Patents by Inventor James D. McLean

James D. McLean 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: 11007765
    Abstract: Methods and systems according to one or more examples are provided for laminating composite materials. In one example, a method comprises receiving a first layer material and a second layer material at a nip roller assembly and laminating, by the nip roller assembly, the first and second layer material to provide a laminated composite material comprising a main portion and at least one edge portion. The method further comprises delaminating the at least one edge portion of the laminated composite material to provide a partially laminated composite material for use in manufacturing a composite product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Jason W. Drexler, Joseph James Dickson, James D. McLean
  • Publication number: 20190270296
    Abstract: Methods and systems according to one or more examples are provided for laminating composite materials. In one example, a method comprises receiving a first layer material and a second layer material at a nip roller assembly and laminating, by the nip roller assembly, the first and second layer material to provide a laminated composite material comprising a main portion and at least one edge portion. The method further comprises delaminating the at least one edge portion of the laminated composite material to provide a partially laminated composite material for use in manufacturing a composite product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2018
    Publication date: September 5, 2019
    Inventors: Jason W. Drexler, Joseph James Dickson, James D. McLean
  • Patent number: 8876052
    Abstract: An array of aerodynamic riblets is formed with a surface layer for adhering to an aerodynamic surface and a plurality of riblet tips having a parabolic cross section extending from the surface layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Diane C. Rawlings, James D. McLean, Mary J. Mathews
  • Patent number: 8413928
    Abstract: An array of aerodynamic riblets is formed with a surface layer for adhering to an aerodynamic surface and a plurality of riblet tips having a parabolic cross section extending from the surface layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Diane C. Rawlings, James D. McLean, Jr., Mary J. Mathews
  • Publication number: 20110073710
    Abstract: An array of aerodynamic riblets is formed with a surface layer for adhering to an aerodynamic surface and a plurality of riblet tips having a parabolic cross section extending from the surface layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2009
    Publication date: March 31, 2011
    Applicant: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Diane C. Rawlings, James D. McLean, JR., Mary J. Mathews
  • Patent number: 7048228
    Abstract: An aircraft wing includes a leading airfoil element and a trailing airfoil element. At least one slot is defined by the wing during at least one transonic condition of the wing. The slot may either extend spanwise along only a portion of the wingspan, or it may extend spanwise along the entire wingspan. In either case, the slot allows a portion of the air flowing along the lower surface of the leading airfoil element to split and flow over the upper surface of the trailing airfoil element so as to achieve a performance improvement in the transonic condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: John C. Vassberg, Lie-Mine Gea, James D. McLean, David P. Witkowski, Steven E. Krist, Richard L. Campbell
  • Patent number: 7048235
    Abstract: A swept aircraft wing includes a leading airfoil element and a trailing airfoil element. At least one full-span slot is defined by the wing during at least one transonic condition of the wing. The full-span slot allows a portion of the air flowing along the lower surface of the leading airfoil element to split and flow over the upper surface of the trailing airfoil element so as to achieve a performance improvement in the transonic condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: James D. McLean, David P. Witkowski, Richard L. Campbell
  • Patent number: 6886778
    Abstract: Efficient wing tip devices for use with aircraft wings. In one embodiment, an aircraft wing/winglet combination includes a wing having a wing root portion and a wing tip portion spaced apart from the wing root portion. The wing tip portion can have a wash-out twist relative to the wing root portion. The aircraft wing/winglet combination can further include a winglet extending from the wing tip portion of the wing. The winglet can be swept at least generally forward relative to the wing to favorably change the lift distribution on the wing and in turn reduce the induced drag on the wing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: James D. McLean
  • Publication number: 20040262451
    Abstract: Efficient wing tip devices for use with aircraft wings. In one embodiment, an aircraft wing/winglet combination includes a wing having a wing root portion and a wing tip portion spaced apart from the wing root portion. The wing tip portion can have a wash-out twist relative to the wing root portion. The aircraft wing/winglet combination can further include a winglet extending from the wing tip portion of the wing. The winglet can be swept at least generally forward relative to the wing to favorably change the lift distribution on the wing and in turn reduce the induced drag on the wing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2003
    Publication date: December 30, 2004
    Inventor: James D. McLean
  • Publication number: 20040195464
    Abstract: An aircraft wing includes a leading airfoil element and a trailing airfoil element. At least one slot is defined by the wing during at least one transonic condition of the wing. The slot may either extend spanwise along only a portion of the wingspan, or it may extend spanwise along the entire wingspan. In either case, the slot allows a portion of the air flowing along the lower surface of the leading airfoil element to split and flow over the upper surface of the trailing airfoil element so as to achieve a performance improvement in the transonic condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2003
    Publication date: October 7, 2004
    Inventors: John C. Vassberg, Lie-Mine Gea, James D. McLean, David P. Witkowski, Steven E. Krist, Richard L. Campbell
  • Patent number: 5099685
    Abstract: A wind tunnel having a test section and a fan section, interconnected by two passageways to form a recirculating air flow through said sections. There is a diffuser immediately downstream of the test section, and a second diffuser immediately downstream of the fan section. Each diffuser has an intermediate flow section where the side wall extends radially outwardly in a downstream direction at a relatively sharp angle. At the upstream end of the intermediate section there is a peripheral suction slot to draw in boundary layer air, and a by-pass passageway to discharge the air tangentially in a downstream location of the diffuser. This enables a substantial reduction in air velocity in a relatively short axial length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1992
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: James D. McLean, Peter P. Sullivan
  • Patent number: 4440603
    Abstract: Liquids are monitored for dissolved halogens using amperometric detection based on the use of halogen specific electrodes of a conductive substrate on which is formed an adherent surface film of [Ti.sub.x (Ru, Ir).sub.1-x ]O.sub.2, wherein x=mole fraction .gtoreq.0 to <1, and (Ru, Ir) represents either ruthenium or iridium or mixtures thereof. The described electrodes resist corrosion and failure in extremely harsh environments, e.g., hot concentrated brine solutions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1982
    Date of Patent: April 3, 1984
    Assignee: The Dow Chemical Company
    Inventors: Richard M. VanEffen, James D. McLean, Dalton L. Decker
  • Patent number: 4343767
    Abstract: A flow-through electrochemical cell distinguished by the feature of a working electrode comprising selected carbon black powder(s) dispersed within an inert binder. An outstanding characteristic of the invention is the markedly improved signal/noise ratio of the electrode which enables a significant gain in the sensitivity level at which trace compounds can be detected. As an example of utility, as little as 5 to 30 parts per billion (ppb) of most phenolic compounds in water can be determined by liquid chromatographic separation of species and amperometric electrochemical detection, using the described flow-through cell to monitor the column effluent. No sample preparation is required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 1981
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1982
    Assignee: The Dow Chemical Company
    Inventors: Merton W. Long, James D. McLean, David N. Armentrout, Harold H. Gill
  • Patent number: 4315609
    Abstract: A target locating and missile guidance system comprising reconnaissance araft equipped with laser or radar range-measuring apparatus in conjunction with a plurality of selectively predetermined ground stations. Range and altitude of the aircraft relative to a detected surface target are obtained at two or more points on its flight path. The positions of the aircraft with respect to the ground stations are simultaneously determined by pulse-time-of-arrival technique. Using triangulation techniques the location of the target is determined with respect to a pulse grid coordinate system associated with the ground stations. At any time after the determination of the location of the target, properly timed signals from the ground stations or command signals based upon time-of-arrival data with respect to pulses from the missile are used to provide accurate guidance of the missile to the target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1971
    Date of Patent: February 16, 1982
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: James D. McLean, Frederick C. Alpers, George R. Lanning, Fred H. Camphausen
  • Patent number: D260889
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 1979
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1981
    Inventors: James D. McLean, David E. Snider