Patents by Inventor David W. Kwolek

David W. Kwolek 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).

  • Methods and apparatus for an in-flight precipitation static sensor
    Patent number: 7596997
    Abstract: A precipitation static sensor includes a bottom flexible dielectric layer (e.g., a layer of urethane tape) configured to be attached to a wing or other external surface of an aircraft, a flexible conductive layer (e.g., a layer of aluminum tape) formed over a portion of the first flexible dielectric layer, and a conductor (such as a twisted-pair wire) coupled to the flexible conductive layer. A top flexible dielectric layer is formed over a portion of the bottom dielectric layer and a portion of the flexible conductive layer, thus forming an exposed detector region. In accordance with a further embodiment, multiple such precipitation static sensors are used and coupled to a meter device (e.g., a picoammeter), which may also be coupled to a data acquisition and display for providing a visual indication of the charge accumulated by the precipitation static sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Arlene M. Brown, Grant J. Erickson, Joe Heeter, David W. Kwolek, Robert Steinle, Kari L. Stromsland
  • METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR AN IN-FLIGHT PRECIPITATION STATIC SENSOR
    Publication number: 20080246490
    Abstract: A precipitation static sensor includes a bottom flexible dielectric layer (e.g., a layer of urethane tape) configured to be attached to a wing or other external surface of an aircraft, a flexible conductive layer (e.g., a layer of aluminum tape) formed over a portion of the first flexible dielectric layer, and a conductor (such as a twisted-pair wire) coupled to the flexible conductive layer. A top flexible dielectric layer is formed over a portion of the bottom dielectric layer and a portion of the flexible conductive layer, thus forming an exposed detector region. In accordance with a further embodiment, multiple such precipitation static sensors are used and coupled to a meter device (e.g., a picoammeter), which may also be coupled to a data acquisition and display for providing a visual indication of the charge accumulated by the precipitation static sensors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2008
    Publication date: October 9, 2008
    Inventors: Arlene M. Brown, Grant J. Erickson, Joe Heeter, David W. Kwolek, Robert Steinle, Kari L. Stromsland
  • Methods and apparatus for an in-flight precipitation static sensor
    Patent number: 7373814
    Abstract: A precipitation static sensor includes a bottom flexible dielectric layer (e.g., a layer of urethane tape) configured to be attached to a wing or other external surface of an aircraft, a flexible conductive layer (e.g., a layer of aluminum tape) formed over a portion of the first flexible dielectric layer, and a conductor (such as a twisted-pair wire) coupled to the flexible conductive layer. A top flexible dielectric layer is formed over a portion of the bottom dielectric layer and a portion of the flexible conductive layer, thus forming an exposed detector region. In accordance with a further embodiment, multiple such precipitation static sensors are used and coupled to a meter device (e.g., a picoammeter), which may also be coupled to a data acquisition and display for providing a visual indication of the charge accumulated by the precipitation static sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Arlene M. Brown, Grant J. Erickson, Joe Heeter, David W. Kwolek, Robert Steinle, Kari L. Stromsland