Patents by Inventor Robert Ray Wampler
Robert Ray Wampler 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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Patent number: 8763665Abstract: An apparatus for laminating a fabric material to a part broadly comprises a vacuum table, a cutting element, a plurality of pinch rollers, and a plurality of compaction rollers. The vacuum table receives the fabric material from a supply spool and retains the material while the cutting element cuts scrap material from the sides of the fabric material. The pinch rollers receive the fabric material after the scrap material has been cut and are configured to stretch the fabric material from a center line outward toward the edges of the material. The compaction rollers receive the fabric material from the pinch rollers and are configured to press the fabric material against a surface of the part.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 2012Date of Patent: July 1, 2014Assignee: Spirit AeroSystems, Inc.Inventors: Robert Ray Wampler, Matthew Ryan Schroeder
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Patent number: 8296923Abstract: A reconfigurable system having at least one detachable component and at least one detachable head assembly. The reconfigurable system may be a numerically controlled (NC) machine for manufacturing processes, such as milling or automatic fiber placement (AFP). The reconfigurable system may further comprise a gantry structure comprised of movably attached beams on which detachable components may be movably attached. The detachable components may include a concave component and a convex component. At least one detachable head assembly may be movably attached to at least one of the detachable components. The detachable components and head assemblies may be at least one of physically, electrically, and pneumatically connected to a connecting assembly attached to the gantry structure.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2007Date of Patent: October 30, 2012Assignee: Spirit AeroSystems, Inc.Inventors: Robert Ray Wampler, Muhammad Zia Ullah
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Patent number: 8087441Abstract: A material placement head for dispensing and compacting a plurality of strips of a material onto a surface with a plurality of independently movable roller assemblies. Each roller assembly of the placement head comprises a compacting roller and may be rotatably and linearly moved in six-degrees of freedom independent of the other roller assemblies of the placement head. The roller assemblies may be arranged in a staggered configuration and substantially simultaneously apply the plurality of strips of the material to the surface, such that the strips of the material are applied to adjacent paths on the surface. Each compacting roller may be malleable and substantially crowned around its outer circumferential surface to provide even compaction to the strips of the material.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2009Date of Patent: January 3, 2012Assignee: Spirit AeroSy$tems, Inc.Inventors: Robert Ray Wampler, Muhammad Zia Ullah
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Patent number: 7717151Abstract: A material placement head for dispensing and compacting a plurality of strips of a material onto a surface with a plurality of independently movable roller assemblies. Each roller assembly of the placement head comprises a compacting roller and may be rotatably and linearly moved in six-degrees of freedom independent of the other roller assemblies of the placement head. The roller assemblies may be arranged in a staggered configuration and substantially simultaneously apply the plurality of strips of the material to the surface, such that the strips of the material are applied to adjacent paths on the surface. Each compacting roller may be malleable and substantially crowned around its outer circumferential surface to provide even compaction to the strips of the material.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2007Date of Patent: May 18, 2010Assignee: Spirit Aerosystems, Inc.Inventors: Robert Ray Wampler, Muhammad Zia Ullah
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Publication number: 20100024952Abstract: A material placement head for dispensing and compacting a plurality of strips of a material onto a surface with a plurality of independently movable roller assemblies. Each roller assembly of the placement head comprises a compacting roller and may be rotatably and linearly moved in six-degrees of freedom independent of the other roller assemblies of the placement head. The roller assemblies may be arranged in a staggered configuration and substantially simultaneously apply the plurality of strips of the material to the surface, such that the strips of the material are applied to adjacent paths on the surface. Each compacting roller may be malleable and substantially crowned around its outer circumferential surface to provide even compaction to the strips of the material.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 30, 2009Publication date: February 4, 2010Applicant: SPIRIT AEROSYSTEMS, INC.Inventors: Robert Ray Wampler, Muhammad Zia Ullah
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Patent number: 7591294Abstract: A roller assembly for bidirectionally dispensing and compacting a strip of a material onto a surface without requiring the roller assembly to rotate 180° to dispense the material in the reverse direction. The roller assembly comprises a first guide element, a second guide element, a third guide element, and a compacting roller. When the first guide element is in a first position, the strip of the material is fed to the second guide element. When the first guide element is in a second position, the strip of the material is fed to the third guide element. The compacting roller is malleable and substantially crowned around an outer circumferential surface of the compacting roller to provide even compaction to the strip of the material.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2007Date of Patent: September 22, 2009Assignee: Spirit Aerosystems, Inc.Inventors: Robert Ray Wampler, Muhammad Zia Ullah
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Publication number: 20090140451Abstract: A roller assembly for bidirectionally dispensing and compacting a strip of a material onto a surface without requiring the roller assembly to rotate 180° to dispense the material in the reverse direction. The roller assembly comprises a first guide element, a second guide element, a third guide element, and a compacting roller. When the first guide element is in a first position, the strip of the material is fed to the second guide element. When the first guide element is in a second position, the strip of the material is fed to the third guide element. The compacting roller is malleable and substantially crowned around an outer circumferential surface of the compacting roller to provide even compaction to the strip of the material.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 29, 2007Publication date: June 4, 2009Applicant: Spirit AeroSystems, Inc.Inventors: Robert Ray Wampler, Muhammad Zia Ullah
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Publication number: 20090143207Abstract: A reconfigurable system having at least one detachable component and at least one detachable head assembly. The reconfigurable system may be a numerically controlled (NC) machine for manufacturing processes, such as milling or automatic fiber placement (AFP). The reconfigurable system may further comprise a gantry structure comprised of movably attached beams on which detachable components may be movably attached. The detachable components may include a concave component and a convex component. At least one detachable head assembly may be movably attached to at least one of the detachable components. The detachable components and head assemblies may be at least one of physically, electrically, and pneumatically connected to a connecting assembly attached to the gantry structure.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 29, 2007Publication date: June 4, 2009Applicant: Spirit AeroSystems, Inc.Inventors: Robert Ray Wampler, Muhammad Zia Ullah
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Publication number: 20090139654Abstract: A material placement head for dispensing and compacting a plurality of strips of a material onto a surface with a plurality of independently movable roller assemblies. Each roller assembly of the placement head comprises a compacting roller and may be rotatably and linearly moved in six-degrees of freedom independent of the other roller assemblies of the placement head. The roller assemblies may be arranged in a staggered configuration and substantially simultaneously apply the plurality of strips of the material to the surface, such that the strips of the material are applied to adjacent paths on the surface. Each compacting roller may be malleable and substantially crowned around its outer circumferential surface to provide even compaction to the strips of the material.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 29, 2007Publication date: June 4, 2009Applicant: Spirit AeroSystems, Inc.Inventors: Robert Ray Wampler, Muhammad Zia Ullah