Patents by Inventor Thomas J. Gonze

Thomas J. Gonze 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 and system for determining and verifying ply orientation of a composite laminate
    Patent number: 9897440
    Abstract: A method for determining and verifying ply orientation of composite laminates includes performing a first scan of a prepared edge of a composite laminate using an off-axis inclined light source directing light at a first acute angle to a first area on the prepared edge to produce a first scanned image; rotating an orientation of the off-axis inclined light source relative to the prepared edge, such that the off-axis inclined light source directs light at a second acute angle symmetrically opposite the first acute angle; and performing a second scan of the prepared edge using the off-axis inclined light source directing light at the second acute angle to the first area on the prepared edge to produce a second scanned image. The method includes comparing the first and second scanned images to determine a ply orientation of each ply, and verifying the ply orientation against a baseline ply orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Thomas J. Gonze, James R. Kendall, David C. Jackson
  • METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DETERMINING AND VERIFYING PLY ORIENTATION OF A COMPOSITE LAMINATE
    Publication number: 20160102973
    Abstract: A method for determining and verifying ply orientation of composite laminates includes performing a first scan of a prepared edge of a composite laminate using an off-axis inclined light source directing light at a first acute angle to a first area on the prepared edge to produce a first scanned image; rotating an orientation of the off-axis inclined light source relative to the prepared edge, such that the off-axis inclined light source directs light at a second acute angle symmetrically opposite the first acute angle; and performing a second scan of the prepared edge using the off-axis inclined light source directing light at the second acute angle to the first area on the prepared edge to produce a second scanned image. The method includes comparing the first and second scanned images to determine a ply orientation of each ply, and verifying the ply orientation against a baseline ply orientation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2014
    Publication date: April 14, 2016
    Applicant: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Thomas J. Gonze, James R. Kendall, David C. Jackson