Patents by Inventor Donald E. Skoumal

Donald E. Skoumal 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).

  • Patent number: 4287495
    Abstract: The waveguide is constructed with a specially designed laminate which comprises multiple plies of a graphite-epoxy composite. Thermal compensation is achieved by orienting the graphite fibers in the various plies in selected directions. Graphite fiber has a negative coefficient of thermal expansion while epoxy has a positive coefficient of thermal expansion. At least one ply in the laminate has longitudinally oriented graphite fibers while a second ply has transversely oriented fibers. Third and fourth plies, intermediate of the first and second plies, have graphite fibers which are oriented at selected angles relative to the longitudinal and transverse plies. The angles of orientation of the graphite fibers in the intermediate plies are selected by use of an equation and a set of curves relating the temperature characteristics of the laminate to fiber angle, once the width of the waveguide and the free-space wavelength of the signal propagated in the waveguide are known.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1980
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1981
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Walter W. Lund, Jr., Ervin J. Nalos, Donald E. Skoumal