Mcdonnell Douglas Corporation

Nuvonyx, Inc.

Other

The Boeing Company

Mcnc

Holland LP

Titanova, Inc.

John M Haake

Mark S Zediker

James A Priest

Robert R Rice

Robert Lavin Wood

Vijayakumar Rudrappa Dhuler

Jack Howard Jacobs

Mark W Beranek

Brian O Faircloth

Eric E Bott

Robert Henry Wille

Charles R Chubb

Barbara Ann Soltz

Stanley Allen Lawton

Mark David Rogers

Matthew M Thomas

Scott T Holmes

Richard F Kral

Paul Lindemulder

Richard G Podgornik

Dale F Waldo

Thomas M Pallett

James P Dunne

Keith C Schuette

Theodor Harry Beier

An improved process for repair of worn and damaged surfaces of railway structures such as frog and diamond transition surfaces, rail head surfaces and wheels. A worn or damaged surface is prepared using a robotically-controlled laser to melt or gouge away metal using controlled laser energy and air pressure to remove existing worn or damaged surfaces. The process further utilizes laser cladding, laser weld overlaying, or laser additive manufacturing, of formulated powder, wire or stick welding material to worn surfaces that have been prepared for material build-up to original dimensions and similar metallurgical properties.

Robotically-controlled laser cladding process for repair of worn and/or damaged railway structures

A material processing system for a base material is provided. The system includes a feeder having a distal end proximate to a surface location of the base material. The feeder supplies a deposit material to the surface location. The deposit material has a width having a first side and a second side. A first laser is directed to the deposit material at the surface location. The first laser is directed across the width from the first side to the second side. A second laser is directed to a desired location within the width. A control system drives the process of cladding the deposit material. The control system includes a shape controller to control the movement of the secondary laser along the deposit material based on feedback from a sensor.

Puddle forming and shaping with primary and secondary lasers

A direct diode laser system includes N laser head assemblies (LHAs) generating N output beams, N optical fibers receiving respective N output beams and generating N received output beams, and a torch head recollimating and focusing the N received output beams onto a single spot. Preferably, each of the laser head assemblies of the direct diode laser system includes M modules generating M laser beams, wherein each of the M laser beams has a corresponding single wavelength of light. M-dichroic filters, wherein each of the M-dichroic filter transmits a corresponding one of the M laser beams and reflects all other wavelengths, and a fiber coupling device collecting the M laser beams to produce a respective one of the N output beams. In an exemplary case, the M-dichroic filters function as band pass filters. A method of generating a high fluence, high power laser beam is also described.

High efficiency, high power direct diode laser systems and methods therefor

A semiconductor laser device includes a tailored index single mode power amplifier. A high-power laser system can be produced by connecting several of the tailored index single mode power amplifiers in parallel. In an exemplary case, a phase shifting device can be optically coupled to each of the tailored index single mode power amplifiers; the phase shifting devices can be controlled to ensure that the laser beams output by the tailored index single mode power amplifiers are both phase aligned and wavefront matched.

Tailored index single mode optical amplifiers and devices and systems including same

Composite articles are produced by guiding composite tape material through a compaction region where the tape material is pressed onto a substrate, and heating the tape and substrate ahead of the compaction region by irradiating opposing surfaces of the tape and substrate with laser radiation produced by a laser diode array. The laser diode array is divided into independently controllable diode groups, and the diode groups are controlled so as to independently control heating of one area of the tape and substrate relative to another area of the tape and substrate. In one embodiment, the widthwise profile of the light energy is such that a widthwise portion of the tape at an inner radius of a curved path along which the tape is steered at the compaction region is heated to a greater extent than a widthwise portion of the tape at an outer radius of the path. The laser diode array can also be controlled to heat the tape material to a different extent than the substrate to compensate for different rates of heat loss. One or more diode groups of the array can be deactivated when not needed, such as when the tape material is narrower than the full light field generated by the array. Different diode groups of the array can produce light of different wavelengths for achieving different rates of absorption by different areas of the composite materials.

Method for heating and controlling temperature of composite material during automated placement

Each of a pair of composite structures includes at least one tubular member that is at least partially conductive and defines an electrical port. Each tubular member is electrically connected at a first end to a respective electrical lead and has a second end opening through an edge surface of the composite structure. A method for establishing electrical contact between the electrical leads includes electrically engaging the tubular member that defines the electrical port of each composite structure with a respective electrical contact device. The electrical contact device comprises an electrical contact pad and a conductive pin connected to and extending outwardly from the electrical contact pad such that engaging the tubular member includes inserting the conductive pin into the tubular member. Then, corresponding electrical contact pads are at least partially aligned to thereby establish electrical contact between corresponding electrical leads embedded within the pair of composite structures.

Methods for fabricating and using a plurality of electrical contact devices

A laser diode system permitting indirect measurement of optical power includes a laser diode which emits usable light from a front facet and spontaneously emits stray light substantially proportional to the usable light from another facet; and a light pipe disposed proximate to the laser diode which collects and waveguides only the stray light to thereby generate a stray light beam providing an indication of optical power.

Laser diode arrays and systems including structures for permitting optical power measurement therefrom

A fiber optic connector and an associated fabrication method where the connector has a connector housing having a base side, a and pair of sidewalls upstanding from the base side that are spaced apart in relation to each other, and each of the housing sidewalls define at least one aperture through which optical signals can be transmitted into and out of the housing by an input optical fiber and an output optical fiber, respectively, located in fixed positions outside the housing, and a pair of optical lens elements are contained within the housing which collimate optical signals transmitted via the respective optical fibers. The lens elements are precisely aligned with respective optical fibers within submicron tolerances using internally-housed micro-aligners. As a result, the fiber optic connector of the present invention can provide efficient coupling between optical fibers, such as optical fibers in two spliced composite parts. In addition, the lens elements can be controllably positioned via the micro-aligners, alternatively, before the housing is hermetically sealed, or after the housing is hermetically sealed to permit in-the-field implementations.

Fiber optic connector with micro-alignable lenses and associated fabrication method

A fiber optic connector and an associated fabrication method where the connector has a connector housing having a base side, a and pair of sidewalls upstanding from the base side that are spaced apart in relation to each other, and each of the housing sidewalls define at least one aperture through which optical signals can be transmitted into and out of the housing by an input optical fiber and an output optical fiber, respectively, located in fixed positions outside the housing, a pair of optical lens elements are contained within the housing which collimate optical signals transmitted via the respective optical fibers, and a micro-alignable sensing fiber is arranged between the lens elements. The sensing fiber is precisely aligned with respective lens elements within submicron tolerances using internally-housed micro-aligners. As a result, the fiber optic connector of the present invention can provide efficient coupling between optical fibers, such as optical fibers in two spliced composite parts.

Fiber optic connector with micro-alignable sensing fiber and associated fabrication method

A micro-aligner for precisely aligning an optical fiber with an optical device, and methods of making and using same. The micro-aligner includes a carrier having a surface plane and holds an optical fiber to be positioned in alignment with an optical device. Spring biased first and second microactuators are provided on the carrier for effecting in-plane movement and alignment of the optical fiber with an optical device in either or both of two orthogonal in-plane directions when either or both of said in-plane microactuators is activated. Backstops are located on the carrier in respective association with each of the first and second microactuators, respectively, such that the first and second backstops delimit the amount of return in-plane movement of the respective beam after either of the respective first or second microactuator is de-activated. A third microactuator also is provided on the carrier which, when activated, effectively deflects the carrier upward in a direction away from the base.

Micro-aligner for precisely aligning an optical fiber and an associated fabrication method

A fiber optic connector and an associated fabrication method where the connector has a connector housing having a base side, a and pair of sidewalls upstanding from the base side that are spaced apart in relation to each other, and each of the housing sidewalls define at least one aperture through which optical signals can be transmitted into and out of the housing by an input optical fiber and an output optical fiber, respectively, located in fixed positions outside the housing, and a unitary optical lens element is contained within the housing and is located between the housing apertures, wherein the optical lens is comprised of two segments optically bonded along confronting respective lens segment surfaces at an oblique angle effective to be able to transmit collimated light from the input fiber to the output fiber and reflect transmitted light reflected back from the output fiber to a photodetector integrally attached to the lens element and positioned to receive light reflected from the confronting respective lens segment surfaces. The light transmitted through the lens element is precisely aligned with respective optical fibers within submicron tolerances using an internally-housed micro-aligner. As a result, the fiber optic connector of the present invention can provide efficient coupling between optical fibers, such as optical fibers in two spliced composite parts.

Fiber optic connector with micro-alignable lens having autofocus feature and associated fabrication method

An apparatus and a method for aligning an optical fiber with an optoelectronic device inside an optoelectronic package using an internal automated micro-aligner and internal solder heater means for locking the optical fiber in a precisely aligned position with the optoelectronic device.

Integrated microelectromechanical alignment and locking apparatus and

A fiber optic connector is provided that is capable of precisely aligning an optical fiber with another optical element by using a MEMS positioning apparatus subsystem capable of being manufactured in an affordable, repeatable and reliable manner which can precisely microposition an optical fiber relative to another optical element in each of the X, Y and Z directions.

Growing community of inventors

St. Charles, MO, United States of America

John M Haake