B/e Aerospace, Inc.

Rockwell Collins, Inc.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.

Thomas Martz

Steven A Poteet

Katherine Urena Pimentel

Irene Rexwinkle

Vijay V Pujar

David C McConnell

Bradford D'Alessio

David Charles McConnell

Glenn Allen Johnson

Michael M Princip

Charles Martin Hansson

Travis K Finlay

John D Edquist

David P McConnell

Alex L Velet

Jaan Lin

Randy Penley

Jeff B Thompson

Brian P Wenger

Dennis Hedrick

Paul L Freer

Neng Yue

Brad Barg

Jay Pierson

David Mcconnell

David C Mcconnell

Irene W Rexwinkle

David Charles Mcconnell

Katherina Urena Pimentel

Disclosed are methods for quantifying the cleanability of a surface of an article, for instance an aircraft interior component. In embodiments, a solution containing an artificial 'dirt' is introduced to a surface under test to simulate a sullied condition. The sullied surface is subjected to at least one cleaning process. Obtained reference and post-cleaning light measurements are compared to determine a measurement difference corresponding to a cleanability of the surface and/or effectiveness of the at least one cleaning process. In embodiments, the measurement difference is assigned a cleanability score for at least one of determining a passing or failing cleanability, modifying the cleaning process, indicating the need for a second or subsequent cleaning, modifying the barrier coating formulation, redesigning the article, etc. The disclosed methods provide solutions for objective verification measures of surface cleanability used to facilitate new article designs, materials, barrier coatings, cleaning processes, cleaners, etc.

Methods for measuring and quantifying surface cleanability of articles

Disclosed are pigmented multifunctional barrier coating compositions for application to components such as aircraft interior components. In embodiments, compositions include a base coating component in an amount from 5 to 40 weight percent of the composition, a solvent in an amount from 50 to 70 weight percent of the composition, and at least two performance components from an FST-resistive component in an amount from 0.1 to 5 weight percent of the composition, a UV-resistive component in an amount from 0.1 to 2 weight percent of the composition, an antimicrobial component in an amount from 0.1 to 5 weight percent of the composition, and a dye component in an amount less than 0.5 weight percent of the composition. The composition further includes pigment in an amount up to 10 weight percent of the composition for imparting a cosmetic appearance to the component such as a metallic appearance.

Pigmented multifunctional barrier coating compositions

Disclosed are methods for detecting an antimicrobial surface coating on a substrate including the steps of applying an anionic agent to a surface of the substrate, allowing the anionic agent to bond to antimicrobial surface coating present on the substrate, removing unbonded anionic agent, subjecting the surface of the substrate to a predetermined process to effect a change in the bonded anionic agent, observing the change, and verifying, based on the observed change, the presence of antimicrobial surface coating on the substrate. Further disclosed are antimicrobial surface coating solutions, methods for their application, and methods for reactivated antimicrobial surface coatings.

Antimicrobial surface coating formation, detection, quantification and reactivation systems and methods

A method includes depositing an antimicrobial material onto a surface of a substrate. The method includes binding a photochromic material to the antimicrobial material. Depositing the antimicrobial material and binding the photochromic material can include forming a mixture of the antimicrobial material and the photochromic material and depositing the mixture onto the surface of the substrate. It is also contemplated that depositing the antimicrobial material and binding the photochromic material can include first depositing the antimicrobial material onto the surface of the substrate and then depositing the photochromic material onto the antimicrobial material.

Detecting antimicrobial surfaces

In-aircraft seats include plastic components having anti-microbial, metallic reinforcing fibers such as copper or silver. Copper or silver wires are embedded into the plastic at the time or molding to provide both structural reinforcement and anti-microbial properties. At the time of molding, copper or silver wires are disposed in a plastic mold prior to plastic application to ensure the metallic wires are generally disposed toward the surface of the molded part.

Anti-microbial fiber reinforced plastic

A method may comprise measuring, by a conductivity or resistance measuring device, the conductivity or resistance of a surface of a substrate; comparing, by the conductivity or resistance measuring device, the measured conductivity or resistance to a reference value; and/or determining, by the conductivity or resistance measuring device, a presence or an absence of an antimicrobial system on the surface. The antimicrobial system may comprise a first coating, wherein the first coating may comprise an antimicrobial compound, wherein the antimicrobial compound may comprise a first end and a second end opposite the first end with a hydrocarbon chain therebetween, wherein the antimicrobial compound may comprise a cationic functional group on the first end and a silane group on the second end.

Systems and methods for detecting antimicrobial surface coatings

A method for quantifying an exposure dose for a surface is disclosed. The method may include emitting one or more beams of 222 nm light onto a portion of the surface using one or more far ultraviolet (UV) light sources capable of emitting 222 nm light, the portion of the surface being coated with one or more fluorescent coatings. The method may include capturing images of the portion of the surface. The method may include adjusting one or more image characteristics for the captured images using one or more filtering methods. The method may include generating a histogram of the adjusted images based on the one or more filtering methods. The method may include determining a pixel surface area for the generated histogram. The method may include calculating the exposure dose for the surface based on the generated pixel surface area and a predetermined calibration curve.

System and method for quantifying an exposure dose on surfaces

Disclosed are methods for detecting a presence or absence of an antimicrobial surface coating including applying at least one detectable fluorophoric dye compound to a substrate, irradiating the surface of the substrate with ultraviolet radiation in the 100-415 nm wavelength range to excite the detectable fluorophoric dye compound, observing fluorescence of the excited fluorophoric dye compound, and determining the presence or absence of the antimicrobial surface coating based on the observed fluorescence. Further disclosed are antimicrobial surface coating solutions, methods for their application, and methods for confirming the presence and coverage of antimicrobial surface coatings.

Methods for detecting antimicrobial surface coatings using fluorescent indicators

Passenger safety belt buckles are disclosed. In embodiments, a safety belt buckle includes a base member and a release member coupled to the base member. The release member is configured to release a tongue held between the release member and the base member when the release member is pulled away from the base member. In an example embodiment, the release member is formed by a plurality of printed device layers and a metal coating disposed over the plurality of printed device layers. In another example embodiment, the release member is formed by a plurality of printed metal layers. In yet another example embodiment, the release member includes a recess with an in-mold feature disposed within the recess.

Passenger safety belt buckles

An aircraft passenger seat having a dynamic breakover assembly includes a seat bottom frame and a seat back pivotally-mounted to the seat bottom frame that allows the angle of the seat back relative to the seat bottom frame to be varied from an upright taxi takeoff and landing (TTOL) position to a reclined position. The seat may include a means for sensing acceleration corresponding to a force indicative of an abnormal event; and a breakover mechanism coupled to the seat bottom frame and the seat back in which the means for sensing acceleration is coupled to the breakover mechanism. The breakover mechanism can prevent movement of the seat back in a forward direction past the TTOL position during normal use, and permit forward movement of at least a portion of the seat back in the forward direction past the TTOL position upon activation by the means for sensing acceleration.

Seat back breakover with dynamically triggered actuator

A sewing apparatus includes a housing, an arm shaft that extends through the housing in a longitudinal direction, a cam member coupled to the arm shaft, the cam member including a front face and a rear face positioned opposite the front face, where the cam member includes a lobe positioned on one of the front face and the rear face, a needle assembly coupled to the housing, the needle assembly including a needle shaft and a needle coupled to the needle shaft, and an arm pivotally coupled to the housing and engaged with the cam member, where the needle assembly is slidably engaged with the arm in a vertical direction and the needle assembly is constrained with respect to the arm in the longitudinal direction and a lateral direction that is transverse to the longitudinal direction.

Growing community of inventors

Winston-Salem, NC, United States of America

Thomas Martz