Patents by Inventor Nathan A. Nicholas

Nathan A. Nicholas 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: 20250135749
    Abstract: A metal coupon for repairing a component includes an additively manufactured (AM) metal member having a conduit in an interior of the AM metal member, and a first porous region around the conduit. The conduit is hollow. The porous metal coupon with conduit allows a braze material to be directed based on characteristics of the first porous region. A second porous region may be provided inside the conduit to increase heat rejection of the conduit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2023
    Publication date: May 1, 2025
    Inventors: Stanley Frank Simpson, Mark Lawrence Hunt, Nathan Nicholas Ostrout, Jacob Andrew Salm, James Warren Pemrick
  • Publication number: 20250135588
    Abstract: A component includes a body having a coupon opening defined therein, and an additively manufactured (AM) metal coupon including a dense region, a porous region adjacent the dense region, and a coupon outer surface. The porous region has a first cross-sectional area at a first location at or near the coupon outer surface and a second cross-sectional area less than the first cross-sectional area at a second location distal from the coupon outer surface. A braze material couples the metal coupon in the coupon opening and infiltrates into the porous region, e.g., based at least on a characteristic of the porosity thereof. The dense region may have a third cross-sectional area at the first location and a fourth cross-sectional area greater than the third cross-sectional area at the second location so it can direct the braze material in the porous region toward an inner surface of the coupon opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2023
    Publication date: May 1, 2025
    Inventors: Jacob Andrew Salm, Mark Lawrence Hunt, Nathan Nicholas Ostrout, James Warren Pemrick, Stanley Frank Simpson
  • Publication number: 20250135567
    Abstract: A metal coupon for repairing a component includes an additively manufactured (AM) metal member having a low porosity region in an interior of the AM metal member, and a porous region around the low porosity region. The low porosity region may have a porosity in a range of 0% to 5%, so is solid or nearly solid. The porous metal coupon with low porosity region allows braze material to be directed based on characteristics of the porous region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2023
    Publication date: May 1, 2025
    Inventors: Stanley Frank Simpson, Mark Lawrence Hunt, Jacob Andrew Salm, James Warren Pemrick, Nathan Nicholas Ostrout
  • Publication number: 20250137373
    Abstract: A component including a body, and an additively manufactured (AM) metal coupon including a first section and a stress-relief section, is disclosed. The stress-relief section includes a porous region having a porosity between 2% to 50% open space volume to total volume of the stress-relief section. The stress-relief section has at least one of thermal conductivity, tensile strength, ductility, or fatigue strength less than first section. A braze material couples the AM metal coupon to a coupon opening in the body. The stress-relief section creates a low-stress zone in the metal coupon that can be located near or adjacent to a high-stress zone. The stress-relief section reduces residual stress in the metal coupon, which reduces the related challenges of coupling the metal coupon to the body of the component, especially where superalloy materials are used.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2023
    Publication date: May 1, 2025
    Inventors: Evan John Dozier, Nathan Nicholas Ostrout, Jacob Andrew Salm, Mark Lawrence Hunt, Stanley Frank Simpson, James Warren Pemrick
  • Publication number: 20250135751
    Abstract: An additive manufactured (AM) metal coupon for a turbomachine component is provided. The component includes an airfoil body having a pressure side, a suction side, a trailing edge, and a coupon opening. The AM metal coupon has an AM metal member with at least one slanted coupon side wall at an angle of less than 90° with an exterior surface of the AM metal member. The AM metal member also has a first porous region having a first porosity and a second porous region having a second porosity different than the first porosity. A braze material couples the AM metal coupon in the coupon opening in the airfoil body and infiltrates into at least one of the first porous region based at least on a characteristic of the first porosity and the second porous region based at least on a characteristic of the second porosity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2023
    Publication date: May 1, 2025
    Inventors: Glen A. MACMILLAN, Mark Carmine BELLINO, Jesse KELLER, Ellison A. LENZ, Mark Lawrence HUNT, Paul Albert COOK, Nathan Nicholas OSTROUT
  • Publication number: 20250135545
    Abstract: A metal coupon includes an additively manufactured (AM) metal member having a porous region having between 2% to 50% open space volume to total volume. The metal coupon includes a first section of an anchor configured to interact with a second section of the anchor in a coupon opening of a body of a component. A component including the metal coupon may include the body including the coupon opening, and an anchor including a first section in or on one of the AM metal coupon and the body and a second section in or on the other of the AM metal coupon and the body. At least the first and second sections cooperatively hold the AM metal coupon in the coupon opening in the body. Braze material couples the coupon in the coupon opening in the body. The braze material infiltrates into the porous region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2023
    Publication date: May 1, 2025
    Inventors: James Warren Pemrick, Jacob Andrew Salm, Mark Lawrence Hunt, Stanley Frank Simpson, Nathan Nicholas Ostrout
  • Publication number: 20250135533
    Abstract: A component includes a dense base region, a dense replacement region and an additively manufactured (AM) porous region between the dense base region and the dense replacement region. The porous region has a porosity between 2% to 50% open space volume to total volume of the AM porous region. The porous region can be printed onto the base region or the replacement region. A braze material couples the base region, the porous region and the replacement region together, and infiltrates into the porous region based at least on a characteristic of the porosity. The porous region reduces stress at a joint between the dense regions and can be customized to create different physical characteristic(s) than just those of the base and replacement regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2023
    Publication date: May 1, 2025
    Inventors: Jacob Andrew Salm, Nathan Nicholas Ostrout, Mark Lawrence Hunt, James Warren Pemrick, Stanley Frank Simpson
  • Publication number: 20250135546
    Abstract: A method of coupling a metal coupon to a component may include additively manufacturing the metal coupon having a first porous region having a first porosity and a second porous region having a second porosity different than the first porosity. The metal coupon is positioned in a coupon opening in a body of the component. The metal coupon may be infiltrated with a braze material to couple the metal coupon in the coupon opening in the body. One or more braze materials infiltrate into at least one of the first porous region based at least on a characteristic of the first porosity and the second porous region based at least on a characteristic of the second porosity. The cured braze material includes different sections having different physical characteristics based on the different porosities and/or different braze materials(s).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2023
    Publication date: May 1, 2025
    Inventors: Jacob Andrew Salm, Mark Lawrence Hunt, Nathan Nicholas Ostrout
  • Publication number: 20250135547
    Abstract: A metal coupon for repairing a component includes an additively manufactured (AM) metal member having a sealed cavity in an interior of the AM metal member, and a porous region around the sealed cavity. A metal coupon system may include at least two AM metal parts with each AM metal part including at least a section of a sealed cavity therein and a porous region around the at least section of the sealed cavity. The AM metal parts combine to form the metal coupon, i.e., AM metal member, with the sealed cavity in an interior thereof and the porous region around the sealed cavity. In any event, the sealed cavity is hollow. The metal coupon with the sealed cavity provides reduced mass and allows braze material to be directed based on characteristics of the porous region of the metal coupon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2023
    Publication date: May 1, 2025
    Inventors: Stanley Frank Simpson, Jacob Andrew Salm, James Warren Pemrick, Mark Lawrence Hunt, Nathan Nicholas Ostrout
  • Publication number: 20250135750
    Abstract: A component includes a body and an additively manufactured (AM) metal coupon that includes a primary member having a member porosity between 2% to 50% open space volume to total volume of the primary member. The primary member includes a first portion and a second portion distanced from the first portion by a gap. At least one thermal transfer structure, such as pin(s) and/or fin(s), extends between the first and second portions across the gap. A braze material couples the AM metal coupon in a coupon opening in the body, and infiltrates into the primary member based at least on a characteristic of the member porosity. The braze material may also infiltrate the thermal transfer structure(s), which may have the same or different porosity from the primary member. The thermal transfer structure(s) exhibit enhanced heat rejection, reduce weight of the component, and may improve component vibratory response.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2023
    Publication date: May 1, 2025
    Inventors: Mark Lawrence Hunt, Nathan Nicholas Ostrout, Jacob Andrew Salm
  • Publication number: 20250137387
    Abstract: A component includes a body and an additively manufactured (AM) metal coupon that includes at least one first porous region having a first porosity and may include any number of second porous regions having a second porosity different than the first porosity. A braze material couples the metal coupon in a coupon opening in the body. The braze material infiltrates into at least one of the first porous region based at least on a characteristic of the first porosity or any second porous region based at least on a characteristic of the second porosity. The different porosities can be customized to provide the first porous region and the second porous region with the braze material therein with different physical characteristic(s).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2023
    Publication date: May 1, 2025
    Inventors: Mark Lawrence Hunt, Paul Albert Cook, Nathan Nicholas Ostrout, Jacob Andrew Salm, Stanley Frank Simpson
  • Publication number: 20250135566
    Abstract: A metal coupon for repairing a component includes an additively manufactured (AM) metal member having at least two porous regions and a braze material infiltration barrier positioned between the at least two porous regions. The braze material infiltration barrier has a lower porosity than the at least two porous regions. A component using the metal coupon may also include a braze material coupling the metal coupon in a coupon opening in the body. The braze material infiltrates at least one of the two porous regions, and the braze material infiltration barrier separates the braze material in the at least one of the two porous regions from at least one other of the at least two porous regions. Different braze materials may be used in each porous region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2023
    Publication date: May 1, 2025
    Inventors: Stanley Frank Simpson, Jacob Andrew Salm, James Warren Pemrick, Mark Lawrence Hunt, Nathan Nicholas Ostrout
  • Publication number: 20240240681
    Abstract: A shim for use with a component of a heavy-duty vehicle disc brake system, said shim comprising a pair of legs, a transition, and at least one tab. The pair of legs disposed upon and in contact with the component of the heavy-duty vehicle disc brake system. The transition extends between and is integrally formed with the pair of legs. The tab is connected to and extends away from the plane of one of the pair of legs. The tab also engages and is semi-permanently attached to the component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2023
    Publication date: July 18, 2024
    Inventors: Jeffrey R. Wittlinger, Matthew P. Karich, Nathan A. Nicholas
  • Publication number: 20230010201
    Abstract: A sensor mounting arrangement for a drum brake assembly of a heavy-duty vehicle comprising a sensor assembly mounted on a cam tube of the drum brake assembly. The cam tube is formed with an opening. The sensor assembly includes a detector that is at least partially disposed in or adjacent to the opening of the cam tube and a target that is disposed about an outer surface of a camshaft of the drum brake assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2022
    Publication date: January 12, 2023
    Inventors: Jay D. White, Matthew G. Chapman, Jeffrey R. Wittlinger, Francisco J. Arevalo, Kurtis R. Bowen, Nathan A. Nicholas, Jeff R. Zawacki, Dhawal P. Dharaiya
  • Patent number: 9330815
    Abstract: Cable structures with insulating tape and systems and methods for making the same are provided. In some embodiments, a cable may include a first group of conductors extending along a length of the cable, a tape wrapped directly around the first plurality of conductors along the length of the cable, and a second group of conductors extending along the length of the cable, where the tape electrically isolates the first group of conductors from the second group of conductors. The second group of conductors may extend around the tape or the tape may be wrapped directly around the second group of conductors. The tape may be a polymeric tape that may or may not include an adhesive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Nathan Nicholas Ng, Min Chul Kim
  • Publication number: 20150047873
    Abstract: Cable structures with insulating tape and systems and methods for making the same are provided. In some embodiments, a cable may include a first group of conductors extending along a length of the cable, a tape wrapped directly around the first plurality of conductors along the length of the cable, and a second group of conductors extending along the length of the cable, where the tape electrically isolates the first group of conductors from the second group of conductors. The second group of conductors may extend around the tape or the tape may be wrapped directly around the second group of conductors. The tape may be a polymeric tape that may or may not include an adhesive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2013
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan Nicholas Ng, Min Chul Kim