Patents by Inventor Daniel S. Thomas
Daniel S. Thomas 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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Patent number: 11203439Abstract: Rotary electric engines, aircraft including the same, and associated methods. A rotary electric engine includes a nacelle, a fan configured to generate thrust, a stator operatively coupled to the nacelle, and a rotor operatively coupled to the fan. The fan includes a plurality of fan blades. The rotor includes a plurality of rotor magnets operatively coupled to respective blade tips of the fan blades. The stator includes a plurality of field coils configured to produce a magnetic interaction between the field coils and the rotor magnets to rotate the fan. In examples, the stator is configured to rotate each field coil relative to the nacelle. In examples, an aircraft includes one or more rotary electric engines pivotally mounted within engine mount regions. In examples, a method of operating an aircraft includes operating one or more rotary electric engines in a vertical lift configuration and in a forward flight configuration.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 2019Date of Patent: December 21, 2021Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Tyler Emerson Berkey, Daniel S. Thomas
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Patent number: 11174969Abstract: A pin member of threaded connection includes a body and a male thread positioned on the body. The male thread includes a male thread principal portion, a male thread transition portion with a cross-sectional area that is smaller than a cross-sectional area of the male thread principal portion, and a male thread protrusion with a cross-sectional area that is larger than the cross-sectional area of the male thread transition portion with the male thread transition portion positioned between the male thread principal portion and the male thread protrusion.Type: GrantFiled: January 16, 2019Date of Patent: November 16, 2021Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANYInventors: Micah T. Rook, Daniel S. Thomas
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Publication number: 20210114740Abstract: Rotary electric engines, aircraft including the same, and associated methods. A rotary electric engine includes a nacelle, a fan configured to generate thrust, a stator operatively coupled to the nacelle, and a rotor operatively coupled to the fan. The fan includes a plurality of fan blades. The rotor includes a plurality of rotor magnets operatively coupled to respective blade tips of the fan blades. The stator includes a plurality of field coils configured to produce a magnetic interaction between the field coils and the rotor magnets to rotate the fan. In examples, the stator is configured to rotate each field coil relative to the nacelle. In examples, an aircraft includes one or more rotary electric engines pivotally mounted within engine mount regions. In examples, a method of operating an aircraft includes operating one or more rotary electric engines in a vertical lift configuration and in a forward flight configuration.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 18, 2019Publication date: April 22, 2021Inventors: Tyler Emerson Berkey, Daniel S. Thomas
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Patent number: 10941707Abstract: Hybrid turbine engines, aircraft including the same, and associated methods. A hybrid turbine engine includes a gas turbine engine mechanically and/or electrically coupled to a rotary electric engine. The rotary electric engine includes a nacelle, a fan with fan blades, a stator operatively coupled to the nacelle, and a rotor with a plurality of rotor magnets coupled to the fan blades. The stator includes a plurality of field coils. In examples, the stator is configured to rotate each field coil relative to the nacelle. In examples, an aircraft includes a hybrid turbine engine such that the gas turbine engine is substantially enclosed within the nacelle or is supported by a fuselage of the aircraft. In examples, a method of operating an aircraft with a hybrid turbine engine includes generating a gas turbine thrust with the gas turbine engine and generating an electric engine thrust with the rotary electric engine.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 2019Date of Patent: March 9, 2021Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Tyler Emerson Berkey, Daniel S. Thomas
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Patent number: 10765325Abstract: A method for managing passenger comfort. A passenger mobile device is connected with a vehicle computer system in a vehicle using a near-field communications reader for a passenger seat. Passenger comfort preferences associated with the passenger seat are identified by the vehicle computer system based on changes made to an environment in the vehicle by a passenger. Passenger comfort preferences made to the environment by the passenger are sent from the vehicle computer system to the passenger mobile device, which are associated with different current states. New comfort preferences are received by the vehicle computer system from the passenger mobile device when the passenger mobile device detects a change in a current state of the passenger. Signals are sent by the vehicle computer system to a number of vehicle systems to change the environment using the new comfort preferences, enabling an increase in the passenger comfort in the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: February 6, 2018Date of Patent: September 8, 2020Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Tyler E. Berkey, Daniel S. Thomas
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Publication number: 20200224802Abstract: A pin member of threaded connection includes a body and a male thread positioned on the body. The male thread includes a male thread principal portion, a male thread transition portion with a cross-sectional area that is smaller than a cross-sectional area of the male thread principal portion, and a male thread protrusion with a cross-sectional area that is larger than the cross-sectional area of the male thread transition portion with the male thread transition portion positioned between the male thread principal portion and the male thread protrusion.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 16, 2019Publication date: July 16, 2020Inventors: Micah T. Rook, Daniel S. THOMAS
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Publication number: 20190239757Abstract: A method for managing passenger comfort. A passenger mobile device is connected with a vehicle computer system in a vehicle using a near-field communications reader for a passenger seat. Passenger comfort preferences associated with the passenger seat are identified by the vehicle computer system based on changes made to an environment in the vehicle by a passenger. Passenger comfort preferences made to the environment by the passenger are sent from the vehicle computer system to the passenger mobile device, which are associated with different current states. New comfort preferences are received by the vehicle computer system from the passenger mobile device when the passenger mobile device detects a change in a current state of the passenger. Signals are sent by the vehicle computer system to a number of vehicle systems to change the environment using the new comfort preferences, enabling an increase in the passenger comfort in the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 6, 2018Publication date: August 8, 2019Inventors: Tyler E. Berkey, Daniel S. Thomas
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Patent number: 10343799Abstract: A tool for installing a cable tie has an axial length with no hand grip or trigger projecting laterally from the length of the tool and the tool is activated electronically by a push button to pull the tail of the cable tie and then cut the tail from the cable tie adjacent the head of the cable tie.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2017Date of Patent: July 9, 2019Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Daniel S. Thomas, David Carbon, Daniel P. Mooney
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Patent number: 10128615Abstract: A variable-clocking terminal assembly includes a crimp barrel, a terminal lug, and a locking collar. The crimp barrel includes a crimp portion having a crimp portion cavity sized and configured to receive a cable end of an electrical cable. The crimp barrel includes a conical portion extending axially from the crimp portion. The terminal lug has a cylindrical portion and a terminal tongue extending outwardly from the cylindrical portion. The cylindrical portion has a conical cavity configured complementary to the conical portion. The locking collar has collar threads configured to engage threads formed on one of the crimp barrel and the terminal lug for drawing the conical portion into direct physical engagement with the conical cavity in a manner locking an orientation of the terminal lug relative to the crimp barrel and establishing electrical continuity between the conical portion and the conical cavity.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2016Date of Patent: November 13, 2018Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Daniel S. Thomas, Daniel M. Grippe
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Publication number: 20180215487Abstract: A tool for installing a cable tie has an axial length with no hand grip or trigger projecting laterally from the length of the tool and the tool is activated electronically by a push button to pull the tail of the cable tie and then cut the tail from the cable tie adjacent the head of the cable tie.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 31, 2017Publication date: August 2, 2018Applicant: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Daniel S. Thomas, David Carbon, Daniel P. Mooney
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Patent number: 10012330Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for cable routing, such as within vehicles or structures. In certain examples, a cable holder is disclosed that includes one or more loop members with an interior groove and a rotatable cable holding member disposed within the interior groove. The rotatable cable holding member can be configured to rotate to decrease bends and/or stresses within the cable that the rotatable cable holding member is holding. Additionally, the rotatable cable holding member can be configured so that the cable held is perpendicular to the support for the cable.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2017Date of Patent: July 3, 2018Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Daniel S. Thomas, Jeffrey R. Dempsey
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Publication number: 20180076568Abstract: A variable-clocking terminal assembly includes a crimp barrel, a terminal lug, and a locking collar. The crimp barrel includes a crimp portion having a crimp portion cavity sized and configured to receive a cable end of an electrical cable. The crimp barrel includes a conical portion extending axially from the crimp portion. The terminal lug has a cylindrical portion and a terminal tongue extending outwardly from the cylindrical portion. The cylindrical portion has a conical cavity configured complementary to the conical portion. The locking collar has collar threads configured to engage threads formed on one of the crimp barrel and the terminal lug for drawing the conical portion into direct physical engagement with the conical cavity in a manner locking an orientation of the terminal lug relative to the crimp barrel and establishing electrical continuity between the conical portion and the conical cavity.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 15, 2016Publication date: March 15, 2018Inventors: Daniel S. Thomas, Daniel M. Grippe