Patents by Inventor William Thomas Kline
William Thomas Kline 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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Publication number: 20240123799Abstract: An apparatus can include a door. The door can be configured to couple with a side of a vehicle. The door can include a step. The door can move the step.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 31, 2023Publication date: April 18, 2024Inventors: Ruey-Khan Kenneth Tsang, Austin Simpson, William Thomas Wanstall, Kevin Dean Kline
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Patent number: 10307974Abstract: Ply wrinkling during hot drape forming of a composite laminate is reduced at corner radii. A tensioning material placed over an uncured composite laminate charge maintains a compressive force on the laminate charge as the charge is formed over a tool.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2016Date of Patent: June 4, 2019Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: William Thomas Kline, Christopher Gary Harris
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Patent number: 10150233Abstract: Ply wrinkling during hot drape forming of a composite laminate is reduced at outside corner radii of a forming tool. First and second tensioning materials placed between a composite laminate charge and the forming tool maintain the laminate charge in tension at the radius corners as the charge is formed down over corner radii.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2015Date of Patent: December 11, 2018Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: William Thomas Kline, Christopher Gary Harris, Andrew M. Hopkins, Donald John Sutkus, Jr.
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Patent number: 10105942Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: June 6, 2017Date of Patent: October 23, 2018Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: 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
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Patent number: 9993980Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: April 12, 2017Date of Patent: June 12, 2018Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: William Thomas Kline, Thomas Dean Wilson, Bruno Zbinden, Dalton C. Bergan, Joseph Fount Warren, Jr., Nicholas A. Boroughs, Scott Edward Krajca
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Publication number: 20170266942Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: June 6, 2017Publication date: September 21, 2017Inventors: 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
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Publication number: 20170217110Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: April 12, 2017Publication date: August 3, 2017Inventors: William Thomas Kline, Thomas Dean Wilson, Bruno Zbinden, Dalton C. Bergan, Joseph Fount Warren, JR., Nicholas A. Boroughs, Scott Edward Krajca
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Patent number: 9643395Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: August 20, 2014Date of Patent: May 9, 2017Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: William Thomas Kline, Thomas Dean Wilson, Bruno Zbinden, Dalton C. Bergan, Joseph Fount Warren, Jr., Nicholas A. Boroughs, Scott Edward Krajca
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Publication number: 20170087782Abstract: Ply wrinkling during hot drape forming of a composite laminate is reduced at corner radii. A tensioning material placed over an uncured composite laminate charge maintains a compressive force on the laminate charge as the charge is formed over a tool.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 8, 2016Publication date: March 30, 2017Inventors: William Thomas Kline, Christopher Gary Harris
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Patent number: 9573301Abstract: Ply wrinkling during hot drape forming of a composite laminate is reduced at corner radii. A tensioning material placed over an uncured composite laminate charge maintains a compressive force on the laminate charge as the charge is formed over a tool.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 2013Date of Patent: February 21, 2017Assignee: The BOEING COMPANYInventors: William Thomas Kline, Christopher Gary Harris
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Publication number: 20160052251Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: August 20, 2014Publication date: February 25, 2016Applicant: THE BOEING COMPANYInventors: William Thomas Kline, Thomas Dean Wilson, Bruno Zbinden, Dalton C. Bergan, Joseph Fount Warren, JR., Nicholas A. Boroughs, Scott Edward Krajca
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Patent number: 9238334Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a stack of composite layers into a desired shape is present. The stack of composite layers may be positioned on a tool and a number of compressible supports such that the stack of composite layers may be substantially flat on the tool and the stack of composite layers may be substantially flat on the number of compressible supports. A flexible sheet may be placed on top of the stack of composite layers. A vacuum load may be applied on the stack of composite layers on the tool and the number of compressible supports using the flexible sheet such that consolidation of the stack of composite layers occurs to form a desired shape on the tool and the number of compressible supports compress during forming of the desired shape.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2015Date of Patent: January 19, 2016Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANYInventors: William Thomas Kline, Larry Earl Gross, Sayata Ghose
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Publication number: 20150321428Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a stack of composite layers into a desired shape is present. The stack of composite layers may be positioned on a tool and a number of compressible supports such that the stack of composite layers may be substantially flat on the tool and the stack of composite layers may be substantially flat on the number of compressible supports. A flexible sheet may be placed on top of the stack of composite layers. A vacuum load may be applied on the stack of composite layers on the tool and the number of compressible supports using the flexible sheet such that consolidation of the stack of composite layers occurs to form a desired shape on the tool and the number of compressible supports compress during forming of the desired shape.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 20, 2015Publication date: November 12, 2015Inventors: William Thomas Kline, Larry Earl Gross, Sayata Ghose
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Patent number: 9120275Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a stack of composite layers into a desired shape is present. The stack of composite layers may be positioned on a tool and a number of compressible supports such that the stack of composite layers may be substantially flat on the tool and the stack of composite layers may be substantially flat on the number of compressible supports. A flexible sheet may be placed on top of the stack of composite layers. A vacuum load may be applied on the stack of composite layers on the tool and the number of compressible supports using the flexible sheet such that consolidation of the stack of composite layers occurs to form a desired shape on the tool and the number of compressible supports compress during forming of the desired shape.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2012Date of Patent: September 1, 2015Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANYInventors: William Thomas Kline, Larry Earl Gross, Sayata Ghose
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Publication number: 20150183171Abstract: Ply wrinkling during hot drape forming of a composite laminate is reduced at outside corner radii of a forming tool. First and second tensioning materials placed between a composite laminate charge and the forming tool maintain the laminate charge in tension at the radius corners as the charge is formed down over corner radii.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 17, 2015Publication date: July 2, 2015Inventors: William Thomas Kline, Christopher Gary Harris, Andrew M. Hopkins, Donald John Sutkus, JR.