Patents by Inventor Jonathon Slightam

Jonathon Slightam 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).

  • Systems and methods for automated drilling of high aspect ratio, small diameter holes in remote, confined spaces
    Patent number: 12241370
    Abstract: A compact drill assembly, a drilling system and a method for automatically drilling small diameter holes of arbitrary depth. The compact drill assembly includes a housing having a geometry that allows insertion into the confined space and a rotatable drilling spindle that includes an actuated locking collet assembly arranged and disposed to selectively secure and release a composite bit. A bit conveying arrangement is configured to convey the composite bit along the non-confined dimension and along the confined dimension through the actuated locking collet assembly. A drill drive is arranged and disposed to advance the rotatable drilling spindle along the confined dimension. The method includes conveying a composite bit along the non-confined dimension and along the confined dimension through the compact drill assembly and advancing the composite bit along the confined dimension to drill into a surface along an edge of the confined space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2025
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventors: Stephen Buerger, Michal Rittikaidachar, Clinton G. Hobart, Jonathon Slightam, Jiann-Cherng Su, Giorgia Bettin