Patents by Inventor Mark D. Fuller

Mark D. Fuller 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: 9364935
    Abstract: An aero-contouring apparatus is provided. The aero-contouring apparatus has a housing assembly and a motor assembly disposed therein. The motor assembly has a motor unit and a drive unit. The aero-contouring apparatus further has an engagement force/tilt limiting member coupled to the housing assembly, which has a central opening and a bottom end configured to contact a surface to be aero-contoured of an aerodynamically functional coating applied to a structure. The aero-contouring apparatus further has an abrading unit coupled to the drive unit and inserted through the central opening in non-contact communication with the engagement force/tilt limiting member. The abrading unit is driven by the drive unit in a random orbit motion on the surface. The engagement force/tilt limiting member mechanically limits both an engagement force and any tilting motion of the abrading unit with respect to the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Mark D. Fuller
  • Publication number: 20150104998
    Abstract: An aero-contouring apparatus is provided. The aero-contouring apparatus has a housing assembly and a motor assembly disposed therein. The motor assembly has a motor unit and a drive unit. The aero-contouring apparatus further has an engagement force/tilt limiting member coupled to the housing assembly, which has a central opening and a bottom end configured to contact a surface to be aero-contoured of an aerodynamically functional coating applied to a structure. The aero-contouring apparatus further has an abrading unit coupled to the drive unit and inserted through the central opening in non-contact communication with the engagement force/tilt limiting member. The abrading unit is driven by the drive unit in a random orbit motion on the surface. The engagement force/tilt limiting member mechanically limits both an engagement force and any tilting motion of the abrading unit with respect to the surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2013
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Applicant: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Mark D. Fuller