Patents by Inventor Ross Westermeier
Ross Westermeier 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: 12600465Abstract: A winglet system is configured to be secured to a wing of an aircraft. The winglet system includes an upper blade, a lower blade, and a cover plate integrally formed with the upper blade and the lower blade. The cover plate covers an opening within a transition joint between the upper blade and the lower blade. The cover plate remains coupled to the upper blade if the lower blade is separated from the winglet system.Type: GrantFiled: February 16, 2024Date of Patent: April 14, 2026Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Ross Westermeier, Paul Edward Black, Billy P. Tung, Peter Schupp, Scott Vincent Pugh
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Publication number: 20250263165Abstract: A winglet system is configured to be secured to a wing of an aircraft. The winglet system includes an upper blade, a lower blade, and a cover plate integrally formed with the upper blade and the lower blade. The cover plate covers an opening within a transition joint between the upper blade and the lower blade. The cover plate remains coupled to the upper blade if the lower blade is separated from the winglet system.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 16, 2024Publication date: August 21, 2025Applicant: THE BOEING COMPANYInventors: Ross Westermeier, Paul Edward Black, Billy P. Tung, Peter Schupp, Scott Vincent Pugh
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Patent number: 11572152Abstract: Structural composite airfoils include a primary structural element and a secondary structural element defining the trailing edge of the structural composite airfoil. The primary structural element includes an upper skin panel, a lower skin panel, and a middle C-channel spar that is coupled to the upper skin panel and the lower skin panel. The upper skin panel extends from an upper leading edge end to an upper trailing edge end, and the lower skin panel extends from a lower leading edge end to a lower trailing edge end. The lower leading edge end of the lower skin panel is coupled to the upper leading edge end of the upper skin panel within the leading edge region of the primary structural element.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2020Date of Patent: February 7, 2023Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Donald Drew Reinhart, Ross Westermeier, Bryan Gruner, Jan A. Kordel
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Patent number: 11554848Abstract: Structural composite airfoils include a primary structural element, a secondary structural element defining the trailing edge of the structural composite airfoil, and a discrete leading edge structure defining the leading edge of the structural composite airfoil. The primary structural element includes an upper skin panel, a lower skin panel, and a middle C-channel spar that is coupled to the upper skin panel and the lower skin panel. The discrete leading edge structure is coupled to the upper leading edge end of the upper skin panel and to the lower leading edge end of the lower skin panel. The upper skin panel may include a first panel bend adjacent the discrete leading edge structure, and the lower skin panel may include a second panel bend adjacent the discrete leading edge structure.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2020Date of Patent: January 17, 2023Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Gregory Santini, Kyle Alexander Johnson, Bryan Gruner, Ross Westermeier, Jan A. Kordel
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Patent number: 11453476Abstract: Structural composite airfoils include a front C-channel spar having an upper flange coupled to an upper skin panel, and a lower flange coupled to a lower skin panel. The lower skin panel includes a joggle adjacent a lower leading edge end, with the joggle being positioned forward of the front C-channel spar. An upper skin surface of the lower leading edge end faces an internal volume defined between the upper skin panel and the lower skin panel. A lower skin surface of the lower leading edge end faces an internal surface of the upper leading edge end of the upper skin panel, and the lower leading edge end of the lower skin panel is coupled to the upper leading edge end of the upper skin panel forward of the front C-channel spar. The leading edge has a bullnose shape defined by the upper skin panel.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2020Date of Patent: September 27, 2022Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Bryan Gruner, Jan A. Kordel, Peter Schupp, Kyle Alexander Johnson, Ross Westermeier
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Patent number: 11401026Abstract: Structural composite airfoils include a primary structural element and a secondary structural element defining a trailing edge of the structural composite airfoil. The primary structural element includes an upper skin panel, a lower skin panel, and a middle C-channel spar that is coupled to the upper skin panel and the lower skin panel. An upper flange of the middle C-channel spar is coupled to the upper skin panel, while a lower flange of the middle C-channel spar is coupled to the upper skin panel and the lower skin panel. An internal volume is defined by the upper skin panel and the lower skin panel aft of the middle C-channel spar, and is defined by the upper skin panel forward of the middle C-channel spar. The leading edge region of the primary structural element defines the leading edge of the structural composite airfoil.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2020Date of Patent: August 2, 2022Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Donald Drew Reinhart, Ross Westermeier, Bryan Gruner, Jan A. Kordel
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Publication number: 20210362826Abstract: Structural composite airfoils include a primary structural element, a secondary structural element defining the trailing edge of the structural composite airfoil, and a discrete leading edge structure defining the leading edge of the structural composite airfoil. The primary structural element includes an upper skin panel, a lower skin panel, and a middle C-channel spar that is coupled to the upper skin panel and the lower skin panel. The discrete leading edge structure is coupled to the upper leading edge end of the upper skin panel and to the lower leading edge end of the lower skin panel. The upper skin panel may include a first panel bend adjacent the discrete leading edge structure, and the lower skin panel may include a second panel bend adjacent the discrete leading edge structure.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 21, 2020Publication date: November 25, 2021Inventors: Gregory Santini, Kyle Alexander Johnson, Bryan Gruner, Ross Westermeier, Jan A. Kordel
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Publication number: 20210362829Abstract: Structural composite airfoils include a primary structural element and a secondary structural element defining the trailing edge of the structural composite airfoil. The primary structural element includes an upper skin panel, a lower skin panel, and a middle C-channel spar that is coupled to the upper skin panel and the lower skin panel. The upper skin panel extends from an upper leading edge end to an upper trailing edge end, and the lower skin panel extends from a lower leading edge end to a lower trailing edge end. The lower leading edge end of the lower skin panel is coupled to the upper leading edge end of the upper skin panel within the leading edge region of the primary structural element.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 21, 2020Publication date: November 25, 2021Inventors: Donald Drew Reinhart, Ross Westermeier, Bryan Gruner, Jan A. Kordel
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Publication number: 20210362831Abstract: Structural composite airfoils include a front C-channel spar having an upper flange coupled to an upper skin panel, and a lower flange coupled to a lower skin panel. The lower skin panel includes a joggle adjacent a lower leading edge end, with the joggle being positioned forward of the front C-channel spar. An upper skin surface of the lower leading edge end faces an internal volume defined between the upper skin panel and the lower skin panel. A lower skin surface of the lower leading edge end faces an internal surface of the upper leading edge end of the upper skin panel, and the lower leading edge end of the lower skin panel is coupled to the upper leading edge end of the upper skin panel forward of the front C-channel spar. The leading edge has a bullnose shape defined by the upper skin panel.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 21, 2020Publication date: November 25, 2021Inventors: Bryan Gruner, Jan A. Kordel, Peter Schupp, Kyle Alexander Johnson, Ross Westermeier
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Publication number: 20210362827Abstract: Structural composite airfoils include a primary structural element and a secondary structural element defining a trailing edge of the structural composite airfoil. The primary structural element includes an upper skin panel, a lower skin panel, and a middle C-channel spar that is coupled to the upper skin panel and the lower skin panel. An upper flange of the middle C-channel spar is coupled to the upper skin panel, while a lower flange of the middle C-channel spar is coupled to the upper skin panel and the lower skin panel. An internal volume is defined by the upper skin panel and the lower skin panel aft of the middle C-channel spar, and is defined by the upper skin panel forward of the middle C-channel spar. The leading edge region of the primary structural element defines the leading edge of the structural composite airfoil.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 21, 2020Publication date: November 25, 2021Inventors: Donald Drew Reinhart, Ross Westermeier, Bryan Gruner, Jan A. Kordel
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Publication number: 20210362830Abstract: Structural composite airfoils include a front C-channel spar having an upper flange coupled to an upper skin panel, and a lower flange coupled to a lower skin panel. The upper skin panel includes a joggle adjacent an upper leading edge end, with the joggle being positioned forward of the front C-channel spar. A lower skin surface of the upper leading edge end faces an internal volume defined between the upper skin panel and the lower skin panel. An upper skin surface of the upper leading edge end faces an internal surface of the lower leading edge end of the lower skin panel, and the upper leading edge end of the upper skin panel is coupled to the lower leading edge end of the lower skin panel forward of the front C-channel spar. The leading edge has a bullnose shape defined by the lower skin panel.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 21, 2020Publication date: November 25, 2021Inventors: Bryan Gruner, Jan A. Kordel, Ross Westermeier
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Publication number: 20210362834Abstract: A structural composite airfoil includes a primary structural element, and a secondary structural element defining a trailing edge of the structural composite airfoil. The primary structural element includes an upper skin panel extending from an upper leading edge end to an upper trailing edge end, a lower skin panel extending from a lower leading edge end to a lower trailing edge end, and a bracket coupled to the lower skin panel. The leading edge region of the primary structural element has a bullnose shape defined by the lower skin panel. The upper skin panel includes an integrally formed front C-channel spar having a lower flange coupled to the lower skin panel. The lower flange is adjacent the upper leading edge end, and the integrally formed front C-channel spar is coupled to the bracket, thereby further coupling the lower skin panel to the integrally formed front C-channel spar.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 21, 2020Publication date: November 25, 2021Inventors: Jan A. Kordel, Bryan Gruner, Ross Westermeier
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Publication number: 20210362832Abstract: A structural composite airfoil includes a primary structural element, and a secondary structural element defining a trailing edge of the structural composite airfoil. The primary structural element includes an upper skin panel extending from an upper leading edge end to an upper trailing edge end, a lower skin panel extending from a lower leading edge end to a lower trailing edge end, and a bracket coupled to the upper skin panel. The leading edge region of the primary structural element has a bullnose shape defined by the upper skin panel. The lower skin panel includes an integrally formed front C-channel spar having an upper flange coupled to the upper skin panel. The upper flange is adjacent the lower leading edge end, and the integrally formed front C-channel spar is coupled to the bracket, thereby coupling the upper skin panel to the integrally formed front C-channel spar.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 21, 2020Publication date: November 25, 2021Inventors: Jan A. Kordel, Bryan Gruner, Ross Westermeier