Patents by Inventor Austin T. McAnelly

Austin T. McAnelly 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).

  • Automated removal apparatus, system, and method for selectively removing trimmed portions of a laminated ply in a ply-by-ply fabrication process
    Patent number: 11919261
    Abstract: There is provided an automated removal apparatus for selectively removing one or more trimmed portions of a laminated ply in a ply-by-ply fabrication process. The automated removal apparatus includes a rotatable reel having a plurality of retractable vacuum panels attached around the rotatable reel. Each retractable vacuum panel has one or more retractable vacuum pad assemblies, and each retractable vacuum pad assembly has a vacuum pad with a vacuum port and a self-sealing valve. The automated removal apparatus further includes actuator assemblies attached to the plurality of retractable vacuum panels, friction reducing elements attached around the rotatable reel, a drive assembly attached to the rotatable reel, and a pneumatic system attached to the rotatable reel and including a valve manifold operable to control an air flow to the actuator assemblies and to one or more vacuum generators to generate a vacuum flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Jonathan Y. Ahn, Chace Wilcoxson, Lisa C. Carlson, Gregory R. Klempel, Austin T. McAnelly, Deborah A. Fisher, Scott E. Krajca
  • CONTINUOUS-LINE MANUFACTURING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR COMPOSITE PARTS
    Publication number: 20220152946
    Abstract: A method for depositing composite material onto a tool using an automated machine. The method includes coupling a first mobile platform with a second mobile platform to form a coupled system, the first mobile platform supporting the automated machine and the second mobile platform supporting the tool. The method further includes indexing the automated machine relative to the tool. The method further includes depositing composite material from the automated machine onto the tool while the coupled system moves along a production line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2021
    Publication date: May 19, 2022
    Applicant: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Jace J. Jerome, Richard A. Miller, Michael K. Louie, Jordan S. Erickson, Austin T. McAnelly
  • Automated Removal Apparatus, System, and Method for Selectively Removing Trimmed Portions of a Laminated Ply in a Ply-by-Ply Fabrication Process
    Publication number: 20210394466
    Abstract: There is provided an automated removal apparatus for selectively removing one or more trimmed portions of a laminated ply in a ply-by-ply fabrication process. The automated removal apparatus includes a rotatable reel having a plurality of retractable vacuum panels attached around the rotatable reel. Each retractable vacuum panel has one or more retractable vacuum pad assemblies, and each retractable vacuum pad assembly has a vacuum pad with a vacuum port and a self-sealing valve. The automated removal apparatus further includes actuator assemblies attached to the plurality of retractable vacuum panels, friction reducing elements attached around the rotatable reel, a drive assembly attached to the rotatable reel, and a pneumatic system attached to the rotatable reel and including a valve manifold operable to control an air flow to the actuator assemblies and to one or more vacuum generators to generate a vacuum flow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2021
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Inventors: Jonathan Y. Ahn, Chace Wilcoxson, Lisa C . Carlson, Gregory R. Klempel, Austin T. McAnelly, Deborah A. Fisher, Scott E. Krajca