Patents by Inventor Antonio C. Micale
Antonio C. Micale 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: 11027378Abstract: A method for assembly manufacturing including positioning a workpiece in an assembly position within an operational cell, positioning a fastening machine relative to the workpiece, wherein the fastening machine includes a robot frame comprising a throat, an assembly end effector coupled to the frame about the throat, and a plurality of linear actuators coupled to the frame, moving, by the plurality of linear actuators, the fastening machine about at least one of six degrees of freedom to receive at least a portion of the workpiece within the throat and position the assembly end effector relative to the workpiece, and performing, by the fastening machine, a fastening operation on the workpiece.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 2019Date of Patent: June 8, 2021Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Eric M. Reid, Matthew R. Desjardien, Edward J. Batt, Antonio C. Micale
-
Patent number: 10363640Abstract: A system and method are provided to automate the assembly of a wing panel, such as utilized by commercial aircraft. In the context of a system, a tacking cell is provided that is configured to tack one or more stringers to a skin plank. The system also includes a riveting cell configured to receive a tacked plank from the tacking cell and to rivet the one or more stringers to the skin plank. The system also includes a splicing cell configured to receive a plurality of riveted planks from the riveting cell and to attach one or more splice stringers to the plurality of riveted planks. Further, the system includes a side of body cell configured to receive a spliced panel from the splicing cell and to attach a side of body chord thereto to produce a wing panel.Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 2017Date of Patent: July 30, 2019Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANYInventors: Farahnaz Tanni Sisco, Daniel R. Smith, Jayson J. Aquino, Edward John Batt, James N. Buttrick, Antonio C. Micale, Darrell D. Jones, Clayton L. Munk, Chris G. Couevas, Azita N. Namdaran, Noman S. Noor, Donald A. Mottaz
-
Publication number: 20190160610Abstract: A method for assembly manufacturing including positioning a workpiece in an assembly position within an operational cell, positioning a fastening machine relative to the workpiece, wherein the fastening machine includes a robot frame comprising a throat, an assembly end effector coupled to the frame about the throat, and a plurality of linear actuators coupled to the frame, moving, by the plurality of linear actuators, the fastening machine about at least one of six degrees of freedom to receive at least a portion of the workpiece within the throat and position the assembly end effector relative to the workpiece, and performing, by the fastening machine, a fastening operation on the workpiece.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 1, 2019Publication date: May 30, 2019Applicant: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Eric M. Reid, Matthew R. Desjardien, Edward J. Batt, Antonio C. Micale
-
Patent number: 10272530Abstract: A method for assembly manufacturing may include the steps of: (1) positioning, by a material-handling system, an unassembled workpiece in a first assembly position within a tacking cell, (2) performing, by a first plurality of fastening machines, a tack fastening operation on the unassembled workpiece to form a partially assembled workpiece, (3) transferring, by the material-handling system, the partially assembled workpiece from the tacking cell to a fastening cell, (4) positioning, by the material-handling system, the partially assembled workpiece in a second assembly position within the fastening cell, and (5) performing, by a second plurality of fastening machines, a final fastening operation on the partially assembled workpiece to form an assembled workpiece.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2016Date of Patent: April 30, 2019Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Eric M. Reid, Matthew R. Desjardien, Edward J. Batt, Antonio C. Micale
-
Patent number: 9943937Abstract: A system and method are provided to automate the assembly of a wing panel, such as utilized by commercial aircraft. In the context of a system, a tacking cell is provided that is configured to tack one or more stringers to a skin plank. The system also includes a riveting cell configured to receive a tacked plank from the tacking cell and to rivet the one or more stringers to the skin plank. The system also includes a splicing cell configured to receive a plurality of riveted planks from the riveting cell and to attach one or more splice stringers to the plurality of riveted planks. Further, the system includes a side of body cell configured to receive a spliced panel from the splicing cell and to attach a side of body chord thereto to produce a wing panel.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2013Date of Patent: April 17, 2018Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Farahnaz Tanni Sisco, Daniel R. Smith, Jayson J. Aquino, Edward John Batt, James N. Buttrick, Antonio C. Micale, Darrell D. Jones, Clayton L. Munk, Chris G. Couevas, Azita N. Namdaran, Noman S. Noor, Donald A. Mottaz
-
Patent number: 9914187Abstract: A system and method are provided to automate the assembly of a wing panel, such as utilized by commercial aircraft. In the context of a system, a tacking cell is provided that is configured to tack one or more stringers to a skin plank. The system also includes a riveting cell configured to receive a tacked plank from the tacking cell and to rivet the one or more stringers to the skin plank. The system also includes a splicing cell configured to receive a plurality of riveted planks from the riveting cell and to attach one or more splice stringers to the plurality of riveted planks. Further, the system includes a side of body cell configured to receive a spliced panel from the splicing cell and to attach a side of body chord thereto to produce a wing panel.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2013Date of Patent: March 13, 2018Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Farahnaz Tanni Sisco, Daniel R. Smith, Jayson J. Aquino, Edward John Batt, James N. Buttrick, Antonio C. Micale, Darrell D. Jones, Clayton L. Munk, Chris G. Couevas, Azita N. Namdaran, Noman S. Noor, Donald A. Mottaz
-
Publication number: 20170144779Abstract: A system and method are provided to automate the assembly of a wing panel, such as utilized by commercial aircraft. In the context of a system, a tacking cell is provided that is configured to tack one or more stringers to a skin plank. The system also includes a riveting cell configured to receive a tacked plank from the tacking cell and to rivet the one or more stringers to the skin plank. The system also includes a splicing cell configured to receive a plurality of riveted planks from the riveting cell and to attach one or more splice stringers to the plurality of riveted planks. Further, the system includes a side of body cell configured to receive a spliced panel from the splicing cell and to attach a side of body chord thereto to produce a wing panel.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 7, 2017Publication date: May 25, 2017Inventors: Farahnaz Tanni Sisco, Daniel R. Smith, Jayson J. Aquino, Edward John Batt, James N. Buttrick, Antonio C. Micale, Darrell D. Jones, Clayton L. Munk, Chris G. Couevas, Azita N. Namdaran, Noman S. Noor, Donald A. Mottaz
-
Publication number: 20160354882Abstract: A method for assembly manufacturing may include the steps of: (1) positioning, by a material-handling system, an unassembled workpiece in a first assembly position within a tacking cell, (2) performing, by a first plurality of fastening machines, a tack fastening operation on the unassembled workpiece to form a partially assembled workpiece, (3) transferring, by the material-handling system, the partially assembled workpiece from the tacking cell to a fastening cell, (4) positioning, by the material-handling system, the partially assembled workpiece in a second assembly position within the fastening cell, and (5) performing, by a second plurality of fastening machines, a final fastening operation on the partially assembled workpiece to form an assembled workpiece.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 23, 2016Publication date: December 8, 2016Inventors: Eric M. Reid, Matthew R. Desjardien, Edward J. Batt, Antonio C. Micale
-
Patent number: 9452500Abstract: A system for assembly manufacturing may include at least one tacking cell configured to perform at least one tack fastening operation on a workpiece, at least one fastening cell configured to perform at least one final fastening operation on the workpiece and a material-handling system linking the tacking cell and the fastening cell, wherein the material-handling system positions the workpiece within the tacking cell and wherein the material-handling system transfers the workpiece from the tacking cell to the fastening cell.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2014Date of Patent: September 27, 2016Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Eric M. Reid, Matthew R. Desjardien, Edward J. Batt, Antonio C. Micale
-
Publication number: 20150266147Abstract: A system for assembly manufacturing may include at least one tacking cell configured to perform at least one tack fastening operation on a workpiece, at least one fastening cell configured to perform at least one final fastening operation on the workpiece and a material-handling system linking the tacking cell and the fastening cell, wherein the material-handling system positions the workpiece within the tacking cell and wherein the material-handling system transfers the workpiece from the tacking cell to the fastening cell.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 24, 2014Publication date: September 24, 2015Applicant: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Eric M. Reid, Matthew R. Desjardien, Edward J. Batt, Antonio C. Micale
-
Patent number: 6003812Abstract: An airplane fuselage panel including a sheet having peripheral edges routed on routing surfaces, while the sheet is held immobile on a fixture, using a routing end effector carried by a precision computer controlled robot that is directed to the routing surfaces using a digital dataset taken directly from digital engineering part definition records. The sheet has coordination holes drilled while on the fixture using a drilling end effector carried by the precision computer controlled robot that is directed to drilling locations using the digital dataset taken directly from the digital engineering part definition records to accurately locate the hole locations relative to the peripheral edges.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 1995Date of Patent: December 21, 1999Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Antonio C. Micale, David E. Strand
-
Patent number: 5806797Abstract: An airplane fuselage including a plurality of individual subassemblies having components that are aligned using coordination holes. The components include an assembly of panels, a plurality of stringer clips, a plurality of frame members, shear ties, and a floor grid made of a plurality of crossmembers. The coordination holes are drilled in selected components and are located at positions on the subassemblies to accurately align the subassemblies relative to each other so the spatial relationship between key features of the subassemblies make them self-locating and intrinsically determinant of the final contour and configuration of the airplane fuselage, independent of hard tooling.Type: GrantFiled: November 1, 1995Date of Patent: September 15, 1998Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventor: Antonio C. Micale
-
Patent number: 5694690Abstract: A method of making a large airplane structure from a plurality of subassemblies. The method comprises drilling coordination holes in selected components which are made for accurate assembly of the subassemblies, and that will be located on the subassemblies in a position to be used to accurately position the subassemblies relative to each other so the spatial relationships between key features of the subassemblies as defined by the coordination holes make the subassemblies self-locating and intrinsically determinate of the final contour and configuration of the large airplane structure, independent of tooling. The drilling of coordination holes in the selected components is done using an end effector carried by a precision computer controlled robot that is directed to the drilling locations using a digital dataset taken directly from original digital part definition records.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 1995Date of Patent: December 9, 1997Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventor: Antonio C. Micale
-
Patent number: 5649888Abstract: A system for assembling parts on a sheet to form a panel includes a fixture for holding the sheet and presenting the sheet broadside to a robot. A rack within the reach of the robot holds a plurality of end effectors, each having an interconnect which can be gripped and centered by the robot when it picks up by the end effector. The end effectors include, 1) a drilling end effector having a drill for drilling holes in the sheet on centers determined by movement of the robot; 2) a routing end effector having a router for routing peripheral edge portions of the sheet along lines determined by movement of the router; 3) a probe end effector having a probe for sensing contact with surfaces on an index device mounted on the fixture at a known location to serve as a reference monument.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 1995Date of Patent: July 22, 1997Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Antonio C. Micale, David E. Strand
-
Patent number: 5615483Abstract: A method and apparatus for manufacturing panels and major airplane fuselage sections, including a reconfigurable fixture that holds panels for routing and drilling by accurate numerically controlled machine tools using original numerical part definition records, utilizing spatial relationships between key features of detail parts or subassemblies as represented by coordination holes drilled into the parts and subassemblies and making the parts and subassemblies intrinsically determinate of the dimensions and contour of the assembly.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 1995Date of Patent: April 1, 1997Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Antonio C. Micale, David E. Strand
-
Patent number: 5586391Abstract: A method of making a large airplane structure from a plurality of subassemblies. The method comprises drilling coordination holes in selected components which are made for accurate assembly of the subassemblies, and that will be located on the subassemblies in a position to be used to accurately position the subassemblies relative to each other so the spatial relationships between key features of the subassemblies as defined by the coordination holes make the subassemblies self-locating and intrinsically determinate of the final contour and configuration of the large airplane structure, independent of tooling. The drilling of coordination holes in the selected components is done using an end effector carried by a precision computer controlled robot that is directed to the drilling locations using a digital dataset taken directly from original digital part definition records.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 1995Date of Patent: December 24, 1996Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventor: Antonio C. Micale
-
Patent number: 5560102Abstract: A method and apparatus for manufacturing panels and major airplane fuselage sections, including a reconfigurable fixture that holds panels for routing and drilling by accurate numerically controlled machine tools using original numerical part definition records, utilizing spatial relationships between key features of detail parts or subassemblies as represented by coordination holes drilled into the parts and subassemblies and making the parts and subassemblies intrinsically determinate of the dimensions and contour of the assembly.Type: GrantFiled: October 13, 1992Date of Patent: October 1, 1996Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Antonio C. Micale, David E. Strand