The Boeing Company

Chris J Erickson

John Walter Pringle, Iv

Raul Tomuta

John W Pringle-Iv

Don David Trend

Branko Sarh

Martin Hanna Guirguis

Jake Boyce Weinmann

John Joseph Brown

Richard Philip Topf

Chin Hoi Toh

Ted Khong

Angelica Davancens

Frederick B Frontiera

Rodney Stephen Wright

James Darryl Gamboa

Michael L Caldarera

Scott W Hall

John J Jimenez

Darryl Gamboa

James D Gamboa

Rodney S Wright

John W Iv Pringle

Thomas Carsten Hanson

Fred Frontiera

John Josef Brown

John W Pringle Iv

John W Pringle

Iv Pringle John W

John Walter Pringle

A method of cleaning a surface includes steps of (1) positioning a brush in contact with the surface; (2) rotating the brush relative to a drum about a second axis; and (3) rotating the drum relative to a bracket, supporting the drum, about a first axis, parallel to the second axis, such that the brush orbitally revolves about the first axis.

Methods for cleaning a surface

A method of cleaning a surface includes positioning a brush in contact with the surface. The method further includes rotating the brush about a second axis relative to a drum. The method also includes rotating the drum about a first axis relative to a bracket, connected to a handle and rotatably supporting the drum, such that the brush orbitally revolves about the first axis. The first axis is parallel to the second axis.

A method of depositing an extrudable substance onto a surface comprises (1) with a cartridge positioned inside a sleeve between an inner tubular sleeve wall and an outer tubular sleeve wall, circumscribing the inner tubular sleeve wall, and also positioned between a push-lock pressure cap, hermetically coupled with the cartridge, and a valve, communicatively coupled with the cartridge, linearly moving an annular plunger, received between an inner tubular cartridge wall and an outer tubular cartridge wall, circumscribing the inner tubular cartridge wall, toward the valve along a first axis to urge the extrudable substance from the cartridge, through the valve, and out of a nozzle that is communicatively coupled with the valve; and (2) controlling flow of the extrudable substance from the valve to the nozzle.

Methods for depositing an extrudable substance onto a surface

A method of dispensing a brushable substance onto a surface comprises (1) with a cartridge positioned inside a sleeve between an inner tubular sleeve wall and an outer tubular sleeve wall, circumscribing the inner tubular sleeve wall, and also positioned between a push-lock pressure cap, hermetically coupled with the cartridge, and a valve, communicatively coupled with the cartridge, linearly moving an annular plunger, received between an inner tubular cartridge wall and an outer tubular cartridge wall, circumscribing the inner tubular cartridge wall, toward the valve along a first axis to urge the brushable substance from the cartridge, through the valve, and to a brush that is communicatively coupled to the valve; and (2) controlling flow of the brushable substance from the valve to the brush.

Methods for dispensing a brushable substance onto a surface

A mold tool is provided that includes plural mold sub-volumes configured to receive a sealant, a mold channel in fluid communication with the mold sub-volumes, a sealant injection port in fluid communication with the mold channel, vacuum application ports in fluid communication with the mold sub-volumes, and an air control system. The air control system is operably coupled to the mold sub-volumes and the mold channel, and is configured to apply a vacuum to the mold sub-volumes via the vacuum application ports.

Systems and methods for sealant injection molding

A method of delivering a glutinous substance to a workpiece from an end-effector comprises using the end-effector to position an applicator relative to the workpiece. The method also comprises urging the glutinous substance from the end-effector through a first channel of a body of the applicator from an inlet of the first channel toward an outlet of the first channel. The method additionally comprises selectively operating an actuator of the applicator to regulate a rate, at which the glutinous substance flows through the first channel of the body of the applicator, responsive to, at least in part, output received from a sensor of the applicator.

Methods for delivering glutinous substance to workpiece from end-effector

A receiver-fastener apparatus comprises a receiver-fastener housing, a receiver-fastener turret, an indexing-collet assembly, an anvil, a receiver-fastener delivery assembly, and a swager assembly. The receiver-fastener turret is selectively rotatable relative to the receiver-fastener housing about a receiver-fastener-turret rotation axis (Z). The indexing-collet assembly is selectively movable relative to the receiver-fastener housing between an indexing-collet-assembly extended position and an indexing-collet-assembly retracted position along an indexing-collet-assembly axis (Y) that is parallel to the receiver-fastener-turret rotation axis (Z). The anvil is selectively movable relative to the receiver-fastener turret along an anvil axis (X) that is parallel to the receiver-fastener-turret rotation axis (Z). The receiver-fastener delivery assembly is configured to operatively position receiver fasteners for operative placement on shank fasteners, corresponding to the receiver fasteners. The swager assembly is movable relative to the receiver-fastener turret along a swaging axis (W) that is parallel to the receiver-fastener-turret rotation axis (Z).

Receiver-fastener apparatuses and systems for joining panels

A method and apparatus for applying a sealant to a structure. The method comprises scanning a surface of the structure with a vision system to form scanned data. The method further determines a sealant application path for the structure using the scanned data. The method also controls movement of an application tip along the sealant application path using a controller.

Sealant application tip

A shank-fastener apparatus comprises a shank-fastener housing, a shank-fastener turret, an indexing-pin assembly, a drill, and a shank-fastener delivery assembly. The shank-fastener turret is supported by the shank-fastener housing and is selectively rotatable relative to the shank-fastener housing about a shank-fastener-turret rotation axis (A). The indexing-pin assembly is supported by the shank-fastener housing and is selectively movable relative to the shank-fastener housing between an indexing-pin-assembly extended position and an indexing-pin-assembly retracted position along an indexing-pin-assembly axis (B) that is parallel to the shank-fastener-turret rotation axis (A). The drill is supported by the shank-fastener turret and is selectively movable relative to the shank-fastener turret along a drill axis (C) that is parallel to the shank-fastener-turret rotation axis (A). The shank-fastener delivery assembly also supported by the shank-fastener turret.

Shank-fastener apparatuses and methods for joining panels

An apparatus for cleaning a surface comprises a bracket and a drum, coupled to the bracket and rotatable relative to the bracket about a first axis. The apparatus further comprises a brush motor, mounted to the drum, and a brush, rotatable by the brush motor relative to the drum about a second axis, parallel to the first axis.

Apparatuses for cleaning a surface

An apparatus (), for cleaning a surface (), comprises a handle () and a bracket (), connected to the handle (). The apparatus () further comprises a drum (), rotatably coupled to the bracket (), and an anti-rotation fixture (), configured to prevent rotation of the drum () about a first axis () relative to the bracket (). The apparatus () also comprises a brush motor (), mounted to the drum (), and a brush (), rotatable by the brush motor () relative to the drum () about a second axis (), which is parallel to the first axis ().

Apparatuses and methods for cleaning a surface

An apparatus for dispensing a brushable substance comprises a bracket and a sleeve, comprising an inner tubular sleeve wall and an outer tubular sleeve wall. The sleeve is coupled to the bracket and is rotatable relative to the bracket about a first axis. The apparatus also comprises a cartridge, comprising an inner tubular cartridge wall and an outer tubular cartridge wall. The cartridge is configured to be positioned between the inner tubular sleeve wall and the outer tubular sleeve wall. Apparatus additionally comprises a valve, configured to be communicatively coupled with the cartridge, a brush-arm assembly, coupled to the sleeve, a linear actuator to control flow of the brushable substance from the valve, an annular plunger, positioned between the inner tubular cartridge wall and the outer tubular cartridge wall and movable along the first axis, and a push-lock pressure cap, configured to be hermetically coupled with the cartridge.

Apparatuses for dispensing a brushable substance onto a surface

A portable work module includes a combination of prismatic and revolute joints for positioning and orienting a robotic end effector for performing a task within confined space. For example, the portable work module may include telescoping arm integrated with wrist having a plurality of degrees of freedom with respect to telescoping arm. The portable work module includes an insert that is secured with respect to an access port of confined space, said access port serving as a reference location for calculating the position of the robotic end effector within confined space. The portable work module is configured to have a compacted configuration for insertion into confined space, and an extended configuration for performing tasks within confined space. In some examples, the portable work module is modular, such that the robotic end effector or other components may be selectively removed and replaced.

Portable programmable machines, robotic end effectors, and related methods

An apparatus for depositing an extrudable substance comprises a bracket and a sleeve, comprising an inner tubular sleeve wall and an outer tubular sleeve wall. The sleeve is coupled to the bracket and is rotatable relative to the bracket. The apparatus also comprises a cartridge, comprising an inner tubular cartridge wall and an outer tubular cartridge wall. The cartridge is configured to be positioned between the inner tubular sleeve wall and the outer tubular sleeve wall. The apparatus also comprises a valve, configured to be communicatively coupled with the cartridge, a nozzle, configured to be communicatively coupled with the valve, a linear actuator to control flow of the extrudable substance from the valve to the nozzle, an annular plunger, positioned between the inner tubular cartridge wall and the outer tubular cartridge wall, and a push-lock pressure cap, configured to be hermetically coupled with the cartridge.

Apparatuses for depositing an extrudable substance onto a surface

A method of removing a tip from a body of an applicator, fixed to an end- effector, wherein the applicator comprises a coupler, releasably engageable with the tip to interlock the tip with the body of the applicator, is disclosed. The method comprises, with the coupler of the applicator releasably engaged with the tip, locating the end-effector so that a pawl is engaged with a third tooth on the tip to prevent movement of the tip in a fifth direction away from the pawl, and a wedge disengages the coupler of the applicator from the tip. The method also comprises, with the pawl engaged with the third tooth on the tip and the coupler of the applicator disengaged from the tip by the wedge, using the end-effector to move the body of the applicator in the fifth direction to disengage the tip from the body of the applicator.

Growing community of inventors

Garden Grove, CA, United States of America

Chris J Erickson