Methods and apparatus for monitoring and fixing holes in composite aircraft

{
  "publication_number": "US9586699B1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B1",
  "title": "Methods and apparatus for monitoring and fixing holes in composite aircraft",
  "abstract": "Methods and apparatus are described for repairing a damaged area of an airplane fuselage made from fiber-reinforced composite material. In one embodiment, an intelligent patch is provided comprising a first electronic communication device to communicate information from at least one sensor regarding the presence of compression induced microfractures within the patch.",
  "claims": [
    "1. An intelligent patch for repairing a damaged area of the fuselage of an airplane made of a fiber-reinforced composite material, said intelligent patch comprising first electronic sensor to measure, monitor, and determine the condition of said intelligent patch and said repaired area of said fuselage and wherein said first electronic sensor comprises a second selected electronic sensor that measures and determines the onset of compression induced microfractures within said intelligent patch and said repaired area of said fuselage, and first electronic communication means to communicate information from said first electronic sensor to at least one location.",
    "2. The intelligent patch in claim 1 wherein said first electronic sensor comprises a third selected electronic sensor that measures and determines the evolution of said microfractures to detect the condition of swarming of said compression induced microfractures prior to catastrophic failure of said specific damaged area of said fuselage.",
    "3. The intelligent patch in claim 2 wherein said first electronic communication means is used to issue an alarm signal to said at least one location to indicate the condition of swarming of the compression induced microfractures within said damaged area during flight of said airplane.",
    "4. The intelligent patch in claim 2 wherein said third selected sensor comprises sensors to measure the electronic signals from a phased array of acoustic sensors disposed within the intelligent patch covering said damaged area of the fuselage.",
    "5. The intelligent patch in claim 2 wherein said third selected sensor comprises sensors to measure the electronic signals from fiber optic sensors disposed within the intelligent patch covering said damaged area of the fuselage.",
    "6. The intelligent patch in claim 1 wherein said second selected sensor comprises sensors to measure the resistance between an array of electrodes disposed within the intelligent patch covering said damaged area of the fuselage.",
    "7. The intelligent patch in claim 1 comprising a fourth electronic sensor to measure small imperfections in the condition of said intelligent patch and said repaired area of said fuselage, and fifth electronic sensor to measure larger imperfections in the condition of said intelligent patch and said repaired area of said fuselage, wherein said small imperfections have dimensions of 0.0010 inch or smaller and wherein said larger imperfections have dimensions of 0.0011 inch or larger.",
    "8. An intelligent patch to cover a specific damaged area of the fuselage of an airplane to repair said specific damaged area, said fuselage made of a fiber-reinforced composite material, said intelligent patch comprising at least one of a first sensor selected from the group comprising an electrical resistance sensor means, phased array acoustic sensor means, phased array ultrasonic sensor means, phased array shearography sensors, phased array acoustic resonance sensors, phased array thermography sensors, X-ray sensors and fiber-optic sensors for detecting imperfections of a first size, and a second sensor selected from the group comprising acoustic sensors, ultrasonic sensor, shearography sensors, acoustic resonance sensors, thermography sensors, thermography sensor means, and thermal wave guide sensors for detecting imperfections of a second size, where the second size is larger than the first size.",
    "9. An intelligent patch to cover a specific damaged area of the fuselage of an airplane to repair said specific damaged area, said fuselage made of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer material, said intelligent patch comprising a carbon fiber filament having a transparent component, wherein the transparent component is adapted to carry an optical signal and is also used as an element of a fiber-optic system to measure, monitor, and determine the condition of the fiber reinforced material.",
    "10. The intelligent patch of claim 9, wherein the transparent component is one of an outer coating applied to the carbon fiber filament or a transparent filament with a woven carbon fiber outer layer.",
    "11. An intelligent patch to cover a specific damaged area of the fuselage of an airplane to repair said specific damaged area, said fuselage made of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer material, said intelligent patch comprising a distribution of pre-determined different densities of carbon fiber materials that forms waveguides for trapped acoustic waves, which material is also used as an element of an acoustic sensor system to measure, monitor, and determine the condition of the new type of fiber-reinforced material."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "Each of the above U.S. Provisional Patent Applications have been incorporated herein in their entirety by reference unless there is a conflict between the specification herein and that appearing in any particular U.S. Provisional Patent Application, such as the use of trademarks, and in such case, the specification herein shall take precedence.\n\nThe present application is related to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/270,709, filed Jul. 10, 2009, that is entitled “Methods and Apparatus to Prevent Failures of Fiber-Reinforced Composite Materials Under Compressive Stresses Caused by Fluids and Gases Invading Microfractures in the Materials”, an entire copy of which is incorporated herein by reference. (PPA-32)\n\nThe present application is related to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/396,518, filed on May 29, 2010, that is entitled “Letter to Boeing Management”, an entire copy of which is incorporated herein by reference. (PPA-33)\n\nThe present application is related to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/849,968, filed on Feb. 6, 2013, that is entitled “Additional Methods and Apparatus to Prevent Failures of Fiber-Reinforced Composite Materials Under Compressive Stresses Caused by Fluids and Gases Invading Microfractures in Materials”, an entire copy of which is incorporated herein by reference. (PPA-34)\n\nThe present application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/804,039, filed on Jul.",
  "cpc": [
    "G01M 11/085",
    "B29C 2035/0811",
    "B29C 73/10",
    "B29C 73/24",
    "B64F 5/0045",
    "B64F 5/0081",
    "G01M 11/083",
    "G01M 5/0083"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B64F 5/00",
    "G01M 11/08"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Smart Drilling and Completion Inc"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "William Banning Vail, III",
    "Tomislav Skerl"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2014-01-29",
  "publication_date": "2017-03-07",
  "grant_date": "2017-03-07",
  "priority_date": "1999-08-16",
  "application_number": "US-201414167766-A",
  "family_id": "58162201",
  "cited_by_count": 11,
  "citations": [
    "US972308A",
    "US3936277A",
    "US3670566A",
    "US3975617A",
    "US3814275A",
    "US3755713A",
    "US4057116A",
    "US3837412A",
    "US3881972A",
    "US3878312A",
    "US4031969A",
    "US3939024A",
    "US4038118A",
    "US3978256A",
    "US3910105A",
    "US4100322A",
    "US3951718A",
    "US4086378A",
    "US4016943A",
    "US4085808A",
    "US4075862A",
    "US4051908A",
    "US4136846A",
    "US4095865A",
    "US4155970A",
    "US4175620A",
    "US4256146A",
    "US4198018A",
    "US4215161A",
    "US4278485A",
    "US4223053A",
    "US4216047A",
    "US4247255A",
    "US4367980A",
    "US4301707A",
    "US4336415A",
    "US4331723A",
    "US4765602A",
    "US4318954A",
    "US4370390A",
    "US4789416A",
    "US4556439A",
    "US4556592A",
    "US4556591A",
    "US4565595A",
    "US4395450A",
    "US5521014A",
    "US5506060A",
    "US4460531A",
    "US4676310A",
    "US4557538A",
    "US4463814A",
    "US4469730A",
    "US4625095A",
    "US5159055A",
    "US5071941A",
    "US4851501A",
    "US5112939A",
    "US5175233A",
    "US4538682A",
    "US5344894A",
    "US5286811A",
    "US5654396A",
    "US5175234A",
    "US4579699A",
    "US4696711A",
    "US4544041A",
    "US4475976A",
    "US4767656A",
    "US4567076A",
    "US4726924A",
    "US4720255A",
    "US5066541A",
    "US5198526A",
    "US5126410A",
    "US5082905A",
    "US5120819A",
    "US4965336A",
    "US4655417A",
    "US4606961A",
    "US5569343A",
    "US5198282A",
    "US4571355A",
    "US4622091A",
    "US5817738A",
    "US4615935A",
    "US4786343A",
    "US4966802A",
    "US4683368A",
    "US4752537A",
    "US4797155A",
    "US4636422A",
    "US5969079A",
    "US5594089A",
    "US4749155A",
    "US4847333A",
    "US5446120A",
    "US4859267A",
    "US4715923A",
    "US5425973A",
    "US4741943A",
    "US4842081A",
    "US4755904A",
    "US5060737A",
    "US4884772A",
    "US4868270A",
    "US4898754A",
    "US4877375A",
    "US5042967A",
    "US4765942A",
    "US4806115A",
    "US5530089A",
    "US5268519A",
    "US5085921A",
    "US5011905A",
    "US4876328A",
    "US4874925A",
    "US4793409A",
    "US5104967A",
    "US5216117A",
    "US5403666A",
    "US5071319A",
    "US4988389A",
    "US5376598A",
    "US6569954B1",
    "US5645925A",
    "US5693741A",
    "US5115087A",
    "US5077106A",
    "US4900383A",
    "US4895426A",
    "US4883971A",
    "US4917747A",
    "US5099918A",
    "US5955387A",
    "US5753570A",
    "US5023987A",
    "US5051226A",
    "US5013507A",
    "US5031995A",
    "US5484277A",
    "US5069318A",
    "US4988398A",
    "US5368807A",
    "US5122176A",
    "US5129452A",
    "US5908049A",
    "US5913337A",
    "US5176180A",
    "US5285008A",
    "US5172765A",
    "US5285846A",
    "US5428706A",
    "US5148875A",
    "US5378109A",
    "US5248242A",
    "US5070533A",
    "US5289561A",
    "US5235259A",
    "US5780583A",
    "US6086975A",
    "US6432507B1",
    "US5227216A",
    "US5591369A",
    "US5723849A",
    "US5793024A",
    "US5847375A",
    "US5530228A",
    "US5410133A",
    "US6270603B1",
    "US5353872A",
    "US5305830A",
    "US5271472A",
    "US5197553A",
    "US5553678A",
    "USRE36556E",
    "US5705796A",
    "US5345397A",
    "US5239822A",
    "US5467832A",
    "EP0553908B1",
    "US5284996A",
    "EP0571045B1",
    "US6440521B1",
    "US6051302A",
    "US5404953A",
    "US5332048A",
    "US5695008A",
    "US5392715A",
    "US5447680A",
    "US5472057A",
    "US5582259A",
    "US5710412A",
    "US5707576A",
    "US5894897A",
    "US7325606B1",
    "US7836950B2",
    "US6868906B1",
    "US6263987B1",
    "US6397946B1",
    "US5551521A",
    "US6158531A",
    "US5497840A",
    "US5613567A",
    "US5667011A",
    "US5797239A",
    "US5837318A",
    "US5759699A",
    "US6031371A",
    "US6861017B1",
    "US5705795A",
    "US5717191A",
    "US5686038A",
    "US5556565A",
    "US5688426A",
    "US5829716A",
    "US5756973A",
    "WO1997008418A1",
    "US6604550B2",
    "US5921285A",
    "US6286558B1",
    "US20050121094A1",
    "US6357485B2",
    "US6857452B2",
    "US6148866A",
    "US6196336B1",
    "US5845722A",
    "US5760379A",
    "US6024555A",
    "US5935680A",
    "US6027798A",
    "US5958550A",
    "US5736222A",
    "US5882756A",
    "US5944060A",
    "US6264401B1",
    "US5866272A",
    "US6114050A",
    "US5919543A",
    "US5828003A",
    "US5882462A",
    "US5707723A",
    "US5849234A",
    "US5895699A",
    "US5972524A",
    "US5862975A",
    "US6049657A",
    "US5869165A",
    "US5876652A",
    "US5980665A",
    "US5863635A",
    "US5876540A",
    "US5935698A",
    "US6436507B1",
    "US5968639A",
    "US5935475A",
    "US5916469A",
    "US5807593A",
    "US6041860A",
    "US5848767A",
    "US5890537A",
    "US6613169B2",
    "US6036802A",
    "US5833795A",
    "US5782301A",
    "US5842149A",
    "US5958578A",
    "US6506499B1",
    "US6112809A",
    "US5910348A",
    "US6592799B1",
    "US6827896B2",
    "US5769160A",
    "US6051089A",
    "US6148664A",
    "US6074716A",
    "US5820344A",
    "US6183125B1",
    "US5975237A",
    "US6129311A",
    "US6180206B1",
    "US6112808A",
    "US6009825A",
    "US6706348B2",
    "US6004639A",
    "US6361299B1",
    "US6296066B1",
    "US6354373B1",
    "US6029269A",
    "US20020038687A1",
    "US6284089B1",
    "US6092610A",
    "EP1106777B1",
    "US6064031A",
    "US6122884A",
    "US6277463B1",
    "US6544366B2",
    "WO2000028188A1",
    "US6216533B1",
    "US6485228B1",
    "US6273189B1",
    "WO2000050730A1",
    "US6371203B2",
    "US6431282B1",
    "US6136237A",
    "US6538576B1",
    "US6278095B1",
    "US6509557B1",
    "EP1210498B1",
    "WO2001012946A1",
    "US6189621B1",
    "US6371693B1",
    "US6343649B1",
    "US6359569B2",
    "US6497280B2",
    "US6257332B1",
    "US6257162B1",
    "US6484818B2",
    "US6318467B1",
    "US6419033B1",
    "GB2357101B",
    "US20030056991A1",
    "US6325148B1",
    "WO2001048352A1",
    "US6578636B2",
    "US6374924B2",
    "US6536522B2",
    "US6562436B2",
    "US6709538B2",
    "US6689448B2",
    "US6379762B1",
    "US6595751B1",
    "WO2001094738A1",
    "US20030070841A1",
    "US6554064B1",
    "US6408943B1",
    "US6543538B2",
    "US6419014B1",
    "US20020066556A1",
    "US6412562B1",
    "WO2002029441A1",
    "US6858117B2",
    "US6719870B2",
    "US20020170711A1",
    "WO2002086287A3",
    "US20020157829A1",
    "US6663453B2",
    "US20020189806A1",
    "US20030010491A1",
    "US6686745B2",
    "US6814146B2",
    "US6707012B2",
    "US6714018B2",
    "US6739803B2",
    "WO2003016671A3",
    "EP1436482B1",
    "US8353348B2",
    "US20140196953A1",
    "US6857486B2",
    "US20080149343A1",
    "US6758386B2",
    "US6772840B2",
    "WO2003036012A2",
    "US6695052B2",
    "US6615845B2",
    "US20030193516A1",
    "US6918839B2",
    "US6615848B2",
    "US7032658B2",
    "US20030190455A1",
    "US20030196741A1",
    "US6761783B2",
    "US6797376B2",
    "US7334782B2",
    "US7371451B2",
    "US8515677B1",
    "US7311151B2",
    "US6767606B2",
    "US8142181B2",
    "US7303700B2",
    "US7431981B2",
    "US8298656B2",
    "WO2004053935A3",
    "WO2004083595A3",
    "US20120288664A1",
    "US20050059309A1",
    "US6902199B2",
    "US20050035478A1",
    "US20050048260A1",
    "US20070000596A1",
    "US7968170B2",
    "US7874518B2",
    "US8157212B2",
    "US20100074979A1",
    "US7622066B2",
    "US20060062650A1",
    "US20080054523A1",
    "US20110195230A1",
    "US20060071124A1",
    "US7938996B2",
    "US7766281B2",
    "US7896294B2",
    "US7387277B2",
    "US7531058B2",
    "US8084114B2",
    "US20130153145A1",
    "US8297555B2",
    "US7837147B2",
    "US8042768B2",
    "US7182291B2",
    "US20060213250A1",
    "US20110045232A1",
    "US20060237588A1",
    "US20100219294A1",
    "US20070022707A1",
    "US7807249B2",
    "US8163368B2",
    "US20100320320A1",
    "US7721495B2",
    "US20120234972A1",
    "US7527759B2",
    "US8444087B2",
    "US8006722B2",
    "US20060283133A1",
    "US20090095413A1",
    "US20070089479A1",
    "US8158210B2",
    "US20100282904A1",
    "US7398586B2",
    "US20090056109A1",
    "US20070096751A1",
    "US20070107520A1",
    "US20080196475A1",
    "US20080121039A1",
    "US20070119256A1",
    "US7357014B2",
    "US20070125177A1",
    "US20100068326A1",
    "US7655168B2",
    "US20100319841A1",
    "US8425708B2",
    "US7807005B2",
    "US20080210820A1",
    "US7561402B2",
    "US7281688B1",
    "US7954762B2",
    "US7837148B2",
    "US20080128430A1",
    "US7770457B2",
    "US8215885B2",
    "US20080295955A1",
    "US8157469B2",
    "US8419887B2",
    "US20080128078A1",
    "US20080129041A1",
    "US20080131630A1",
    "US7599164B2",
    "US8376275B2",
    "US20120067513A1",
    "US20100187894A1",
    "US7716797B2",
    "US8205833B2",
    "US7605593B2",
    "US7895810B2",
    "US7755351B2",
    "US20080277057A1",
    "US7861411B2",
    "US8337654B2",
    "US20080277531A1",
    "US20100133039A1",
    "US9056448B2",
    "US8449709B2",
    "US20080300360A1",
    "US8082667B2",
    "US7841421B2",
    "US8043554B2",
    "US8185327B2",
    "US7825211B2",
    "US20090004425A1",
    "US8097106B2",
    "US20110252742A1",
    "US20090019685A1",
    "US8431214B2",
    "US20090035510A1",
    "US7730784B2",
    "US7896287B2",
    "US8465241B2",
    "US8161619B2",
    "US8430759B2",
    "US8393068B2",
    "US8226336B2",
    "US20090148647A1",
    "US20120171410A1",
    "US20090181211A1",
    "US8418962B2",
    "US20120141705A1",
    "US20090202767A1",
    "US20110088538A1",
    "US20090218713A1",
    "US7963125B2",
    "US8141393B2",
    "US8132430B2",
    "US7963126B2",
    "US20090226746A1",
    "US8349105B2",
    "US20090261199A1",
    "US20090263618A1",
    "US20130084434A1",
    "US8286919B2",
    "US20090317587A1",
    "US8100020B2",
    "US8292227B2",
    "US20100011702A1",
    "US7790277B2",
    "US8490348B2",
    "US7956327B2",
    "US20100078845A1",
    "US20120213985A1",
    "US20100120969A1",
    "US20110262730A1",
    "US8383028B2",
    "US8044354B2",
    "US20100276065A1",
    "US8218142B2",
    "US8409384B2",
    "US20100227106A1",
    "US20100227117A1",
    "US20100233424A1",
    "US8052826B2",
    "US20110311778A1",
    "US20100264266A1",
    "US20120197482A1",
    "US8886388B2",
    "US20110006460A1",
    "US7926252B2",
    "US8419876B1",
    "US20130047403A1",
    "US20110111172A1",
    "US20130129970A1",
    "US20110135887A1",
    "US20120193016A1",
    "US8228248B1",
    "US20110281114A1",
    "US20110300358A1",
    "US20110315824A1",
    "US20120052247A1",
    "US20120045606A1",
    "US20130122236A1",
    "US20130075526A1",
    "US20120052305A1",
    "US20120067514A1",
    "US20120076989A1",
    "US20120121866A1",
    "US20120149802A1",
    "US20120152611A1",
    "US20120153083A1",
    "US20120168071A1",
    "US20120223187A1",
    "US8338787B1",
    "US20130014378A1",
    "US20130014372A1",
    "US20130014889A1",
    "US20130014367A1",
    "US20130018499A1",
    "US20130014888A1",
    "US20130020438A1",
    "US20130022391A1",
    "US20130034705A1",
    "US20130036922A1",
    "US20130056672A1",
    "US20130099056A1",
    "US20130087380A1",
    "US20130105072A1",
    "US20130156979A1",
    "US20130115404A1",
    "US20130149498A1",
    "US20130160923A1",
    "US20150344156A1"
  ]
}