Patents by Inventor Thomas Dean Wilson

Thomas Dean Wilson 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).

  • Systems and methods for forming radius fillers for composite structures
    Patent number: 10105942
    Abstract: Systems and methods for forming radius fillers for composite structures are disclosed herein. The systems include a sheet-locating structure that has a support surface and a support surface edge. The systems further include a separation device, a conveyance structure, and a layup surface. The methods include locating a sheet of composite material on a first support surface and translating the sheet of composite material such that a first portion of the sheet is supported by the first support surface and a second portion of the sheet extends past the support surface edge. The methods also include separating the second portion of the sheet from the first portion of the sheet to form a strip of composite material. The methods further include conveying the strip of composite material onto a layup surface and repeating the methods to form the radius filler from a plurality of strips of composite material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Elise Rae Ermitano Castorina, Erik Lund, Nicholas A. Boroughs, Matt Christner, Gabriel Zane Forston, William Thomas Kline, Thomas Dean Wilson, Bruno Zbinden, Dalton C. Bergan, Joseph Fount Warren, Jr., Scott Edward Krajca
  • Methods for forming radius fillers for composite structures
    Patent number: 9993980
    Abstract: Methods for forming radius fillers for composite structures are disclosed herein. The methods include locating a sheet of composite material on a first support surface and translating the sheet of composite material such that a first portion of the sheet is supported by the first support surface and a second portion of the sheet extends past the support surface edge. The methods also include supporting the second portion of the sheet with a second support surface and separating the second portion of the sheet from the first portion of the sheet to form a strip of composite material. The methods further include conveying the strip of composite material onto a layup surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: William Thomas Kline, Thomas Dean Wilson, Bruno Zbinden, Dalton C. Bergan, Joseph Fount Warren, Jr., Nicholas A. Boroughs, Scott Edward Krajca
  • SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR FORMING RADIUS FILLERS FOR COMPOSITE STRUCTURES
    Publication number: 20170266942
    Abstract: Systems and methods for forming radius fillers for composite structures are disclosed herein. The systems include a sheet-locating structure that has a support surface and a support surface edge. The systems further include a separation device, a conveyance structure, and a layup surface. The methods include locating a sheet of composite material on a first support surface and translating the sheet of composite material such that a first portion of the sheet is supported by the first support surface and a second portion of the sheet extends past the support surface edge. The methods also include separating the second portion of the sheet from the first portion of the sheet to form a strip of composite material. The methods further include conveying the strip of composite material onto a layup surface and repeating the methods to form the radius filler from a plurality of strips of composite material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2017
    Publication date: September 21, 2017
    Inventors: Elise Rae Ermitano Castorina, Erik Lund, Nicholas A. Boroughs, Matt Christner, Gabriel Zane Forston, William Thomas Kline, Thomas Dean Wilson, Bruno Zbinden, Dalton C. Bergan, Joseph Fount Warren, JR., Scott Edward Krajca
  • METHODS FOR FORMING RADIUS FILLERS FOR COMPOSITE STRUCTURES
    Publication number: 20170217110
    Abstract: Methods for forming radius fillers for composite structures are disclosed herein. The methods include locating a sheet of composite material on a first support surface and translating the sheet of composite material such that a first portion of the sheet is supported by the first support surface and a second portion of the sheet extends past the support surface edge. The methods also include supporting the second portion of the sheet with a second support surface and separating the second portion of the sheet from the first portion of the sheet to form a strip of composite material. The methods further include conveying the strip of composite material onto a layup surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2017
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventors: William Thomas Kline, Thomas Dean Wilson, Bruno Zbinden, Dalton C. Bergan, Joseph Fount Warren, JR., Nicholas A. Boroughs, Scott Edward Krajca
  • Systems and methods for forming radius fillers for composite structures
    Patent number: 9643395
    Abstract: Systems and methods for forming radius fillers for composite structures are disclosed herein. The systems include a sheet-locating structure that has a first support surface and a support surface edge. The systems further include a second support surface, a separation device, a conveyance structure, and a layup surface. The methods include locating a sheet of composite material on a first support surface and translating the sheet of composite material such that a first portion of the sheet is supported by the first support surface and a second portion of the sheet extends past the support surface edge. The methods also include supporting the second portion of the sheet with a second support surface and separating the second portion of the sheet from the first portion of the sheet to form a strip of composite material. The methods further include conveying the strip of composite material onto a layup surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: William Thomas Kline, Thomas Dean Wilson, Bruno Zbinden, Dalton C. Bergan, Joseph Fount Warren, Jr., Nicholas A. Boroughs, Scott Edward Krajca
  • SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR FORMING RADIUS FILLERS FOR COMPOSITE STRUCTURES
    Publication number: 20160052251
    Abstract: Systems and methods for forming radius fillers for composite structures are disclosed herein. The systems include a sheet-locating structure that has a first support surface and a support surface edge. The systems further include a second support surface, a separation device, a conveyance structure, and a layup surface. The methods include locating a sheet of composite material on a first support surface and translating the sheet of composite material such that a first portion of the sheet is supported by the first support surface and a second portion of the sheet extends past the support surface edge. The methods also include supporting the second portion of the sheet with a second support surface and separating the second portion of the sheet from the first portion of the sheet to form a strip of composite material. The methods further include conveying the strip of composite material onto a layup surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2014
    Publication date: February 25, 2016
    Applicant: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: William Thomas Kline, Thomas Dean Wilson, Bruno Zbinden, Dalton C. Bergan, Joseph Fount Warren, JR., Nicholas A. Boroughs, Scott Edward Krajca