The Boeing Company

Eric Winter

Gary E Georgeson

Scott R Johnston

Wesley L Holman

Gregory Robert Gleason

Leanne L Lehman

Sei-Hum Jang

Brian D Flinn

Alex Kwan-Yue Jen

Mark D Gilcreest

Ryan E Toivola

Ryan J Clabots

Matthew J Woerly

William C Cromer

There is provided a heat shield for an aircraft. The heat shield has a pair of side skins. Each side skin is formed of a heat resistant material and has a side skin edge. The heat shield further has a lower skin formed of a heat resistant material and having lower skin edges. The lower skin edges extend an extended length past the side skin edges. The lower skin edges are separate from the side skin edges. A gap is formed between the side skin edges and the lower skin. The lower skin is configured to thermally expand without contacting the pair of side skins. The heat shield further has a plurality of frame members attached to the lower skin. The heat shield further has an air ingress restrictor assembly associated with one of, the pair of side skins, or the lower skin.

Heat shield for an aircraft and method of using the same

Methods and systems for monitoring an environment history of a component using an indicator array that includes energy exposure indicator pads direct-printed onto a surface of the component in a geometric pattern. Each of the plurality of energy exposure indicator pads in the geometric pattern may include a mechanochromic material, a first thermochromic indicator responsive within a first temperature range, a second thermochromic indicator responsive within a second temperature range, and a third thermochromic indicator responsive within a third temperature range, provided that the first, second, and third temperature ranges are distinct from one another.

Systems for monitoring the environmental history of a component

There is provided a removable chromatic witness assembly, system, and method to monitor thermal events and impact events on a surface of a composite structure. The removable chromatic witness assembly has a plurality of chromatic witness geometric configurations separately coupled in an arrangement to one or more portions of a polymeric film layer. Each chromatic witness geometric configuration has a plurality of chromatic probes of a same type incorporated into an adhesive material. At least two of the geometric configurations have a different type of chromatic probes with a different sensing capability for thermal events and impact events on the composite structure. The polymeric film layer and the geometric configurations form the removable chromatic witness assembly in a form of a removable chromatic witness applique configured to be removably applied directly and continuously to the surface of the composite structure, and configured to monitor the thermal and impact events.

Removable chromatic witness assembly, system, and method to monitor thermal events and impact events on a composite structure

Growing community of inventors

Freeland, WA, United States of America

Eric Winter