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:
May. 09, 2023
Filed:
Nov. 10, 2021
The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US);
Daniel R. Smith, Woodinville, WA (US);
Darrell D. Jones, Mill Creek, WA (US);
James C. Kennedy, Port Angeles, WA (US);
Jeremy Evan Justice, Mill Creek, WA (US);
The Boeing Company, Arlington, VA (US);
Abstract
Systems and methods are provided for inspecting a wing panel. Some methods include advancing a wing panel through a Non-Destructive Inspection (NDI) station, and inspecting the wing panel with inspection heads at the NDI station. The wing panel may be suspended beneath a strongback during inspection and/or advancement, such as by using vacuum couplers and/or adjustable-length pogos of the strongback, and suspending may include enforcing a contour to the wing panel using the vacuum couplers and/or pogos. Other methods include receiving a wing panel at an NDI station and inspecting a portion thereof during movement through the NDI station. Some systems include a track, a strongback to suspend a wing panel beneath it and to advance along the track, and an NDI station disposed at the track to inspect the wing panel while suspended.