to form a second molded portion of the multi-material part.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2021Date of Patent: January 23, 2024Assignee: ARRIS COMPOSITES INC.Inventors: Sam Pirahanchi, Ethan Escowitz, Erick Davidson
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Patent number: 11872771Abstract: Non-standard, resin-infused fiber bundle includes localized regions of fibers having a sub-nominal amount of polymer resin positioned along its length. These regions function as “bending regions,” where the non-standard resin-infused fiber bundle can be readily deformed by virtue of the reduced amount of resin. The bending regions segregate the non-standard resin-infused fiber bundle into what is, effectively, discrete (smaller) segments of (standard) resin-infused fiber bundle. The ability to easily manipulate the non-standard, resin-infused fiber bundle via the bending regions is useful for creating fiber-bundle-based preforms, and preform charges (assemblages of fiber-bundle-based preforms).Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 2020Date of Patent: January 16, 2024Assignee: ARRIS COMPOSITES INC.Inventors: Todd Pelman, Dylan Harper, Christopher Bender, Riley Reese, J. Scott Perkins
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Patent number: 11874095Abstract: An impact-absorbing article includes two outer panels that sandwich a fiber-composite post-and-sheet layer. The post-and-sheet layer includes a plurality of fiber-composite “posts” that extend orthogonally with respect to a base.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 2023Date of Patent: January 16, 2024Assignee: ARRIS COMPOSITES INC.Inventor: Erick Davidson
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Patent number: 11645432Abstract: A method for designing fiber-composite parts in which part performance and manufacturing efficiency can be traded-off against one another to provide an “optimized” design for a desired use case. In some embodiments, the method involves generating an idealized fiber map, wherein the orientation of fibers throughout the prospective part align with the anticipated load conditions throughout the part, and then modifying the idealized fiber map by various fabrication constraints to generate a process-compensated preform map.Type: GrantFiled: April 4, 2022Date of Patent: May 9, 2023Assignee: Arris Composites Inc.Inventors: Ethan Escowitz, J. Scott Perkins, Riley Reese, Erick Davidson, Sean Hennessee
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Patent number: 11642854Abstract: A system and methods are disclosed for producing components via additive manufacturing. In one embodiment, a three-dimensional geometry is sliced using a slicing plane to obtain a first two-dimensional geometry. A first polyline is generated based on a first skeleton of the first two-dimensional geometry, and a first slender body is generated based on the first polyline. The first slender body is subtracted from the first two-dimensional geometry to obtain a second two-dimensional geometry. A second polyline is generated based on a second skeleton of the second two-dimensional geometry. A first bundle of fibers is produced based on a segmentation of the first polyline and a second bundle of fibers is produced based on a segmentation of the second polyline. A component is produced from the first and second bundles of fibers using an additive manufacturing process.Type: GrantFiled: June 10, 2022Date of Patent: May 9, 2023Assignee: Arris Composites Inc.Inventors: Yang Shen, J. Scott Perkins, Riley Reese, Erick Davidson
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Patent number: 11633926Abstract: Methods and apparatus for additive manufactures of complex parts using co-aligned continuous fibers are disclosed. Filament subunits having complex shapes are fabricated and inserted into a mold cavity. The layup is compression molded to form a complex part having high tensile strength.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 2022Date of Patent: April 25, 2023Assignee: Arris Composites Inc.Inventor: Ethan Escowitz
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Patent number: 11623414Abstract: A method and apparatus for the continuous fabrication of fiber-bundle-based and composite-tape based preforms and preform charges includes a mandrel about which a constituent material, which is maintained under tension, is wound. The tension is insufficient to fully consolidate the wound material.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2020Date of Patent: April 11, 2023Assignee: Arris Composites Inc.Inventors: Todd Pelman, Christopher Bender, Dylan Harper, Cory Bloome, Ethan Escowitz, J. Scott Perkins, Erick Davidson, Kameron Butler
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Patent number: 11623370Abstract: An apparatus for molding a part includes a plunger cavity, a plunger, and a mold cavity, wherein the plunger is oriented out-of-plane with respect to a major surface of the mold cavity, and first and second vents couples to respective first and second portions of the mold cavity. In a method, resin and fiber are forced into the mold cavity from a plunger cavity, and at least some of the fibers and resin are preferentially flowed to certain region in the mold cavity via the use of vents.Type: GrantFiled: May 3, 2021Date of Patent: April 11, 2023Assignee: Arris Composites Inc.Inventors: Erick Davidson, Ethan Escowitz, Sean Hennessee, Riley Reese
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Patent number: 11623416Abstract: A multi-part compression mold for forming a complex part having a desired fiber alignment, and methods therefor, are disclosed. The multi-part mold comprises at least three sections. Specific arrangements of fiber-bundle-based preforms are introduced to more than one of the mold sections of the multi-part mold, and subjected to compression molding. The arrangements of preforms, in conjunction with the multi-part mold, result in a complex part having fibers that substantially align with anticipated principle stress vectors that arise in the complex part, when in use.Type: GrantFiled: June 19, 2020Date of Patent: April 11, 2023Assignee: Arris Composites Inc.Inventors: Erick Davidson, J. Scott Perkins, Riley Reese
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Patent number: 11590719Abstract: A fiber-composite part having one or more electronic components that are located in arbitrary regions of the internal volume of the part are fabricated using a preform charge. The preform charge has a structure that corresponds to that of the mold cavity in which the part is being formed. By incorporating the electronic components in the preform charge, such components are then precisely located, spatially oriented, and constrained, and such location and orientation is maintained during molding to produce a part with the electronic components in the desired locations and orientations within its internal volume.Type: GrantFiled: May 18, 2021Date of Patent: February 28, 2023Assignee: Arris Composites Inc.Inventors: Ethan Escowitz, Riley Reese, J. Scott Perkins, Erick Davidson
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Patent number: 11584049Abstract: A method for making structural foam parts having continuous aligned fibers includes placing an assemblage of fiber-bundle-based preforms in an injection mold, creating a melt flow of resin and, optionally, short, loose fiber, and adding foaming agent to the melt flow. When the foaming agent/melt flow mixture is introduced into the injection mold, the foaming agent foams. The assemblage is structured and positioned so that fibers therefrom adopt a desired alignment and position in the final part. Structural foam fills the remainder of the volume of the part.Type: GrantFiled: August 3, 2020Date of Patent: February 21, 2023Assignee: Arris Composites Inc.Inventors: Ethan Escowitz, Riley Reese, J. Scott Perkins
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Patent number: 11534987Abstract: A method for forming a composite part involves forming a layup comprising (a) preforms/flat form-factor feedstock, either of which includes a plurality of fibers and a matrix precursor, and (b) a differential-melt polymer. The matrix precursor and the differential-melt polymer differ as to at least one of thermal properties and rheological properties. The layup is subjected to controlled application of heat and pressure to melt the matrix precursor and differential-melt polymer. The polymers are then cooled to form a composite part that displays properties attributable to all the constituents. As a function of a variety of factors, the resulting part can be homogenous or heterogenous, and the properties can be localized or global throughout the part.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2020Date of Patent: December 27, 2022Assignee: Arris Composites Inc.Inventors: Ethan Escowitz, J. Scott Perkins, Erick Davidson, Riley Reese, Andrew Mathews