Patents by Inventor GREGORY HICKMAN

GREGORY HICKMAN 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).

  • Method and apparatus for bonding stringers to a fuselage skin
    Patent number: 11981089
    Abstract: A joining system includes a holding fixture assembly configured to hold a fuselage skin. The stringers are temporarily attached to the fuselage skin. The joining system includes an upper beam assembly including an upper beam and a lower beam assembly. The lower beam assembly includes a lower beam and at least one lower heating element. The holding fixture assembly is coupled to the upper beam assembly. The holding fixture assembly is coupled to the lower beam assembly. The upper beam is movable relative to the lower beam to clamp the at least one of the plurality of stringers and the fuselage skin together prior to and during welding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Byron J. Autry, Paul G. Werntges, Samuel J. Knutson, Gregory Hickman, Alice R. Arnold
  • METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR BONDING STRINGERS TO A FUSELAGE SKIN
    Publication number: 20230123780
    Abstract: A joining system includes a holding fixture assembly configured to hold a fuselage skin. The stringers are temporarily attached to the fuselage skin. The joining system includes an upper beam assembly including an upper beam and a lower beam assembly. The lower beam assembly includes a lower beam and at least one lower heating element. The holding fixture assembly is coupled to the upper beam assembly. The holding fixture assembly is coupled to the lower beam assembly. The upper beam is movable relative to the lower beam to clamp the at least one of the plurality of stringers and the fuselage skin together prior to and during welding.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2021
    Publication date: April 20, 2023
    Applicant: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Byron J. Autry, Paul G. Werntges, Samuel J. Knutson, Gregory Hickman, Alice R. Arnold
  • Method for manufacturing nano-structurally aligned multi-scale composites
    Patent number: 10066065
    Abstract: A method whereby nanostructures aligned within a matrix material to define an aligned admixture are transferred into a receiving porous medium while substantially maintaining the nanostructure alignment such that the nanostructures may be aligned predominantly in a common direction within receiving porous medium. Resulting composite structures are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA
    Inventors: Kuang-Ting Hsiao, Gregory Hickman
  • Method For Manufacturing Nano-Structurally Aligned Multi-Scale Composites
    Publication number: 20160168342
    Abstract: A method whereby nanostructures aligned within a matrix material to define an aligned admixture are transferred into a receiving porous medium while substantially maintaining the nanostructure alignment such that the nanostructures may be aligned predominantly in a common direction within receiving porous medium. Resulting composite structures are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2014
    Publication date: June 16, 2016
    Inventors: KUANG-TING HSIAO, GREGORY HICKMAN