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:
Jun. 30, 2009
Filed:
Nov. 06, 2006
Jeffrey R. Kollgaard, Kent, WA (US);
Jeffrey G. Thompson, Kent, WA (US);
Clyde T. Uyehara, Kent, WA (US);
Jeffrey R. Kollgaard, Kent, WA (US);
Jeffrey G. Thompson, Kent, WA (US);
Clyde T. Uyehara, Kent, WA (US);
The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US);
Abstract
First and second thermal sensors measure the respective temperatures of portions of a surface of a structure such as an aircraft component. An alert signal is emitted if the temperatures of the surface portions are substantially different. An energy source causes heat flow within the structure. Subsurface irregularities such as disbanded areas between composite layers and foreign materials obstruct heat flow within the structure and cause proximate surface portions to exhibit different temperatures. A non-alert signal may be emitted if the temperatures of proximate surface portions are essentially the same.