Abstract: A mouth appliance for maintaining effective airflow in a wearer's airway comprises a frame formed to engage the wearer's upper and lower teeth to retain the frame in a selected position in the wearer's mouth in accord with the wearer's natural bite. A tongue depressor is mounted to the frame and formed to extend to a rear portion of the wearer's throat and exert pressure directly on the tongue in the area of the wearer's soft palate, thereby facilitating comfort and ease in occasional swallowing, while providing airflow effectiveness to prevent the wearer from snoring and experiencing sleep apnea.

Abstract: Two optical wavelengths are used to interrogate a fiber optic Fabry-Perot sensor having a moveable diaphragm that changes the width of a gap between two reflective surfaces. By picking the right operating point for the gap, the power output for one wavelength increases as the gap width changes and the power for the other wavelength decreases. A ratio of the difference of the two powers over the sum of the two powers is formed to generate a detected signal independent of power and phase fluctuations in a fiber between signal sources and sensor and between sensor and detector. This ratio, which is called the visibility, has a response proportional to the pressure of acoustic disturbances that move the diaphragm. The push-pull sensor can be used with both TDM and CW fan-out array architectures.

Abstract: A receiver in a mode 5 air traffic control system provides amplitude and phase signal outputs a digital data stream containing preamble and flight information from data transmitted from an aircraft. A signal splitter divides the amplitude and phase signal outputs between an odd channel and an even channel that carry odd-numbered pulses and even-numbered pulses, respectively. An odd channel data decoder connected to the signal splitter extracts signals encoded in the odd channel and forms an odd data stream and an even channel data decoder connected to the signal splitter extracts signals encoded in the even channel and forming an even data stream. A preamble correlator correlates the odd and even data streams with a predefined preamble mask to detect potential valid preambles, and preamble decision logic processes signals output from the preamble correlator to identify which of the preambles actually are actually valid.

Abstract: A self-calibrating laser accelerometer system that continuously removes bias errors from acceleration measurements under dynamic operating conditions has a frame with a pair of essentially identical mass modulated accelerometers positioned within the frame. Each accelerometer includes a proof mass mounted to the sensing element frame by a flexure suspension. The proof mass is arranged to rotate about an output axis in response to acceleration of the sensing element frame along an input axis. The first proof mass includes a secondary mass that is movable between a first stable position on a first side of the output axis and a second stable position on a second side of the output axis to provide mass modulation of the first proof mass and to provide a selectively reversible polarity to the input axis and to provide self-calibration of bias.

Abstract: A beamsplitter is arranged to split an incident laser beam into a pump beam and a detection beam. The pump beam passes through the beam splitter and then reflects from a pair of mirrors to a quarter waveplate into an NMR cell. After passing through the NMR cell, the pump beam reflects from a mirror to a first photodetector. The detection beam reflects from the beam splitter and propagates on a path perpendicular to the path of the pump beam through the NMR cell. After passing through the NMR cell, the detection beam is incident upon a polarizer. The polarized portion of the detection beam then is incident upon a photodetector. Electrical signals output from the first and second photodetectors may then be processed to determine the rotation rate of the NMR cell about a sensing axis.

Abstract: An automatic gain control system for a fiber optic gyroscope control loop includes an adjustable gain applied to the gyro output signal. A pilot signal is injected into the fiber optic gyroscope control loop. A compensation loop receives signals output from the control loop and also receives pilot signals. The compensation loop processes the pilot signal to produce a compensation signal that is combined with signals output from the control loop to provide a compensated fiber optic gyroscope output signal. An automatic gain control loop is connected between the compensation loop and the adjustable gain applied to the fiber optic gyroscope output signal. The automatic gain control loop includes a gain error demodulator that multiplies the compensated fiber optic gyroscope output signal and the compensation signal together to produce a gain error signal used to control the adjustable gain in order to stabilize the gain of the gyro control loop.

Abstract: A fiber optic sensor includes a housing having first and second end plates with a sidewall extending therebetween with the sidewall having an inwardly facing groove. A flexural disk having a central passage therethrough has an outer edge portion mounted in the inwardly facing groove in the housing. The flexural disk has a stepped thickness that is thinner at the outer edge portion than at a region spaced apart from the housing. A first fiber optic coil is mounted on a first side of the flexural disk in the thicker region of the flexural disk, and a second optical fiber is mounted on a second side of the flexural disk opposite the first fiber optic coil. The first and second fiber optic coils are optically coupled together by a fiber optic coupler to form an interferometer that produces an output signal in response to axial acceleration of the flexural disk.

Abstract: A fiber optic gyroscope signal process dither system permits application of a low amplitude dither signal for many sampling periods without increasing the noise in the sampled outputs due to residual dither signals. A dither loop and an accumulator are added to a closed loop fiber optic gyroscope rotation sensing system. The dither loop has a delay and a gain that are adjusted to match the gain and delay of the fiber gyro loop. A zero mean dither of amplitude sufficient to break up the deadband is injected into to gyro and the dither loop. The dither loop filters the dither signal in the same manner as the gyro loop to provide a signal that is input to a differencing circuit to remove the dither signal from the gyro output.

Abstract: The protective cap for a golf club head comprises a thin-walled shell having a convex outer surface and a concave inner surface. The thin-walled shell preferably has an opening at an end portion thereof for receiving a shaft portion of the golf club with the portion of the golf club head to be protected being enclosed by the thin-walled shell. The thin-walled shell has at least one projection having an end extending away from the concave inner surface. An adhesive is applied to the end of the projection, which is formed such that the adhesive contacts a portion of the golf club head when the shaft extends through the opening to retain the protective cap mounted to a selected portion of the golf club head.

Abstract: A liquid level measuring device includes an elongate handle and an elongate frame arranged in telescoping relationship. The frame is movable between a collapsed position for storage and an extended position for usage. A float is movable lengthwise along the elongate frame. A control rod extends lengthwise in the elongate frame and through a passage in the float. The control rod controls movement of the float relative to the elongate frame. An actuator actuates the control arm to move the float from the locked position to the unlocked position in response to a downward pressure between a lower end of the elongate frame and a bottom surface of the container so that the float is free to seek the liquid level in the container and to move the float from the unlocked position back to the locked position when the downward pressure is released.

Abstract: A high-voltage sequencer system includes positive and negative high-voltage supplies. A supply regulator is connected to the positive high-voltage supply. A master sequencer and programmable logic controller is connected to the supply regulator to control operation thereof. A high voltage regulator output circuit is connected to the supply regulator to receive high voltage signals therefrom. A plurality of sequencer circuits is connected between the master sequencer and programmable logic controller and the high voltage regulator output. The sequencer circuits provide signals to the high voltage regulator output to produce corresponding high-voltage signal outputs in selected sequences.

Abstract: A pickup truck cargo rack is designed for easy mounting to and removal from a truck bed. The cargo rack is adjustable such that cargo support members may be raised to carry large items such as boats, kayaks, lumber, pipe, etc. The cargo support members may also be lowered such that they are spaced only a small distance above the outer side edges of the truck bed enclosure. The lower position of the cargo support members may be used when only small items are to be carried or when it is desired to have the bars essentially out of the field of view of a driver looking at the rearview mirror.

Abstract: A wave generator has a circular spline, a flexspline inside the circular spline and a plug inside the flex spline. The plug is asymmetrical and is preferably formed to comprise a semi-elliptical first portion and a semi-cylindrical second portion. The diameter of the semi-cylindrical portion coincides with the major axis of the semi-elliptical portion. Gear teeth on the circular spline and on the flex spline are meshed in only a first zone and unmeshed in a second zone. The flexspline in the harmonic drive gear assembly according to the present invention preferably has only one tooth fewer than the circular spline so that the circular spline rotates through and arc defined by one gear tooth for each complete revolution of the flexspline.

Abstract: A ring laser gyroscope includes a first plasma shunt arranged to prevent the plasma from contacting a first mirror in the gain region and a second plasma shunt arranged to prevent the plasma from contacting a second mirror in the gain region. The first and second plasma shunts may comprise electrical conductors located in the respective mirror wells and arranged such that contact between the plasma and the electrical conductors quenches the plasma in the mirror wells and produces electrical currents that travels across the mirror wells. The electrical conductors may be formed as metallized strips arranged to extend across the mirror wells, or they may be formed from metal wires. The plasma shunts may alternatively comprise diversion passages formed in the frame and arranged such that the plasma fills the diversion passages and bypasses the mirrors.

Abstract: An intensity modulated broadband optical signal source is arranged to produce optical signals in a plurality of wavelength bands. A demultiplexer/multiplexer pair receives optical signals from the optical signal source and produces a separate optical signal for each wavelength band. An optical coupler is arranged to receive the separate optical signals. Optical fiber loops connected to the optical coupler guides both clockwise and counter clockwise waves for each of the separate optical signals. The optical signals propagate through a sensor in each loop and then combine in the optical coupler to form a plurality of interference signals in each wavelength band. A multiplexer is optically coupled to the optical coupler to receive the interference signals therefrom, and a detector array having a selected detector corresponding to the each of the plurality of wavelength bands is arranged to provide an electrical signal that indicates the interference signals for each wavelength band.

Abstract: A liquid level sensor for insertion into a tank for measuring the liquid level in the tank comprises an elongate tubular frame and a float movable inside the frame to seek the liquid level. A float lock guide formed as an elongate member is mounted lengthwise inside the frame. A float lock formed as an elongate member is located inside the frame parallel to the float lock guide. A plurality of linkages is pivotally connected between the float lock guide and the float lock such that lengthwise movement of the float relative to the float lock guide causes corresponding lateral movement of the float in the frame between an unlocked position where the float is free to move lengthwise in the frame to seek the liquid level and a locked position where frictional forces retain the float between the float lock and an inner wall portion of the frame.

Abstract: A fiber optic acoustic transducer includes a mandrel having a first portion that preferably formed generally as a cylinder having a projection extending from one end. A grating collar also preferably formed in a generally cylindrical configuration. The grating collar has a passage extending therethrough so that it may mounted on the projection. An optical fiber has a sensor portion wound around the first portion of the mandrel and a second portion wound around the grating collar with a fiber Bragg grating being formed in the second portion of the optical fiber.