Patents by Inventor Christopher J. Mills
Christopher J. Mills 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).
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Publication number: 20240017830Abstract: A system and a method for securing and stabilizing one or more galley carts within a stowage compartment within an internal cabin of a vehicle include one or more dampers configured to be secured to one or more surfaces of the stowage compartment. The one or more dampers are configured to exert a spring force into the one or more galley carts to stabilize the one or more galley carts between the one or more dampers and one or more other surfaces of the stowage compartment.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 18, 2022Publication date: January 18, 2024Applicant: THE BOEING COMPANYInventor: Christopher J. Mills
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Patent number: 11608155Abstract: A floor panel connection system for attaching a floor panel to an airframe is disclosed. The connection system includes an offset flange insert comprising a base portion, a flange portion, and an interconnect portion. The base portion of the insert is configured to be received in a hole in an edge region of the floor panel and includes an opening that is sized to receive a fastener. The interconnect portion extends laterally from the base portion such that when the edge portion of the floor panel is overlapping a lateral edge portion of the airframe, the flange portion of the insert is beyond the lateral edge portion. The flange portion is also configured to be bonded to a bottom surface of the floor panel beyond the lateral edge portion of the airframe.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2020Date of Patent: March 21, 2023Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Christopher J. Mills, Emily Yang, Michael Patrick Durbin
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Publication number: 20220178395Abstract: A fastener insert for securement to a composite sandwich panel at an opening in the composite sandwich panel includes a base and a fastener carrier. The base has a body and a flange integral with the body. The flange extends laterally outward of an outer perimeter of the body. The base defines a central cavity extending entirely through both the body and the flange. The base includes a first locking feature disposed at the central cavity. The fastener carrier is configured to insert into the central cavity of the base. The fastener carrier defines a fastener opening and has a second locking feature configured for mechanical engagement with the first locking feature of the base to retain the fastener carrier to the base. A panel assembly and a method of fastening a component to a composite sandwich panel utilize the fastener insert.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 2, 2021Publication date: June 9, 2022Applicant: The Boeing CompanyInventor: Christopher J. Mills
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Patent number: 11333183Abstract: A fastener-receiving insert system includes a fastener-receiving insert having a proximal end and a distal end and at least one adhesive-dispensing chamber adjacent to the distal end of the insert, containing at least one part of an adhesive material within a chamber wall. The fastener-receiving insert system further includes a puncturing device operably engaged with and configured to puncture the chamber wall to release the at least one part of the adhesive material around the fastener-receiving insert.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2019Date of Patent: May 17, 2022Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Raj A. Desai, Christopher Brad Long, Christopher J. Mills
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Publication number: 20210190111Abstract: A fastener-receiving insert system includes a fastener-receiving insert having a proximal end and a distal end and at least one adhesive-dispensing chamber adjacent to the distal end of the insert, containing at least one part of an adhesive material within a chamber wall. The fastener-receiving insert system further includes a puncturing device operably engaged with and configured to puncture the chamber wall to release the at least one part of the adhesive material around the fastener-receiving insert.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 18, 2019Publication date: June 24, 2021Inventors: Raj A. Desai, Christopher Brad Long, Christopher J. Mills
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Patent number: 10836463Abstract: A floor panel connection system for attaching a floor panel to an aircraft airframe is disclosed. The connection system includes a vertical load resisting coupling device and a shear load resisting coupling device to connect the floor panel to the airframe and resist forces applied to the panel. The vertical load resisting coupling device is configured to resist forces perpendicular to a top facial plane of the floor panel, without significantly resisting lateral forces. The shear load resisting coupling device is configured to resist forces parallel to the top facial plane of the floor panel, without significantly resisting vertical forces.Type: GrantFiled: July 6, 2017Date of Patent: November 17, 2020Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Christopher J. Mills, Timothy M. Jones
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Publication number: 20200346734Abstract: A floor panel connection system for attaching a floor panel to an airframe is disclosed. The connection system includes an offset flange insert comprising a base portion, a flange portion, and an interconnect portion. The base portion of the insert is configured to be received in a hole in an edge region of the floor panel and includes an opening that is sized to receive a fastener. The interconnect portion extends laterally from the base portion such that when the edge portion of the floor panel is overlapping a lateral edge portion of the airframe, the flange portion of the insert is beyond the lateral edge portion. The flange portion is also configured to be bonded to a bottom surface of the floor panel beyond the lateral edge portion of the airframe.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 20, 2020Publication date: November 5, 2020Applicant: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Christopher J. Mills, Emily Yang, Michael Patrick Durbin
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Patent number: 10800509Abstract: A floor panel connection system for attaching a floor panel to an aircraft airframe is disclosed. The connection system includes a vertical load resisting coupling device and a shear load resisting coupling device to connect the floor panel to the airframe and resist forces applied to the panel. The vertical load resisting coupling device is configured to resist forces perpendicular to a top facial plane of the floor panel, without significantly resisting lateral forces. The shear load resisting coupling device is configured to resist forces parallel to the top facial plane of the floor panel, without significantly resisting vertical forces.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2017Date of Patent: October 13, 2020Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Christopher J. Mills, Emily Yang, Michael Patrick Durbin, Timothy M. Jones
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Patent number: 10717515Abstract: A floor panel connection system for attaching a floor panel to an airframe is disclosed. The connection system includes an offset flange insert comprising a base portion, a flange portion, and an interconnect portion. The base portion of the insert is configured to be received in a hole in an edge region of the floor panel and includes an opening that is sized to receive a fastener. The interconnect portion extends laterally from the base portion such that when the edge portion of the floor panel is overlapping a lateral edge portion of the airframe, the flange portion of the insert is beyond the lateral edge portion. The flange portion is also configured to be bonded to a bottom surface of the floor panel beyond the lateral edge portion of the airframe.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2017Date of Patent: July 21, 2020Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Christopher J. Mills, Emily Yang, Michael Patrick Durbin
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Patent number: 10589835Abstract: A fastener assembly for attaching a floor panel to an airframe is disclosed. The fastener assembly includes a collet, a pin, a capnut, and a subplate. The collet comprises at least one tang, extending from a cylindrical collar that defines a collet aperture. An external thread is formed on the collar, and a tab is formed on a distal end of the tang. The collet tang extends through a floor panel aperture, a subplate aperture, and an airframe aperture, and may interact with a subplate asymmetry. The capnut is screwed onto the collet, such that the pin is forced to slide along the collet tang and the tab is engaged with the airframe.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2017Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventor: Christopher J. Mills
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Patent number: 10384758Abstract: A panel assembly including a first panel defining a slot, a second panel comprising a tab, wherein the tab is received in said slot and defines a gap in the slot between the tab and the first panel, and a joining assembly positioned in the gap, the joining assembly including an outer rack member engaged with the first panel, an inner rack member engaged with the second panel and a shim in ratcheting engagement with the outer rack member and the inner rack member.Type: GrantFiled: January 26, 2016Date of Patent: August 20, 2019Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventor: Christopher J. Mills
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Publication number: 20190009882Abstract: A floor panel connection system for attaching a floor panel to an aircraft airframe is disclosed. The connection system includes a vertical load resisting coupling device and a shear load resisting coupling device to connect the floor panel to the airframe and resist forces applied to the panel. The vertical load resisting coupling device is configured to resist forces perpendicular to a top facial plane of the floor panel, without significantly resisting lateral forces. The shear load resisting coupling device is configured to resist forces parallel to the top facial plane of the floor panel, without significantly resisting vertical forces.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 6, 2017Publication date: January 10, 2019Applicant: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Christopher J. Mills, Timothy M. Jones
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Publication number: 20180327074Abstract: A floor panel connection system for attaching a floor panel to an aircraft airframe is disclosed. The connection system includes a vertical load resisting coupling device and a shear load resisting coupling device to connect the floor panel to the airframe and resist forces applied to the panel. The vertical load resisting coupling device is configured to resist forces perpendicular to a top facial plane of the floor panel, without significantly resisting lateral forces. The shear load resisting coupling device is configured to resist forces parallel to the top facial plane of the floor panel, without significantly resisting vertical forces.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 15, 2017Publication date: November 15, 2018Applicant: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Christopher J. Mills, Emily Yang, Michael Patrick Durbin, Timothy M. Jones
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Publication number: 20180327075Abstract: A floor panel connection system for attaching a floor panel to an airframe is disclosed. The connection system includes an offset flange insert comprising a base portion, a flange portion, and an interconnect portion. The base portion of the insert is configured to be received in a hole in an edge region of the floor panel and includes an opening that is sized to receive a fastener. The interconnect portion extends laterally from the base portion such that when the edge portion of the floor panel is overlapping a lateral edge portion of the airframe, the flange portion of the insert is beyond the lateral edge portion. The flange portion is also configured to be bonded to a bottom surface of the floor panel beyond the lateral edge portion of the airframe.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 15, 2017Publication date: November 15, 2018Applicant: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Christopher J. Mills, Emily Yang, Michael Patrick Durbin
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Publication number: 20180281921Abstract: A fastener assembly for attaching a floor panel to an airframe is disclosed. The fastener assembly includes a collet, a pin, a capnut, and a subplate. The collet comprises at least one tang, extending from a cylindrical collar that defines a collet aperture. An external thread is formed on the collar, and a tab is formed on a distal end of the tang. The collet tang extends through a floor panel aperture, a subplate aperture, and an airframe aperture, and may interact with a subplate asymmetry. The capnut is screwed onto the collet, such that the pin is forced to slide along the collet tang and the tab is engaged with the airframe.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 29, 2017Publication date: October 4, 2018Applicant: The Boeing CompanyInventor: Christopher J. Mills
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Patent number: 10047783Abstract: A spring fastener clip includes first, second, and third strips, each with a corresponding hole therethrough. The clip is bent to form an S-shape, wherein the first strip, the second strip, and the third strip are aligned one with another, and the three holes are aligned one with another. The spring fastener clip further includes a hook extending from the second strip to the first strip and including a tab proximate the first hole. When a substrate is disposed between the first and second strips, the tab hooks over an edge of the substrate and resists flexing of the clip on installation of a fastener.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2016Date of Patent: August 14, 2018Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventor: Christopher J. Mills
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Publication number: 20170370395Abstract: A spring fastener clip includes first, second, and third strips, each with a corresponding hole therethrough. The clip is bent to form an S-shape, wherein the first strip, the second strip, and the third strip are aligned one with another, and the three holes are aligned one with another. The spring fastener clip further includes a hook extending from the second strip to the first strip and including a tab proximate the first hole. When a substrate is disposed between the first and second strips, the tab hooks over an edge of the substrate and resists flexing of the clip on installation of a fastener.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 27, 2016Publication date: December 28, 2017Applicant: The Boeing CompanyInventor: Christopher J. Mills
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Publication number: 20170210457Abstract: A panel assembly including a first panel defining a slot, a second panel comprising a tab, wherein the tab is received in said slot and defines a gap in the slot between the tab and the first panel, and a joining assembly positioned in the gap, the joining assembly including an outer rack member engaged with the first panel, an inner rack member engaged with the second panel and a shim in ratcheting engagement with the outer rack member and the inner rack member.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 26, 2016Publication date: July 27, 2017Inventor: Christopher J. Mills
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Publication number: 20160347454Abstract: Disclosed is a removable seat divider for placement in a seat. The removable seat divider includes a vertical structure configured to be placed on the seat along an approximate center of the seat. The vertical structure includes a first outer surface, second outer surface, top, and back portion, where the back portion of the vertical structure is configured to be placed adjacent to a back portion of the seat. The removable seat divider also includes a cavity located adjacent to the back portion, where the cavity connects the first outer surface to the second outer surface, and the cavity is configured to pass a seat belt through the cavity. The base back portion is configured to produce a restraining force against the seat that is proportional to a tension on the seat belt that passes through the cavity.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 27, 2015Publication date: December 1, 2016Inventors: Julio E. Abreu, Christopher J. Mills
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Patent number: 9035957Abstract: An efficient pipeline debug statistics system and method are described. In one embodiment, an efficient pipeline debug is utilized in a graphics processing pipeline of a handheld device. In one embodiment, a pipeline debug statistics system includes a plurality of pipeline stages with probe points, a central statistic component, and a debug control component. The plurality of pipeline stages with probe points perform pipeline operations. The central statistic block gathers information from the probe points. The debug control component directs the gathering of information from the probe points. In one exemplary implementation, debug control component can direct gathering of information at a variety of levels and abstraction.Type: GrantFiled: August 15, 2007Date of Patent: May 19, 2015Assignee: NVIDIA CORPORATIONInventors: Justin Michael Mahan, Christopher J. Mills, Edward A. Hutchins