The Boeing Company

Theboeing Company

Jason Turner

Michael John Cloud

Mitchell Zachary Kotlik

Michael B Black

Ashley LaGwyn House

James P Schalla

Karen Lee Hills

Stephen Michael Young

Douglas Alan Brown

Richard V Phillips

Robert Cook

Sergio H Sanchez

Duane Michael Egging

Kevin Griffith Swanson

Christopher Robert Schwartz

Jeff Duce

Hun Sok Basom

DeWayne F Wendt

Jason Christopher Lail

Joseph D Walters

Jeffrey Lynn Duce

Joseph A Marshall

Christopher Harold Childers

Andrew Anthony Pillar

Nicholas Sondker

Jeffrey L Duce

Joseph A Marshalll Iv

Dewayne F Wendt

A composite sandwich panel comprises a first composite skin, a second composite skin, a hollow cell core between the first composite skin and the second composite skin, and a first over-crush edge region with a first edge. The first edge has a first thickness at least 40% less than a nominal thickness of the composite sandwich panel. The first over-crush edge region has a length of at least 0.25 inches over which a thickness of the composite sandwich panel decreases.

Composite sandwich panels with over-crushed edge regions

An apparatus comprises a composite sandwich panel, a seal, and a hinge. The composite sandwich panel has a first edge in a first over-crush edge region, wherein a thickness of the composite sandwich panel decreases within the first over-crush edge region in a direction towards the first edge. The seal is bonded to the first over-crush edge region of the composite sandwich panel and extending past the first edge. The hinge is connected to the composite sandwich panel such that an axis of rotation of the hinge is positioned over the first over-crush edge region of the composite sandwich panel.

Hinged composite sandwich panels

A thermoforming system and related methods for manufacturing thermoplastic parts, such as interior panels for aircraft, may include a roll-to-roll operation and a forming press having at least one selectively rotatable tool. The rotatable tool, which may include a mold and/or a die, may be multifaceted, such that different faces of the tool have different mold arrangements for different forming characteristics.

Modular thermoforming system

A composite laminate structure includes a cellular core and a first laminate layer coupled to the cellular core. The first laminate layer includes a first thermoplastic layer and a first fiber-reinforced polymer layer, where a first surface of the first fiber-reinforced polymer layer is thermally consolidated to a second surface of the first thermoplastic layer. A first surface of the first thermoplastic layer is directly in contact with and bound to a first surface of the cellular core by temperature reduction of the first thermoplastic layer below a glass transition temperature of the first thermoplastic layer while the cellular core is pressed against the first thermoplastic layer when the first thermoplastic layer is above the glass transition temperature of the first thermoplastic layer and the cellular core is below a temperature where materials of the cellular core flow or degrade.

Composite laminate structure having a cellular core formed using a continuous compression molding process

A method for making a structural sandwich panel includes the steps of positioning a first and second thermoplastic skin elements in overlying relationship with respect to a heated male and heated female die molds respectively. A first pressure reduction is applied between the first thermoplastic skin element and the heated male die mold and a second pressure reduction is applied between the second thermoplastic and the heated female die mold. A core panel element is positioned between the heated male die mold and the heated female die mold wherein the core panel element has a first adhesive on a first side and has a second adhesive on a second opposing side. The male and female die molds are closed and exert a pressure onto the core panel element to secure the first and second thermoplastic skin elements to the core panel element and form the core panel element.

Method for fabricating thermoplastic sandwich structural panel using thermoforming and compression molding

Lighting panels and methods of manufacturing lighting panels are described. An example lighting panel includes a substrate that has a planar surface, electrically conductive traces printed onto the planar surface of the substrate, and light sources mounted onto the electrically conductive traces at mounting positions such that the electrically conductive traces form an electrical interconnection between selected ones of the electrically conductive traces and associated ones of the light sources. The lighting panel also includes a polymer sheet provided over the light sources, and a composite base upon which a stack-up of the substrate with the printed electrically conductive traces, the light sources, and the polymer sheet is applied. The light sources are embedded into the composite base and are also flush with a top surface of the stack-up, and the substrate is also embedded into the composite base underneath the light sources at the mounting positions.

Embedded lighting features for lighting panels

An apparatus includes a matched die mold including a male die mold and a female die mold wherein the male die mold includes a first contoured surface and the female die mold includes a second contoured surface. The apparatus further includes a frame which defines an opening wherein the frame is positioned between the male die mold and the female die mold such that the frame is adapted to position a film layer across the opening and the opening is positioned in alignment with at least one of the first contoured surface and the second contoured surface.

In-mold apparatus and method for decorative application

Described herein is a composite panel that includes a first layer made from an electrically non-conductive material. The composite panel also includes a resistance heater printed onto the first layer. Further, the composite panel includes a second layer adjacent the resistance heater, the resistance heater being positioned between the first layer and the second layer. The second layer is made from an electrically non-conductive material.

Composite panel with integrated heater and associated methods for manufacturing

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Marysville, WA, United States of America

Jason Turner