Patents by Inventor Michael Charles Elford

Michael Charles Elford 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: 11850652
    Abstract: A method of radial incremental forming a component having a component inner mold line (IML) includes providing a mandrel having geometry configured to mate with the IML. The method also includes inserting the mandrel into a tubular workpiece composed of a formable material, to thereby sleeve the workpiece over the mandrel. The method additionally includes mounting the workpiece sleeved over the mandrel onto a drive mechanism configured to rotate the mandrel and having a forming tool configured to shift relative to the workpiece. The method further includes regulating, according to provided toolpath instructions, the drive mechanism to rotate the workpiece sleeved over the mandrel in concert with shifting the forming tool relative to the workpiece to incrementally deform the workpiece therewith over the mandrel and thereby form the component. A tool system having an electronic controller may employ the subject method to radially incrementally form a component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Michael Charles Elford
  • Publication number: 20230089822
    Abstract: A method of radial incremental forming a component having a component inner mold line (IML) includes providing a mandrel having geometry configured to mate with the IML. The method also includes inserting the mandrel into a tubular workpiece composed of a formable material, to thereby sleeve the workpiece over the mandrel. The method additionally includes mounting the workpiece sleeved over the mandrel onto a drive mechanism configured to rotate the mandrel and having a forming tool configured to shift relative to the workpiece. The method further includes regulating, according to provided toolpath instructions, the drive mechanism to rotate the workpiece sleeved over the mandrel in concert with shifting the forming tool relative to the workpiece to incrementally deform the workpiece therewith over the mandrel and thereby form the component. A tool system having an electronic controller may employ the subject method to radially incrementally form a component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2021
    Publication date: March 23, 2023
    Applicant: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Michael Charles Elford
  • Patent number: 11586173
    Abstract: A method for CNC manufacturing is provided. The method includes computer-reading a digital model of a 3D part within a first topological space. An offset surface for the digital model in the first topological space is computer-generated. The offset surface in the first topological space is computer-transformed to a transformed offset surface in a second topological space embedded in the first topological space. A plurality of contours are computer-identified, at which a corresponding plurality of embedded parallel planes intersect the transformed offset surface in the second topological space. The plurality of contours in the second topological space are computer-transformed into a corresponding plurality of transformed contours in the first topological space. A CNC toolpath is computer-generated that traces each of the plurality of transformed contours in the first topological space, the CNC toolpath useable by a CNC machine to manufacture the 3D part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventor: Michael Charles Elford
  • Publication number: 20230035585
    Abstract: A slope-matched stylus (SMS) tool for Incremental Sheet Forming (ISF) of a sheet includes a shaft connected to a stylus body and to a multi-axis drive mechanism. The stylus body has a conical or generally frustoconical form which includes a tool surface defining one or more corresponding tool wall angles. The tool wall angle range matches one or more part wall angles of a part formed via the ISF process, such that a flat line of contact exists between the stylus body and sheet. The tool and part wall angles are complementary. A system includes the tool and drive mechanism. A method includes securing the sheet to a fixture, connecting the tool to the drive mechanism, and progressively pressing a tool surface of the stylus body into or against the sheet using the drive mechanism, controlling the latter to ensure a flat line of contact is provided between the stylus body and sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2021
    Publication date: February 2, 2023
    Applicant: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Michael Charles Elford, Andrew Jon Eugene Stephan, Joseph Z. Ellsworth
  • Publication number: 20220179396
    Abstract: A method for CNC manufacturing is provided. The method includes computer-reading a digital model of a 3D part within a first topological space. An offset surface for the digital model in the first topological space is computer-generated. The offset surface in the first topological space is computer-transformed to a transformed offset surface in a second topological space embedded in the first topological space. A plurality of contours are computer-identified, at which a corresponding plurality of embedded parallel planes intersect the transformed offset surface in the second topological space. The plurality of contours in the second topological space are computer-transformed into a corresponding plurality of transformed contours in the first topological space. A CNC toolpath is computer-generated that traces each of the plurality of transformed contours in the first topological space, the CNC toolpath useable by a CNC machine to manufacture the 3D part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2021
    Publication date: June 9, 2022
    Inventor: Michael Charles Elford
  • Publication number: 20210373524
    Abstract: A method of toolpath generation is provided whereby the tool may be any smooth convex axisymmetric shape. The tool includes a tool body extending between a shank and a head. The shank is configured to be mounted in a collet which may optionally rotate. In the case of a stylus tool, the head has an axisymmetric forming surface used to press metal. In the case of a routing tool, the head has cutting surfaces which are enveloped by a smooth convex axisymmetric surface and the tool is used for milling a part. In a least one embodiment the tool is a stylus tool which has a forming surface that has been generated from a portion of a clothoid curve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2020
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Applicant: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Michael Charles Elford, Andrew Jon Eugene Stephan
  • Patent number: 11093550
    Abstract: Yield criteria of a material are estimated by obtaining test data representing anisotropic material properties of the material and performing an iterative evolutionary search to identify parameters of a function descriptive of the yield criteria of the material. The evolutionary search includes determining an error value based on a first data point of a first population, where the first data point representing potential values of the parameters. The evolutionary search also includes performing an evolutionary process to generate a second data point as a candidate for replacing the first data point in a second population and determining a second error value based on the second data point. Either the first data point or the second data point is selected for inclusion in the second population. Output data is generated based on estimated values of the parameters that are identified by the evolutionary search.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Yunpeng Zhang, Dorival de Moraes Pedroso, Andrew Jon Eugene Stephan, Michael Charles Elford
  • Publication number: 20210004412
    Abstract: Yield criteria of a material are estimated by obtaining test data representing anisotropic material properties of the material and performing an iterative evolutionary search to identify parameters of a function descriptive of the yield criteria of the material. The evolutionary search includes determining an error value based on a first data point of a first population, where the first data point representing potential values of the parameters. The evolutionary search also includes performing an evolutionary process to generate a second data point as a candidate for replacing the first data point in a second population and determining a second error value based on the second data point. Either the first data point or the second data point is selected for inclusion in the second population. Output data is generated based on estimated values of the parameters that are identified by the evolutionary search.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2019
    Publication date: January 7, 2021
    Inventors: Yunpeng Zhang, Dorival de Moraes Pedroso, Andrew Jon Eugene Stephan, Michael Charles Elford
  • Patent number: 10318675
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided for implementation of a post-processing system for providing post-processing analysis of a numerical model. The post-processing system may render a numerical model that represents a structural product by a mesh of elements. A dynamically adjustable user-defined string across the mesh is generated and a set of intermediate points that coincide with intersection of the string and edges of at least some of the elements of the mesh is created. An interpolated dataset, for which a plot is subsequently generated, is calculated from the nodal dataset and at least some nodal points. In response to adjustment of the string, a corresponding adjusted string is generated, a new set of intermediate points is created, and an interpolated dataset with which the new set of intermediate points is associated is calculated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Michael Charles Elford
  • Publication number: 20170017739
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided for implementation of a post-processing system for providing post-processing analysis of a numerical model. The post-processing system may render a numerical model that represents a structural product by a mesh of elements. A dynamically adjustable user-defined string across the mesh is generated and a set of intermediate points that coincide with intersection of the string and edges of at least some of the elements of the mesh is created. An interpolated dataset, for which a plot is subsequently generated, is calculated from the nodal dataset and at least some nodal points. In response to adjustment of the string, a corresponding adjusted string is generated, a new set of intermediate points is created, and an interpolated dataset with which the new set of intermediate points is associated is calculated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2015
    Publication date: January 19, 2017
    Inventor: Michael Charles Elford