James J Mabe

7085388, Aug 1, 2006

Jun 14, 2002

10/172755

George W. Butler - Seattle WA, US
David H. Reed - Kirkland WA, US
Frederick T. Calkins - Seattle WA, US
Christopher L. Davis - Kent WA, US
James H. Mabe - Seattle WA, US

The Boeing Company - Chicago IL

A61F 11/06

381 713, 415119, 60204, 181212

A noise reduction system for use with an exhaust nozzle associated with a jet engine of an aircraft. The noise reduction system employs a plurality of flow-altering components disposed circumferentially about a lip portion of an exhaust nozzle. In one preferred form the flow-altering components each comprise piezoelectric transduction layers. The flow-altering components are caused to move in an oscillating manner by an AC signal applied thereto such that they move into and out of the exhaust gas emitted from the exhaust nozzle to achieve a desired degree of intermixing of the exhaust flow with the flow adjacent the exhaust nozzle. This produces a reduction in the noise generated by the jet engine. The noise reduction can be utilized during takeoff conditions of an aircraft. The flow-altering components are maintained out of the exhaust gas flowpath during cruise conditions of the aircraft so as not to cause a reduction of thrust, that would in turn result in an increase in the fuel burn during cruise conditions.

7878459, Feb 1, 2011

Jun 29, 2007

11/771489

James H. Mabe - Seattle WA, US
Frederick T. Calkins - Renton WA, US
Glenn S. Bushnell - Puyallup WA, US
Stefan R. Bieniawski - Seattle WA, US

The Boeing Company - Chicago IL

B64C 3/58

244213, 244214, 244215, 244 998

Aircraft systems with shape memory alloy (SMA) actuators, and associated methods are disclosed. A system in accordance with one embodiment includes an airfoil, a deployable device coupled to the airfoil, and a shape memory alloy actuator coupled between the airfoil and the deployable device. In one embodiment, the deployable device can be coupled to the airfoil with a hinge having a hinge load path supporting the deployable device relative to the airfoil, and the actuator can be movable along a motion path different than the hinge load path between a first position with the deployable device deployed relative to the airfoil, and a second position with the deployable device stowed relative to the airfoil. In another embodiment, an activatable link can be positioned between the actuator and the deployable device, and can have an engaged configuration in which motion of the actuator is transmitted to the deployable device, and a disengaged configuration in which motion of the actuator is not transmitted to the deployable device.

8118264, Feb 21, 2012

Dec 3, 2010

12/960271

James H. Mabe - Seattle WA, US
Frederick T. Calkins - Renton WA, US
Glenn S. Bushnell - Puyallup WA, US
Stefan R. Bieniawski - Seattle WA, US

The Boeing Company - Chicago IL

B64C 9/00

244213, 244214, 244215, 244 998

An aircraft system may include an airfoil and a deployable device coupled to the airfoil. The system may further include a shape memory alloy actuator coupled between the airfoil and the deployable device. The actuator may be movable between a first position with the deployable device deployed relative to the airfoil, and a second position with the deployable device stowed relative to the airfoil. The system may additionally include an activatable link positioned between the actuator and the deployable device. The link may have an engaged configuration in which motion of the actuator is transmitted to the deployable device, and a disengaged configuration in which motion of the actuator is not transmitted to the deployable device.

8343298, Jan 1, 2013

Dec 13, 2007

11/956216

Diane C. Rawlings - Bellevue WA, US
Robert J. Miller - Fall City WA, US
Kenneth A. Krienke - Seattle WA, US
James H. Mabe - Seattle WA, US
Robert T. Ruggeri - Kirkland WA, US
Dan J. Clingman - Auburn WA, US

The Boeing Company - Chicago IL

B29C 65/00
B32B 37/00

1562724, 1562722

First and second aircraft structures are bonded together with an adhesive including strain-sensitive magnetostrictive material.

8434293, May 7, 2013

Aug 6, 2009

12/537002

Matthew T. Grimshaw - Seattle WA, US
Kava S. Crosson-Elturan - Bloomington IN, US
James H. Mabe - Seattle WA, US
Frederick T. Calkins - Renton WA, US
Lynn M. Gravatt - Seattle WA, US
Moushumi Shome - Kent WA, US

The Boeing Company - Chicago IL

F02K 1/40
F02K 3/04

60264, 60771, 23926519

A shape memory alloy (SMA) actuated aerostructure operable to dynamically change shape according to flight conditions is disclosed. Deformable structures are actuated by SMA actuators that are coupled to face sheets of the deformable structures. Actuating the SMA actuators produces complex shape changes of the deformable structures by activating shape changes of the SMA actuators. The SMA actuators are actuated via an active or passive temperature change based on operating conditions. The SMA actuated aerostructure can be used for morphable nozzles such as a variable area fan nozzle and/or a variable geometry chevron of a jet engine to reduce engine noise during takeoff without degrading fuel burn during cruise.

8584987, Nov 19, 2013

May 6, 2011

13/102503

Casey Lyn Madsen - Normandy Park WA, US
Daniel John Clingman - Milton WA, US
James H. Mabe - Seattle WA, US
Frederick Theodore Calkins - Renton WA, US

The Boeing Company - Chicago IL

B64C 1/38

244130, 89 154

Concepts and technologies are disclosed herein for shape memory alloy weapon fairings. The shape memory alloy weapon fairings are formed from a shape memory alloy and are configured to change shape in response to temperature changes. At a first temperature, the shape memory alloy weapon fairing has a first shape and at a second temperature, the shape memory alloy has a second shape. Upon deployment of a weapon including the shape memory alloy weapon fairing, the shape memory alloy weapon fairing is heated by the weapon and/or air friction. The shape memory alloy weapon fairing changes shape in response to the temperature change and provides a fairing for one or more structures of the weapon. In some implementations, the fairing covers a protuberance or other connection mechanism of the weapon.

20050198777, Sep 15, 2005

Mar 9, 2004

10/796806

James Mabe - Seattle WA, US

E05F001/08

016308000

A hinge apparatus generally includes a hinge pin formed of a two-way shape memory alloy (SMA) adapted to transition, without an externally applied load, between a first trained shape and a second trained shape upon switching the two-way SMA between a first state and a second state. The hinge pin can apply two-way reversible actuation forces to a device coupled to the hinge apparatus. The hinge pin can be produced by thermal cycling a material under a sufficient load for a sufficient number of thermal cycles between about the material's austenite and martensite temperatures to complete training of the material. The thermal cycling conditions the material to transition, without an externally applied load, between an austenitic shape and a martensitic shape to perform useful work when the material is thermally cycled between the austenite and martensite temperatures.

20110300358, Dec 8, 2011

Nov 2, 2010

12/917740

KAY Y. BLOHOWIAK - Issaquah WA, US
Tyler J. Zimmerman - Seattle WA, US
James H. Mabe - Seattle WA, US
Frederick T. Calkins - Renton WA, US
Matthew A. Dilligan - Seattle WA, US

B32B 15/01
B32B 37/02
B32B 7/12
B32B 15/08
B32B 7/02
B32B 27/04
B29C 65/02

428215, 1563073, 156 60, 148516, 428457, 428332, 428353, 428426, 428408

A carbon fiber composite structure including a first plurality of carbon fiber prepreg plies; and a second plurality of sheets of shape memory alloy interleaved with the first plurality of carbon fiber prepreg plies.