US 12,290,852 B2
Autonomous flexible manufacturing system for building a fuselage
Harinder S. Oberoi, Snohomish, WA (US); Branko Sarh, Huntington Beach, CA (US); Melissa Ann Findlay, Snohomish, WA (US); Alan S. Draper, Everett, WA (US); Jorge Alberto Arriaga, Kirkland, WA (US); Richard Griffith Reese, IV, Seattle, WA (US); Alfredo Jose Gerosa, Snohomish, WA (US); Kevin Marion Barrick, Kingston, WA (US); Michael J. Kozak, Snohomish, WA (US); Quang T. Do, Mukilteo, WA (US); Jeffrey Lawrence Miller, Mukilteo, WA (US); and Yuanxin Charles Hu, Newcastle, WA (US)
Assigned to The Boeing Company, Arlington, VA (US)
Filed by The Boeing Company, Arlington, VA (US)
Filed on Jul. 20, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/356,032.
Application 18/356,032 is a division of application No. 16/284,417, filed on Feb. 25, 2019, granted, now 11,724,305.
Application 16/284,417 is a division of application No. 14/559,518, filed on Dec. 3, 2014, granted, now 10,213,823, issued on Feb. 26, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/022,641, filed on Jul. 9, 2014.
Prior Publication US 2023/0364669 A1, Nov. 16, 2023
Int. Cl. B64F 5/10 (2017.01); B21J 15/02 (2006.01); B21J 15/10 (2006.01); B21J 15/14 (2006.01); B21J 15/28 (2006.01); B21J 15/32 (2006.01); B21J 15/40 (2006.01); B23P 19/10 (2006.01); B25B 5/16 (2006.01); B25J 5/00 (2006.01); B25J 9/16 (2006.01); B25J 11/00 (2006.01); B29C 39/02 (2006.01); B29C 39/10 (2006.01); B29C 39/12 (2006.01); B29C 39/22 (2006.01); B29C 45/14 (2006.01); B29C 65/70 (2006.01); B60G 3/14 (2006.01); B60G 7/00 (2006.01); B64C 1/00 (2006.01); B64C 1/06 (2006.01); B64F 5/50 (2017.01); F16B 19/06 (2006.01); G05B 19/418 (2006.01); G05D 1/00 (2006.01); G05D 3/12 (2006.01); B23P 21/00 (2006.01); B29L 31/00 (2006.01); B60P 3/025 (2006.01)
CPC B21J 15/28 (2013.01) [B21J 15/02 (2013.01); B21J 15/10 (2013.01); B21J 15/142 (2013.01); B21J 15/32 (2013.01); B21J 15/40 (2013.01); B23P 19/10 (2013.01); B25B 5/163 (2013.01); B25J 5/007 (2013.01); B25J 9/1682 (2013.01); B25J 9/1687 (2013.01); B25J 9/1697 (2013.01); B25J 11/005 (2013.01); B25J 11/007 (2013.01); B29C 39/026 (2013.01); B29C 39/10 (2013.01); B29C 39/123 (2013.01); B29C 39/22 (2013.01); B29C 45/14336 (2013.01); B29C 65/70 (2013.01); B60G 3/145 (2013.01); B60G 7/001 (2013.01); B60G 7/008 (2013.01); B64C 1/00 (2013.01); B64C 1/06 (2013.01); B64C 1/068 (2013.01); B64F 5/10 (2017.01); B64F 5/50 (2017.01); F16B 19/06 (2013.01); G05B 19/41805 (2013.01); G05D 1/0088 (2013.01); G05D 3/12 (2013.01); B23P 21/002 (2013.01); B23P 2700/00 (2013.01); B23P 2700/01 (2013.01); B29C 2045/14368 (2013.01); B29C 2793/0081 (2013.01); B29K 2715/00 (2013.01); B29L 2031/748 (2013.01); B60G 2204/143 (2013.01); B60G 2204/418 (2013.01); B60G 2206/8207 (2013.01); B60G 2300/60 (2013.01); B60P 3/025 (2013.01); B64C 1/069 (2013.01); G05B 2219/45071 (2013.01); Y02P 90/80 (2015.11); Y10S 901/01 (2013.01); Y10S 901/02 (2013.01); Y10S 901/41 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A machine configured to assemble sections of a fuselage, wherein the machine comprises:
a holding cell;
work cells, wherein each work cell in the work cells comprises, respectively, a utility fixture configured to electrically and physically accept an autonomous couple from a drivable tower that comprises a top platform and a bottom platform, wherein the top platform is configured to support a passenger floor internal robotic device and rise above the bottom platform, configured to support a cargo floor internal robotic device, by a distance equal to a height of a passenger floor above a cargo floor in a fuselage section of the sections of the fuselage;
an assembly fixture that comprises a number of drivable cradle fixtures, wherein each drivable cradle fixture in the drivable cradle fixtures, respectively comprise:
a base;
a number of retaining structures configured to retain and support the fuselage section, wherein the number of retaining structures each comprise, respectively, a radius of curvature equivalent to a radius of curvature of a keel panel of the fuselage section; and
an interface configured to couple physically and electrically to:
the drivable tower; or
another drivable cradle fixture in the number of drivable cradle fixtures; and
an autonomous panel joining system configured to join a plurality of panels together on the assembly fixture, wherein the autonomous panel joining system comprises:
an external mobile platform configured to support an external robotic device configured to associate with the passenger floor internal robotic device; and
a second external mobile platform configured to support a second external robotic device configured to associate with the cargo floor internal robotic device.