Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090212986 | SIGNAL READING SYSTEM - A signal reader system having a processor for reconstructing a relatively high-frequency input signal to a low-pass filter from an output of the filter based on a characterization of the filter. The characterization may be adapted to compensate for filter output changes due to temperature. A signal reader may be connected to the output of the processor to determine certain things, such as a pulse count, about the filter input signal. | 08-27-2009 |
20090213917 | SELF-CALIBRATING SIGNAL RECONSTRUCTION SYSTEM - An approach for calibrating a signal reconstruction system. A signal may be input to a low-pass filter. An output of the filter may be converted to a digital signal which goes to a processor which outputs a reconstruction of the signal to the filter. The reconstruction may be based on an expression that maintains the accuracy of the reconstruction. The expression may include information about samples of the input signal and a low value of the reconstruction. The expression may permit initial calibration and then maintenance of the calibration. The calibration may include compensating for inexpensive components of the filter which have values significantly different than indicated values and/or have large drifts over temperature changes. | 08-27-2009 |
20100286799 | APPROACH FOR AUTOMATICALLY SETTING THE DEVICE INSTANCE OF A BACNET DEVICE - An approach for automatically setting the device instance of a device such as a unitary controller without reliance on a router and/or global controller, or something like a special extension to an associated router and/or global controller. The approach may be implementable entirely by logic in the unitary controller. | 11-11-2010 |
20110161844 | CHANGEABLE BACNET INTERFACE - A changeable BACnet interface system having a workstation and a controller. The system may allow a controller object interface to be engineered and downloaded to the controller via configuration files, rather than as individual objects created at run time. A BACnet network may be connected to the workstation and controller. BACnet objects may be designed to constitute an interface to the control application, and be stored in the controller. The BACnet interface may be presented to the BACnet network. | 06-30-2011 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090071217 | Composite Fabrication Apparatus and Method - A composite fabrication apparatus which may include a first tooling die and a second tooling die movable with respect to each other; a thermal control system having induction coils disposed in thermal contact with the first tooling die and the second tooling die; a first die susceptor provided on the first tooling die and a second die susceptor provided on the second tooling die and connected to the induction coils; and a cooling system disposed in thermal contact with the first tooling die and the second tooling die. A composite fabrication method is also disclosed. | 03-19-2009 |
20090074905 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR RESIN TRANSFER MOLDING COMPOSITE PARTS - A composite fabrication apparatus which may include a first tooling die and a second tooling die movable with respect to each other; a temperature control system having induction coils disposed in thermal contact with the first tooling die and the second tooling die; a first die susceptor provided on the first tooling die and a second die susceptor provided on the second tooling die and connected to the induction coils; and a cooling system disposed in thermal contact with the first tooling die and the second tooling die. A resin transfer system delivers resin from a resin source to the tooling dies to allow resin transfer molding. A composite fabrication method is also disclosed. | 03-19-2009 |
20100018271 | Forming Method And Apparatus And An Associated Preform Having A Hydrostatic Pressing Medium - A method and apparatus for forming a workpiece having a desired configuration as well as an associated preform assembly are provided. The forming method and apparatus as well as the preform assembly include a hydrostatic pressing medium, such as a layer of glass, disposed within the die cavity proximate to at least one side of the workpiece. The hydrostatic pressing medium is configured to have a relatively low viscosity at the temperatures at which the workpiece is processed, thereby facilitating the relatively even application of pressure to the workpiece. As such, a workpiece having a complex configuration may be formed utilizing a single acting die. | 01-28-2010 |
20100021578 | Apparatus For Forming And Heat Treating Structural Assemblies - There are provided an apparatus and an associated method for manufacturing superplastically formed structural assemblies from preforms. The apparatus includes first and second co-operable dies structured to define a die cavity therebetween for at least partially receiving the preform, at least one heater in thermal communication with the die cavity for heating the preform to a forming temperature, and at least one injector in fluid communication with the die cavity. The injector is structured for injecting pressurized gas into the die cavity to urge the preform against one of the dies to form the preform into the structural assembly. Further, at least one of the injectors is structured for injecting a quenchant into the die cavity to thereby heat treat the structural assembly while distortion of the structural assembly is being at least partially restrained by at least one of the dies. | 01-28-2010 |
20100065552 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR FABRICATION OF THERMOPLASTIC COMPONENTS - A method of fabricating a thermoplastic component using inductive heating is described. The method includes positioning a plurality of induction heating coils to define a process area for the thermoplastic component, wherein the plurality of induction heating coils comprises a first set of coils and a second set of coils. The method also includes controlling a supply of electricity provided to the plurality of inductive heating coils to intermittently activate the coils. The intermittent activation is configured to facilitate prevention of electromagnetic interference between adjacent coils. | 03-18-2010 |
20100200123 | HARDENED TITANIUM STRUCTURE FOR TRANSMISSION GEAR APPLICATIONS - A method and apparatus are present for manufacturing a part. The part is comprised of a metal alloy and is positioned to form a positioned part. An electromagnetic field is generated that heats the positioned part. A surface of the positioned part is exposed to an inert gas, while the electromagnetic field is generated to create an inverse thermal gradient between an exterior of the positioned part and an interior section of the positioned part to form a heat treated part. | 08-12-2010 |
20110139769 | MAGNETIC HEATING BLANKET - A heating blanket comprises a conductor for receiving current and generating a magnetic field in response to the current. The heating blanket may include a susceptor sleeve formed of magnetic material having a Curie temperature. The susceptor sleeve may extend along the conductor and may be inductively heated in response to the magnetic field. | 06-16-2011 |
20110229720 | Method and Apparatus For Curing a Composite Part Layup - A composite part layup is cured using a set of tools adapted to hold the layup and which include at least one tool face contacting the layup. Means are provided for heating the tool face to cure the part layup, and for selectively cooling sections of the tool face. | 09-22-2011 |
20110262575 | COMPOSITE FABRICATION APPARTUS AND METHOD - A composite fabrication apparatus which may include a first tooling die and a second tooling die movable with respect to each other; a thermal control system having induction coils disposed in thermal contact with the first tooling die and the second tooling die; a first die susceptor provided on the first tooling die and a second die susceptor provided on the second tooling die and connected to the induction coils; and a cooling system disposed in thermal contact with the first tooling die and the second tooling die. A composite fabrication method is also disclosed. | 10-27-2011 |
20120145702 | SMART HEATING BLANKET - A heating blanket may include a conductor for receiving electrical current and generating a magnetic field in response to the electrical current. A plurality of sleeve segments may be mounted on the conductor in end-to-end relation to one another. Each one of the sleeve segments may be formed of magnetic material having a Curie temperature. The sleeve segments may be inductively heated in response to the magnetic field. | 06-14-2012 |
20120255947 | COMPOSITE INDUCTION CONSOLIDATION APPARATUS AND METHOD - A composite induction consolidation apparatus includes a base mandrel and a ferromagnetic base mandrel facesheet having a specific Curie temperature carried by the base mandrel. The base mandrel facesheet is adapted to support a composite part and allow ambient air pressure to compact the composite part against the base mandrel facesheet. At least one magnetic induction coil is provided in the base mandrel | 10-11-2012 |
20120291948 | THERMOPLASTIC WELDING APPARATUS AND METHOD - A thermoplastic welding apparatus includes a thermoplastic welding tool, at least one tooling surface in the thermoplastic welding tool, a magnetic induction coil in the thermoplastic welding tool and generally encircling the at least one tooling surface and at least one smart susceptor in the thermoplastic welding tool at the at least one tooling surface. The magnetic induction coil is adapted to generate a magnetic flux field oriented generally parallel to a plane of the at least one smart susceptor. | 11-22-2012 |
20130034705 | Molybdenum Composite Hybrid Laminates and Methods - In an embodiment of the disclosure, there is provided a molybdenum composite hybrid laminate. The laminate has a plurality of composite material layers. The laminate further has a plurality of surface treated molybdenum foil layers interweaved between the composite material layers. The laminate further has a plurality of adhesive layers disposed between and bonding adjacent layers of the composite material layers and the molybdenum foil layers. | 02-07-2013 |
20130122764 | Apparatus for Resin Transfer Molding Composite Parts - A composite fabrication apparatus which may include a first tooling die and a second tooling die movable with respect to each other; a temperature control system having induction coils disposed in thermal contact with the first tooling die and the second tooling die; a first die susceptor provided on the first tooling die and a second die susceptor provided on the second tooling die and connected to the induction coils; and a cooling system disposed in thermal contact with the first tooling die and the second tooling die. A resin transfer system delivers resin from a resin source to the tooling dies to allow resin transfer molding. A composite fabrication method is also disclosed. | 05-16-2013 |
20130134154 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF ADJUSTING THE EQUILIBRIUM TEMPERATURE OF AN INDUCTIVELY-HEATED SUSCEPTOR - A system for inductively heating a workpiece may include an induction coil, at least one susceptor face sheet, and a current controller coupled. The induction coil may be configured to conduct an alternating current and generate a magnetic field in response to the alternating current. The susceptor face sheet may be configured to have a workpiece positioned therewith. The susceptor face sheet may be formed of a ferromagnetic alloy having a Curie temperature and being inductively heatable to an equilibrium temperature approaching the Curie temperature in response to the magnetic field. The current controller may be coupled to the induction coil and may be configured to adjust the alternating current in a manner causing a change in at least one heating parameter of the susceptor face sheet. | 05-30-2013 |
20140083155 | Compliant Layer for Matched Tool Molding of Uneven Composite Preforms - A method for consolidating a preform made of composite material. The preform and a compliant metal alloy sheet are placed between less compliant matched confronting forming/molding surfaces with the preform being sandwiched between the metal alloy sheet and a matched confronting surface. The matched confronting surfaces and compliant metal alloy sheet are heated until the preform reaches at least its consolidation temperature. During heating, force is applied so that the matched confronting surfaces exert sufficient compressive force on the preform and metal alloy sheet to cause the composite material to consolidate at the consolidation temperature. The metal alloy sheet has a tensile yield point in a range of 25-300 psi at the consolidation temperature at a strain rate of about 1% to 10% strain per minute. | 03-27-2014 |
20140099477 | COMPOSITE STRUCTURE HAVING A STABILIZING ELEMENT - A composite structure may include a laminate and a stabilizing element. The laminate may have a plurality of composite plies. The composite structure may include a geometric discontinuity that may be associated with the laminate. The stabilizing element may be included with the composite plies and may be located proximate the geometric discontinuity. | 04-10-2014 |
20140219854 | Method of Consolidating/Molding Near Net-Shaped Components Made from Powders - A method for consolidating a pre-form made of powder, comprising: (a) placing the pre-form between smart susceptors; (b) heating the smart susceptors to a leveling temperature by applying a varying low-strength magnetic field having a magnetic flux that passes through surfaces of the smart susceptors; (c) applying consolidation pressure to the pre-form at least during a time period subsequent to the temperature of the smart susceptors reaching the leveling temperature; and (d) while consolidation pressure is being applied, applying a pulsed high-strength magnetic field having a magnetic flux that passes through a surface of the pre-form. The strength and pulse rate of the high-strength magnetic field are selected so that the crystallographic phase of the pre-form will rapidly oscillate at a substantially constant temperature. The pulsed high-strength magnetic field is applied sufficiently long that superplasticity of the pre-form is attained during phase oscillation. | 08-07-2014 |
20140326717 | INCREMENTAL SHEET FORMING FOR FABRICATION OF COLD SPRAYED SMART SUSCEPTOR - An induction heating system for manufacturing a part including an induction coil and a smart susceptor positioned within an oscillating electromagnetic field from the induction coil. The smart susceptor includes a ferromagnetic material cold sprayed onto a tool. The tool may be a sheet metal component formed to a desired shape by incremental sheet forming. The smart susceptor may be heated up by eddy currents generated in the ferromagnetic material by the oscillating electromagnetic field. The smart susceptor may be designed to have a desired Curie temperature based on the composition of the ferromagnetic material. The smart susceptor is formed into a desired shape by cold spraying ferromagnetic material onto a tool already formed into the desired shape. The smart susceptor may be removed from the tool by thermally shocking the smart susceptor and the tool and may be used to heat a part to be formed. | 11-06-2014 |
20150020975 | APPARATUS FOR CURING A COMPOSITE PART LAYUP - A composite part layup is cured using a set of tools adapted to hold the layup and which include at least one tool face contacting the layup. Means are provided for heating the tool face to cure the part layup, and for selectively cooling sections of the tool face. | 01-22-2015 |
20150048080 | METHODS FOR FABRICATION OF THERMOPLASTIC COMPONENTS - A method of fabricating a thermoplastic component using inductive heating is described. The method includes positioning a plurality of induction heating coils to define a process area for the thermoplastic component, wherein the plurality of induction heating coils comprises a first set of coils and a second set of coils. The method also includes controlling a supply of electricity provided to the plurality of inductive heating coils to intermittently activate the coils. The intermittent activation is configured to facilitate prevention of electromagnetic interference between adjacent coils. | 02-19-2015 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090212914 | DATA MANAGEMENT FOR INTERMITTENTLY CONNECTED SENSORS - A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for managing data on an intermittently connected sensor. A data management system manages the data on radio frequency identification tags. The data management system comprises a radio frequency identification tag capable of storing the data, program code stored on the radio frequency identification tag, and a reader data processing system. The reader data processing system is capable of receiving the data and the program code from the radio frequency identification tag in a radio frequency signal and capable of executing the program code to read the data. | 08-27-2009 |
20100052911 | SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND APPARATUS FOR RFID TAG DETECTION - A system for tracking objects that include radio frequency identification (RFID) tags associated therewith. The system including a structure substantially defining an enclosure, a reflective interior of the enclosure configured for the reflection of radio signals, at least one conveyor belt that transports the objects through the structure, at least one RFID reader panel inside the structure, wherein the at least one RFID reader panel transmits a radio signal into the interior of the structure such that the radio signal will reflect off of the interior of the structure to increase a probability that the RFID tags associated with the objects that enter the structure are read, and an operator terminal that receives and stores information regarding read RFID tags from the at least one reader panel. | 03-04-2010 |
20120145703 | Curing Composites Out-Of-Autoclave Using Induction Heating with Smart Susceptors - A composite part is cured out-of-autoclave using an inductively heated, stand-alone tooling. The part in placed on a tool and is covered by a heating blanket. One side of the part is heated by inductive coil circuits in the tool, and the other side of the part is heated by inductive coil circuits in the blanket. | 06-14-2012 |
20130082047 | Induction Heating Using Induction Coils in Series-Parallel Circuits - A part is inductively heated by multiple, self-regulating induction coil circuits having susceptors, coupled together in parallel and in series with an AC power supply. Each of the circuits includes a tuning capacitor that tunes the circuit to resonate at the frequency of AC power supply. | 04-04-2013 |
20140231402 | Induction Heating Augmentation for Thermal Curing - The thermal cycle time for curing a thermoset composite part in an autoclave is reduced by placing a heating blanket in proximity to an area of the composite part that is slow-to-heat, and inductively heating the area of the composite part that is slow-to-heat using the heating blanket. | 08-21-2014 |
20140353305 | Shim Manufacturing System - A method for forming a shim. A liquid shim material with a magnetically permeable material is applied in a location for the shim between a plurality of composite parts. A magnetic field is applied to the magnetically permeable material in the location. The magnetic field is configured to heat the liquid shim material to a temperature to cause the liquid shim material to become solid and form the shim. | 12-04-2014 |
20150013883 | Thermoplastic Sandwich Structures - An apparatus and method are presented. An apparatus comprises a composite structure, a plurality of cavities extending into the composite structure, and a plurality of mandrels located within the plurality of cavities. The composite structure comprises a thermoplastic material that is consolidated. The plurality of mandrels comprises a first material that is configured to generate heat in response to a magnetic field. | 01-15-2015 |
20150013888 | Thermoplastic Structures - A method of forming a consolidated structure. The method comprises placing a thermoplastic material onto a forming tool to form a structure; positioning the structure within a tool; and consolidating the structure to form the consolidated structure. The tool has a number of die liners configured to generate heat in response to a magnetic field. Consolidating comprises applying a magnetic field to the number of die liners to heat the structure to a consolidation temperature. | 01-15-2015 |
20150013894 | Metallic Bladders - A method and apparatus is presented. A method may comprise positioning a metallic bladder within a tool, the tool having a number of die liners that generate heat when exposed to a magnetic field; applying the magnetic field to the number of die liners to heat the metallic bladder; and pressurizing the metallic bladder. | 01-15-2015 |
20150014304 | Induction Welding System - A method and apparatus for performing induction welding. A number of protective layers are positioned between a susceptor layer and at least one of a plurality of workpieces at a weld location. An undesired current path is prevented from forming at the weld location during induction heating of the plurality of workpieces by the number of protective layers. | 01-15-2015 |
20150017362 | Thermoplastic and Titanium Sandwich Structures - A method and apparatus for forming a sandwich structure is presented. A sandwich structure comprises a metallic core layer and a thermoplastic layer on a first side of the metallic core layer. The thermoplastic layer is consolidated against the first side of the metallic core layer. | 01-15-2015 |