Matthew T Neal

US Patent:

20180135685, May 17, 2018

Filed:

Dec 27, 2017

Appl. No.:

15/855725

Inventors:

MATTHEW A. NEAL - PALMDALE CA, US
CHARLES R. SMITH - ACTON CA, US

Assignee:

NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION - FALLS CHURCH VA

International Classification:

F16B 39/22
B23K 20/02
B23K 20/12
F16B 19/08
B21J 15/02
B23K 20/22
F16B 19/05
F16B 19/06
B23K 101/18

Abstract:

A fastener assembly includes a bolt having a shaft and a head. The shaft has proximal and distal shaft ends and a shaft body, with the head at the proximal shaft end. At least a bondable portion of the shaft body is at least partially made of a bondable material. At least one collar has proximal and distal collar ends longitudinally separated by a collar body which includes a longitudinally oriented collar aperture extending through a thickness thereof between proximal and distal collar surfaces. The collar aperture defines an inner collar wall having a bondable portion which is at least partially made of a bondable material. At least the bondable portion of the shaft body is located inside the collar aperture. The bondable material of both of the inner collar wall and the shaft body is activated to bond the shaft and the collar into an integral fastener assembly structure.

US Patent:

20160356301, Dec 8, 2016

Filed:

Jun 2, 2015

Appl. No.:

14/728671

Inventors:

MATTHEW A. NEAL - Palmdale CA, US
Charles R. Smith - Acton CA, US

Assignee:

NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION - Falls Church VA

International Classification:

F16B 39/22

Abstract:

A fastener assembly includes a bolt having a shaft and a head. The shaft has proximal and distal shaft ends and a shaft body, with the head at the proximal shaft end. At least a bondable portion of the shaft body is at least partially made of a bondable material. At least one collar has proximal and distal collar ends longitudinally separated by a collar body which includes a longitudinally oriented collar aperture extending through a thickness thereof between proximal and distal collar surfaces. The collar aperture defines an inner collar wall having a bondable portion which is at least partially made of a bondable material. At least the bondable portion of the shaft body is located inside the collar aperture. The bondable material of both of the inner collar wall and the shaft body is activated to bond the shaft and the collar into an integral fastener assembly structure.

US Patent:

20160356916, Dec 8, 2016

Filed:

Jun 2, 2015

Appl. No.:

14/728716

Inventors:

MATTHEW NEAL - PALMDALE CA, US

Assignee:

NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION - FALLS CHURCH VA

International Classification:

G01V 5/00

Abstract:

A method of noninvasively determining desired positioning of a component beneath a substrate is described. The component has a concealing surface longitudinally separated by a substrate body from an accessible surface of the substrate. A component having longitudinally differing activated and deactivated positions is provided. The component is located longitudinally beneath the concealing surface of the substrate. The accessible surface of the substrate is inspected with an inspection device while the component is beneath the concealing surface. With the inspection device, at least one of an activated and a deactivated position of the component is detected. The detected activated and/or deactivated position of the component is indicated, in a user-perceptible format. An apparatus for noninvasively determining desired positioning of a component beneath a substrate is also provided.