ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 18 -- United States Patent no. 12,325,178, issued on June 10, was assigned to The Boeing Co. (Chicago).
"Composite panels" was invented by Karen L. Hills (Everett, Wash.) and Lon E. Switzer (Marysville, Wash.).
According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A method of forming a composite panel includes providing an initial composite material, heating the initial composite material, molding the initial composite material to form a preliminary composite panel having a main body connected to an outer edge and a laminate layer secured to the outer edge, and folding an exterior edge portion of the outer edge over an interior edge portion to provide an external folded edge having the laminate ...