The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 24, 2020
Filed:
Dec. 14, 2017
Applicant:
The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US);
Inventors:
Brice A. Johnson, Federal Way, WA (US);
Michael Robert Anderson, Renton, WA (US);
Kurtis Shuldberg Willden, Kent, WA (US);
Assignee:
The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
B32B 38/18 (2006.01); B32B 37/10 (2006.01); B29C 70/38 (2006.01); B29C 70/56 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
B32B 38/1858 (2013.01); B29C 70/38 (2013.01); B29C 70/56 (2013.01); B32B 37/1018 (2013.01); B32B 38/18 (2013.01); B32B 38/1866 (2013.01); B32B 2605/18 (2013.01);
Abstract
An end effector transports, places and forms a composite ply on a tool having complex tool surfaces. The end effector includes a combination of vacuum and Bernoulli grippers for holding the composite ply while it is being transported and formed, and a set of mechanical actuators that form the composite ply down over the tool surfaces. The Bernoulli grippers allow the composite ply to slip while being held and formed.