Patents by Inventor Derek Paul Vetter

Derek Paul Vetter 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).

  • Forming composite features using steered discontinuous fiber pre-preg
    Patent number: 11007726
    Abstract: Interlaminar features of a composite structure are laid up by placing and steering individual chopped fiber pre-preg segments onto a substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Kenneth H. Griess, Derek Paul Vetter, Michael Jeffrey Graves
  • Composite filler
    Patent number: 10661495
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is presented. Layers of composite material are laid down on a forming tool. A respective bend is formed in each of the layers to form the composite filler comprising bent layers on the forming tool. The composite filler comprising the bent layers is placed into a gap formed by at least one composite structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Chapman, Khanh Mai Pham, Derek Paul Vetter
  • Folded Composite Filler
    Publication number: 20180297295
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a composite filler. A composite ply is folded. The composite ply comprises fibers arranged at an angle relative to a central axis of the composite ply such that the composite filler has a varying cross-sectional orientation of fibers. A force is applied to the folded composite ply after folding to form a desired shape for the composite filler.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2018
    Publication date: October 18, 2018
    Inventors: Derek Paul Vetter, Drew Edward Sommer
  • Folded composite filler
    Patent number: 10065366
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a composite filler. A composite ply is folded. The composite ply comprises fibers arranged at an angle relative to a central axis of the composite ply such that the composite filler has a varying cross-sectional orientation of fibers. A force is applied to the folded composite ply after folding to form a desired shape for the composite filler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Derek Paul Vetter, Drew Edward Sommer
  • Folded composite filler
    Patent number: 10029413
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a composite filler. A composite ply is folded. The composite ply comprises fibers arranged at an angle relative to a central axis of the composite ply such that the composite filler has a varying cross-sectional orientation of fibers. A force is applied to the folded composite ply after folding to form a desired shape for the composite filler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Derek Paul Vetter, Drew Edward Sommer
  • Forming Composite Features Using Steered Discontinuous Fiber Pre-Preg
    Publication number: 20180186099
    Abstract: Interlaminar features of a composite structure are laid up by placing and steering individual chopped fiber pre-preg segments onto a substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2018
    Publication date: July 5, 2018
    Inventors: Kenneth H. Griess, Derek Paul Vetter, Michael Jeffrey Graves
  • Composite structure and methods of forming thereof
    Patent number: 9856008
    Abstract: A composite structure is provided. The composite structure includes a first stiffener, a second stiffener, and an intermediate structure positioned between the first and second stiffeners such that the first stiffener is coupled to a first side of the intermediate structure, and such that the second stiffener is coupled to a second opposing side of the intermediate structure. A first radius gap is defined at least partially between the first stiffener and the intermediate structure, and a second radius gap is defined at least partially between the second stiffener and the intermediate structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Jiangtian Cheng, Derek Paul Vetter, Patrick Alan Woodard, Forouzan Behzadpour
  • Composite Filler
    Publication number: 20170129192
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is presented. Layers of composite material are laid down on a forming tool. A respective bend is formed in each of the layers to form the composite filler comprising bent layers on the forming tool. The composite filler comprising the bent layers is placed into a gap formed by at least one composite structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Publication date: May 11, 2017
    Inventors: Michael R. Chapman, Khanh Mai Pham, Derek Paul Vetter
  • Composite filler
    Patent number: 9566739
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is presented. Layers of composite material are laid down on a forming tool. A respective bend is formed in each of the layers to form the composite filler comprising bent layers on the forming tool. The composite filler comprising the bent layers is placed into a gap formed by at least one composite structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Michael R. Chapman, Khanh Mai Pham, Derek Paul Vetter
  • Folded Composite Filler
    Publication number: 20160144558
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a composite filler. A composite ply is folded. The composite ply comprises fibers arranged at an angle relative to a central axis of the composite ply such that the composite filler has a varying cross-sectional orientation of fibers. A force is applied to the folded composite ply after folding to form a desired shape for the composite filler.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2014
    Publication date: May 26, 2016
    Applicant: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Derek Paul Vetter, Drew Edward Sommer
  • COMPOSITE STRUCTURE AND METHODS OF FORMING THEREOF
    Publication number: 20160144943
    Abstract: A composite structure is provided. The composite structure includes a first stiffener, a second stiffener, and an intermediate structure positioned between the first and second stiffeners such that the first stiffener is coupled to a first side of the intermediate structure, and such that the second stiffener is coupled to a second opposing side of the intermediate structure. A first radius gap is defined at least partially between the first stiffener and the intermediate structure, and a second radius gap is defined at least partially between the second stiffener and the intermediate structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2014
    Publication date: May 26, 2016
    Applicant: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Jiangtian Cheng, Derek Paul Vetter, Patrick Alan Woodard, Forouzan Behzadpour
  • Composite Filler
    Publication number: 20150231848
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is presented. Layers of composite material are laid down on a forming tool. A respective bend is formed in each of the layers to form the composite filler comprising bent layers on the forming tool. The composite filler comprising the bent layers is placed into a gap formed by at least one composite structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2014
    Publication date: August 20, 2015
    Applicant: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Chapman, Khanh Mai Pham, Derek Paul Vetter