The Boeing Company

Other

Robert Steven Wright

Jack William Mauldin

August West McKenna

James Tane Iwamoto

Richard Kevin Wilson

Bruce Allen Biskup

Jeffrey Lynn Duce

Eric B Gilbert

Timothy LeRoy Skilton

Van Jerold Winters

Bradley James Mitchell

Joseph A Marshall

George A McEachen

John A Weidler

Robert Arthur Nye

Mark D Byers

Kathryn A Masiello

Scott Renneckar

William T Church

Jeffrey A Dolan

Martin Benson

Sarah M Wickham

Zhiyuan Lin

Daniel W Baisley

Jason Yim

Bennett Keith Olson

August W Mckenna

August West Mckenna

Joseph A Iv Marshall

Guide systems for installing aircraft structures are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a first guide system structured to removably couple to a first aircraft structure having a first hinge component. A second guide system is structured to removably couple to a second aircraft structure having a second hinge component. The first guide system is to engage the second guide system to enable alignment between the first hinge component and the second hinge component during assembly of the first aircraft structure and the second aircraft structure.

Guide systems for installing aircraft structures

A fire extinguishing system includes a storage vessel and a fluidic oscillator. The storage vessel is configured to contain a fire extinguishing agent. The fluidic oscillator is configured to receive the fire extinguishing agent from the storage vessel, and discharge a continuous jet of the fire extinguishing agent while oscillating the jet back and forth through a sweep angle.

Fire extinguishing system and method

Systems and methods for moving a vehicle component relative to the vehicle, the system including first and second upwardly-extending supports; a lift frame between the first and second supports including a crossbeam, and a pair of cambered truss assemblies secured to the crossbeam and configured to be attached to the vehicle component; movable first and second crossbeam support assemblies on the first and second supports to support the rotation of the crossbeam; a first lift mechanism configured to move the first crossbeam support assembly along the first support in response to a first control signal; a rotational drive mechanism configured to rotate the crossbeam relative to the first and second crossbeam support assemblies in response to a second control signal; and an electronic controller configured to generate the first and second control signals to change the position of the vehicle component relative to the vehicle.

Systems and methods for moving a vehicle component relative to the vehicle structure

Positioning system and method for positioning engine components on an aircraft, the system including a moveable support for the engine component, a laser assembly, and a system controller. First and second lasers of the laser assembly align their respective beams with an engine target position on the aircraft and provide an indication of a first angle of the first laser beam to a reference line, and an indication of a second angle of the second laser beam to the reference line; and the system controller is configured to rotate the moveable support to rotationally position the engine component, determine the vertical distance between the engine component and the target position based at least in part on the first and second angles, and to control a lift mechanism to reduce the vertical distance between the engine component and the engine.

Systems and methods for positioning aircraft engine components

A fire extinguisher system. The system includes a first fire extinguisher containing a first agent that is suitable for extinguishing fire, the first fire extinguisher having a first discharge port for discharging the first agent therethrough, and a first actuator for actuating the first discharge port. The system also includes a second, similar fire extinguisher. The system also includes a valve coupled to the first discharge port via a first line and coupled to the second discharge port via a second line, wherein the valve is configured to release the first agent and the second agent into a third line. The system also includes a controller connected to the first actuator and the second actuator, the controller configured to activate the first actuator and the second actuator in a predetermined sequence.

Common array mounting bottles engineered for reuse

A ventilation closure system includes a damper, a shape memory alloy actuator, and a heating device. The shape memory alloy actuator is coupled to the damper. The shape memory alloy actuator has a first state in which the damper is positioned to permit airflow in the duct and has a second state in which the damper is positioned to obstruct the airflow in the duct. The shape memory alloy actuator is configured to change from the first state to the second state responsive to the shape memory alloy actuator attaining a first temperature responsive to heat released by an exothermic reaction in a compartment associated with the duct. The heating device is configured to heat the shape memory alloy actuator to maintain the damper in a position that obstructs the airflow in the duct.

Ventilation closure system

A system, apparatus, and method for testing a squib circuit. An electrical signature of the squib circuit is monitored when a test switch in the squib circuit is activated. The electrical signature of the squib circuit is based on characterizing resistors electrically connected to squibs in the squib circuit in which each characterizing resistor in the characterizing resistors has a resistance value. A health of each squib in the squib circuit is determined based on the electrical signature of the squib circuit.

Squib circuit for fire protection system

Systems and methods are provided for aircraft fire extinguishing with heated tubing. One example is a fire extinguishing system that includes a container configured to store a fire extinguishing agent, a tube configured to transport the fire extinguishing agent from the container to a compartment of the aircraft, and a valve configured to initiate a discharge of the fire extinguishing agent from the container and through the tube. The fire extinguishing system also includes a heating element thermally coupled with the tube, and a control member in a cockpit of the aircraft configured to direct the heating element to heat the tube prior to initiating the discharge of the fire extinguishing agent via the valve.

Aircraft fire extinguishing with heated tubing

An aircraft-mounted external fire detection system includes optical circuitry and processing circuitry. The optical circuitry is mounted on an aircraft forward of an engine nacelle of the aircraft, and is configured to optically monitor an exterior of the engine nacelle for a hydrocarbon fire by detecting radiation outside of the visible light spectrum. The processing circuitry is communicatively coupled to the optical circuitry and is configured to use the optical circuitry to determine that the fire has been continuously present for more than a threshold duration, and in response, transmit a warning to an operator terminal of the aircraft.

Airplane-mounted external fire detection system

A system for protecting the structural integrity of an engine strut may include a first monitor, a second monitor, and a controller communicatively coupled to the first monitor and the second monitor. The first monitor may be mounted proximate an engine strut coupling a turbine engine to an airframe of an aircraft. The second monitor may be mounted proximate the first monitor. The first monitor and the second monitor may each be configured to fail upon reaching a triggering temperature indicative of a burn-through in an engine case during operation of the turbine engine. The controller may be configured to automatically reduce an operating parameter of the turbine engine upon a failure of both the first monitor and the second monitor.

System and method for protecting the structural integrity of an engine strut

Disclosed herein is an example method for expelling a fire suppressant from a container into a distribution manifold. The method includes generating a propellant gas that flows into the container via a first port of the container, thereby causing a pressure within the container to increase. The container includes the fire suppressant prior to the generation of the propellant gas. The method further includes, in response to the pressure within the container exceeding a threshold pressure, expelling the fire suppressant from a second port of the container into the distribution manifold. The generated propellant gas continues to flow into the container via the first port at least until substantially all of the fire suppressant included within the container prior to the generation of the propellant gas is expelled from the container via the second port. Example fire suppression systems are also disclosed herein.

Expulsion of a fire suppressant from a container

Magazine floor plate

An aircraft-mounted external fire detection system includes optical circuitry and processing circuitry. The optical circuitry is mounted on an aircraft aft of an engine nacelle of the aircraft, and is configured to optically monitor an exterior of the engine nacelle for a hydrocarbon fire by detecting radiation outside of the visible light spectrum. The processing circuitry is communicatively coupled to the optical circuitry and is configured to use the optical circuitry to determine that the fire has been continuously present for more than a threshold duration, and in response, transmit a warning to an operator terminal of the aircraft.

Processes for bonding lignocellulosic substrates without an added adhesive are described. The processes of the invention may include exposing the surfaces of the lignocellulosic substrate to a rapid heating source to cause one or more physical, chemical, or other modifications on the surface of the substrate. As a result of the modifications, the surfaces may form a bond with another substrate under elevated temperatures and pressures, for example, produced by a means for pressing such as a conventional hot press used in the woodworking arts. The processes allow a variety of composites such as wood materials for use in the furniture making or construction industries to be manufactured. As the processes forgo the need for petroleum-based adhesives, they are more environmentally sound and occupationally safe than prior art wood product manufacturing methods. Additionally, composite materials made by the processes of the invention are described.

Process for bonding lignocellulosic substrates without an added adhesive and products thereof

A method and apparatus for heating a surface of an aircraft. A flow of air is received from a portion of an engine in a tube system. The air flowing through the tube system is heated. The air is sent to the surface of the aircraft. The flow of the air from the portion of the engine and the heating system to heat the surface of the aircraft are controlled. Icing conditions at the surface of the aircraft are reduced.

Growing community of inventors

Seattle, WA, United States of America

Robert Steven Wright