Patents by Inventor John R. Hull

John R. Hull 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).

  • Publication number: 20160341843
    Abstract: A system and method for locating an object within a structure includes a magnetically-responsive member coupled to the object. A magnetic field generator generates a magnetic field in the presence of the structure. The generated magnetic field causes the magnetically-responsive member to output a signal when the magnetically-responsive member is in the presence of the magnetic field. A detector may include a sensor coupled to a control unit. The sensor detects the signal output by the magnetically-responsive member. The control unit locates the object based on detection of a third harmonic of the signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2015
    Publication date: November 24, 2016
    Applicant: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: John R. Hull, Kathy L. Ferguson, Christopher Allin Black, Daniel L. Byrum
  • Patent number: 9463879
    Abstract: A system and method for operating an ice detection and deicing system are provided herein. The ice detection and deicing system may use changing magnetic properties of various components caused by temperature changes to detect conditions conducive to, or indicating, ice formation. The ice detection and deicing system may further use eddy currents induced in one or more layers of the system to increase the temperature of the one or more layers to reduce the amount of ice formation or reduce the probability of ice being formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Vyacheslav Khozikov, Robert J. Miller, Rangasamy Elangovan, Marc R. Matsen, Stephen R. Amorosi, Robert G. Albers, Michael Strasik, John R. Hull
  • Publication number: 20160284469
    Abstract: Magnetic fiber structures include a fiber and a plurality of permanent magnet particles carried by the fiber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2016
    Publication date: September 29, 2016
    Inventors: John R. Hull, Michael Strasik, Mark S. Wilenski
  • Publication number: 20160195495
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide magnetic permeability measurements of ferromagnetic wires. In one embodiment, an apparatus comprises a non-magnetic wire retainer having a circular groove that holds a ferromagnetic wire for measurement. The apparatus further comprises a magnetic field generator proximate to the non-magnetic wire retainer that provides a substantially uniform magnetic field along a circumference of the circular groove. The apparatus further comprises a force sensor mechanically coupled to the magnetic field generator that measures an attractive force between the magnetic field generator and the ferromagnetic wire for determining the magnetic permeability of the ferromagnetic wire.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2015
    Publication date: July 7, 2016
    Inventors: John R. Hull, Robert James Miller
  • Publication number: 20160165707
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to the passive initiation and release of incident energy-dissipating material from locations on an incident energy target surface as a counter measure response for the protection of a platform. The response is activated over a predetermined area or areas on an incident energy target surface in response to an incident directed energy sensed on a target surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2013
    Publication date: June 9, 2016
    Inventors: Mark J. Clemen, JR., Alan F. Stewart, John R. Hull, Keith J. Davis
  • Publication number: 20160165706
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to the active initiation of incident energy-dissipating material from a structure surface coating as a counter measure response for the protection of a structure surface. The active initiation is triggered at a predetermined area or areas on a targeted structure surface in response to incident directed energy sensed on a target surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2013
    Publication date: June 9, 2016
    Inventors: Mark J. Clemen, JR., Alan F. Stewart, John R. Hull, Keith J. Davis
  • Patent number: 9362036
    Abstract: Magnetic fiber structures include a fiber and a plurality of permanent magnet particles carried by the fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: John R. Hull, Michael Strasik, Mark S Wilenski
  • Publication number: 20160122025
    Abstract: An induction heating system employs a ferromagnetic susceptor mounted proximate an exterior of flight surface of an aircraft. At least one electrically conductive coil is mounted proximate the ferromagnetic susceptor. The at least one electrically conductive coil is powered by a first power source with a first frequency. At least one compensating coil is mounted proximate the ferromagnetic susceptor having a geometry determined to provide substantially net-zero flux with respect to the at least one electrically conductive coil and positioned to induce induction heating where the first plurality of electrically conductive coils lacks induced inductive heating coverage. The at least one compensating coils is powered by a second AC power source with a second frequency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2014
    Publication date: May 5, 2016
    Inventors: John R. Hull, Vyacheslav Khozikov, Robert J. Miller, Stephen R. Amorosi, Rangasamy Elangovan
  • Publication number: 20150246730
    Abstract: A system and method for operating an ice detection and deicing system are provided herein. The ice detection and deicing system may use changing magnetic properties of various components caused by temperature changes to detect conditions conducive to, or indicating, ice formation. The ice detection and deicing system may further use eddy currents induced in one or more layers of the system to increase the temperature of the one or more layers to reduce the amount of ice formation or reduce the probability of ice being formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2014
    Publication date: September 3, 2015
    Applicant: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Vyacheslav Khozikov, Robert J. Miller, Rangasamy Elangovan, Marc R. Matsen, Stephen R. Amorosi, Robert G. Albers, Michael Strasik, John R. Hull
  • Publication number: 20150004392
    Abstract: A hybrid fiber consists of a continuous phase base material that permeates the length of the hybrid fiber and a plurality of fibrils or nanotubes that are dispersed throughout the hybrid fiber interior in the form of a yarn woven from the plurality of fibrils or nanotubes. The method of making the hybrid fiber involves coating the yarn with the continuous phase base material and infusing the continuous phase base material into the plurality of fibrils or nanotubes that form the yarn.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: John R. Hull, Mark S. Wilenski
  • Patent number: 8922081
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for incorporating a plurality of independently rotating rotors made from high-strength materials with a high-temperature superconductive (HTS) bearing technology into an open-core flywheel architecture to achieve a desired high energy density in the flywheel energy storage devices and to obtain superior results and performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: John R. Hull, Michael Strasik, John A. Mittleider, Mark S. Wilenski, Michael P. Kozar
  • Patent number: 8816543
    Abstract: Magnets and methods of their manufacture are disclosed for use in flywheel assemblies, such that the magnets comprise oriented fibers, such as, for example, axially-oriented fibers in a flexible rotor magnet composition to predictably allow the magnet to expand dimensionally upon rotation only in a predetermined and predictable fashion while maintaining critical contact with a rotor surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Michael P. Kozar, John R. Hull, John A. Mittleider, Mark S. Wilenski
  • Patent number: 8803384
    Abstract: A device includes a rotor and a stator with coils arranged to form a phase element. The phase element includes a first coil group including a first coil and a second coil and a second coil group including a third coil and a fourth coil, where the rotor is positioned between the first coil group and the second coil group. The device also includes one or more switches that enable reconfiguration of the phase element by switching an electrical configuration of the coils. In a first mode, the coils are arranged with the first coil in a first coil path and the second coil in a second coil path that is coupled in parallel with the first coil path. The coils are arranged such that a voltage generated across the first coil path is substantially equal to a voltage generated across the second coil path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: John R. Hull, John F. Gonder
  • Publication number: 20140202239
    Abstract: A composite bonded structure with integral stress sensing and bond evaluation system incorporates a bonded structure having a first component, a second component and a layer of adhesive bonding the first and second components. The layer of adhesive includes multiple embedded fluorescing particles which emit a first spectral intensity in an unstressed condition and a second spectral intensity in a stressed condition. A bond evaluation apparatus is then employed for measuring spectral intensity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2013
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    Applicant: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: John R. Hull, Keith J. Davis, Richard H. Bossi
  • Patent number: 8698365
    Abstract: Apparatuses are disclosed and directed to a substantially cylindrical containment layer, and methods for containment, for a flywheel apparatus comprising a plurality of predictably deformable brackets oriented to contain an impact. The brackets each have a plurality of layers and a surface for absorbing an impact, with the surface providing a glancing angle in the direction of an impact of from about 0.1° to about 5°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: John R. Hull, John A. Mittleider, Michael Strasik
  • Patent number: 8664786
    Abstract: Device and methods associated with underwater pumped-hydro energy storage are disclosed. An underwater pumped-hydro energy storage device includes a submersible tank that includes an inlet and an outlet. A pump is disposed at the outlet of the submersible tank to evacuate water from the submersible tank in a surrounding body of water. A valve is disposed at the inlet of the at least one submersible tank to control a flow of the water into the submersible tank from the surrounding body of water. Moreover, a turbine power unit is to generate output electrical power from the flow water into the submersible tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: John R. Hull, Jr., Michael Strasik
  • Patent number: 8640435
    Abstract: Fabrication of fibers using links of nanotubes including slicing a first nanotube rope from a nanotube forest. The method further includes wrapping the first nanotube rope in a first plurality of circuitous turns to create a first link. The method further includes slicing a second nanotube rope from the nanotube forest. The method further includes wrapping the second nanotube rope in a second plurality of circuitous turns to create a second link, wherein the second link is interconnected to the first link in a chain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: John R. Hull
  • Publication number: 20130260999
    Abstract: Apparatuses, systems and methods are described for a flywheel system incorporating a rotor made from a high-strength material in an open-core flywheel architecture with a high-temperature superconductive (HTS) bearing technology to achieve the desired high energy density in the flywheel energy storage devices, to obtain superior results and performance, and that eliminates the material growth-matching problem and obviates radial growth and bending mode issues that otherwise occur at various high frequencies and speeds.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2012
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: John R. Hull, Michael Strasik, John A. Mittleider
  • Publication number: 20130257186
    Abstract: Magnets and methods of their manufacture are disclosed for use in flywheel assemblies, such that the magnets comprise oriented fibers, such as, for example, axially-oriented fibers in a flexible rotor magnet composition to predictably allow the magnet to expand dimensionally upon rotation only in a predetermined and predictable fashion while maintaining critical contact with a rotor surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2012
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Michael P. Kozar, John R. Hull, John A. Mittleider, Mark S. Wilenski
  • Publication number: 20130255437
    Abstract: Apparatuses are disclosed and directed to a substantially cylindrical containment layer, and methods for containment, for a flywheel apparatus comprising a plurality of predictably deformable brackets oriented to contain an impact. The brackets each have a plurality of layers and a surface for absorbing an impact, with the surface providing a glancing angle in the direction of an impact of from about 0.1° to about 5°.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2012
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: John R. HULL, John A. MITTLEIDER, Michael STRASIK