Abstract: An aerial vehicle launcher including a rail having a first end and a longitudinal axis and a piston movable in a passageway formed in the rail, the piston connected to a carriage by at least two elongate flexible members. The carriage having a support device for releasably engaging the aerial vehicle. Upon the carriage and the aerial vehicle approaching one end of the rail, the support device controllably disengaging the aerial vehicle, permitting the aerial vehicle to be launched. A device is connected to a pressurized gas source, the device controllably providing pressurized gas from the pressurized gas source to the passageway for drivingly moving the piston, the carriage, and aerial vehicle along the rail for launching the aerial vehicle. The device includes a reservoir for holding pressurized gas, the reservoir being a conduit, the pressurized gas in the reservoir providing the driving force for launching the aerial vehicle.

Abstract: A MEMS acceleration detection device including a housing having a cavity and a spring mass system assembled into the cavity of the housing. A lid enclosing the spring mass system in the cavity and contacting a top surface of the housing.

Abstract: An aspirator with an aspirator body and an exhaust port coupled to the body, and having a plurality of integral high pressure gas nozzles positioned along the aspirator body the body. The aspirator body includes a high pressure integral conduit in communication with a nozzle array having a plurality of high pressure gas nozzles. The nozzles are arcuate, extending away from the body toward an aspirator centerline, the nozzles extending from the aspirator body at a preselected angle toward the centerline in a direction from an atmospheric air aspiration port toward the exhaust port. A high pressure inlet port integral with the body is in communication with the conduit and a high pressure gas source. The gas may be input into the inlet port using a high pressure inlet fitting, which may be threaded onto the inlet port outside the aspirator body. The aspirator is fabricated by additive manufacturing techniques.

Abstract: A control valve (1) with a valve housing (13) through which a flow channel (14) runs with a flow cross section changeable by a closure unit consisting of a valve seat and a valve cone which is adjustable relative to the valve seat. An adjusting device has a sliding unit (2) with a sliding rod (21) adjusting the valve cone over an adjustment path and a drive device acting on the sliding rod and controlled by a controller. The controller has a measuring unit (4) which detects the adjustment path via a transmission unit. The transmission unit is provided with an adapter unit (3) comprising a replaceable structural unit, between the sliding unit (2) and the measuring unit (4), said adapter unit converting the adjustment stroke into a measurement stroke specified by the measuring unit (4) in a manner corresponding to a transmission ratio specified by the adapter unit.

Abstract: A housing, for surface-mount technology (SMT), accepts any electronics package that is mounted on a circular substrate. The housing including the assembled electronics package forms an SMT housing assembly. The SMT housing assembly is placed directly onto the surface of a printed circuit board (PCB). The SMT housing assembly is soldered to the PCB using standard soldering techniques, establishing an electrical connection between the electronics package and the PCB.

Abstract: Test apparatus and method of testing kinetic switches. The test apparatus utilizes an RFID device attached to a high speed centrifuge on which the kinetic switches are mounted for testing. Sensors monitor the operation of the kinetic switch for movement from a first position to a second position. In addition, the speed of the centrifuge at the time of the movement is determined. This information may be transmitted in real time as received by the RFID device or saved in RFID memory and transmitted to determine the force applied to the kinetic switch at the time of the movement so that the acceptability of the kinetic switch can be determined.

Abstract: A spring contact, an inertia switch, and a method of manufacturing an inertia switch are provided. The spring contact includes a conductive body portion having an outer edge and an inner edge partially surrounding an open area, a split in the conductive body portion, the split extending between the outer edge and the inner edge, and a conductive contact finger extending from the inner edge into the open area. The inertia switch includes a shell; a mass movably positioned within the shell; the spring contact positioned within the mass; a biasing member positioned between the spring contact and the header; and a conductive member extending through the header. The biasing member provides a bias between the spring contact within the mass and the conductive member. The method includes at least partially closing the split in the spring contact during insertion of the spring contact within the mass.