Famous Patents
Pong, the Atari creation that launched the computer game craze, came with these instructions: "Avoid missing ball for high score."
PatentStorm News
Make the Most of Our Site
See this month's Top Inventors and Most Cited Patents.
Stay on top of the latest innovations by subscribing to an RSS feed.
Registered users: Manage your profile.
| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8413929 | Aircraft assembly An aircraft assembly is equipped with a lightning protection structure that is not easily destroyed by lightning current and that is highly reliable. The aircraft assembly includes a skin in which a CFRP layer serves as a main structure, a shear-tie that supports th... | 04/09/2013 |
| 8393578 | Skin panel joint for improved airflow An apparatus may comprise a first skin panel having a first surface, a second skin panel having a second surface, a first flange located at an end of the first skin panel, a second flange located at an end of the second skin panel, and a strip having a third surface... | 03/12/2013 |
| 8282042 | Skin panel joint for improved airflow An apparatus may comprise a first skin panel having a first surface, a second skin panel having a second surface, a first flange located at an end of the first skin panel, a second flange located at an end of the second skin panel, and a strip having a third surface... | 10/09/2012 |
| 8186622 | Aircraft component A method of manufacturing an aircraft component such as a wing rib. The method comprises: providing a body with two or more connectors arranged in a line on the body, each connector having an arm extending from the body, a first flange positioned on a first side of ... | 05/29/2012 |
| 7992822 | Leading edge skin height difference adjusting structure and method of assembling leading edge skin A plate material is formed into a height difference adjusting member having a J-shape such that its shim portion and resilient support portion are opposed to each other. The height difference adjusting member is mounted on a spar such that the shim portion and the r... | 08/09/2011 |
| 7909290 | Joint for use in aircraft construction A joint for use in aircraft construction, for example a wing, comprises: a cover skin having an interior surface, an exterior surface and a distal portion, said distal portion having an exterior-facing surface; and a butt-strap having a first portion for connection ... | 03/22/2011 |
| 7874518 | Aircraft structure including composite beam and composite panel with metal foil therebetween A method and article of manufacture of joining a stringer to a wing or tail panel and curing a wing or tail panel is disclosed. A sheet of titanium is placed between a cured stringer and an uncured wing or tail panel. The stringer, wing or tail panel and sheet are t... | 01/25/2011 |
| 7735780 | Aircraft stringer clip and related methods An aircraft stringer clip and related methods are disclosed that provide an apparatus for attaching aircraft elements to an aircraft stringer. In one embodiment, the stringer clip is a three-piece clamp assembly spanning the width of an aircraft stringer and includi... | 06/15/2010 |
| 7721996 | Fabrication and installation of preformed dielectric inserts for lightning strike protection A fabrication method for providing a relatively smooth surface associated with lightning strike protection for composite materials joined with fasteners recessed below the surface is described. The method includes coating at least one of a head of the fastener and a... | 05/25/2010 |
| 7721995 | Rib support for wing panels An innovative wing structure provides fibs to support skin panels without an attachment between the rib and the stringer free flange or the web. The support is provided by rib shear ties installed directly to the stringer skin flange. The rib incorporates a cut away... | 05/25/2010 |
| 7686251 | Rib support for wing panels A method and apparatus for an aircraft structure. In one advantageous embodiment, the aircraft structure may have a rib, a plurality of stringers, and a set of shear ties. The plurality of stringers may have skin flanges at ends of the plurality of stringers capable... | 03/30/2010 |
| 7422178 | Non-threaded structural insert for component attachment The present invention provides a non-threaded insert operable to transfer or couple a mechanical load to a structure. This non-threaded insert includes an upper insert having a noncircular cross section and a lower insert. The coupled upper and lower insert are rece... | 09/09/2008 |
| 7384015 | Aircraft nose with shield A shield for a nose of a large aircraft. The shield is float-mounted on a frame of the aircraft in one embodiment. To this end, the shield and the frame are respectively provided with fingers and receptacles that engage with each other. To prevent loosening, periphe... | 06/10/2008 |
| 7357353 | Method of joining structural elements in an aircraft A structure for use on an aircraft and a method of manufacturing said structure. The structure comprises first and second structural elements and a fastening device. The fastening device comprises a bolt that engages with a barrel nut. The first structural element i... | 04/15/2008 |
| 7347641 | Methods and systems for joining structures One embodiment includes a system of joined structures that includes a first structure having a first aperture in a composite material. The first aperture has a first interior surface and a first minimum radial extent. The system further includes a second structure h... | 03/25/2008 |
| 7347351 | Apparatus and system for unitized friction stir welded structures and associated method An assembly for positioning a structural assembly for friction stir welding, and a system and method for friction stir welding the structural assembly are provided. The assembly includes an engaging structure and at least one tooling block capable of engaging the en... | 03/25/2008 |
| 7334697 | ISO container A lightweight transportable container is disclosed in which the wall, roof, and floor of the container are laminated panels bonded together to form a rigid monolithic structure. The container is formed of nonmetallic materials, is stackable, and has a payload more t... | 02/26/2008 |
| 7328771 | Zero acoustic splice fan case liner A liner assembly for a fan case includes a noise attenuation layer covered by a face sheet. The face sheet includes openings to the underlying noise attenuation layer. The face sheet and noise attenuation layer include acoustically transparent joints. The noise atte... | 02/12/2008 |
| 7325771 | Splice joints for composite aircraft fuselages and other structures Structures and methods for joining composite fuselage sections and other panel assemblies together are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a shell structure configured in accordance with the present invention includes a first panel portion positioned adjacent to a ... | 02/05/2008 |
| 7296656 | Acoustic mechanical retainer A fan case assembly includes a noise attenuation layer that is covered by a face sheet. The face sheet includes a first plurality of openings. The noise attenuation layer includes a plurality of individual cells that are in communication with at least one of the fir... | 11/20/2007 |
| 7296655 | Duct liner acoustic splice A duct liner assembly includes a noise attenuation layer for absorbing noise energy that is covered by a face sheet. The face sheet includes a seam that is covered by an acoustically active splice. The acoustically active splice includes a plurality of acoustic regi... | 11/20/2007 |
| 7234668 | Friction welding metal components A method of forming a structural airframe component for an aircraft and an airframe structural component are provided. The method includes placing at least two components (1,2) in abutting relationship with each other and joining them together by friction sti... | 06/26/2007 |
| 7210655 | Reconfigurable interior sidewall A reconfigurable interior sidewall system includes one or more simply curved sidewall panels, each curved around the fuselage but longitudinally linear and providing a consistent mating surface for monuments. Panel openings are provided in each panel so that inner w... | 05/01/2007 |
| 7115324 | Method of combining welding and adhesive bonding for joining metal components A method of joining metal components having the steps of depositing adhesive material between the components and welding the components together via solid-state or fusion welding. The welds are spaced apart from the adhesive material and are produced so as to preven... | 10/03/2006 |
| 7080805 | Stiffened structures and associated methods Stiffened structures and associated methods are disclosed. In one embodiment, an elongated metallic stiffening member can be attached to a composite sheet and positioned to resist bending of the composite sheet. In another embodiment, a structural system can include... | 07/25/2006 |
| 7063898 | Surface modified metal parts A method including forming a first layer comprising a chemical conversion coating on a metal surface; and forming a second layer on the first layer through a sol gel process. An apparatus including a metal component having at least one surface; a first layer compris... | 06/20/2006 |
| 7025305 | Aircraft panel An aircraft panel comprising a sandwich construction with an outer skin portion of high strength material, an inner portion of high strength material and an intermediate core material. The core material includes areas with low density core material and a reinforceme... | 04/11/2006 |
| 7021856 | Splicing for interconnected thin-walled metal structures A rivet splice that holds an upper and a lower sheet metal end portion together includes at least one row (6) of rivets that is subject to dynamic loads and a further row (7) of rivets that holds the sheet metal end portions together so that a limited ... | 04/04/2006 |
| 6986929 | Composite preform structural panel having electrically conductive stitching A structural panel comprised of a composite preform having an electrically conductive stitching. The stitching forms an electrically conductive grid-like network on the structural panel to better dissipate electrical energy received in a lightning strike throughout ... | 01/17/2006 |
| 6964723 | Method for applying pressure to composite laminate areas masked by secondary features A method for applying pressure to the area of a composite part masked by a secondary feature comprises the steps of positioning a pressure augmentation strip in contact with the masked area, securing a pressure transfer wedge on each of two sides of the secondary fe... | 11/15/2005 |
| 6945727 | Apparatuses and methods for joining structural members, such as composite structural members Apparatuses and methods for joining structural members. In one embodiment, an apparatus for joining a first member to a second member includes a first part and a second part configured to be engaged with and bonded to the first part. In one aspect of this embodiment... | 09/20/2005 |
| 6915987 | Method of sealing a panel to an aircraft structure The invention relates to a method of providing a seal between an aircraft structure (14) and a removable panel (26) mountable on the structure to close an opening (12) therein. According to the invention, the method comprises applying a sealant ... | 07/12/2005 |
| 6913225 | Construction and method of use in a carrier rocket or satellite A construction intended for a carrier rocket or a satellite, comprising a first construction part (21), which is made of a composite material comprising two essentially parallel walls (23, 24) and a core (25) arranged between these walls, a seco... | 07/05/2005 |
| 6889939 | Device for fixing a member to an aircraft structure An apparatus for fixing a member to an aircraft structure including: firstly, fixing device having a shank with a head at one end, an externally machined portion of its peripheral wall at its other end, and a longitudinal interior thread at the same end as its exter... | 05/10/2005 |
| 6830218 | Structural attach method for thin fairings A method, system, and apparatus for attaching a fairing to a body or aircraft wing are disclosed. A plurality of attach anchors is disposed on the body or aircraft wing to which the fairing is to be attached. Disposed in the fairing is a plurality of core pockets th... | 12/14/2004 |
| 6794012 | Composite preform structural panel having electrically conductive stitching A structural panel comprised of a composite preform having an electrically conductive stitching. The stitching forms an electrically conductive grid-like network on the structural panel to better dissipate electrical energy received in a lightning strike throughout ... | 09/21/2004 |
| 6786452 | Wing structure of airplane In a wing of an airplane, a front spar having a C-shape in section includes a web, flanges, and a reinforcing partition wall. An intermediate spar having an I-shape in section includes a web, flanges, and a reinforcing partition wall. Ribs can be positioned in a spa... | 09/07/2004 |
| 6712316 | Snap-on sidewall assembly A snap-on sidewall assembly is provided for attachment to an airframe of an aircraft. The snap-on sidewall assembly includes an outer rail member that has a mounting portion for attachment to the airframe. The outer rail member has at least one recess integrally for... | 03/30/2004 |
| 6712315 | Metal structural component for an aircraft, with resistance to crack propagation A metallic structural component for an aircraft includes stiffening profile members integrally formed or connected onto a skin sheet. Each stiffening profile member includes a first part integrally connected to the skin sheet, and a second part non-integrally connec... | 03/30/2004 |
| 6595467 | Aircraft fuselage shell component with crack propagation resistance When stiffening members, such as stringers and frame members, are welded onto a skin sheet to form an aircraft fuselage shell, a crack originating in the skin sheet tends to propagate through the weld joints into the stiffening members. In order to preven... | 07/22/2003 |
