Robert F French

US Patent:

6419189, Jul 16, 2002

Filed:

Nov 1, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/703568

Inventors:

Robert E. French - San Gabriel CA
Conley Siddoway Thatcher - Placentia CA
Edward A. Zadorozny - Redondo Beach CA
Peter A. Hogenson - Long Beach CA

Assignee:

The Boeing Company - Chicago IL

International Classification:

B64C 100

US Classification:

244123, 244124, 244 35 R, 244 87, 244131, 416223 R

Abstract:

A ruddervator for an aerospacecraft. The ruddervator is formed by a plurality of airfoil sections nestably disposed in side by side fashion and supported by a pair of titanium box beam frame elements extending through central openings in each of the airfoil sections. Each airfoil section includes an oxide fiber/oxide matrix-based ceramic matrix composite (oxide-CMC) panel made up of multiple plies of oxide-CMC fabric which are fused over a rigid ceramic foam insulation member. The lower ends of the frame elements are secured to a transition component comprising a conventional torque box. The ruddervator can be manufactured with less cost and lower weight over previous ruddervator designs which require one or more large skin sections which are mechanically fastened to a substructure. The ruddervator of the present invention further minimizes fabrication costs by using a common design for the nesting airfoil sections so that a common female lay-up mold can be used for fabricating all of the airfoil sections.

US Patent:

6676077, Jan 13, 2004

Filed:

Nov 1, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/703947

Inventors:

Robert E. French - San Gabriel CA
Conley Siddoway Thatcher - Placentia CA
Edward A. Zadorozny - Redondo Beach CA
Peter A. Hogenson - Long Beach CA

Assignee:

The Boeing Company - Chicago IL

International Classification:

B64G 100

US Classification:

244117R, 244158 A, 244123, 244133

Abstract:

A ruddervator for an aerospacecraft including a monolithic, one-piece, oxide/oxide-based ceramic matrix composite (Oxide-CMC) shell having a hollowed interior area. A graphite composite structural member is inserted into the hollowed interior area and bonded thereto. The Oxide-CMC shell is comprised of one or more plies of Oxide-CMC fabric which are fused over a thick substrate of rigid ceramic foam insulation to form the monolithic shell. An outer mold line ply of the Oxide-CMC shell is further infused with a high-emissivity coating such as reaction-cured glass (RCG) to provide plasma heating re-radiation outward to reduce internal temperatures in the ruddervator. A torque box transition structure is secured to the graphite composite structural member to interface the ruddervator to a fuselage actuator spindle of the aerospacecraft. The ruddervator is reusable and formed from a reduced number of independent component parts, and weighs less than previously developed ruddervators. The manufacturing cost of the ruddervator is reduced by utilizing the reduced tooling complexities of Oxide-CMC over CMC fabrication processes.

US Patent:

47769211, Oct 11, 1988

Filed:

Feb 27, 1987

Appl. No.:

7/018772

Inventors:

Robert C. French - El Toro CA

Assignee:

BodiGard Technologies, Inc. - Buffalo Grove IL

International Classification:

B29C 6522

US Classification:

156581

Abstract:

Method and device for sealing thermoplastic material. A support plate (16) supports sheets (29, 31) of the thermoplastic material, and a heat element (18) is provided adjacent thereto. A pressure plate (20) mates with the support plate and includes recess means (24) for receiving the heat element means. A confined melt zone (35) is formed between the heat element and the pressure plate (or the recess means) when they are in mating relationship. The confined melt zone serves to confine the melted thermoplastic material to form a good seal by relieving stress between the seal and the seal-material interface. The heat element and recess means are manufactured as interchangeable dies in different sizes and shapes for different materials. The heat element may be formed into different shapes, such as a glove for manufacturing gloves.

US Patent:

43155057, Feb 16, 1982

Filed:

Apr 7, 1980

Appl. No.:

6/137626

Inventors:

Norman C. Crandall - Costa Mesa CA
Robert C. French - El Toro CA

Assignee:

Shiley, Inc. - Irvine CA

International Classification:

A61M 2502

US Classification:

12820026

Abstract:

A tracheostomy tube includes an outer cannula and a removable, disposable inner cannula. The inner cannula is provided with a tapered portion located just behind its distal tip which forms simultaneously an air tight seal with the outer cannula and a stop device for preventing the protrusion of the tip substantially beyond the end of the outer cannula. The stop device furthermore compensates for variations in the length of the inner cannula by controlling the position of the tip between a location flush with the end of the outer cannula and one just slightly beyond. A coupling connector is mounted on the proximal end of the inner cannula to provide easy, releasable attachment of the inner cannula to the outer cannula. The inner cannulae are inexpensively constructed from a soft, flexible polyvinyl chloride material and are dimensionally compatible with any particular outer cannula.

US Patent:

45552932, Nov 26, 1985

Filed:

Jul 26, 1983

Appl. No.:

6/517824

Inventors:

Robert C. French - El Toro CA

International Classification:

C09J 500
C09J 700

US Classification:

1563084

Abstract:

Method for thermobonding thermoplastic material. A support plate supports sheets of the thermoplastic material, and heat element means is provided adjacent thereto. Pressure plate means mates with the support plate and may include recess means for receiving the heat element means. Melt zone means are formed between the heat element means and the pressure plate means (or the recess means) when they are in mating relationship. The melt zone means serves to confine the melted thermoplastic means to form a good seal by relieving stress between the seal and the seal-material interface. The heat element means and recess means are manufactured as interchangeable dies in different sizes and shapes for different materials. The heat element means may be formed into different shapes, such as a glove for manufacturing gloves.

US Patent:

20190247786, Aug 15, 2019

Filed:

Apr 26, 2019

Appl. No.:

16/395637

Inventors:

- Chicago IL, US
Robert French - San Marino CA, US
John Suarez - Mission Viejo CA, US

International Classification:

B01D 53/24
B21D 9/15
B21D 11/06
B21D 9/05

Abstract:

Methods for forming thin wall tubing into a tightly-coiled helical duct comprise selecting a thin wall tube with an outside tube diameter and a wall thickness that is less than 15% of the outside tube diameter; and bending the thin wall tube to form the tightly-coiled helical duct so that an outside duct diameter of the tightly-coiled helical duct is less than four times the outside tube diameter.

US Patent:

20170239616, Aug 24, 2017

Filed:

Feb 23, 2016

Appl. No.:

15/051382

Inventors:

- Chicago IL, US
Robert French - San Marino CA, US
John Suarez - Mission Viejo CA, US

International Classification:

B01D 53/24
B21D 9/03
B21D 9/05

Abstract:

Tightly-coiled helical ducts for centrifugal air separators may be formed with the tools and methods disclosed herein. A helical coil toolset includes a helically grooved mandrel and an entry block. The helical groove of the mandrel has a small helix inside diameter relative to a width of the helical groove. The entry block has a guide channel to guide a tube to the helical groove and a mandrel channel to receive the mandrel. Methods include forming tubing into a tightly-coiled helical duct by filling a tube with fine particles, positioning the tube in the helical groove of a helically grooved mandrel, fixing the tube relative to the mandrel, assembling an entry block around the tube and around the mandrel, and bending the filled tube around the helically grooved mandrel into the tightly-coiled helical duct by rotating the mandrel relative to the entry block.