Abstract: A waveguide flange adapter includes a plate; an aperture positioned through the plate; and a plurality of holes arranged in a pattern in the plate and around the aperture. The plate is configured to operatively connect a first waveguide to a second waveguide such that the first waveguide and the second waveguide have a different pattern of holes on the waveguide flanges to one another. The pattern of the plurality of holes may be configured to align with connecting holes in each of the first waveguide and the second waveguide. At least some of the plurality of holes may extend through an entire thickness of the plate. The plate may include electrically-conductive material. The size and shape of the aperture may be complementary to a size and shape of each of the first waveguide and the second waveguide. At least some of the plurality of holes may be tapped or untapped.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 4, 2020
Date of Patent:
December 13, 2022
Assignee:
United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
Inventors:
John W. Lewellen, Rufus Cooksey, John R. Harris
Abstract: A digital speckle pattern interferometer (DSPI) is provided for long-range measurement of displacement of materials within a hazardous environments. A test arm of a portion of coherent beam from a laser is aimed at a selected angle to traverse a distance to a test surface. An input collimator has a lens wide enough to receive a reflected beam from the test surface and is focused at a corresponding distance. The reflected beam is combined with a reference beam split from the coherent radiation onto a camera for measuring displacement of the test surface based on an electronic speckle pattern interferometer (ESPI).
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 1, 2021
Date of Patent:
December 13, 2022
Assignee:
United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
Abstract: A composite material for dissipating the kinetic energy of an impacting object includes a strike face oriented to receive the impacting object and a protected face oriented to be proximate a user or a protected item. A first portion includes at least a first woven fabric layer and at least a Non-Newtonian Fluid (NNF) sheet. The first portion is disposed adjacent the strike face. A second portion includes at least a second woven fiber layer, and the second portion is disposed adjacent the protected face.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 23, 2018
Date of Patent:
December 6, 2022
Assignee:
United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
Abstract: A morphing airfoil includes a dynamic flexible skin system that is capable of carrying high level aerodynamic (or fluid) pressure loads over a structural surface. The structural surface can morph and bend in response to control inputs to change a lift force without separate movable control surfaces. A plurality of standoff mounts are attached to an inner surface of anisotropic skin. The standoff mounts include through apertures for receiving a flexible stringer. The anisotropic skin is attached to underlying structure through the flexible stringers. The flexible stringers interface with actuated position control ribs and passive compliant support ribs. A control system causes the underlying support structure to move to a desired location which in turn causes the skin to bend and/or flex without exceeding a stress threshold and thus vary the lift and drag distributions along a span of the airfoil without separate control surfaces.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 22, 2020
Date of Patent:
December 6, 2022
Assignee:
United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
Abstract: The present invention relates to processes for making macromolecular networks, macromolecular networks made by such processes, and methods of using such macromolecular networks. Such process employs a low amount of amine compound as a reaction accelerant. The rates of chemical reaction are thereby easily controlled over several orders of magnitude, permitting efficient catalysis and control of reaction conditions needed to produce thermochemically stable macromolecular networks.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 11, 2019
Date of Patent:
December 6, 2022
Assignee:
United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
Inventors:
Josiah T. Reams, Andrew J. Guenthner, Timothy S. Haddad, Jacob C. Marcischak, Kamran B. Ghiassi, Levi Michael Joseph Moore
Abstract: An apparatus for air dropping equipment and supplies from an aircraft is disclosed herein. The apparatus includes a canister having a rotor system configured to slow the descent at a predetermined altitude to a desired landing speed via auto-rotation and/or with motor assist. The rotor system is configured to prevent the container from spinning about its longitudinal axis during the descent.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
July 6, 2021
Date of Patent:
December 6, 2022
Assignee:
United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
Inventors:
Nicholas Newsted, Joseph Allison, David Adler, Brandon Lance, Robert Dome, Arthur Chappelka, Wendell Thompson
Abstract: An active attestation apparatus verifies at runtime the integrity of untrusted machine code of an embedded system residing in a memory device while it is being run/used with while slowing the processing time less than other methods. The apparatus uses an integrated circuit chip containing a microcontroller and a reprogrammable logic device, such as a field programmable gate array (FPGA), to implement software attestation at runtime and in less time than is typically possible with comparable attestation approaches, while not requiring any halt of the processor in the microcontroller. The reprogrammable logic device includes functionality to load an encrypted version of its configuration and operating code, perform a checksum computation, and communicate with a verifier. The checksum algorithm is preferably time optimized to execute computations in the reprogrammable logic device in the minimum possible time.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 8, 2021
Date of Patent:
November 29, 2022
Assignee:
United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
Inventors:
Mark M. Stephenson, Patrick Reber, Patrick J. Sweeney, Scott Graham
Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of improving a mass spectrometer, a module for improving a mass spectrometer and an improved mass spectrometer. The aforementioned method employs a calibration correction module that calibrates the mass spectrometer so timely, more precise and accurate data can be obtained. In particular, real time, accurate mass determinations of low analyte quantity samples can be obtained.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
September 16, 2020
Date of Patent:
November 29, 2022
Assignee:
United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
Inventors:
Mitchell H Rubenstein, Anthony V Qualley, Benjamin A Clapp
Abstract: The invention generally relates to shape memory films that are tri-functionally crosslinked and that comprise multiple, non-terminal, phenylethynyl moieties. In addition, the present invention relates methods of fabricating such films. Due to the improved properties of such SMPS, the SMP designer can program in to the SMP mechanical property enhancements that make the SMP suitable, among other things, for advanced sensors, high temperature actuators, responder matrix materials and heat responsive packaging.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
January 27, 2020
Date of Patent:
November 22, 2022
Assignee:
United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
Abstract: The present disclosure provides an analytical framework to investigate judicious topology reweighting of radio networks of clocks, when distributed time transfer and synchronization are based on physical layers and subject to the presence of false timing signals. Protagonist clocks exchange timing information pairwise, which is modeled as clocks tending to follow the majority of their neighbors. Antagonist clocks inject false timing signals, thereby, influencing the timing synchronization of (some of) the other protagonist clocks they meet. A class of pursuit-evasion graphical games subject to complete state observations and exploitation of phase noise disturbances, is proposed in designing clock steering protocols for resilient time metrologies that will be immune to erroneous timing signals injected into remote time dissemination networks.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 25, 2021
Date of Patent:
November 22, 2022
Assignee:
United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
Abstract: A parachute release apparatus includes at least one parachute connector releasably attached thereto. A delay release timer coupled to the apparatus is movable between locked and unlocked positions at a predetermined time after deployment of the parachute to permit release of the parachute connector after landing. A fail-safe device positioned adjacent the delay release timer is operable to hold the delay release timer in the locked position until the fail-safe device is removed after deployment of a parachute.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 26, 2020
Date of Patent:
November 15, 2022
Assignee:
United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
Abstract: The present invention relates to processes for making macromolecular networks, macromolecular networks made by such processes, and methods of using such macromolecular networks to make materials such as ceramics. The macromolecular network's formation rate is controlled by using two species of reactants each of which comprised one functionality. This results in decreased macromolecular network processing costs and superior products.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
January 15, 2019
Date of Patent:
November 15, 2022
Assignee:
United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
Abstract: Systems and methods for measuring temperature in an environment by creating a first beam having an energy of about 50 mJ/pulse, and a pulse duration of about 100 ps. A second beam is also created, having an energy of about 2.3 mJ/pulse, and a pulse duration of about 58 ps. The first beam and the second beam are directed into a probe region, thereby expressing an optical output. Properties of the optical output are measured at a sampling rate of at least about 100 kHz, and temperature measurements are derived from the measured properties of the optical output. Such systems and methods can be used to measure temperature in environments exhibiting highly turbulent and transient flow dynamics.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 18, 2020
Date of Patent:
November 15, 2022
Assignee:
United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
Inventors:
James R. Gord, Sukesh Roy, Paul S. Hsu, Naibo Jiang, Mikhail N. Slipchenko
Abstract: Systems and methods for three-dimensional (3-D) imaging enabled by natural range-dependent processes. Multiple lasers are configured to independently flash illuminate a target object to 3-D image a resultant “scene” onto a focal plane array (FPA). The first laser produces a wavelength non-resonant with an atmospheric absorption line along the illumination path. The second laser produces a wavelength resonant with the atmospheric absorption line, and closely spaced with the non-resonant wavelength. A ratio of the respective intensities recorded at the FPA for the two wavelengths calculates a range to the target object.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 5, 2019
Date of Patent:
November 8, 2022
Assignee:
United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
Abstract: A thermal management system includes a slurry generator, an injector pump coupled to the slurry generator, a heat exchanger reactor coupled to the injector pump, wherein the heat exchanger reactor is adapted to subject a thermally expendable heat absorption material to a temperature above 60° C. and a pressure below 3 kPa, and wherein the expendable heat absorption material endothermically decomposes into a gaseous by-product. A vapor cycle system is coupled to the heat exchanger reactor and is operatively connected to a thermal load. A thermal energy storage system may be coupled to the vapor cycle system and the thermal load. The thermal energy storage system may isolate the heat exchanger reactor from thermal load transients of the thermal load.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 9, 2021
Date of Patent:
November 8, 2022
Assignee:
United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
Inventors:
Douglas J. Johnson, Nicholas P. Niedbalski, Jamie S. Ervin, Soumya S. Patnaik
Abstract: Various embodiments of the disclosed subject matter provide systems, methods, architectures, mechanisms, apparatus, computer implemented method and/or frameworks configured for guaranteeing that a payload portion of every data packet provided to a secure/encrypted output port of a processor such as a microprocessor is encrypted.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
January 22, 2020
Date of Patent:
November 1, 2022
Assignee:
United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
Abstract: A tripod jack cylinder removal tool including a lifting eyebolt attached through an up flange and further through and up flange aperture to a lock nut. The flange is secured to a pipe at a pipe top end, the pipe further having a bottom end wherein a down flange having a down flange aperture is attached to the pipe and a bolt having threads protrudes through a down flange aperture.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 17, 2022
Date of Patent:
October 18, 2022
Assignee:
United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
Abstract: An aircraft air quality testing system includes a portable housing unit to be removably placed within an aircraft; an air testing unit secured inside the portable housing unit and including: a sensor to receive an air sample during a plurality of oxygen generation system cycles and engine thrust settings of the aircraft; a removable collection media to receive the air sample from the sensor and filter targeted chemicals from the air sample; and a plurality of analyzers to perform a real-time chemical analysis of the air sample and the filtered targeted chemicals. A first computer is operatively connected to the portable housing unit and includes: a processor to receive the real-time chemical analysis and generate real-time chemical analysis and flow rate data; a memory device to store the real-time chemical analysis and flow rate data; and a display device operatively connected to the portable housing unit.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 10, 2019
Date of Patent:
October 11, 2022
Assignee:
United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
Abstract: A unique seal for a wave rotor disk engine is disclosed herein. The seal is operable for sealing a region between a rotor and a rotor casing. The seal is spring loaded and will engage with the tip of the rotor to reduce pressure loss within the wave rotor disk engine.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
January 7, 2020
Date of Patent:
October 4, 2022
Assignee:
United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
Inventors:
Christopher Tait, Pejman Akbari, Brian Sell, Marc Polanka
Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of improving analytical instruments and improved analytical instruments. The aforementioned method employs a calibration correction module that calibrates the machine to effect measurements with the minimum possible relative squared error. This results in a significant improvement of the analytical instrument in question that leads to more precise and accurate results.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 19, 2020
Date of Patent:
September 27, 2022
Assignee:
United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
Inventors:
Benjamin A. Clapp, Mitchell H. Rubenstein