Patents by Inventor Rick D. Stienecker

Rick D. Stienecker 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).

  • Fiber-reinforced epoxy composites and methods of making same without the use of oven or autoclave
    Patent number: 9370902
    Abstract: Method embodiments for producing a fiber-reinforced epoxy composite comprise providing a mold defining a shape for a composite, applying a fiber reinforcement over the mold, covering the mold and fiber reinforcement thereon in a vacuum enclosure, performing a vacuum on the vacuum enclosure to produce a pressure gradient, insulating at least a portion of the vacuum enclosure with thermal insulation, infusing the fiber reinforcement with a reactive mixture of uncured epoxy resin and curing agent under vacuum conditions, wherein the reactive mixture of uncured epoxy resin and curing agent generates exothermic heat, and producing the fiber-reinforced epoxy composite having a glass transition temperature of at least about 100° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Comerstone Research Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas J. Barnell, Michael D. Rauscher, Rick D. Stienecker, David M. Nickerson, Tat H. Tong
  • FIBER-REINFORCED EPOXY COMPOSITES AND METHODS OF MAKING SAME WITHOUT THE USE OF OVEN OR AUTOCLAVE
    Publication number: 20150099834
    Abstract: Method embodiments for producing a fiber-reinforced epoxy composite comprise providing a mold defining a shape for a composite, applying a fiber reinforcement over the mold, covering the mold and fiber reinforcement thereon in a vacuum enclosure, performing a vacuum on the vacuum enclosure to produce a pressure gradient, insulating at least a portion of the vacuum enclosure with thermal insulation, infusing the fiber reinforcement with a reactive mixture of uncured epoxy resin and curing agent under vacuum conditions, wherein the reactive mixture of uncured epoxy resin and curing agent generates exothermic heat, and producing the fiber-reinforced epoxy composite having a glass transition temperature of at least about 100° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2013
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Inventors: Thomas J. Barnell, Michael D. Rauscher, Rick D. Stienecker, David M. Nickerson, Tat H. Tong