Patents by Inventor Rahbar Nasserrafi
Rahbar Nasserrafi 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).
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Publication number: 20230271242Abstract: A method of manufacturing a complex-shaped metal part, including the steps of applying a metallic sheath around a sheet metal workpiece and applying an electric current through the workpiece in the metallic sheath to heat the workpiece. The method also includes shaping the workpiece in the metallic sheath into a complex-shaped metal part while it is being heated. The shaping can be performed between two ceramic dies or using other techniques for forming complex shapes and curvatures into the workpiece. The method then may include cooling the complex-shaped metal part and removing the metallic sheath from the complex-shaped metal part. This method can allow reactive and refractory material to be safely heated without oxidation when heating/forming in air when the workpiece is sealed within a sacrificial stainless steel or nickel alloy envelope to protect the enclosed workpiece.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 28, 2022Publication date: August 31, 2023Applicant: Spirit AeroSystems, Inc.Inventors: James Michael Wagner, Jr., Theodore Joseph Eilert, Rahbar Nasserrafi, Craig Matthew Clasper, Gerald Eugene Hicks, Jr.
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Publication number: 20230201950Abstract: A method of bonding two or more metallic components into a single piece. The bonding surfaces of the metallic components are protected from reaction with the environment. A force is applied to the metallic components to push the bonding surfaces together. Simultaneous with applying the force, an electric current is passed through the bonding surfaces to joule heat and weld the bonding surfaces together to form the single piece. The bonding surfaces may be protected by plating with a noble metal, applying a coating, shielding with a noble gas, or placing into a vacuum. A press may be used to apply the force. The force and the electric current may be sufficient to push out metal around the joint of the bonding surfaces, and at least one of the bonding surfaces may be drafted to facilitate pushing out the metal. The electric current may be pulsed to induce electroplasticity.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 7, 2022Publication date: June 29, 2023Applicant: Spirit AeroSystems, Inc.Inventors: James Michael Wagner, Rahbar Nasserrafi, Paul Ray Toivonen, Heath Edward Misak, Craig Matthew Clasper
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Publication number: 20230191528Abstract: A method of manufacturing metal matrix composite (MMC) parts, including the steps of applying a metallic sheath around a bundle of MMC laminates, heating the bundle of MMC laminates in the metallic sheath at a curing or fusing temperature to consolidate the bundle of MMC laminates into a single cured or fused part, and then cooling the cured or fused part. The bundle of MMC laminates may be formed by removing surface contamination from the dry reinforcement fibers, creating a plurality of individual MMC laminates by plating dry reinforcement fibers with electroless nickel, and/or electrodeposited nickel or cobalt, and stacking each of the plurality of individual MMC laminates into a bundle. Autocatalytic and/or electroplating may be used as the primary means to incorporate fiber reinforcement into the metal matrix composite by covering and bonding fiber reinforcement into MMC laminates/plies and/or 3-D woven parts.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2021Publication date: June 22, 2023Applicant: Spirit AeroSystems, Inc.Inventors: Rahbar Nasserrafi, Kerrick Robert Dando, Gerald Eugene Hicks, JR., Theodore Joseph Eilert, Shawn Douglas Vierthaler
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Publication number: 20220152939Abstract: A system and method for welding thermoplastic components by positioning and moving a heated plate between the components to melt their respective faying surfaces, and as the plate moves, pressing the components together so that the melted faying surfaces bond together as they cool and re-solidify, thereby creating a composite structure. The plate has a heated portion which is positioned between and heated to melt a portion of the first and second faying surfaces. A manipulator mechanism moves the plate along an interface from between the portion to between a series of subsequent portions of the first and second faying surfaces, thereby welding the thermoplastic components along the entire interface to create the composite structure. An injection device may also move behind the plate and reciprocally inject a polymer between the first and second faying surfaces to provide toughness and crack arresting properties.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 1, 2022Publication date: May 19, 2022Applicant: Spirit AeroSystems, Inc.Inventors: Mark Wadsworth, Kerrick Robert Dando, Rahbar Nasserrafi
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Publication number: 20220143900Abstract: Methods for in-situ solution heat treating an additively manufactured metallic component in order to increase the mechanical properties thereof and systems to perform the same. The method can include depositing filler material on a substrate forming a deposition layer, measuring the temperature of a heat affected zone corresponding to the deposition layer, and solution heat treating the deposition layer subsequent to the depositing and proximate to the deposition head. The solution heat treating can include heating the deposition layer to a solution temperature so as to achieve solution heat treatment and controlling the cooling rate of the deposition layer to at or above the critical cooling rate of the filler material until a target temperature is reached. Optionally, the method can include inducing an electron flow in the deposition layer to electromagnetically stir molten filler material in the heat affected zone.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 9, 2020Publication date: May 12, 2022Applicant: Sprit AeroSystems, Inc.Inventors: Rahbar Nasserrafi, Paul R. Toivonen, Gerald E. Hicks, JR., Daniel R. Klenosky
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Patent number: 10946974Abstract: An aircraft nacelle and method of fabricating a monolithic lipskin of the nacelle. The nacelle may include a fan cowl, a bulkhead, and the monolithic lipskin. The lipskin may be formed by spin-forming or explosive forming an annularly-shaped plate onto a mandrel, and machining or chemically-milling integrated stiffeners or other protrusions and attachment tabs into an inner mold line (IML) of the lipskin. The machining or chemical milling may occur before or after the spin-forming or explosive forming. The stiffeners may have a spiral or circumferential configuration. An attachment tab extending from the IML may attach to the bulkhead, such that an outer mold like (OML) of the lip-skin is not disrupted by mechanical fasteners attaching the lipskin to the bulkhead.Type: GrantFiled: January 6, 2017Date of Patent: March 16, 2021Assignee: Spirit AeroSystems, Inc.Inventors: Dennis Lebeda, Roger Kornfeld, Amitabh Vyas, Scott E. Graves, Mark Wadsworth, Aaron Heitmann, Rahbar Nasserrafi, Darrell A Wade
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Patent number: 10822682Abstract: A method for heat-treating a titanium alloy, such as Ti-6Al-4V. The method may occur after or include a step of forging the titanium alloy such that localized, highly deformed grains are formed in the titanium alloy. Then the method may include steps of recrystallization annealing the titanium alloy by heating the titanium alloy to a temperature in a range between 30° F. to 200° F. below beta transus of the titanium alloy for 1 hour to 6 hours and then furnace cooling of the titanium alloy to 1200° F. to 1500° F. at a rate of 50° F. to 500° F. per hour. Following the recrystallization annealing, the method may include beta annealing the titanium alloy. These steps may be performed in a single heat treating cycle.Type: GrantFiled: October 4, 2018Date of Patent: November 3, 2020Assignee: Spirit AeroSystems, Inc.Inventors: Rahbar Nasserrafi, Gerald E. Hicks, Michael A. Walker, Craig M. Clasper
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Patent number: 10307856Abstract: A joule-heating press and method for manufacturing a metallic honeycomb core via diffusion bonding. The method may include printing a pattern of strips of a stop-off material to surfaces of a plurality of sheets of metal at locations where diffusion bonding is not desired and stacking the sheets of metal together in a sequence for forming the honeycomb core. Then the method may include steps of pressing the sheets of metal together between two press plates made of conductive material and applying electric current to the conductive material of the press plates. This allows current to flow through a thickness of the sheets of metal and the sheets of metal are thereby diffusion bonded to each other via joule heating at locations absent the stop-off material. Finally, the method may include a step of expanding the sheets of metal into the honeycomb core.Type: GrantFiled: November 11, 2015Date of Patent: June 4, 2019Assignee: Spirit AeroSystems, Inc.Inventors: Rahbar Nasserrafi, Dennis R. Lebeda, Michael Basala
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Patent number: 10266933Abstract: Aluminum alloys are provided that can comprise boron and vanadium and high amounts of titanium and zirconium. The aluminum alloys described herein can exhibit superior tensile properties at both room temperature and elevated temperatures and still maintain desirable ductility. The aluminum alloys can be used in applications where resistance to fatigue and breakdown at elevated temperatures is desirable, which includes applications in the aerospace and aeronautical fields.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2013Date of Patent: April 23, 2019Assignee: SPIRIT AEROSYSTEMS, INC.Inventors: Rahbar Nasserrafi, David E. Jakstis, Gerald E. Hicks, Darrell Wade
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Publication number: 20190032184Abstract: A method for heat-treating a titanium alloy, such as Ti-6Al-4V. The method may occur after or include a step of forging the titanium alloy such that localized, highly deformed grains are formed in the titanium alloy. Then the method may include steps of recrystallization annealing the titanium alloy by heating the titanium alloy to a temperature in a range between 30° F. to 200° F. below beta transus of the titanium alloy for 1 hour to 6 hours and then furnace cooling of the titanium alloy to 1200° F. to 1500° F. at a rate of 50° F. to 500° F. per hour. Following the recrystallization annealing, the method may include beta annealing the titanium alloy. These steps may be performed in a single heat treating cycle.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 4, 2018Publication date: January 31, 2019Applicant: Spirit AeroSystems, Inc.Inventors: Rahbar Nasserrafi, Gerald E. Hicks, Michael A. Walker, Craig M. Clasper
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Patent number: 10094013Abstract: A method for heat-treating a titanium alloy, such as Ti-6Al-4V. The method may occur after or include a step of forging the titanium alloy such that localized, highly deformed grains are formed in the titanium alloy. Then the method may include steps of recrystallization annealing the titanium alloy by heating the titanium alloy to a temperature in a range between 30° F. to 200° F. below beta transus of the titanium alloy for 1 hour to 6 hours and then furnace cooling of the titanium alloy to 1200° F. to 1500° F. at a rate of 50° F. to 500° F. per hour. Following the recrystallization annealing, the method may include beta annealing the titanium alloy. These steps may be performed in a single heat treating cycle.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2015Date of Patent: October 9, 2018Assignee: Spirit AeroSystems, Inc.Inventors: Rahbar Nasserrafi, Gerald E. Hicks, Michael A. Walker, Craig M. Clasper
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Patent number: 9995247Abstract: An aircraft thrust reverser inner wall and method of manufacturing the same. The aircraft thrust reverser inner wall may include a face sheet, a perforated back sheet, and a core sandwiched between the face sheet and the perforated back sheet. The face sheet may have an inner face sheet surface and an outer face sheet surface, and the core may have an inner core surface, an outer core surface, and a plurality of cell walls extending therebetween. An electro-depositable material may be applied, via electrodeposition, in a substantially continuous layer over the outer core surface, the cell walls, and the outer face sheet surface, thus bonding the face sheet and core together. The perforated back sheet may be attached to the core at the outer core surface, and a conductive coating may be applied to the inner face sheet surface.Type: GrantFiled: October 6, 2015Date of Patent: June 12, 2018Assignee: Spirit AeroSystems, Inc.Inventors: Rahbar Nasserrafi, Craig Clasper, Micheal A. Walker, Gerald E. Hicks, Linda Cadwell Stancin
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Publication number: 20180127108Abstract: An aircraft nacelle and method of fabricating a monolithic lipskin of the nacelle. The nacelle may include a fan cowl, a bulkhead, and the monolithic lipskin. The lipskin may be formed by spin-forming or explosive forming an annularly-shaped plate onto a mandrel, and machining or chemically-milling integrated stiffeners or other protrusions and attachment tabs into an inner mold line (IML) of the lipskin. The machining or chemical milling may occur before or after the spin-forming or explosive forming. The stiffeners may have a spiral or circumferential configuration. An attachment tab extending from the IML may attach to the bulkhead, such that an outer mold like (OML) of the lip-skin is not disrupted by mechanical fasteners attaching the lipskin to the bulkhead.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 6, 2017Publication date: May 10, 2018Applicant: Spirit AeroSystems, Inc.Inventors: Dennis Lebeda, Roger Kornfeld, Amitabh Vyas, Scott E. Graves, Mark Wadsworth, Aaron Heitmann, Rahbar Nasserrafi, Darrell A. Wade
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Patent number: 9951405Abstract: A system and method for heat-treating a titanium part. The system may include foil, adhesive tape, and a localized heat source. The foil may include two sheets of foil made of a material more reactive (more prone to oxidize) than the titanium part, and the localized heat source may include a heating element mostly surrounded by insulation. The method may include taping the foil to opposing sides of the titanium part, thus sealing a portion of the titanium part to be heat treated from external atmosphere. The method may also include heating and placing the localized heat source near or against the foil until heat treating is complete. A small amount of air remaining between the heated foil and the titanium part has a preferential reaction with the foil, since it is more reactive than the titanium part. This prevents oxidation of the titanium part during localized heat treating.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2015Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: Spirit AeroSystems, Inc.Inventors: Rahbar Nasserrafi, Steven Paul Meyer
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Publication number: 20170175241Abstract: A method for heat-treating a titanium alloy, such as Ti-6Al-4V. The method may occur after or include a step of forging the titanium alloy such that localized, highly deformed grains are formed in the titanium alloy. Then the method may include steps of recrystallization annealing the titanium alloy by heating the titanium alloy to a temperature in a range between 30° F. to 200° F. below beta transus of the titanium alloy for 1 hour to 6 hours and then furnace cooling of the titanium alloy to 1200° F. to 1500° F. at a rate of 50° F. to 500° F. per hour. Following the recrystallization annealing, the method may include beta annealing the titanium alloy. These steps may be performed in a single heat treating cycle.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 17, 2015Publication date: June 22, 2017Applicant: Spirit AeroSystems, Inc.Inventors: Rahbar Nasserrafi, Gerald E. Hicks, Michael A. Walker, Craig M. Clasper
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Patent number: 9649728Abstract: A method of shaping a metallic honeycomb panel using a continuous drive sheet. The metallic honeycomb panel may have a perforated upper sheet, a non-perforated lower sheet, and a metal honeycomb core fixed between the upper and lower sheets. The method may include the steps of designing and manufacturing the drive sheet using finite element analysis (FEA) and criteria regarding shaping of the metallic honeycomb panel, then welding the drive sheet to the lower face of the lower sheet. The drive sheet may cover all of the lower face of the lower sheet and may have varying thicknesses determined based on the criteria and the FEA. The method may also include the steps of heating the drive sheet and metallic honeycomb panel to a creep forming or hot-stretch forming temperature and urging the metallic honeycomb panel and drive sheet into a male or female die mold to be shaped.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2014Date of Patent: May 16, 2017Assignee: Spirit AeroSystems, Inc.Inventors: Rahbar Nasserrafi, Darrell A. Wade, Thanh A. Le
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Publication number: 20170129041Abstract: A joule-heating press and method for manufacturing a metallic honeycomb core via diffusion bonding. The method may include printing a pattern of strips of a stop-off material to surfaces of a plurality of sheets of metal at locations where diffusion bonding is not desired and stacking the sheets of metal together in a sequence for forming the honeycomb core. Then the method may include steps of pressing the sheets of metal together between two press plates made of conductive material and applying electric current to the conductive material of the press plates. This allows current to flow through a thickness of the sheets of metal and the sheets of metal are thereby diffusion bonded to each other via joule heating at locations absent the stop-off material. Finally, the method may include a step of expanding the sheets of metal into the honeycomb core.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 11, 2015Publication date: May 11, 2017Applicant: SPIRIT AREOSYSTEMS, INC.Inventors: RAHBAR NASSERRAFI, DENNIS R. LEBEDA, MICHAEL BASALA
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Publication number: 20170096964Abstract: An aircraft thrust reverser inner wall and method of manufacturing the same. The aircraft thrust reverser inner wall may include a face sheet, a perforated back sheet, and a core sandwiched between the face sheet and the perforated back sheet. The face sheet may have an inner face sheet surface and an outer face sheet surface, and the core may have an inner core surface, an outer core surface, and a plurality of cell walls extending therebetween. An electro-depositable material may be applied, via electrodeposition, in a substantially continuous layer over the outer core surface, the cell walls, and the outer face sheet surface, thus bonding the face sheet and core together. The perforated back sheet may be attached to the core at the outer core surface, and a conductive coating may be applied to the inner face sheet surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 6, 2015Publication date: April 6, 2017Applicant: SPIRIT AEROSYSTEMS INC.Inventors: RAHBAR NASSERRAFI, CRAIG CLASPER, MICHEAL A. WALKER, GERALD E. HICKS, LINDA CADWELL STANCIN
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Publication number: 20160222498Abstract: A system and method for heat-treating a titanium part. The system may include foil, adhesive tape, and a localized heat source. The foil may include two sheets of foil made of a material more reactive (more prone to oxidize) than the titanium part, and the localized heat source may include a heating element mostly surrounded by insulation. The method may include taping the foil to opposing sides of the titanium part, thus sealing a portion of the titanium part to be heat treated from external atmosphere. The method may also include heating and placing the localized heat source near or against the foil until heat treating is complete. A small amount of air remaining between the heated foil and the titanium part has a preferential reaction with the foil, since it is more reactive than the titanium part. This prevents oxidation of the titanium part during localized heat treating.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 4, 2015Publication date: August 4, 2016Applicant: Spirit AeroSystems, Inc.Inventors: Rahbar Nasserrafi, Steven Paul Meyer
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Patent number: 9347558Abstract: Aluminum-based alloys for casting or wrought processing having improved combinations of properties, including improved high temperature strength, are provided. The alloys generally comprise copper, magnesium, silver, and titanium, along with scandium and/or cobalt. Zirconium, zinc, and/or vanadium may also optionally be present in the alloy. When cobalt is present in the alloy, nickel may also optionally be present. Cast and wrought products, as well as methods of making the same using the alloys, are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2011Date of Patent: May 24, 2016Assignee: Spirit AeroSystems, Inc.Inventors: Rahbar Nasserrafi, LaVerne L. Waalkes, Gerald E. Hicks, Kevin Obrachta, David E. Jakstis