Patents by Inventor Richard Alan Ridilla

Richard Alan Ridilla 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).

  • Method for detecting fiber misalignment in composite manufacturing
    Patent number: 5936718
    Abstract: A method for detecting misalignment of initially-aligned fiber filaments in a composite. An optical fiber is placed among the fiber filaments in the composite, light is directed into the optical fiber, the intensity of the light in the optical fiber is measured during subsequent composite processing, and attenuation in such light intensity is ascertained which indicates such misalignment (e.g., wrinkling, bending, buckling, porosity, delamination and the like) is being detected during such processing. In another preferred method, before-processing and after-processing x-ray images are taken of an x-ray-attenuating fiber which has been placed among x-ray-transparent fiber filaments in a composite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1999
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Weiping Wang, Thomas Huei Hwang, Emily Yixie Shu, Richard Alan Ridilla, Michael Evans Graham, Michael Kent Cueman, Meng-Ling Hsiao, Charles Richard Evans
  • Detecting and minimizing fiber misalignment in a composite during manufacturing
    Patent number: 5844669
    Abstract: A method for detecting misalignment of initially-aligned fiber filaments in a composite. An optical fiber is placed among the fiber filaments in the composite, light is directed into the optical fiber, the intensity of the light in the optical fiber is measured during subsequent composite processing, and attenuation in such light intensity is ascertained which indicates such misalignment (e.g., wrinkling, bending, buckling, porosity, delamination and the like) is being detected during such processing. In another preferred method, before-processing and after-processing x-ray images are taken of an x-ray-attenuating fiber which has been placed among x-ray-transparent fiber filaments in a composite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1998
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Weiping Wang, Thomas Huei Hwang, Emily Yxie Shu, Richard Alan Ridilla, Michael Evans Graham, Michael Kent Cueman, Meng-Ling Hsiao, Charles Richard Evans