Patents by Inventor Grant J. Erickson

Grant J. Erickson 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: 8410784
    Abstract: A device senses a static charge resulting from the impingement of particles on a surface, such as an aircraft's outer skin. The device includes a sensor adapted to be installed on the surface and a corona guard for guarding against corona discharge from the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Arlene M Brown, Grant J Erickson, Joe Heeter, Robert Steinle, Kari L Stromsland, Winson Taam
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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